Lilo & Stitch, 2025 - ★★★½
Friday, May 23, 2025
Watching this with fresh eyes—without any preconceived notions or biases, as I had never seen the animated version before—I found myself enjoying it tremendously. The movie is irresistibly charming, easily one of the most adorable and heartfelt films I've encountered in recent years.
This charm is primarily due to its narrative unfolding from a child's perspective. However, I can’t help but imagine that viewing the story from the sister's perspective would transform it into a horror tale: your little sister brings an alien into your home, and keeps wrecking your life. Yet, you can’t do much about it because she’s your sister, and you’re too overstressed and exhausted to deal with any of it. (Honestly, I’d love to watch that version!)
Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and couldn’t help but smile throughout. The emotional moments were also touching enough to get me a little teary-eyed in some scenes. What captivated me most was Stitch’s character and his dangerously cute charm. The attention to detail in his interactions and mannerisms was mesmerizing—watching him is such a joy that I wouldn’t mind doing it all day. The actors also delivered incredible performances for this light and fun movie, infusing each character with warmth and likability, making it hard not to fall in love with them all.
Ultimately, Lilo and Stitch exemplifies what a family movie should be—filled with love and acceptance. It has all the ingredients of a good film, offering fun and heartfelt entertainment for all ages. Even my parents enjoyed it!
One thing I absolutely loved personally was how many Elvis's popular songs featured in this movie. I kept thinking, “Wait, is that another Elvis song?” before vibing along as if I were watching an Elvis musical instead of Lilo and Stitch. LMAO.