Opened: June 21, 2002
Directed by: Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois
Starring: Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Zoe Caldwell, Jason Scott Lee, Amy Hill & Kevin Michael Richardson
Lilo & Stitch is one of the best Walt Disney Feature Animation productions of the 2000s.
Experiment 626 – later known as Stitch (Chris Sanders) – is an exiled illegal alien who crash lands on Earth. Lilo (Daveigh Chase) is a high-spirited Hawaiian girl being raised by her sister Nani (Tia Carrere). When the two meet, they help bring balance to each other’s lives.
The animation in this film is simple and beautiful. Saying it’s simple is not to diminish the work though. Compared to other Disney films of the early ‘00s, there’s more focus on the characters and less on the background.
Hawaiian culture is truly captured in the scenery and music. With “He Mele No Lilo” and “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” both having native language within it, you feel connected to the island.
Final say: Entertaining from start to finish. ★★★★★