User reviews

I don't know why the animators decided to use the ballroom scene from Beauty and the Beast to advertise the film. It did put me off seeing it, but when I eventually decided to do so, I am glad I did. I thought Lilo and Stitch a warm and entertaining film, with beautiful animation with the Hawiian coast. The characters were engaging and funny, especially Jumbaa(wonderful voice work from David Ogden Stiers, in fact all the voice work was terrific, the other standout being Tia Carrere) and Pleakley. Their scenes were hilarious, like Pleakley getting bitten by mosquitoes. This is all helped by a superb script, that mixes hilarious and poignant brilliantly. The music is lovely and quite nostalgic. I thought I would never say that, but it honestly does add to the sense of fun. Both Lilo and Stitch are engaging, and there are plenty of bonding scenes with them together, that makes the film often moving(I was genuinely touched by Lilo telling Stitch about her parents and the significance of the Ugly Duckling story). I have two criticisms with the movie, and they are that at times it is a bit slow, and the climax is a tad rushed. But both flaws are redeemed by the film's good nature, emotional heart and spirit. I will award Lilo and Stitch an 8/10, for entertainment and warmth. Bethany Cox

There is a little Hawaiian girl named Lilo, she enjoys diving, surfing and folk dancing. And she desperately wants a friend, even not just a friend, she wants to have a soul mate. A flying saucer crashes near her house and a strange creature emerges. Actually it is a hostile alien whose the only aim is to destroy life on earth. Their paths cross. What happens when the little earth girl and the extra-terrestrial maniac meet? A funny, heart-warming story of friendship, love, family ties… To be frank I was not going to see this animated film considering it to be "little kids stuff". But when eventually I saw it I realized how wrong I was. Disney proves its reputation for making "family friendly" films because this is the film in which each family member, whether it be a child or a parent, can find something for him/herself to enjoy and think about. A couple of words about music. Since Lilo is a huge Elvis fan, the soundtrack contains a lot of his songs. It is a hard task to make songs written rather long ago fit in the modern film but the producers succeeded! Recommended to all!

First time, I commented how "The Emperor's New Groove" was my favorite Disney movie of the last ten years, and how "Lilo & Stitch" had left me wanting for more.

How wrong I was then.

I gave it another chance. I went back to watch it with a couple of friends and their sons and daughters. What best atmosphere to enjoy a Disney flick?

And then, the scene were Stitch is alone, with "The Ugly Duckling" book, shouting "I'm lost!" (or at least that's what he was saying in spanish) made me change my mind. I suddenly became very identified with the main character's quest for belonging, and suddenly realized he was actually everyone I know - searching for approval, trying to be loved, longing for love. The watercolor drawings, the facial expression, the music, the mood - perfection, indeed. There are a couple of animated scenes that convey this kind of mood - the Ballroom Sequence in "Beauty and the Beast", Simba's dad being killed in "The Lion King", Jessie's song in "Toy Story 2" - and this one is one of the best I've ever seen. Such simplicity and beauty is strange to find.

When we walked out of the movie, my friend's kids were talking excitedly about the movie, when one of their mothers asked them what they enjoyed most about the movie. And one of the girls exclaimed "Ohana means family! And your family never forgets or abandons you!" (that's what is said in the spanish version of the movie).

Then I suddenly realized we need more movies like this.

Solid 9 / 10 for Lilo & Stitch.

"Lilo & Stitch" is unusual for a Disney animated movie in that it actually seems to take place in the real world (not to mention the present day), despite the latter half of the title being a genetic creation from another galaxy. Devoid of almost everything that people come to expect when the name "Walt Disney Pictures" appears on screen - which is not to say we're in "Golgo 13" territory here - this, as did "The Emperor's New Groove," suggests that though the box office takings may go down, the House of Mouse may yet pull another "Beauty and the Beast" on us one day.

The movie's a breath of fresh air not only in its setting - it's set on the Hawaiian island of Kauai - but also in its characters; Lilo is a little girl being brought up by her big sister Nani following their parents' death (offscreen), and the movie's not afraid to indicate that it's tough for both of them. They, along with their social worker Cobra Bubbles and friend David, constitute a rare sighting of proper human beings in Disney cartoons (see also, surprisingly, Lucky Piquel from "Bonkers"), the reward writer-directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois get for putting the emphasis on the emotions rather than on the chase element of the plot (Stitch/Experiment 626 was created by a scientist in violation of the laws of his planet; when Stitch escaped, his creator and an "E-arth" expert were sent to bring him back) or on the potential for slapstick - though it's there and it's certainly used, the focus is purely on heart.

