Overview
A young boy embarks on a magical quest to uncover his family's legacy and confront ancient spirits.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- whimsical
- dreamy
- eerie
- family movie night
- fantasy film night
What critics said
Critics broadly acclaimed the film as an original, emotionally powerful fantasy adventure elevated by dazzling hybrid stop-motion animation, sophisticated storytelling, and strong voice performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Kubo's musical storytelling animates origami figures and makes narrative performance central to his powers and quest.
LAIKA combines detailed stop-motion figures with computer-generated backgrounds and effects to create expansive fantasy imagery.
Kubo's journey is driven by the loss of his father and mother, while memory and forgiveness shape the conflict with his family.
The story draws on Japanese folklore, samurai imagery, magical armor, spirits, and origami.
Films like Kubo and the Two Strings, and why
Coraline
handcrafted stop-motion fantasy adventure with child protagonists, folkloric creatures, emotional family themes, and striking visual invention
The Boxtrolls
family-oriented animated fantasy combining mythic peril, imaginative world-building, heartfelt themes, and visually distinctive Laika craftsmanship
The Boy and the Beast
Japanese-inspired animated quest centered on a young hero, supernatural antagonists, magical objects, and themes of memory and family
Song of the Sea
emotionally rich animated fantasy adventure with folklore, parental bonds, forgiveness, and a visually expressive handcrafted aesthetic
Movie Details
- Director
- Travis Knight
- Release Date
- 2016-08-18
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (3941)
Cast
- Art Parkinson
- Charlize Theron
- Matthew McConaughey
- Brenda Vaccaro
- Ralph Fiennes
- Rooney Mara
- George Takei
- Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
- Meyrick Murphy
- Minae Noji
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Kubo and the Two Strings about?
- A gifted village boy summons magical origami and confronts a supernatural family vendetta through a visually dazzling samurai folklore quest.
- What is Kubo and the Two Strings like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Kubo and the Two Strings as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Kubo and the Two Strings violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Kubo and the Two Strings as mild.
- What did critics think of Kubo and the Two Strings?
- Critics broadly acclaimed the film as an original, emotionally powerful fantasy adventure elevated by dazzling hybrid stop-motion animation, sophisticated storytelling, and strong voice performances.
- Which films are like Kubo and the Two Strings?
- Films with a similar feel include Coraline, The Boxtrolls, The Boy and the Beast, and Song of the Sea.
- How long is Kubo and the Two Strings?
- Kubo and the Two Strings runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Kubo and the Two Strings?
- In United States, Kubo and the Two Strings streams on Hulu.
