Original post can be found at GoodTrash Media
This week Arthur and I are taking another trip to animation land as we go Back to the Movies to review the stop motion animated Kubo and the Two Strings. The movie features stunning animation from Laika Studio who is known for Coraline, Paranorman, and Boxtrolls. What sets Kubo apart from the others is its distinct influence from Japanese woodblock art and the Japanese cultural folklore the film draws from. The cast is also full of value pedigrees with Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes, Roony Mara, and George Takei all rounding at team.
Before delving into the review, we continue our new segment where your hosts talk about what we’ve been watching. This week Arthur has been re-watching lots of Scrubs and remembering the glory of Zach Braff in his earlier years. The conversation then steers into a brief rabbit hole discussing Brendan Fraser and the string of terrible Scorpion King sequels I mix things up by talking about my most recent adventures watching Rick & Morty and checking out Mamoru Hosoda’s The Boy and the Beast.
In our review of Kubo and the Two Strings, Arthur and I talk about the film’s theme of family and non-violence. The film may have a pretty straight forward plot, but the film does a surprising amount of work into reinforcing the larger moral of the story. We weigh Kubo against the odds of The Little Prince, Zootopia, and Finding Dory to see how it stacks up.
Caleb Masters 