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Kubo and Two Strings

Ticket availability seems extremely spotty in Orlando. Universal AMC has one showing all weekend in 3D (Thursday at 6pm), with the only other showings at 1:55pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I hope this movie isn't getting shafted out of screens.
 
Okay, Kubo and two strings was imo better than 99% of the animated films I have seen this year. It was very intriguing and well thought out minus the by the numbers hero story, it was fantastic. The score blew me away and the animation and CGI was on point. You could tell a lot of love was put into this film and this one of the few films this year I'm fine with going back to the theatre to see again.
 
Ticket availability seems extremely spotty in Orlando. Universal AMC has one showing all weekend in 3D (Thursday at 6pm), with the only other showings at 1:55pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I hope this movie isn't getting shafted out of screens.
This isn't the kind of movie theaters need to publish showtimes far in advance for, don't worry.
 
Well, the critics love it with a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Shame Laika typically has trouble getting people in the seats though.
 
Just watched this tonight. It's the 4th film from Laika studios who did coralline, paranorman, and box trolls. Thought I'd share it as I'm hoping word of mouth makes it more successful as it deserves it.

Absolutely brilliant for any film- but particularly a family animated film. A+, and my favorite animated film in years.
The animation is the best I've ever seen when you take into account how they made it. Really, this isn't even debated. Might not be your style, but there isn't a better technical achievement to date.
Acting was pitch perfect too with Theron running away with it. Such a soft but strong voice.
Story was great for me, as I relate to it quite a bit personally.

Pacing was the only issue- and a minor one at that. Dragged a little long and ended a little too quick. But all around, a masterful performance and stunning film. Easily the best animated film of the year and arguably of the decade.


The worst part? Only ~15 people at a 4:30Pm Friday showing in the theater. I wish this was a commercial success, but alas it's a laika film...
Even with that few people, they all clapped at the end!
 
Just watched this tonight. It's the 4th film from Laika studios who did coralline, paranorman, and box trolls. Thought I'd share it as I'm hoping word of mouth makes it more successful as it deserves it.

Absolutely brilliant for any film- but particularly a family animated film. A+, and my favorite animated film in years.
The animation is the best I've ever seen when you take into account how they made it. Really, this isn't even debated. Might not be your style, but there isn't a better technical achievement to date.
Acting was pitch perfect too with Theron running away with it. Such a soft but strong voice.
Story was great for me, as I relate to it quite a bit personally.

Pacing was the only issue- and a minor one at that. Dragged a little long and ended a little too quick. But all around, a masterful performance and stunning film. Easily the best animated film of the year and arguably of the decade.


The worst part? Only ~15 people at a 4:30Pm Friday showing in the theater. I wish this was a commercial success, but alas it's a laika film...
Even with that few people, they all clapped at the end!

Pacing is really weird as I thought it was paced out fine but most of my friends thought the film needed to be longer while others felt it was too long and needed to be shorter.
 
Just a quick note. I put this one just below Coraline in my Laika rankings. I may change that after a few more viewings.

Do yourselves a favor and see it on a good 3D screen unless you have a reason that 3D simply does not work for you. An actual stereoscopic shoot, unlike that Ben Hur nonsense that is taking up the main screens this weekend.
 
From what it seems, the film will fail in the box office; even as is that they have still currently a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a 87 on it's public response.

It's sad to hear that, as it was in all honesty a great movie that should be seen by everyone..
 
From what it seems, the film will fail in the box office; even as is that they have still currently a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a 87 on it's public response.

It's sad to hear that, as it was in all honesty a great movie that should be seen by everyone..

I wouldn't call it quits yet. Focus is still pushing this film in the animated category for Oscars. Not saying it will win but if it does, it will do what Spirited Away did in 2001, Before few in the US paid it attention and now its a huge cult film.
 
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I wouldn't call it quits yet. Focus is still pushing this film in the animated category for Oscars. Not saying it will win but if it does, it will do what Spirited Away did in 2001, Before few in the US paid it attention and now its a huge cult film.
Every Laika film has been nominated for the Oscar. While I think Kubo is a real contender the academy just doesn't seem to care about animation and will probably just hand it to Disney like they usually do, they do have Finding Dory after all. On another note, one thing that seems to plaque these Laika releases is the theaters. They just don't seem to have them playing that much and at times that may not be convenient to some.
 
Every Laika film has been nominated for the Oscar. While I think Kubo is a real contender the academy just doesn't seem to care about animation and will probably just hand it to Disney like they usually do, they do have Finding Dory after all. On another note, one thing that seems to plaque these Laika releases is the theaters. They just don't seem to have them playing that much and at times that may not be convenient to some.

Its more so dependent on the number of entries. Its been weird some years there are only 3 nominations for best animated pictures and others its like 5.
Right now based on the industry, the nominees most likely will be:

1.Zootopia (Highest rated disney film if Disney tried to do Finding Dory as well it would divide the votes and allow a third party studio in 2011 with dreamworks and how Rango ended up inning)
2. Kubo (Laika nomination plus high critical aclaim and a large focus features push as I know people who already received screeners in the mail for it)
3. April and the Extraordinary World (Gkids always gets a nomination)
4. Trolls (subject to change by 5pm today but front runner as every dreamworks animated movie outside Home have been nominated however may get knocked out by another film)
5. Miss Hokusai which is the serious animated feature that tends to get nominated every year with no chance of winning

As for Laika, Laika films biggest problem is they are just really too dark. I kept telling coworkers to take their kids to see it and most of their kids were horrified or scared by the previews because of the two sisters. That definitely has hurt when it comes to the box office. But they said that this was their final kids movie for awhile and potentially stop animated film with their next few films focusing on adult characters so thats that.
 
I loved this movie so much. If you haven't seen it yet, please go see it.
 
^I can't imagine Trolls being nominated over Finding Dory, even if it gets better reviews (which is highly doubtful).

Nominations aren't always based on what movie was better but what movies a studio pushes for awards. Just like Disney had no animated films nominated for best animated feature in 2011 even though though had two easily selected shoo in nominations however Disney didn't do any film push and ended up with nothing.
 
As for Laika, Laika films biggest problem is they are just really too dark. I kept telling coworkers to take their kids to see it and most of their kids were horrified or scared by the previews because of the two sisters. That definitely has hurt when it comes to the box office. But they said that this was their final kids movie for awhile and potentially stop animated film with their next few films focusing on adult characters so thats that.
While future films will feature adult characters the they will still be family oriented was my understanding.
 
I expect Zootopia, Finding Dory, Moana, Kubo, and one slightly obscure foreign film that I won't recognize to be nominated. Even if Trolls or Sing are surprisingly good, they most likely won't get nominated for the same reasons the LEGO Movie didn't get nominated; they look too silly for the "super-serious we don't really care about animation" Academy.

...plus, I highly doubt Trolls or Sing will be as great as Zootopia/Dory/Kubo have been (not saying they're going to be bad, though), and I have a feeling Moana will be better than them too.
 
Kubo is the front runner for the Oscar if history is based on trends.

Kubo won best animated feature by the National Board of Review which has a history of picking the Academy Award Winner for the past five years as well as second most nominated film at the Annie's behind Zootopia.
 
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