Many people when they go to the movies have already decided what they want to see. When I went to “Kubo and the Two Strings,” I saw it because it was the only one that stood out to me. I recognized the name from a post swooning over its animation and story line.

The story centers around Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson), a boy living in a small seaside village with his mother. His mother tells him not to stay out after dark, but he does, and is thrust into a terrifying battle to save himself from an evil spirit. With the help of a monkey (Charlize Theron) and a beetle (Matthew McConaughey), he needs to find the magic samurai armor to fight the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes) and save his family. Many times throughout the movie Kubo doubts himself, but he finds strength with the help of friends and family.

In the beginning, Kubo searches for answers about the life and death of his father. His mother has a brain injury that worsens over time, and Kubo is very kind to her.

The movie relies heavily on familial bonds, which can make you think of your own family. Kubo dreams of having his father with him but knows that will never happen, so he settles for the next best thing: his mother’s memories of him. The setting in ancient Japan shows how devoted people are to their ancestors.

The film’s quality is second to none. It uses stop motion animation, which is incredibly difficult and time consuming to create. There were parts where my mouth was left hanging open. Even the monkey’s fur, blowing in the frosty wind, was amazingly well done. I can’t imagine the time that was put into that one scene.

It’s honestly hard to find anything bad to say about the film. The plot twists are enjoyable, and it had moments where I genuinely laughed even though the jokes were aimed at for young kids. The end had me on the edge of my seat, with that choked up feeling like something was lodged in my throat.

The plot made me experience an array of emotions. There is a lot of foreshadowing. It is portrayed well and is something you would only realize meant something after the film is finished.

The dialogue is interesting and well thought out, with well-placed jokes to lighten the mood when things get rough. The voice acting is superb. The movie features some famous actors (for example, George Takei and Matthew McConaughey) and some not-so famous ones. Even the ones I’ve never heard of did an excellent job.

“Kubo” is Travis Knight’s directorial debut, and featured the excellent music by Dario Marianelli. The movie’s strengths are its amazing animation and a story line that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Its weaknesses are the occasional plot hole and how dark it occasionally is. As much as I loved that aspect of the movie, it might upset younger viewers.

I recommend this movie one hundred percent. Everything about it is great. Sadly, it cost $55 million to make but only made about $48 million at domestic box offices. Despite this, go see this film. It deserves to be watched and praised.