Kubo and the Two Strings – 2016

Score: 8/10

This is a weird one, but in a very good way. You will not expect the difference in style from what you are used too, and you will not expect the deepness it will reach. But it is worth getting over your initial shock and giving it a chance, because it will end up impressing you right to your core. Kubo and the Two Strings is one of the revelations of the last years for me in terms of animation and you can’t go wrong by watching it.

The story is the best part of the movie. It is full of emotion, it will take you on a rollercoaster. But you will enjoy the lows and the highs at the same intensity. The music is also a big part of the narrative and it manages to complete the visuals very well. You will understand the power of raw emotion translated into strings and you will discover that the universe is never what it seems at a first glance…

The characters are nicely developed, powerful and most importantly, relatable. It is a fantastic story, not very different from a fairytale, but at the same time it appears realistic, and that is because the characters take logical decisions that you can accept as possible in the real world. We see love, family, a craving for power, everything is there and it is augmented by powerful performances from Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro, Meyrick Murphy and Minae Noji.

The visual style is unique, amazing. The movie feels very different than what you are used to in terms of animation and at first it might seem weird, but after you get used to it, you will learn to appreciate it. It is polished, it looks beautiful, but not in a way that pops on screen. No, it is something more subtle, and it is very well adapted to the story. You feel the weight of the culture, you feel the oriental air pouring out of every single scene, it is delicate, like a flower that opens up just for you to be able to understand its beauty.

Unfortunately, the movie does get slow at times, because of the style of animation and the way the story is created. You have sequences where you feel like nothing is happening, but more times than not, the wait is worth it. Still, I have to take away some points for this, because it is not the ideal thing I want to see in an animated movie. But, nevertheless, the different type of narrative makes this a welcome change from the classic Hollywood style.

In conclusion, Kubo and the Two Strings is an animation that will surprise you, something you have never seen before. It is a hidden gem and you will not waste time watching this, you will enjoy it, you will feel emotion, raw emotion, and you will resonate very well with the characters. It is a movie I did not expect to see, but one that I was very happy to discover. It is a special treat for lovers of true art and I really hope that I will get to see many more animations done in this style in the future… But still, I can’t end this without saying it loud and clear: guitars, unfortunately, don’t work like that!

The Hateful Eight – 2015

Score: 8/10

I can’t say I am a big fan of Quentin Tarantino. I have never been and I most certainly have a lot of problems with many of his movies. So I have to say that I went into this a little bit biased. But The Hateful Eight managed to change my mind and I ended up loving it. It is harder to see than most films, but if you manage to get to the end and think about it afterwards, you will discover that the experience was totally worth it. I would see it again and that alone says a lot about the inner quality of it.

The story is a little bit convoluted, but you can expect that already from a Tarantino movie. Nevertheless, it is interesting, it has twists and it manages to keep you alert. This is a great movie for someone who likes to talk and most importantly for someone who likes to discover people through the small things they say and the idiosyncrasies they display. The dialogue is carefully constructed and there are almost no continuity errors here. A great story, and a unique one at that, which is not easy to do!

The characters are amazing, beautifully created and highly relatable. You really feel you are in the Old West and you can’t help but root for not one, but almost all of them. It is amazing to see such a talented cast at work, and the names here will leave you speechless. It is one of the most impressive casts I have ever seen, and I have to commend performances from Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, James Parks, Dana Gourrier and Zoë Bell.

The overall style of the movie is typical Tarantino. A small and almost impossible to identify silver line and a lot of hidden symbols that you have to understand in order to enjoy the experience fully. And here is my problem with this movie. Because of his style, Tarantino manages to make his films feel longer than they actually are. It is the same case here, because on a first viewing, I was almost pushed to the limit. You could argue that is because the 168 minutes running time, but I really think it’s the way everything is shot, with a lot of pauses and a lot of “art”. Too much art can hurt a movie and destroy your immersion, and I really hope Tarantino will stop doing this in the future.

The music, oh my God the music. It is by far the best thing about this movie, and although I was expecting something like this from a legendary composer like Ennio Morricone, I have to admit that he actually managed to surpass every single expectation I had. He is a true legend of cinema and any movie in the world would be enhanced by his atypical and powerful scores. It is a joy from start to finish, and especially in the open credits, the cross scene will leave you breathless… Simply breathless…

In conclusion, The Hateful Eight is definitely a movie worth watching. It tries to be a classic western and it manages to be totally different from whatever you have seen before. It moves slowly but at the same time the action makes you jump from your seat in more instances than one. Overall, I would say that it is a unique experience, completed to perfection by the atmosphere that Tarantino creates, by the amazing musical score from Ennio Morricone and by the spectacular performances of a stellar cast. Oh, and the constant swearing and racism is simply adorable. Now who doesn’t love listening to over 200 hundred swear words in one single movie? 😀