Lilo & Stitch
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Movie Reviews of Lilo & Stitch
Movie Review: Disney at its best!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ok let's go back a few years. Disney got back to being the greatest animation studio with "The Little Mermaid". This was followed by "The Rescuers Down Under" which although not considered one of the greats was a follow up worthy of being considered one. Then there was "Beauty & The Beast" which is the only animated feature to be nominated as Best Picture for an Academy Award and now is the only one that will ever have done so. Then we had the crowd pleasing "Aladdin" and the most successful animated film of all time "The Lion King". Afterwards we had the colorful "Pocahontas", followed by the extremely underrated "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame". Then there was the pretty average "Hercules", the unique "Mulan", the one destined to make more money but didn't aka "Tarzan". Then we started to go downhill with the unspectacular but hilariously funny "The Emperor's New Groove", plus there was "Atlantis". Phew! Now many may consider that Disney haven't made one of the better animated features since "Pocahontas", but for me I think they lost it a little later after "Tarzan". So now we have "Lilo & Stitch" and WE ARE BACK!This wonderfully entertaining feature tells the story of an alien monster who in trying to avoid being destroyed, flees to Earth where he befriends a girl called Lilo. I think that pretty much sums it up. In "Lilo & Stitch", there is comedy, drama, music and most of all fun. Lilo and Stitch are both funny and the supporting characters are also entertaining. There seems to be no effort to make this out to be as big as "The Lion King". All Disney do is create a nice, sweet and entertaining animated film with no major expectations, and it is all the better for it. Disney is getting back to what it does best.
The DVD itself is probably the best collection of special features on an animated film DVD. In the past, some animated film DVDs have become so technical and taken the fun aspect out of what was probably had when the film was made.
On this "Lilo & Stitch" DVD we have teaser trailers in which Stitch wreaks havoc in other Disney animated film. Those included are-
Beauty And The Beast- Belle and the Beast are dancing and Stitch ends up breaking the chandelier. It falls and Beast has to save Belle from getting hit.
Aladdin- Princess Jasmine is singing "A Whole New World" with Aladdin on his flying carpet. Stitch turbos in on his small space ship and invites Jasmine for a ride. Jasmine is impressed by Stitch and goes with him on his ship, leaving Aladdin alone on the magic carpet.
The Little Mermaid- Ariel is singing the reprise of "Part Of Your World" and Stitch comes up on a big wave surfing. The wave comes crashing down on Ariel forcing her into the water.
The Lion King- The "Circle Of Life" is playing and instead of young Simba being shown to the other animals over the peak, it is Stitch who scares the other animals away
The DVD of "Lilo & Stitch" also includes deleted scenes, a behind the scenes look at Wynonna performing "Burning Love" and the A*Teens music video: "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" (which actually isn't the whole song- more like a promo)
As well as that we have a short called "A Stitch in Time". This hilarious segment is comprised of selections of Disney film images and certain characters have been replaced by Stitch. It is narrated by David Ogden Stiers, and trust me it is hilarious.
The How-to-hula lesson is fascinating as is DisneyPedia: Hawaii, Animating the Hula and On Location with the directors (which is very in-depth). The Build an alien experiment game is also on the DVD and is diverting.
The hightlight of the Special Features though is "The Young Voices of Hawaii" featurette which features the children who sing two of the songs in "Lilo & Stitch". It is funny and very sweet!
The movie "Lilo & Stitch" with these special features could quite easily have been spread out over two discs, but Disney manage to squeeze it all on two. This is probably the best value Disney DVD you will get, and it's the best I've seen Disney compile altogether to date!
Definitely recommended.
Movie Review: Best. Disney. Movie. Ever? Maybe.....
Summary: 5 Stars
"Lilo & Stitch" never really caught my attention until seeing some hilarious trailers that involved Stitch ruining moments in past Disney movies: Ariel, the lil' redheaded mermaid, sings but Stitch comes riding in on a huge tidal wave heading towards Ariel; Belle and the Beast are having their dance but lil' Stitch is on top of a chandelier that comes crashing down nearly hitting the two characters; Jasmine and Aladdin are riding on a carpet singing away when Stitch arrives on a space ship, wooing Jasmine who then rides along with Stitch, leaving Aladdin in the dust; all the animals go to Pride Rock to see Simba's ceremony, only to be greeted with Stitch. "Hey, that's not Simba!" says Timon, then the animals run off in terror and disgust.
And each characters' response to Stitch: Get your own movie.
Indeed, lil' Stitch does get his own movie. I've always heard positive responses to this movie. Anyone I knew that seen this movie loved it. Newspaper articles praised it for its humor and use of Elvis music. Ebert loved the movie, but his buddy Roeper hated it. Oh well, Ebert's the man!
Sadly, I wouldn't be able to view the movie myself until it was to be released on DVD.
Prior to "Lilo & Stitch," Disney didn't have the movie that really grabs you (this excludes the Pixar ones). Let's face it, "Atlantis" was a complete disaster. "Fantasia 2000" just wasn't "Fantasia." "The Emperor's New Groove"... absolutely hilarious, I'll give 'em that. And also something lacking in Disney's trademark: musicals. Thinking of all this, I felt that "Lilo & Stitch" was going to be another disaster.