The realness of the movie means that "Lilo & Stitch" often feels like a live action movie that just happens to be drawn (at one point Stitch sees a 1950s SF movie on TV, and the movie in question is shown as a genuine film clip). Usually that's a bad thing if the 'toon in question strives to be realistic, but in this case there are so many elements that don't come naturally - seen any koala/dog hybrid-Elvis Presley wannabes on the beach lately? - that it still works. If there's a downside, it's that the scenes of the alien pursuers are for the most part almost a distraction... but even then the human element ups the involvement, with the added bonus of there being no real "bad guys" per se (yes, I said bonus - it's nice to see a Disney movie where there isn't a traditional black-hatted villain, just people doing their jobs).

And if all else fails, take into consideration the fact that it's also often genuinely funny; the fact that it never condescends to its audience; the fact that you actually have real Hawaiians (the voices of Tia Carrere and Jason Scott Lee) as key Hawaiian characters; and the fact that the songs used here actually have a purpose (to add dimension to our heroes - Lilo is a major fan of Elvis and tries to reach Stitch through the King), something many live-action movies often forget. "Lilo & Stitch" would be something worth seeing even if it wasn't a Disney film; seeing that it is... moving forward was always one of Walt's credos. It's encouraging to see that they're actually capable of following his ethos without the help of Pixar.

One major flaw though: in spite of the presence of Elvis, Wynonna and Alan Silvestri, the British release version has well-known song-murderer Gareth Gates slaughtering "Suspicious Minds" over the end credits. Thank heaven someone invented the "mute" button.

A very entertaining animated comedy for the whole family. A little Hawaiian orphan girl named Lilo(Daveigh Chase)adopts a precocious "pet" that is actually an extra-terrestrial experiment known as 626 and soon to be named Stitch. Lilo's guardian is her sister(Tia Carrere)who his having troubles with the child welfare case worker(Ving Rahmes). Stitch has his own troubles being an alien creature on the run. Lilo shares with Stitch her obsession of Elvis Presley and several of the King's classic tunes are scattered throughout to keep the pace rolling. A very different kind of Disney film well worth watching.

This is a personal favorite of mine, and I'm actually convinced it's Disney's most underrated animated movie. I guess the main reason I like this film so much is that it features the most sincere depiction of a relationship between siblings in any Disney film. For once, we get real, flawed (and therefore all the more lovable) people - not the usual perfect Disney princesses. But it's also incredibly funny and spectacularly entertaining throughout (not to mention that it has one of the most hilarious intros in any sci-fi film ever). I simply adore this movie, and I'm not ashamed to admit it makes me cry every time I watch it. This and Sanders' and DeBlois' other masterpiece, the first HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, are the cinematic medicine that get me through my darkest days.

The look of the film is very distinct and refreshingly different from Disney's previous animated features. And the visuals are gorgeous; the backgrounds are painted in beautifully faded watercolors, and the 2-D animation is an example of artists at the peak of their craft. Every scene is jock-full of original ideas and a virtual demonstration of Chris Sanders' and Dean DeBlois' seemingly limitless imagination (the film also features a ton of clever references to sci-fi and monster films). Simply one of the best animated films - and one of the funniest sci-fi comedies - of the last 20 years.

P.S. (for new IMDb users): In case you don't know whether to trust this review or not, because you have no idea what my tastes in film are, just click on my username - gogoschka-1 - and you'll see a list what my 50 favorite movies are.

Lilo is an orphaned Hawaiian girl who is brought up alone by her elder sister. They adopt a dog, Stitch which unknown to them, is actually a mutant alien accidentally landed on Earth and has been designed to destroy everything it touches. Despite Stitch's genetic tendencies towards destruction, a bond forms between girl and alien while the scientist who created Stitch also arrives on Earth to capture him.

Lilo is an adorable but rebellious little girl who loves Elvis. Therefore, instead of characters bursting into song singing the usual Disney tunes, we get Elvis songs on the soundtrack which makes for a refreshing change. Stich is immediately unattractive, being a big-eared four armed monstrosity designed for destruction and creating havoc. Like with Warner Brothers' Tasmanian Devil, it is down to the animation and characterisation which up the cute factor and allow for the audience to warm towards the alien.

It seems like Disney have gone with the times, choosing to deal with the issue of a single parent family. In doing so, they keep the right balance of sensitivity and compassion in the relationship between the two sisters without being sickeningly sentimental.

As is often the case in animated features, part of the fun is to work out who the familiar voices belong to: Lilo's older sister Nani is played by Tia Carrere and Jason Scott Lee plays Nani's friend who offers her a shoulder to cry on (and probably wants the friendship to develop into something more!) Another character is the Ving Rhames-voiced social worker who oddly, is a big burly Man in Black type character.

Chaotic action towards the end of the film is a little bit of a let-down after the fun of the relationship between Lilo and Stitch and inevitably, the ending is a sentimental and happy one.

Overall, ‘Lilo and Stitch' is good fun and will win over audiences both old and young through the story's originality and the characters' charm.

