I'm a couple of film reviews behind. But given that I could only watch films during their home media release, I'm pretty much chill that I have film review blogging to catch up to compared to my reading list wrap-up. But every once in a while, even with the knowledge that I probably watched something later than everyone else, I encounter titles that are hard not to feel excited writing about.
My recent film viewings are mostly re-watch sessions of animated films, because living with a two year old kind of limits what you can watch, especially if you need to keep her still while you are working on something else. It also means finding new animated titles to keep our library fresh. This is how I ended up discovering the gem Kubo and the Two Strings.
Kubo and the Two Strings is the story of a boy with one eye who lives in isolation with his mother Sariatu (Charlize Theron), who suffers from catatonia for many hours of the day. Kubo (Art Parkinson) travels to the nearby village to tell stories with paper that can magically fold as he controls them with his playing of a shamisen. Kubo rushes home in the afternoon before the sun sets, spending the few hours after when his mother is most lucid. Only then can she regale him with stories of his heroic father Hanzo and his quest for the magical armor. She tells him of how Hanzo and his army sacrificed themselves to allow Sariatu and Kobu to escape. She also warns him to always return home before the sun sets, because the night sky will reveal him to her father the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes) and her sisters (Rooney Mara), who will surely take his remaining eye.
Kubo and the Two Strings immediately swamps the viewers with amazing imagery from the get-go. A lone boat and its passenger, battling the waves to get to their isolated destination makes for a strong opening and it only gets better from there. Laika might seem to be an odd duck in the film animation industry with their decision to stick to stop motion animation instead of the more popular CGI format, but they know what they're doing and they do it well. Kubo and the Two Strings is probably their most visually stunning work to date, mixing traditional stop motion with the more modern 3D printing that lent to an exactness in details for characters, creatures and settings. The characters are expressive, the creatures they encounter forbidding, and the vistas they travel through are breathtaking and expansive. The happy moments are imbued with warm light, while the battles are shrouded in shadows. I don't think I would ever come close to describing how gorgeous this film is.
While it might have been enough for the film to be remembered for its visuals, Laika isn't known for producing empty animated films (see Coraline, Paranorman and Boxtrolls). What further elevates Kubo and the Two Strings is partnering those exceptional visuals with a story worthy of legend. Partnering Japanese mythology and a story that's pure adventure, this is one film that you shouldn't miss letting your kids watch. Heck, you shouldn't miss watching it. Because at its end (and even while watching), you will feel nostalgic as the film dishes out the spirit of old adventure animated films... the ones that didn't have to rely on great graphics in order to tell their story, or the ones that didn't have to attempt to dole out more mature humor in an effort to reel in adult viewers.
Kubo is a strong lead character, a boy mature beyond his years because of his circumstances, but still a boy nonetheless. This means that he still feels excitement at the idea of a journey, wonder at the new sights along the way, exhibit brattiness when he doesn't get his way, and feels the loss that can only be keenly felt by a child. Sariatu makes for a poor parent with her illness, which is why Kubo's later connection with former charm turned protector Monkey and cursed samurai Beetle (Matthew McConaughey) offer Kubo a chance to have parental figures to rely on, however strange they are in their animal forms and their extreme personalities. Every interaction in the film is significant, even with the villagers that Kubo entertain with his stories every day. The characters are all vivid, with Kubo's charm, Monkey's expressions and Beetle's humor. And especially with the horror Kubo's aunts bring when they track him finally under the night sky. Their introduction to the story led to some pretty intense scenes of dread and fright, as evidenced by the little one's sudden need to cuddle while watching (I offered to stop the film, she vehemently said no). And the characters aren't just beautifully drawn and animated, the excellent voice acting of the cast brings them to life.
Kubo and the Two Strings takes its great visuals and colorful characters, and runs away with them in a story that strikes a chord with both emotions and one's sense of adventure. There is a predictability to some of the twists in the story, but even guessing right does not diminish one's enjoyment of the film. There is warm humor and heart-wrenching drama. There are fight scenes that will punctuate emotions and make you root for Kubo and his companions. You cling to hope for Kubo and rightly detest those who try to bring him harm. At its end, the film leaves you exhausted and probably find yourself shedding a few tears.
Kubo and the Two Strings is a roller coaster ride... a beautiful and beautifully tumultuous emotional ride. So, go. If you haven't watched it yet. Go and join Kubo in his adventure. And when you do watch, follow Kubo's advice to blink... blink before the story begins. Because every second that comes after must not be missed.
Happy viewing!!Labels: Action, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Film, Kubo and the Two Strings, Laika, Must-Watch, Stop Motion