Once I finally bought it on DVD (I took a chance), little did I realize that I was gonna be completely amazed by the movie. The movie packs action, plenty of humor, and a charming storyline. Stitch (aka: Experiment 626) was created my a mad alien scientist to fulfill one duty: destroy everything. Both were captured and put on trial. Stitch was to be taken away, but he escapes and takes refuge on Earth in a lil' place we all know as Hawaii. There he becomes contained... in an animal shelter. A girl comes by to find a suitable pet. She finds Stitch, thinking he's a puppy. The girl's name is Lilo. And thus begins the duo's adventures, whether they'd be wacky or compassionate.
The movie also centers around Lilo's personal life and her relationship with her older sister. With their parents deceased, Lilo's older sister must care for the both of them. Lilo's sister, Nani, is also having a big problem with a social worker, named Cobra Bubbles (*snicker snicker*). Nani is trying to be a suitable mom for Lilo, but is faced with also losing Lilo. Pretty deep and touchy themes for a Disney movie.
Lilo tries to teach Stitch some manners as well. Stitch is very short-tempered, but he learns quickly. And to add more to the duo's wacky adventures, two aliens are tracking down Stitch: the alien that created Stitch, and a counterpart who is to keep things under control.
The movie's main theme is being a family and how a family can go through hard times. But in the end, the family always manages to pull through and stick together. The word "Owahana" describes the meaning of family (the meaning I forgot, but I will post when I remember).
"Lilo & Stitch" is not like the past Disney movies. Though the movie itself may seem silly, it packs a darker tone that hasn't been in a Disney movie since "The Lion King." An obnoxious little alien bent on destruction almost destroyed the most important value in everyone's lives: a family.
"Lilo & Stitch" then became one of my favorite Disney movies (if not, my favorite Disney movie ever). The animation rarely uses computer animation (finally... a cartoon that actually looks like a cartoon). And each time I watched the movie afterward, it always felt as if I'm watching it for the first time again. Rarely does a movie have such an impact on me.
A masterpiece.
Movie Review: What a great movie!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Lilo & Stitch is quickly becoming one of my favorite movies. It will undoubtedly gain popularity as I'm sure straight to DVD/VHS movies will follow and I can't wait. This is so much fun for everyone in the whole family. Heck, I'm 22 years old and I love it.The music is probably my favorite thing about it. Not only is Lilo a virtual Elvis Presly expert, but it's perfect that the home of "Blue Hawaii" be the setting. The songs are some of his best and they are superbly woven into the story. I love the island music and the accurate and respectful treatment of of the legendary hula dance. It is so much fun to hear this toe tapping music with infectious rhythms. I have the soundtrack and it is ESSENTIAL summer music. I love cranking up Hawaiian Roller Coster Ride and rolling down all the windows.
The voices are perfect. Daveigh Chase is so adorable. Tia Carrere is the perfect voice to put to Nani, they're practically twins. Jason Scott Lee is great as David. His character and Jason's voice go together like pieces of a puzzle. Kevin McDonald as Pleakly is hilarious. I loved him on The Kids In The Hall and I love him even more as that goofy alien. David Ogden Stiers is stellar in the role of Jumba. He is a big cuddly alien, though evil genius he may be, but he's so funny, especially when Stitch is "very persuasive." Finally, who else could you hear as Cobra Bubbles than Ving Rhames after seeing him on screen.
The water colors for background and just about everything is so fitting with the setting in Hawaii. The sky is so beautiful and it's just like looking at a great big painting, an ever changing always moving painting. This could easily have been made digital as is every other animated movie today. But thankfully, the rounded characters and the all hand drawn and water color utilization is a nice throwback to the classic cartoons of old.
The extra features are great and plentiful. The explanations for deleted scenes is nice. The create your own alien game is fun even for someone twenty two like me. The learning to hula featurette is very interesting and enlightening. The sing along with Wynona and A-Teens featurette and video are fun. I love the mock trailers with recent Disney films and the "Stitch Through the Years" is cute. This is an excellent DVD if you are a fan of getting lots of bonus features with your purchase.
The story is great. It's full of comedy and action and adventure and drama and suspense and romance thought the end looks bleek for Stitch and Ohana, it has a very happy ending that everyone can enjoy. It is the most original and unconventional Disney film since Toy Story. It's characers are lovable and memorable. The music is great. The picture is great. The voices makes sense with their characters. I love this movie and give it my highest recommendation. It is appealing to young and old, sense of humor or not, lovers of animation or science fiction. Stitch is going to be the next great enduring Disney character you won't be able to get away from. Once again, this, one of my favorite films, one of the most entertaining and enjoyable for the whole family in A LONG TIME, get's my highest possible recommendation.
