Kubo and the Two Strings

“If you must blink, do it now.”

You know what the most unfortunate type of films are in the movie industry besides indies? No, not video game adaptations, although those are a close second. Its computer animation’s forgotten eldest brother, stop-motion animation. For some reason, stop-motion animations are one of the lowest performing films in terms of the box office.

Fantastic Mr. Fox — Budget $40M, Gross $46M

Anomalisa — Budget $8M, Gross $3.7M

Just look at these numbers and tell me you can’t help but pity the filmmakers. Both these films, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Anomalisa are well received in terms of ratings, and both were nominated for Best Animated Feature Film of their respective years. So, what gives? Why can’t these stop-motion films make money? Does it have to do with the talent involved? Well no, probably not, since George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Bill Murray all star in Fantastic Mr. Fox. So really, what gives?

Let’s take a closer look at one of the more recent box office failures of stop-motion animation, Kubo and the Two Strings—the bold, yet melancholic adventure of a young boy in ancient Japan bravely facing his family’s past. The film is definitely a fresh story during a time of superheroes (we’re still into that?) and reboots galore. And it’s quite sad to see the film under perform, not just compared to the Hollywood cookie cutter movies out there, but to Laika’s other stop-motion films as well.

Coraline — Budget $60M, Gross $124.6

ParaNorman — Budget $60M, Gross $107.1

The Boxtrolls — Budget $60M, Gross $109.3

Kubo and the Two Strings — Budget $60M, Gross $69.2

As you can see, Coraline, Laika’s first feature film, did fairly well in the box office making double its budget. The next two films broke $100M… and there’s Kubo, barely breaking even. Why is that? (Do the names Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, and George Takei not hold any weight?) Well, you could argue that Kubo was released the latest, so it just needs time to “catch up,” but it has the lowest opening weekend gross. Perhaps the advertising was lacking this time around. But it could also be because of the race of the main character. Most moviegoers in America who see a protagonist with distinct Asian features could have a difficult time seeing themselves in that particular character. Hey, after this year’s election, it’s completely believable and you know it. There’s a reason why white Hollywood constantly whitewashes Asian characters (like with Ghost in the Shell). Whether whitewashing actually affects numbers or just makes studio directors feel better, who knows, but it’s without a doubt that Kubo's disappointing monetary outcome will likely result in filmmakers being more hesitant in creating films centered around an Asian hero. Which, of course, is very unfortunate. Kubo and the Two Strings took a step forward with its characters, story, and imagination, only to have future proper Asian representation in films take an unintentional step backwards.

But even with all the mishaps surrounding Kubo, there’s still a glimmer of hope. Considering that all of Laika’s previous feature films have been nominated for an Oscar, there’s no doubt that the studio’s latest film will be nominated as well. In terms of finally landing a win, Kubo's got some big competition from huge rivaling animation studios. There’s Pixar’s Finding Dory and Disney’s Zootopia.

If anything, Kubo's got a good shot at being recognized for its artistic quality, which may lead to more sales and views. The stunning stop-motion animation matches well with the origami magic, and brings an eerie and mystical atmosphere to the film. (Maybe that’s why a lot of people don’t watch stop-motion animation. The slight hint of archaic, mechanical movements, like that of a human robot, creeps them out. And maybe that’s why Coraline was perfect for stop-motion.) The mythical adventure that Kubo embarks upon is intriguing every step of the way, and all of the characters are fairly well designed. The film does have its faults though with some of the story line being unclear or utterly abrupt. At some points it seems like the writers themselves masked their own frustrations and confusions of the story with imperfect mysteries. But overall, the film takes viewers on a deep, emotional journey of loss, life, and memory that’s entertaining for all ages. Just make sure not to blink.

Chad: 3.5

Alex: 4

Overall Rating: 4/5