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Kubo and The Two Strings in Dolby Cinema Review - Laika Brings Us One of The Best Films of The Year

Monday night Kristen and I were able to attend the launch of the newest Dolby Cinema at AMC located at the AMC Del Amo 18. We also got to attend a Dolby Cinema Master Class and then see an advanced screening of Kubo and The Two Strings. As many of you know I am a huge fan of Dolby Cinema and continue to be blown away by the immersive cinematic experience that it provides.

For those of you not familiar with Dolby Cinema, there are three key components:

1. Dolby Vision - powerful dual-4K laser projection creating the most realistic images ever

2. Dolby Atmos - a reference quality sound system that moves audio around the theater in sync with the action to create a more immersive experience. There are 5 in-screen speakers with 48 surround speakers, 4 ceiling mounted subwoofers and in-seat transducers for extra rumble. 

3. Design - premium seating, a room painted matte black to reduce ambient lighting and a large curved wall-to-wall-to-ceiling screen to make the movie going experience immersive and memorable.

So now that you know a little bit more about Dolby Cinema, let's take a look at a behind the scenes featurette for Kubo and The Two Strings:

'Kubo and The Two Strings' in Dolby Cinema from Dolby Laboratories on Vimeo.

Now that you have taken a behind the scenes look into Kubo and The Two Strings, let's get into the movie review.

Kubo and The Two Strings is the latest stop motion animated film from the brilliant and creative minds at Laika. If you have seen Coraline, Paranorman or The Boxtrolls then you have seen Laika's work. I loved the first three films by Laika but Kubo and The Two Strings is the best by far.

Kubo and The Two Strings takes place in ancient Japan and is filled with powerful storytelling and visuals. The story surrounds Kubo, a young boy who lives with his mother. He spends his days entertaining the villagers with his story about a legendary warrior and his quest for a sword, a helmet and a breastplate that will make him invincible. Kubo tells his tale through origami figures that he magically brings to life with the use of his shamisen. Right when Kubo nears the end of the story, the town bell rings announcing that it is almost nightfall and Kubo must return home.

But one night Kubo doesn't return home before nightfall and he is taken away on a quest to find the armor. Kubo isn't alone on his quest as he is aided by an overly protective monkey and a brave samurai beetle. And in hot pursuit is the Moon King and two masked demons who are also his daughters. Without giving too much away, the enemy is part of Kubo's family and the story has some very unexpected twists and turns. As Kubo says in the very beginning of the movie, pay attention to everything.

The film is pure eye candy and is even more stunning in Dolby Cinema. You forget that you are watching painstaking stop-motion animation. The storyline is superb with a perfect blend of humor with an amazingly deep story about after-life mythology and lost loved ones.

Kubo and The Two Strings is a fully immersive experience in Dolby Cinema. The score emotionally pulls you into the movie with it's pure audio clarity. The sound effects literally float around you and further add to the experience. Wait until you hear the haunting voices of the masked demons. You will literally feel them around you. Then add flawless video with every detail being crisp and sharp. There is zero quality loss. This is what Dolby Cinema brings to the table, a full immersive movie going experience that is second to none. I cannot wait to see Kubo and The Two Strings again but I will only watch it in Dolby Cinema.

Kubo and The Two Strings is not only one of the best animated films of the year but also one of the best films of the year. I cannot wait to see what Laika brings us next.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Trailer!

Watch the official trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, in which a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story arrives in theaters December 16, 2016.

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"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" 3D Collector¹s Edition - arriving in the US and Canada on Nov 15

OWN THE 3D COLLECTOR’S EDITION THIS FALL

Fans can fully immerse themselves in “The Force Awakens” through breathtaking 3D, new bonus features and collectible packaging!

BURBANK, Calif. (August 10, 2016) — This fall, Star Wars fans around the world, will experience a galaxy far, far away—up close and in eye-popping 3D—through the highly anticipated “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” 3D Collector’s Edition, rolling out beginning Oct. 31 and arriving in the United States and Canada on Nov 15.

For the first time—and just in time for the holidays—viewers can bring home Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in 3D, encased in stunning, collectible packaging. The exclusive four-disc 3D Collector’s Edition contains the original theatrical release on Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™, Digital HD and DVD, along with originally released bonus features and brand-new bonus material, including additional deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes conversations with cast and crew and revealing, never-before released audio commentary by director J.J. Abrams*.

*Collector’s Edition configuration may vary by territory

Upon its debut last December, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” received rave reviews from both critics and audiences, and shattered box office records with over $936 million domestic and $2 billion worldwide. The film has since been nominated for five Academy Awards® and took home the BAFTA Award for Special Visual Effects. “The Force Awakens” re-ignited the Star Wars franchise and fans eagerly await the next installment, arriving in theaters Dec. 2017, as well as the first in a series of standalone films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” premiering on Dec. 16, 2016.

Bonus features include*: 

3D COLLECTOR’S EDITION BONUS FEATURES:

Audio Commentary with J.J. Abrams – Enter the mind of visionary director J.J. Abrams as he reveals the creative and complex choices made while developing the first film in the new Star Wars trilogy.

Foley: A Sonic Tale – Foley artists, consisting of old pros and new talent, unite to bring the world of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” alive through the matching of sound to action.

Sounds of the Resistance – Hear how the epic sound design of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” moves the Star Wars legacy forward.

Deleted Scenes – View never-before-shared scenes that didn’t make the film’s final cut.

Dressing the Galaxy – Costume Designer Michael Kaplan reveals how the costumes of the original Star Wars movies were re-envisioned for a new generation.

The Scavenger and the Stormtrooper: A Conversation with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega – The two new stars share the thrill of working together on the adventure of a lifetime and becoming part of the Star Wars legacy.

Inside the Armory – Take a fascinating tour through the design and creation of the weaponry in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Classic Bonus Features – These offerings from the April release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” include the complete story behind the making of the film, an unforgettable cast table read, insights from legendary composer John Williams and deleted scenes, as well as features that dig deeper into the creation of new characters such as BB-8, the design of the climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren, the film’s remarkable digital artistry and the Star Wars: Force for Change global aid initiative.

* Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer. New bonus content is available in the 3D Collector’s Edition package only.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” 3D Collector’s Edition global release dates include:

Australia	Nov. 9	Holland	Oct. 31	Sweden	Oct. 31
Brazil	Nov. 16	Italy	Nov. 2	US and Canada	Nov. 15
Germany	Nov. 24	Spain	Nov. 2

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” saw the eagerly anticipated reteaming of original Star Wars stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, along with Anthony Daniels, the only actor to have been in all seven Star Wars films, and Peter Mayhew. The returning cast was joined by newcomer Daisy Ridley, who beat out fierce competition to take the principal role of Rey; BAFTA Rising Star Award winner John Boyega (“Attack the Block,” “Imperial Dreams”) as reluctant stormtrooper Finn; Emmy® nominee Adam Driver (“Lincoln,” “Girls”) as the villainous Kylo Ren, and Golden Globe® winner Oscar Isaac (“Inside Llewyn Davis,” “The Bourne Legacy”) as Resistance pilot Poe Dameron.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt. Lucasfilm president and eight-time Academy Award® nominee Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams, along with his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, are the film’s producers.

Having established a musical legacy with his iconic scores for the previous six films in the Star Wars saga, acclaimed composer John Williams returned to score “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” ultimately garnering his 50^th Oscar® nomination for it.

DISC SPECIFICATIONS:

FEATURE RUN TIME: Approximately 136 min.

RATING: PG-13 in U.S.; PG in CE; G in CF

ASPECT RATIO: Blu-ray Feature Film = 2.40:1

DVD Feature Film = 2.40:1

AUDIO: Blu-ray = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio,

French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks

DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital,

English 2.0 Descriptive Audio Language Tracks

LANGUAGES: English, French & Spanish

SUBTITLES: English SDH, French & Spanish

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWars

Website: http://instagram.com/StarWarsMovies

ABOUT “STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS”:

Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as Star Wars returns to the big screen with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk are producing with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The screenplay is written by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt.

ABOUT LUCASFILM LTD.

Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

ABOUT DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE (DMA):

Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) is an engaging and family-friendly cloud-based digital movie service that makes it simple to buy your favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies once and watch them anywhere.  With DMA you can explore Disney’s library of over 450 eligible digital movies, discover hours of new and exclusive short-form content, and watch your digital movies from the comfort of the living room or across multiple mobile devices.   You can add the free DMA app to a multitude of devices including iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android mobile phones and tablets, Android TV, Amazon’s Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Roku, and Xbox 360. Then, connect your DMA account with participating providers including iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, Google Play, and Microsoft Movies & TV and your eligible movies will be shared across all your connected platforms.  In addition, you can redeem Digital Copy codes found in Disney, Pixar and Marvel Blu-rays and DVDs, as well as earn Disney Movie Rewards points with every digital purchase.

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS:

For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!