Project "Six-Two-Six" is deemed too dangerous by the "Grand Council." A hideous genetic creation from the lab of mad-scientist "Jumba," (David Ogden Stiers) project Six-Two-Six is put on board a space ship to be banished to a nice little deserted asteroid, where he can live out the rest of his days. On the way there, project Six-Two-Six takes over the ship, and then escapes using what looks like a space squad car. He eventually crash lands on one of the islands of Hawaii (Kauai?) where a little five-year old orphan girl named "Lilo" (Daviegh Chase) finds him in a dog pound (don't ask) and takes him home as her new pet dog, "Stitch" (Chris Sanders). Of course the Grand Council soon realizes what has happened, and sends agent "Pleakley" (Kevin McDonald) along with the mad-scientist to the island to recapture experiment Six-Two-Six.

And so begins one of the most unusual and creative animated films from the Disney studios. Featuring a completely new style of drawing, and backgrounds that look like watercolor paintings, Disney is taking a bold step in trying something a little different. The artwork seems like a combination of "Winnie-the-Pooh" and Saturday morning cartoons. The dialogue and slapstick comedy is much more reminiscent of Warner Brother's beloved "Loony-Tunes." Except for a handful of well chosen Elvis Presely songs, and some beautiful Hawaiian music, there are none of the musical numbers that one would expect to find in a typical Disney film. (I, for one, didn't miss them.)

We soon find out that Lilo is an orphan, living with her older sister Nani (Tia Carrere) in what could be comfortably called a "dysfunctional" household. Nani is trying hard to make ends meet and be a mother to her young sister, who is having a very difficult time adjusting to life without her mom and dad. The creators of the film do a superb job with the character of Lilo, making you identify with her loneliness and isolation without making it depressing. They also very accurately portray the problems with an older sibling raising a younger, and the friction and fighting that results is typical of what one would find in this sort of arrangement. The subject matter is very mature, but the animators do a fantastic job bringing it home to a level that small children can appreciate.

Nani decides Lilo needs a dog to keep her company, so off to the kennel they go. Lilo just falls in love with Stitch, the "talking dog," and decides to take him for a pet. It is with this most unlikely of characters that Lilo can find someone to confide in, to share her passions with (like Elvis), and to share the pain and sorrow that comes from being without parents.

Stitch was created by the mad-scientist Jumba to be an evil little monster, but in the care of Lilo, he realizes his own aloneness, and his need for love and acceptance. So the evil little alien allows Lilo to take him by the hand, dress him up as Elvis, and go surfing. (Stitch's one weakness in the inability to swim, so for him to go surfing is a surprising concession to the little girl's whims.) His original motive for being "nice" to Lilo was to avoid the agents sent to recapture him, but soon he realizes that Lilo and Nani mean more to him than just sanctuary.

Disney makes a point in all their trailers and commercials to show Stitch as the Rodney Dangerfield of animated characters: he don't get any respect. Other than Lilo, everyone else in the film, including his creator Jumba, is trying to capture and/or kill him. Even Lilo's sister finds several opportunities to take out her frustrations on the mixed-up little alien. At first, it's rather amusing, since Stitch is about the most obnoxious Disney character of all time, but after a while, you start feeling sorry for the little guy, and start hoping that he can find the love and acceptance he's longing for.

I've often wondered why Disney's recent animated films cannot reach the level that Pixar's CGI creations do effortlessly ("Toy Story," "Monsters Inc."). Disney's cartoons seem dull and lifeless compared to the fun and action that Pixar delivers on a regular basis. Well, it seems as if the Disney animators are finally being infected by some of the magic that comes from their computer animation partners. "Lilo & Stitch" demonstrates that there is still some life left in that old art form that Walt made so famous many years ago. But more importantly, this little gem has a lot of heart. You find yourself caring for the orphaned Lilo, you find yourself hoping that Stitch can fin d a place in a family, and you hope that big sister Nani can find a way to keep social worker "Mr. Bubbles" (Ving Rhames) from taking Lilo away to a foster home.

There are some really big themes being tackled in this film, such as unconditional love, the need to belong to a group or community, self sacrifice, and family unity. The animators handles all these extremely well, and you find yourself getting a lesson in philosophy as well as being entertained. Yet the one theme that Disney pushes in all their advertising, and several times during the course of the film, is the oft repeated phrase: "Ohana means family, and family means NO ONE gets left behind." This is a theme one finds emphasized in the recent combat films "Black Hawk Down" and "We Were Soldiers," but isn't something you often find in a animated feature! That one little phrase, "no one gets left behind," has enough philosophical and theological weight to fill a college text book. It means that everyone, no matter what you may think of them, has value, and that there is no such thing an "expendable" person. A better lesson for young children would be difficult to find.

My rating: 10/10.

