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Kubo and the Two Strings

Play trailer 1:01 Poster for Kubo and the Two Strings PG Released Aug 19, 2016 1h 42m Kids & Family Fantasy Adventure Action Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 228 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Young Kubo's (Art Parkinson) peaceful existence comes crashing down when he accidentally summons a vengeful spirit from the past. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Matthew McConaughey) to unlock a secret legacy. Armed with a magical instrument, Kubo must battle the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes) and other gods and monsters to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known.
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Kubo and the Two Strings

Kubo and the Two Strings

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Critics Consensus

Kubo and the Two Strings matches its incredible animation with an absorbing -- and bravely melancholy -- story that has something to offer audiences of all ages.

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Critics Reviews

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Tara Brady Irish Times Sweeping tableaux, a wonderful voice cast and adventure that feels genuinely folkloric make this a film that definitely deserves to be taken out of cellophane. Rated: 4/5 Dec 27, 2016 Full Review Kate Muir Times (UK) A glorious flight of the imagination. Rated: 4/5 Oct 10, 2016 Full Review Wendy Ide Observer (UK) It explores unexpectedly profound ideas of rebirth and destiny rewritten, like origami paper sheets refolded into another form. Rated: 5/5 Sep 11, 2016 Full Review JD Duran InSession Film Kubo and the Two Strings isn’t a film that relies on emotion, but rather, it earns its affection by delivering a fun story that is engaging and moving... Rated: A Aug 19, 2024 Full Review Jason Best Movie Talk What casts the film’s most potent spell is the exquisite animation, haunted by centuries of Japanese art and thoroughly bewitching throughout. Aug 7, 2024 Full Review Zach Pope Zach Pope Reviews Laika Studio's Masterpiece Aug 7, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jay W "Kubo and the Two Strings" is a 2016 animated film made by the claymation powerhouse Laika Studios. Laika has made a lot of great animated films, including "ParaNorman" and "Coraline". All of their films are quality pictures, but Kubo is their best film. It is the most beautiful stop motion film I've ever seen. I am including "Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio" and "Nightmare Before Christmas". Where "Nightmare" may have revolutionized the medium, "Kubo" demonstrates how far the medium can go. The film includes the largest stop motion creature ever put to film and earned an Oscar nomination for best visual effects. An Oscar it should have won over Disney's CGI "Jungle Book" movie. But sadly, Kubo did not do well at the Box Office. I can't be blamed, I did see this film in theatres, and what a grand experience it was. IF you ever get the chance, this is an animated film worth seeing in theatres. Beyond the animation, the characters and story are also top notch. The main trio have terrific chemistry. They work well off each other and have pitch perfect voice acting. The story reminds me of a RPG video game, but in a good way. This is likely the best version of "Secret of Mana" movie that we are ever going to get. Once again, I can give another definitive superlative for this film: It has the best action of any stop motion animated movie. The film has a well-worn PG edge to it. The type of edge that contemporary Disney films lack. Characters feel like they could be killed, there is an element of fear in every scene that you don't get in the squeaky-clean kids' films. That being said, the film still has a wonderful sense of humor. This film had me laughing out loud a good number of times. It wasn't all due to one comedic relief character, the characters just act real, and the comedy naturally follows. The ending threw me for a loop. When I first saw it, I did not care for it. But this was a film that benefitted from rewatches. I grew to appreciate how they handled their ending. I love this film. If you haven't seen it, go out and see it. Kubo and the Two Thumbs Ups!! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/21/24 Full Review Audience Member I love everything about this movie,the voices,the animation and even the character designs are amazing Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/17/24 Full Review Jocelyn C Overall, Kubo and the Two Strings is an immersive, enjoyable, and amazing film that elegantly represents Japanese culture, enriches its story with narration, showcases an exquisite animation style, and develops endearing characters that face fascinating transformations. I was not only fully blown away by the animation and invested in the heartfelt, often funny storyline, but also touched by Kubo's perseverance when faced with tragedies. Without a doubt, a 5/5 film! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/05/24 Full Review Audience Member One of the best animated movies of the 2010’s. 10/10 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/24/24 Full Review TROY S Kubo and the Two Strings is a delightful stop-motion animated film that was surprisingly emotional and very charming. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/15/24 Full Review William B This movie is one of best animated children's movies of the last decade. It is the third masterpiece from Laika Studios, and it must have taken a great deal of time and effort from those involved. The voice actors did an amazing job, as well as everyone who worked on the film's production. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/11/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Kubo and the Two Strings

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Young Kubo's (Art Parkinson) peaceful existence comes crashing down when he accidentally summons a vengeful spirit from the past. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Matthew McConaughey) to unlock a secret legacy. Armed with a magical instrument, Kubo must battle the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes) and other gods and monsters to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known.
Director
Travis Knight
Producer
Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight
Screenwriter
Marc Haimes, Chris Butler
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Laika, Focus Features
Rating
PG (Scary Images|Action and Peril|Thematic Elements)
Genre
Kids & Family, Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Animation
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 19, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$48.0M
Runtime
1h 42m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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