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...

| Original Score: A | Aug 19, 2024

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

Laika Studio's Masterpiece

| Aug 7, 2023

An adventure marked by dark, occasionally heavy themes, and resounding tenderness.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 11, 2022

Kubo and the Two Strings leaps off the screen with an original foreign folk tale that employs a rich originality and builds a strong base of emotional connection.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 12, 2022

It's a visually striking picture, drawing much of its style from various Japanese modes of artistic expression, both ancient (origami) and modern (Miyazaki).

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 15, 2021

With stunning animation and heart-warming storytelling, Laika hits the nail on the head with this one and shows off a moving and powerful coming-of-age story...

| Original Score: 5/5 | Oct 9, 2021

... the setting, the mythology, the design work of the characters, and the emotional power which runs throughout, never losing any bit of heft as the adventure goes on, building up until its thrilling end.

| Sep 23, 2021

A magnificent example of what stop-motion animation can bring to the screen.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jul 1, 2021

Kubo is worth seeing if you want to see what stop-motion is capable of. It succeeds on a technical level but beyond that it never rises to any great heights.

| Apr 13, 2021

A vivid trek of continual wonderment and excitement.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Dec 5, 2020

I've seen quite a few animated films this year, and Kubo and the Two Strings ranks as the very best of that list.

| Nov 5, 2020

There's some lessons in there that were nice.

| May 6, 2020

The plot was different; it was interesting.

| May 6, 2020

As I said before, the craft alone is enough to warrant my adoration and money, I just want to see it applied to something that puts my heart on the same elevated plane as it puts my eyes.

| Mar 31, 2020

A plucky little studio, both geographically and spiritually removed from the Hollywood sausage factory, has beat the majors at their own game, and they've done it for a fraction of the cost.

| Jan 14, 2020

Kubo is a masterful, artistic view of Japanese folklore, which is so rich in storytelling and tradition.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Sep 4, 2019

The animators use gorgeous, bold colors to paint vivid landscapes and portraits throughout the journey with painstaking detail that is marvelous.

| Original Score: 8.5/10 | Aug 7, 2019

Kubo and the Two Strings is nothing if not beautiful. Its message may be equal parts repetitive and derivative, but the splendor on display is yet another reason we're lucky Laika studios continues to do this work.

| Original Score: A- | Jul 9, 2019

A visual treat from beginning to end, Kubo and the Two Strings is the best feature yet to come out of celebrated stop-motion studio Laika.

| Jun 13, 2019