When we meet Lilo, a little Hawaiian girl, she is swimming and body surfing in the ocean, which she loves so much that she's late for a rehearsal of a hula dance. Soon thereafter we learn that she lives with her older sister Nani (voice by Tia Carrere, who really is from Hawaii), and that they don't always get along. Furthermore, a social worker incongruously named Cobra Bubbles (Ving Rhames) is suggesting that Lilo be taken away from Nani unless things get better real soon.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the universe, we meet Experiment 626 (who is later named Stitch, and whose voice is by one of the two directors). 626's mad scientist creator, Dr. Jumba Jookiba (David Ogden Stiers) has been put on trial for creating 626, a creature designed to be very powerful, intelligent, and dangerous. 626 is sentenced to exile, but escapes. And from the title of the film and the previews, you know that he ends up in Hawaii with Lilo.

The animation here is very different from the computer generated films that are common these days, and more like the two dimensional animated films of years past. The backgrounds are often lovely watercolors, and most of the animation is also hand drawn from what I've read, although based on the credits there is also some computer animation.

This is also not your usual Disney animated film, although it was made by Disney. Both Lilo and Stitch have some pretty objectionable habits, and the jokes target many pop culture icons. I heard that the film was made with much less detailed committee supervision than would usually be the case at Disney, in exchange for (as I recall) a smaller budget.

The soundtrack is good, including Hawaiian music as well as a bountiful selection of Elvis Presley songs (six, I believe).

The biggest downside to the film is that the message is a little too precious, although this is not a big complaint, and I found it less obnoxious than "Ice Age" in this regard. The basic message is one of family, whether or not that family is a traditional one with a mother and a father, or a makeshift one as we see in Lilo, Nani, and Stitch. The Hawaiian word "ohana" is used, which means more or less the same thing as "family." This is timely for me since we just became members of the Hawaii International Film Festival's Ohana in preparation for attending their film festival in November.

This film is definitely recommended, even if you have no children. I originally gave it another half a star, so it's at the upper end of this rating. And I expect it to be a strong contender for the Academy Award for best animated film of 2002.

Seen on 8/16/2002.

This was a pretty entertaining "kids" animated film. It was a little different in that there is some dramatic action you usually don't see in nice animated cartoons and you have heroes who aren't exactly good role models. However, as the film progresses, all those characters (small child, big sister and alien) all become nicer and more caring "people." There also is a good "no one is left behind" family message. You just have to be patient with the human kid and sister in the beginning.

I think the best feature of this film are the brilliant colors. This is a great visual movie. It's also nice to hear a kids movie these days with absolutely no profanity in it. (What a sad statement to have to make.)

In summary: one of the better modern-day animated films. Highly recommended.

I'm not really sure if I like this film or not. There are definitely a lot of things that I do like about the film, but I'm just not sure if I really like the film as a whole or not. This is definitely a kids movie, there's no question about that, but it seems odd to me that this film has a great deal of silly childish humor and at the same time has some more adult concepts and themes.

The characters are all pretty cool, but I thought the origin of Stitch was really odd, and definitely not what I was expecting. I thought he was just going to be an alien that somehow got stranded on earth, but it's not all that simple. You'll just have to see the movie to know what I am talking about.

Stitch and Captain Gantu were definitely the coolest looking aliens in the film and beautifully drawn. The rest of the characters were fine, but just didn't strike me anything special.

I guess I liked the movie, but I didn't think it was worth paying a full price ticket for. If you are a Disney fan, then you should definitely see the film. Otherwise, I'd probably suggest seeing the movie at matinee price. I hope you enjoy the film, thanks for reading.

-Chris

I don't know why this film didn't do better at the box office. This is perhaps Disney's best animated film to date. It rivals anything by Pixar. Why? Very simple really and it's what Pixar keeps doing so well. They tell a good story filled with well developed characters. Not to mention the animation is excellent and the watercolor backgrounds beautiful. Watch it a second or third time just to look at these fantastic pieces of art! I hope Disney learns a lesson here (from DVD sales at least) that 2-D animation isn't dead if done right and Lilo & Stitch was done right. I purchased the DVD for my daughter, okay, for me too but she loves it and while only almost four, she gets the themes. (although it took her a while to understand Nani is Lilo's sister and not her mother). The special features are good. The Hawiian Children's Choir and Hula segments especially good. I liked the deleted scene feature and would like to see them added for a later release. Disney should have marketed this film better. I would have liked to have seen it on the big screen. Personally, I don't care for Disney as a company but if they keep producing work like this, I'll keep coming back.

This is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time, and the best Disney movie since ALADDIN. There's plenty here for the kids, but it gets a PG for good reasons, so parents, accompany your kids for this. And don't be surprised if you laugh, too, maybe harder than your kids do.

