Delayed Reaction: Kubo and the Two Strings

The Pitch: A boy with musical magical powers tries to protect himself from his wicked grandfather and aunts with the help a monkey and a beetle warrior - you know what. Just watch it.

I've learned two things from Kubo and the Two Strings (in conjunction with my fond memories of ParaNorman). 1) I need to see The Boxtrolls. 2) I need to give Coraline another shot. Because, I'm a fan of what Laika Studios does. Kubo and the Two Strings is a pretty movie. I agree with it being only the second animated film two be noted for its Visual Effect by the Oscars. This movie is fun. It's inventive. There's an edge to the story while still being accessible to people of all ages. After all, the kid is missing an eye. His parents are dead by the end of the film. Yet, it still manages to have a happy ending. No matter when you figure out that the monkey and the beetle are his parents, it's really entertaining to see how they play off one another. The twin sisters are quite creppy. Even though the story is straight up a video game adventure structure (collect all the items, defeat bosses), it totally works. I was thoroughly pleased with this start to finish.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend