15 Best Original Movie Characters Of 2016

Since Fury Road, I guess we're giving as many action lady roles as we can to Charlize Theron, right? She is going to be in the next Fast & Furious after all...

Kubo and the Two Strings is an absolutely gorgeous film with breathtaking animation and a simple hero's journey brought to life by a cast of wonderful characters. It is difficult to pick a single standout, but the most memorable in the cast is Charlize Theron voicing a talking Monkey.

First appearing at the beginning of the second act, Monkey is a stern mother who helps guide Kubo on his quest. She is a funny, strict, and endlessly watchable maternal figure to this inexperienced hero, but unlike many mentors, she does not stay behind while the hero goes off on his own. Accompanying Kubo in his journey, she gets some of the best action sequences in the film, brilliant mixtures of choreography and character development that catch the audience off guard.

Speaking of which, the area where Monkey truly shines is toward the latter half of the film, where a fight sequence reveals a nugget of backstory that completely changes (and justifies) all this enigmatic character's behavior. It is fairly predictable, but it adds depth and nuance to an already charming character.