Lilo is a tempermental 5-year-old being raised by her big sister Nani, who is constantly trying to keep social workers at bay and hang on to her job. Stitch is Experiment 626, a genetically-engineered destruction machine, bent on wreaking havoc and terrorizing big cities. Thank goodness he lands on Kawai, a small island with small cities, and there is adopted by Lilo from the local animal shelter (he makes himself look like a dog). The two bond instantly in much the same way toddlers bond into holy terrors when left alone together in playtime. But along the way, Disney's familiar lessons of family triumphing over all play out in interesting and fun ways that your kids will love and you will even find yourself smiling knowingly over. There are too many clever allusions here to list: MIB, Godzilla, tacky Polynesian tourist shows, Jaws, extreme surfers, and Blue Hawaii jump right out from the start and make things fun along the way.

This is the movie that with virtually no hype beat out MINORITY REPORT at the box office on Friday, 21 June, and with good reason. It's a better film. Go see it.

Lilo and Stitch was disjointed and not particularly funny. My kids liked it - however, I found it to be disappointing. Most of the jokes were references to other movies. The music was good and message was nice, but I did not feel like it was up to Disney's usual standards.

It feels like ages since Disney gifted us with numerous gems like 'Bambi', 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Lion King' etc (to name only a few) but things haven't been going too well for them in the last 20ish years. The other day I saw 'Tarzan and Jane' and I was mortified at how awful it was. Not just in term of its content, but even the animation looked very amateur. 'Lilo and Stitch' is a gem to have emerged from Disney after a long long time. Sadly, Disney has gone back to churning the usual crap and the success of trash like 'High School Musical' can assure us that we cannot expect anything great from Disney for a while longer.

'Lilo and Stitch' presents a very new style of animation with a new story. The characters, setting and music are all very refreshing. It's quite a nice touch of Disney to reintroduce Elvis to the younger generation. I loved most of the songs including Wynonna's version of 'Burning Love'. the only song i hated was A-Teens version of 'Fools Rush In'. Those bitches totally ruin that song. I didn't listen to the rest of the songs during the end credits but i hear that those too have been ruined by non-talents of the current-day. The setting in Hawaii is beautiful. I know it's only animation but it makes one want to go live there. The Hawaiian culture is very nicely portrayed.

The characters are very unique, real and lovable. We can recognize the little brat we once were in Lilo. She's a brat and gives her sister one hell of a time but also has a soft spot. She clearly loves her sister and is pretty much a lonely child. The sisters relationship was very real. Nani is pretty much the sole guardian struggling to make a living and raise her sister. This was also another point that 'Lilo and Stitch' lightly tackle, real life situations where an elder sister is trying to be a good parent to her little sis while she is also threatened by a social worker and tries to balance her worklife and life at home (which is clearly dysfunctional). At the same time we also see that she hardly has time for any romantic relationships. Stitch is one of the most unique characters of a Disney film. He is pretty much like an outsider who doesn't get along with anyone in the beginning, mostly through faults of his own but gradually forms a close bond with Lilo and Nani (kind of like me when I was a teen except that instead of Lilo and Nani I had a few good friends). The voice cast (that includes names like Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers Ving Rhames and even Chris Sanders who created the film) do a fine job giving life to their characters.

'Lilo & Stitch' is sheer entertainment. It tackles some relevant themes such as family value, the need to belong and unconditional love but it is well handled and doesn't do it in a way that will bore the kids. It's as much a movie for kids as it is for adults. It all started with Chris Sanders's (who also dubbed for Stitch) idea and he deserves full credit for it. Just think of the beautiful line often repeated in the film. 'Ohana means family, and family means NO ONE gets left behind'. Simple words yet such a powerful line. And it's coming from a Disney film. A real gem indeed.

I had the chance to see Lilo and Stitch at a "Surprise" Sneak Preview ( without prior warning ) - and laughed my head off.

This is NOT standard Disney "sweeter-than-Cotton-candy" fare - even more so than the surprisingly good "the Emperor's New Groove" it takes a rather anarchistic humour and comic hyperbole, stirs, shakes and twirls it to a new degree of potency and serves them with a flourish.

As for the story - an escaped, genetically enhanced lifeform programmed for the wholesale destruction of cities and with a keen sense of survival and cute blue fur ) escapes from its creators, its jailors and the whole of the "united-galactic-whatever" and gets stranded in............. Hawaii. Here it gets adopted/picked up by child-terror Lilo, the bane of her older sister, her playmates and the general sanity of the pacific island. On its trail - the mad alien scientist and a fumbling galactic bureaucrat concerned with the safety of the local wildlife - humans and other "sucky" species...... A perfect setting for large scale chaos, groovy scenes ( in two words - "Elvis lives" ) and much less than expected emotional, family values scenes.

As for the technical side - the animation is not especially outstanding, the backdrops at some times unbelievably "kitschy" and very little computer animation visible (though I do have some suspicions, they do not distract/jar with the conventional animation ), colours stay themed and the soundeffects are cool. Oh, did I mention, there was hardly any singing ? THERE IS HARDLY ANY SINGING ! Thanks Disney, you are finally getting the clue ! Now keep up the good work............

