Where's Laika's Oscar?
The thing that fuels my anger and bitterness is the bias and favoritism that runs rampant through the Academy Awards. Usually, my anger is directed towards the Best Animated Film category. A newer category that most Academy members do not care about, the Best Animated film has a cursed where if a Disney film is nominated, chances are the movie is going to win, and that is plain bullshit. Specifically what fills me with rage is the 2017 Academy Awards; instant-hit, Zootopia, beat out the Laika masterpiece, Kubo and the Two Strings, and I’m still pissed. Only Laika’s fourth movie, Kubo was nominated for two Oscars, one of which being Best Animated.
Zootopia was, great, and not to knock its accomplishments, but I feel like if the Disney name was not slapped on the movie, it would not have won the award. Of course, Moana was also in this category and a few others, but I’m here to talk about the brilliance of Kubo and the Two Strings. Despite having a simple plot, Kubo, in my eyes, was a masterpiece and a breath of fresh air that I haven’t had the chance to experience in a very long time.
The story is simple, boy needs to save his village from his grandfather. Grab three relics, fight grandpa, win. Of course the full plot is a little more complex but that’s what it boils down to. Laika targets itself to children with brilliant art and exciting characters. Their plots don’t have to be outstanding, but everything else about them usually is. I’ve been a Laika fan since day one. Experiencing Coraline in theaters was great but it wasn’t a masterpiece. Once I saw Paranorman, I was completely hooked. This isn’t a love letter to Laika, but and an argument that Kubo deserves more recognition.
Laika Entertainment
The movie begins with a raging sea and Kubo’s mother (Charlize Theron) running away from home, desperately trying to escape her fate. She’s seen clawing through sand, making sure her son is safe. That doesn’t sound all that difficult, until you remember that this movie is stop motion. Grains of sand fly with every motion, hair whips and moves with the wind, and suddenly, after briefly thinking about how much effort was put into this scene, I begin to cry. I get really overwhelmed sometimes thinking about how much effort and time have been put into things and this was the moment I knew Laika loved what they did.
Of course, Disney definitely loves to animate as well, but when you think about the size of Laika’s animation studio and then Disney’s animation studio, you can’t help but feel that more passion went into Kubo. Part of my issue with the Academy Awards is that the Academy mostly votes for their friends more than they vote for the actual best. When it comes to this season, I usually have my favorite and then the one that I think is technically the best. It sucks to separate those two feelings, but I think if an amateur, no-name movie blogger can do it, I’m pretty sure a bunch of professionals in the field can definitely do it. Truthfully, I want to destroy the Academy and build it from the ground up, but whatever.
The story of Kubo, despite being simple, brings you into the world quickly with living lore and relatable characters. Instantly, the viewer is encouraged to get wrapped up in the story by hearing the words “If you must blink, do it now,” understanding that there is an urgency to pay attention to every aspect of the movie. There’s a hook, and my god, was I a fish taking the bait.
The movie ends of course with some cheesy message, because, after all, this is a kids’ movie, but in a good way that wrapped up the whole vibe and understanding of the movie. Laika has already begun to work on their fifth movie, despite how little recognition the film industry gives it. I urge you all to give Laika a shot, especially since Kubo and Coraline are right at your Netflix based fingertips. Now please, can we give this studio a damn Oscar?