Movie Review: The Best Animated Disney Film in Years
Summary: 5 Stars
I am very fussy about which Disney films I watch. So far I have purchased "Tarzan" and "Dinosaur" on DVD and though I enjoyed them I won't say they won my heart over. "Lilo and Stitch" however had me laughing and crying in the same breath. Set in Hawaii this is a very different kind of Disney film. I loved it from the very first moment when Lilo tried to explain to her dancing teacher why she had to feed a friendly dolphin peanut butter sandwiches rather than tuna to the moment Stitch realises he wants a family of his own to belong to, this gem of a film managed to get under my skin like no other Disney animation.
The plot is quite simple; a genetically created monster escapes a prison ship and heads for earth. All he has on his mind is destruction and mayhem but fate has something else in store for him and he finds himself pretending to be a dog in order to evade the bounty hunters sent to find him. His new "owner" is a lonely but strong minded little girl called Lilo who is still grieving over the loss of her parents in a car accident. She calls her new "dog" Stitch and gives him unconditional love, something this monster has never known before. Suddenly Stitch's desire for destruction takes a back seat as he tries to help the one person in the whole universe who is not afraid of him.
There are great scenes like Stitch finding a frog in the middle of road but it is him who gets run over by a truck and not the frog but as he is indestructible all that happens is that he gets knocked out. We see the frog later on in the same road, and Stitch saves it, something he would have never done if he had not met Lilo. It is a touching scene, not syrupy, just nice and thoughtfully done. Another scene that is side splittingly funny is when Stitch steals a child's tricycle, jumps on it, grabs Lilo and tries to find his way off the Island only to be told by Lilo that "isn't it great, there are no cities on the Island?" Stitch faints when he hears this; he has been genetically programmed to destroy cities! All of this mayhem and chaos ultimately leads to Stitch having to make a decision. Does he abandon Lilo and try to escape or does he take on the powers that be that want to destroy him and try and keep his new family together?
Stitch's attempt to save Lilo when she is in danger is hilarious but at the same time quite emotional, surprising for an animated film, especially a Disney one.
The music is great and I'm a fan of Elvis all over again, the songs are really appropriate but let me assure you this is not a musical cartoon, rather it is a cartoon with a selection of songs that blend into the story and plot quite nicely.
The characters are believable, even the ex-CIA Welfare Officer who despite his gruff exterior has a heart of gold, to the obnoxious little girls who tease Lilo for daring to be different.
This is cracking good film for all ages, and I will be very surprised if most people don't like something about it, even if it is just the music score!
Movie Review: Ohana means family
Summary: 5 Stars
When this movie came out, I asked someone from Hawaii about it and her response was that in Hawaii they have a name for a woman like Nani, someone who's always doing the wrong thing...but for the life of me I can't remember the term. I'd rather focus on the movie.
There are so many great moments in this film, and some revolutionary--for Disney--elements:
--A girl who doesn't have "marry the hero" as her whole character arc (although Belle comes close) and her male fixations are limited to Stitch and Elvis
--No talking animal sidekicks (although Pocahontas didn't have talking animals)
--No breaking into song, except for Elvis dance routines
--Strong matriarchs, e.g. Grand Councilwoman, Lilo, Nani
--A woman with a real figure and a Jennifer Lopez rear
--A mother-figure household without a wicked stepmother
For years with the exception of Peter Pan, Disney kills off the mothers or leaves them powerless--though Queen Sarabi's regal dignity in "The Lion King" is memorable. Lilo's parents are dead, but Nani is the mother figure--and not a good one at that. Nani and Lilo act bratty for half the film until the destructive Stitch explodes into their lives--but oddly leaves them better off than they were.
The one character I disliked intensely in this film (and in the series) is Mertle. She is the stereotypical awful popular girl who is rude to Lilo. True, Lilo's in need of coping skills, but one can't help but think that even the intelligent Lilo has her breaking point when subjected to Mertle's pettiness.
By contrast, Dr. Jumba, Cobra Bubbles, and the Niles Crane-like Pleakley come off as all doing their best to do their duty. While Dr. Jumba isn't repentant about his experiments, he does do his duty trying to capture 626/Stitch. Pleakley is your typical fussbudget. Captain Gantu is your career officer.
Cobra Bubbles, who we learn is X-Filesish, just does his duty by Lilo in taking a hard line with Nani. ("Thus far, you have been adrift in the sheltered harbor of my patience." "Let me illuminate you on the precarious situation you've found yourself in. I am the one they call when things go wrong, and things have indeed gone wrong.") He does soften and admit how much Nani loves Lilo. His exchange with the Grand Councilwoman at the end is hysterical!
Mr. Cobra Bubbles: [to Lilo] Aliens are all about rules.
Grand Councilwoman: You look familiar...
Mr. Cobra Bubbles: CIA. Roswell. 1973
Grand Councilwoman: Ah yes. You had hair then.
Grand Councilwoman: As caretakers of the alien lifeform, this family [Nani and Lilo] is under the protection of the United Galactic Federation. We'll be checking in from time to time.
Mr. Cobra Bubbles: I was afraid you were going to say that. This won't be easy to explain at Headquarters.
Grand Councilwoman: I know what you mean.
A wonderful film with stunning visuals of Hawaii.