There is little of the "sweet and furry" and "perfect family" stuff which used to be almost a Disney trademark , but when some "touchy" scenes come deep out of left field, they are even more poignant for it. Real life problems like broken families, unemployment and child care by single parents are presented in an unobstrusive and "simplified for children" way and add motivation to the characters without dominatiing the plot. Adults will get a series of laughs out of subtle (MIB, Godzilla, Star Trek etc.) and less than subtle ( Elvis ) references, with big orgies of comic destruction and some fun science fiction gadgets helping out. Basically everyone in the theater walked out with a big and wicked grin (although they were all adults due to it being a sneak preview, I do have a fair suspicion how my six year old nephew is gonna like this movie....). This is a family movie in the best "take everyone, and have them enjoy themselves together" sense , as well as flick that one can simply go and enjoy as an adult (ok, one with a sense of anarchistic humour ).

"Lilo & Stitch" tells the touching story of a lonely little Hawaiian girl, named Lilo, who meets and befriends Stitch, an escaped refugee alien who poses as a dog at the pound.

I wasn't expecting much when it first came out, not being to interested in it. Well, after seeing it at the theater, I can now say it is Disney's best film. Ever. It's better than classics like "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid," both of which I adore. Many will not feel the same way as I do but I thought "Lilo & Stitch" was one of Disney's most inventive and involving scripts with fleshed-out and well-written characters.

We are set in Hawaii, a tropical background that gives the movie a great feel. Setting it in Kansas, as originally planned, would not have had the same effect. The animation is simply beautiful, with pink fluffy clouds and wonderfully drawn characters.

However, it's the story that "Lilo & Stitch" tells, along with many other great elements, that makes this film so outstanding. Not only is the film very funny (in fact, it's hilarious!) with pure moments of comic genius that can appeal to older audiences as well as kids, it's one of the most touching films I have ever seen. The whole middle of the movie is one that gives us spectacular scenes in a row that move me to tears each time.

***SKIP THIS NEXT PARAGRAPH, TO AVOID MILD SPOILERS***

I don't wanna say too much, but Nani's fight for custody of Lilo, tossed in with Stitch's touching character arc and search for the one place he does belong, and Lilo's loneliness, and a broken family, and cherished and beloved friendship with Stitch make this movie a surprisingly heartwarming and touching feature. One of the film's strengths is that it can be, at times, so sad.

***END SPOILERS***

The direction is solid, as is the animation. The water, and backdrop of Hawaii is desirable. The characters are developed, unlike most Disney classics, and lovable. You can identify with these characters and feel for them, and yes, Stitch does qualify in that category. His battered emotions, as well as the also adorable Lilo, are part of what makes this film so moving. This is an original, funny, and extremely heartwarming film that I highly recommend to families.

"Lilo & Stitch" was wonderful characters that I instantly fell in love with. More captivating than previous, sub-par Disney releases such as "Hercules," "Hunchback of Notre Dame," or "Tarzan," this movie makes me laugh, cry, and moves me immensely. While it didn't break any new ground or anything, it thankfully returned audiences back to Disney's roots in terms of quality.

10/10

Disney brings back watercolor backgrounds, not since 1941's Dumbo, in this stunningly-awesome looking animated movie. Even with that to boot, Dean Deblois and Chris Sanders managed to come up with a respectable plot that wasn't a complete rip off of E.T. (1982) or even, well, Mac and Me (1988). It's funny to see that the average person who doesn't enjoy any type of Disney production has been favoring this movie more than others, as I feel, it's a pretty nice step for the company. Disney goes flat-out to create a funny character put into a situation where only large laughs are going to occur. The Emperor's New Groove (2000) tried so hard to accomplish that, but fell just short of a home run. `Stitch' gets that extra foot or two.

After being created by a mad scientist named Jumba (David Ogden Stiers), Stitch (Chris Sanders) is immediately set aside as a misfit and ordered to spend his life on a remote asteroid. After finding his way to a spacecraft, Stitch outruns the galactic police and crash lands in Hawaii, where is wounded and treated in an animal shelter as a dog. The following day, Lilo (Daveigh Chase), a lonely and misunderstood young girl, arrives at the shelter to adopt a dog after her sister Nani (Tia Carrere) allows her to.

Along with the frustrating social worker Mr. Bubbles (Ving Rhames), Stitch proves to be too much for the sisterly duo. Their own relationship, scarred by the death of their parents, starts to fall apart. Lilo feels that Stitch is the only one who understands her, her sister just doesn't respect her anymore, and her peers don't seem to be accepting her at all. Two relationships in this movie are key, with Lilo & Stitch and Lilo & Nani. Acting as the stronger point, Lilo helps transform Stitch and Nani into different people with different priorities, the main one being family.

