Kubo and the Two Strings (English, 2016)

The characters and the foreground action is charmingly handmade and fluently animated in stop motion that we rarely feel the difference from the usual computer generated imagery. The origami creations coming to life is a visual wonder that captures the imagination of kids and adults alike. The story telling scenes featuring the origami characters deserves special mention for its beautiful arrangement – a worthy entrant for animated movie at the academy awards!

The backgrounds and vivid detailing provided via Visual Effects is so seamlessly integrated with the stop motion animation driving the story. It imparts the much needed air of creepiness and negativity for the scenes featuring the baddies apart from complementing the positivity of Kubo’s quest as well. The magnitude of its achievement can be understood from the fact this is the first animated movie in over two decades to be nominated for VFX at the academy awards.

The story is not just one to amuse the kids, but has enough layers to engage the minds of adults as well. The conversations between the Samurai Beetle and the Lucky Charm Monkey have that sense of lively humor and incompatibility to culminate perfectly when the revelations happen before the climax which underlines the core of the movie which is nothing short of a life lesson for adults.

The music arrangements are befitting for an adventure fantasy. Even though it plays second fiddle to the impressive narrative and grand visuals, it makes a quintessential contribution in elevating the overall movie experience to enjoyable levels.

Excess of anything can be a lot to digest sometimes. In retrospective, though the visuals and detailing were done too well, the impact it has on the younger audience cannot be denied for the negativity was depicted a tad too graphic and bound to scare the unsuspicious average kid.