Brilliant and beautiful paper cut animation! Simple and powerful story.

"Kubo and the Two Strings" is an excellent picture, based in stop motion animation and the longest film of this type to date. The story is rich in Buddhist contexts highlighting a belief in a Pure Land and an acknowledgment that although life is suffering, there are many things that make it beautiful, friends, family, love and compassion. The film explores all of the aforementioned themes in kind. All-in-all it really captured my imagination. I found myself quite taken with the film, both in the visuals and the story. I would recommend this to anyone interested in stop-motion or Buddhism.

It’s a semi-horror animation. Too much spirit, too much magic. I am not quite liking the plot which I think slow pace at times and twisted such as the enmity between sisters, little boy and old grandpa regarded as virtue or heroic act. The gentleness in this movie was killed by violence and spookiness. The cinematography is nice though. I would categorize this animation as for adult.

Very good movie VERY VIOLENT

The longest stop-motion animated feature film thus far (and with hundreds of thousands of frames and an 18-foot animatronic Skeleton Demon to boot certainly the most ambitious), Travis Knight’s dark and cerebral fairytale is a sure win for both adults and those children able to brave the scarier bits. A beautifully rendered saga which takes viewers from bare mountaintops to a pale ghost realm to a storm-ravaged sea aboard an enchanted galleon, all presented with meticulous staging (apparently the sea voyage alone took nineteen months to shoot) and a palette of picture book colours that add depth to those burning sunsets and haunted moons. It’s the storyline however which impressed me the most, a heady mix of mythological mayhem and family ties centred on one endearingly plucky antagonist and his brave allies. But a word of warning for those with toddlers, the monsters are surprisingly effective and some supernatural fight sequences don’t shy away from deadly swords and flailing meat hooks. Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, and Matthew McConaughey lend their voices, and listen for George Takei delivering his signature “Oh My!”

A beautifully animated adventure that both kids and adults can enjoy!

SEXUAL CONTENT
None.
VIOLENT CONTENT
From this film's opening moments, it's clear that a deadly and powerful danger lurks nearby, always watching and awaiting its chance. We see those evil forces unleashed in sometimes deadly (though never bloody) ways as Kubo runs through snowy and desert environments. Monkey warns Kubo, "[As] we grow stronger, life grows more dangerous." Swords slash, arrows fly, beasts attack, and heroes are seemingly always in peril.

Kubo's aunts cast spells that kill villagers. Those magics bash and batter Kubo and his companions with chains and blades. We see a woman struck down in a vicious storm at sea. She's driven deep under water and hits her head on a large rock.

Kubo, Monkey and Beetle face off with a gigantic skeletal creature that batters them repeatedly. It picks up both Monkey and Beetle and attempts to eat them. Two central characters and a spiritual predator all die in battle.

CRUDE OR PROFANE LANGUAGE
In frustration, someone exclaims, "Oh, foot!"

DRUG AND ALCOHOL CONTENT
None.

OTHER NEGATIVE ELEMENTS
Using magic, Kubo creates a flying creature that pokes Monkey in the backside. He also creates an origami chicken that fires projectiles out of its backside as an amusement for a crowd of onlookers.

CONCLUSION
Animated films aren't just for kids anymore. Animation is no longer simply about creating flighty and fluffy cartoons that you can sit thoughtlessly through with some popcorn and a box of Milk Duds. In this new age, animated films can often do things that live-action pics can't. They offer up an environment where a director can shoot for the unique; he can strive to make something fantastic, something visually immersive and emotionally affecting.

But all those plusses can come with a few minuses, too. Kubo and The Two Strings is a case in point.

This stop-motion animated pic is incredibly impressive to look at. In fact, the visuals are so fluid, beautiful and entertaining that you'll quickly lose any sense that this flick was pieced together shot-by-shot and frame-by-frame. Add in swirling music, magically enlivened origami figures and a fresh, exotic tale of love and heroism, and viewers of all ages will be tantalized by the color and artistry of it all.

However, there is more to consider here.

All of Kubo's eye-, ear- and heart-pleasing stuff masks some spiritual philosophies that parents may not be expecting. This story of a young boy who uses musical magic to give life to objects and battle against spirit-realm entities; it readily accepts an Eastern mindset that embraces ritualism, prayer to deceased ancestors and dark spiritual elements. Navigating those mystical waters will require significantly more parental guidance than the movie's colorful exterior might otherwise suggest.

Possibly a little scary for kids, but this is one of the most beautifully thought-out and executed movies I've ever seen, & the core values of united family & more than that, the stunning value on forgiveness is quite moving. I love this one! It's so well told in every way.

More Pixar than Pixar. The themes of memory dominate this clever and visually stunning movie.

There were times when this movie was just so fun, so creative but then it would slow down to a slug's pace. It was up and down, up and down. Great casting though and terrific animation. Beautiful story.