`Ohana,' which means `family,' seems to be one of the largest elements in this film. Being referenced numerous times by Lilo throughout the film, it eventually starts to grow onto Nani and Stitch, until they use it themselves by the end of the film to … well, you'll have to see it for yourselves. Reading some user comments on the film, it seems that most Hawaiians are glad that the message of `ohana' is being used, and the meaning is becoming known a little better. It's almost like if people in Japan made a movie and had the main character say `Yeah baby, yeah!' dozens upon dozens of times. It represents our great culture, so it feels good to let others know about it.

The comic character is there, the sappy child-left-behind character is there, the setting is there. Everything seems to be `there' for this really un-sappy (besides a few short moments) cartoon. Oh, and did I mention that this one is awesome enough to contain no please-cry-because-I'm-lonely songs sung by the characters? Just some good ole' fashioned Elvis playing. Even without the tunes, this movie would still be rock n' rollin'.

I was disappointed with the comments of a previous reviewer called ebayanderson concerning this movie as I feel that he/she is not living in the real world. Lilo and Stitch is one of my favourite Disney movies as it covers so many topics and covers them well. Firstly, concerning Lilo's feeding the fish, well, all kids have little quirks and this is obviously meant to be her's. As for Nani being a care giver, well, she's supposed to be in her teens, dealing with her parents's loss as well as dealing with her sister's and taking care of the little girl under the pressure of keeping her family together, finding work etc. and it was nice as my 14 year old daughter pointed out, that Nani was like a real woman, with her little pot belly and not very stick thin build, for me she is a great character for little girls who have to put up with cartoon females such as the impossibly(pardon the pun)thin Kim Possible, which is sadly also a Disney cartoon girl. Actually, I tend not to look too deeply into movies unless they are there to make us do so, e.g Schindler's List, but, this movie covered some subjects that I am familiar with, a young child losing it's parents and it dealt with them well. The scene where Stitch takes the bicycle, well, how could anyone feel sorry for the little girl considering she is the monstrous brat in the movie. Anyway, I love the movie and I've watched it many times and am a hand on heart Stitch fan. Chris Sanders came up with an awesome character and he and Dean DuBlois did an excellent job in bringing him to life. they managed to make a movie that touched your heart with out being sickly or distressing a la Bambi. 10 out of 10

Disney, the King of Film Animation. Well, it was at one point. Now Dreamworks is giving them a run for their money, but never mind. This is a Disney movie, although the film has taken its competitor's taste for the irreverent and mixed it with its own Disney heart.

Stitch is a monster created by the "mad scientist" Dr. Jumba (Disney animation regular David Ogden Stiers). But because such experimentation is illegal (and Stitch is engineered to be a complete menace), Jumba is arrested and Stitch is ordered into exile. But clever Stitch escapes to Earth, and Jumba and another alien, Pleakly (Kevin McDonald) are sent to bring him back. Meanwhile, Stitch gets adopted by a little girl named Lilo (Daveigh Chase), who after the death of her parents, is being raised by her older sister, Nani (Tia Careere). But while the inclusion of Stitch into the picture may have been made with good intentions, he may end up causing enough trouble to get Lilo taken away to an orphanage.

The voice actors are good. Daveigh Chase is excellent as the shy and awkward little girl. She wants friends, but she lacks the appropriate social skills (it doesn't help that the other girls treat her like crap). Tia Careere, whose career has been in a rut despite being in one of my all-time favorite movies ("True Lies"), is great as Nani. They may drive each other nuts, but Nani really cares about her sister. David Ogden Stiers is suitably kooky as Dr. Jumba, while Kevin McDonald equals him as the neurotic PETA-clone (some may find his vocalization annoying though).

The problem with the film is that we really come to care about Lilo and Nani. Any time Stitch wreaks havoc (which he frequently does), it is at the expense of Lilo and Nani's shaky stability. His hilarious chaos makes their life harder, and the movie struggles to find a balance between the two. Also, the animation is sub-par, especially when compared to the likes of the previous animated films Disney brought us.

That being said, "Lilo and Stitch" is still a lot of fun for the whole family.

This is a great little movie. It has the right mix of comedy, drama, and tear-jerking. The characters are interesting and very well done. The animation is high quality. The setting is fairly unique. I have to say, Disney's animation people can do something besides make bad sequels after all.

Lately Disney seem to have had quite allot of trouble, coming up with innovative story's for their pictures, recreating folk-lore such as Mulan, Brother bear and other titles. Not to mention their pathetic sequels & "new exclusive editions" that've been clogging up the shelves at your local rental store. This movie however came as a pleasant surprise from Disney. Not only did it have the typical "Disney- awwwwwww!" feature, but also an unusual dosage of satire and "evil-deeds" from the cute little blue alien Stitch.

This is probably one of my new favorite Disney-flicks, mostly because of the charming way the whole picture is drawn, and the evil little creature Stitch!

