As usual, I am very late to seeing things when they come out. I heard about Kubo and the Two Strings by a now former coworker when it came out summer 2016, but just recently watched it on Netflix. But, a review is still helpful whenever it comes out, so here is mine.
Kubo is a young boy with magical powers and powerful storytelling capabilities. His stories come from his mother, who he takes care of since she saved him from evils of their past, evils that stole his left eye. But when his past finds him, his mother sacrifices herself to save him and he must go on an adventure to find the magical armor of his late father to defeat the evils following him.
Based in feudal Japan, this stop-motion animation is a beautiful adventure story about family and compassion. Kubo’s story is motivated by memories, and how powerful memories of loved ones can be to defeat evil.
Kubo is accompanied by a guardian monkey that was brought back by his mother to protect him while searching for the armor. They come across a samurai beetle with memory issues, who joins them in search of the armor. Their connections are stronger than what seems though.
This is a great movie that I really enjoyed. It’s definitely not trying to be a Disney copycat or some crazy, almost excessively provocative kids film. It’s genuinely a great movie for all, with gorgeous art and an engaging story. It has humor and action to keep you engaged, and the plot is structured in a way where you can’t guess the conclusion from the start. I definitely recommend watching this movie.
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