Even though I own a copy on home media, it's been a long time since I last watched this. It's been so long, for that matter, that I was fairly young at the time - young enough that I readily admit some of the picture went over my head at the time, and its smartest nuances and intricacies were lost on me. Fast forward roughly twenty years, and by the time that only a fraction of the runtime has elapsed I can only reflect that even for a media giant famous for its animated storytelling, 'Lilo & Stitch's is surely one of Disney's greatest successes. This is truly a modern classic, and a treasure worth revisiting again and again.

What's not to love? I suppose one could point to the unfettered bombast of the action at the climax, gawk at the in-universe narrative implications of imagery seen in the early end credits, or raise an eyebrow at the longer lines in English given to Stitch. Yet these observations feel like overzealous nitpicking given how fun that action is, and how warmhearted that imagery, and how meaningful that dialogue. This is to say nothing of the reliably superb, spirited voice acting - from Kevin McDonald, from David Ogden Stiers, from Ving Rhames, from Tia Carrerre, and among still others, not least from Tia Carrere and young Daveigh Chase. This is to say nothing of the reliably excellent, detailed, fluid, colorful animation, and the rich and imaginative character designs. The music is a blast, both the popular songs included on the soundtrack and the original score of esteemed composer Alan Silvestri. Even the sound effects are a joy.

Nevertheless, the latter qualities are kind of superficial. I didn't use the words "fun," "warmhearted," and "meaningful" for nothing. Across these eighty-five minutes the flick flows smoothly from interesting and absorbing to riotously funny, and from shrewd and thoughtful to tear-jerking and emotional, and back again, with hearty doses of science fiction, adventure, and light musical sensibilities along the way. Filmmakers Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois really knocked this one out of the proverbial park with their tale of a wayward extraterrestrial and a floundering pair of sisters, and only ever more so in the nuts and bolts of that saga. The relationship between teenage Nani, with the adult struggles she shouldn't have to be facing, and much younger Lilo - precocious, creative, and more than a little spectrum-coded - is achingly real in ways that evoke both heartbreak and nostalgia. Lilo's loneliness dovetails neatly into the deeper thoughts underlying Stitch as a character, a total chaos goblin who, bereft of the utmost opportunity to exercise his instincts, finds himself adrift. Even the smallest of moments are given careful consideration; for a prime example, consider Lilo's early description of Pudge, and her later explanation to Stitch about her parents. And for all that, there's also this: I remembered this feature very well from when I last watched it so long ago, and I recall how affecting both the comedy and the emotional beats were for me even at that point. To rewatch as an adult, one realizes that there is no comedy or drama herein that is built only to cater to the youngest of viewers, or to appeal to the parents in the room. Rather, both the comedy and the drama are penned in a manner that allows them to hit on different levels depending on where one is in their life's journey. If THAT isn't exceptional writing, then I don't know what is.

I knew I would enjoy this when I sat to revisit it. I could not have anticipated loving it this much, all over again, and more than I already did. I can't speak to the other media that Disney developed in subsequent years, between the direct sequel, television series, and now a "live-action remake" in 2025. I can say without a doubt in my mind that this 2002 movie is an absolute blast that nevertheless achieves surprising poignancy in the more sober parts of the telling, and I could not be happier with just how terrific it is. More than two decades later 'Lilo & Stitch' stands wonderfully tall among all its animated kin, Disney and otherwise, and frankly it's all but a must-see. If for some reason you still haven't had the chance to watch, or if it's been a while since the last time you did, I can only give this my very highest, heartiest, and most enthusiastic recommendation!

I liked this film, but I'm very partial to good character development. I especially liked the portrayal of Lilo (a traumatized orphan) and her big sister, Nani. If you may want to watch the movie with your child if they are young, since kids can be susceptible to fears of abandonment The other central figure, Stitch is comical and appears to be intelligent. The animation, choice of music and gags in the movie were also good. The plot was a little weak (especially the second half of the movie). I rated this 7 out of 10, I'll be looking for more work from Sanders and DeBlois (the writers). Perhaps if Disney could leave a few loose ends or avoid forcing every story to an almost predictable happy ending, then the real skill of these writers might shine through.

"Lilo and Stitch" has my vote as being the worst animation movie I have ever seen. It is violent, tasteless, inappropriate for children, unfunny, uninteresting and terribly disconnected. It is unclear to me what on earth might have been the purpose of making this movie (other than profit ) from a company with past glorious reputation in animated movies. The story line centers around an alien fugitive beast in Hawaii which is being hunted by alien monsters of various kinds. Throughout the entire movie, I could not hear any of the 20 or so children in the theater making any expression of laughter, delight, or joy but were rather perplexed (as I was) that how they were duped into watching such a senseless story. The opening credits site the movie was based on "an idea by Chris Sanders". One may wish Mr. Sanders would keep his ideas to himself in future.