Disney’s Live-Action Lilo and Stitch Is A Heartfelt Summer Hit!
Ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. Well, no one will forget this new Disney movie anytime soon!
The live-action Lilo & Stitch, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, has proven to be the movie of the summer! While it underwent changes from the original animated film, it remained true to its soul as we follow two sister navigating their family dynamic after the loss of their parents.
The heart of the movie is Lilo and her big sister Nani. Maia Kealoha plays an adorable and sassy Lilo, alongside Sydney Agudong as her hard-working older sister. Kealoha did an amazing job honing in the persona of Lilo as a lonely little girl just looking for a friend in her film debut. Her interactions with Stitch — still voiced by the animated film’s writer and director Chris Sanders — were both comedic and heartfelt. Stitch played a more devilish role this time around as he stomped on sand castles and broke glasses. As the chaos unfolds, Nani really tries to hold everything together. This new take on Lilo & Stitch allows us to really see Lilo and Nani as more developed characters. Nani has dreams and we see her struggle to sacrifice them to take care of her sister. Agudong portrayed these emotions so well that it tugged at my heartstrings. You could feel the authentic sisterhood that she and Kealoha shared.
The film also features some new and familiar faces! Billy Magnussen and Zach Galifianakis take on the roles of the hilarious duo of Pleakley and Jumba, respectively. For fans of the original animated film, Tia Carrere who voiced Nani plays social worker Mrs. Kekoa, Amy Hill who played Ms. Hasagawa is now David’s grandmother Tūtū, and original David voice actor Jason Scott Lee plays a luau manager. The new characters help in the evolution of the story as we see them create a village for the two struggling sisters.
The music was another highlight in Lilo & Stitch. I loved hearing the familiar songs of Elvis Presley — and who can forget “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride!” American Idol season 21 winner Iam Tongi and the Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus brought the iconic song from the original film to life beautifully. So many of the beloved songs from the original were kept in, like “He Mele No Lilo.” They modernized them, but still kept that classic island beat.
As a lover of the original film, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Lilo & Stitch is a successful live-action adaptation for Disney. Stitch is still as cute and fluffy as remembered! While the movie switched things up from the original, the changes actually worked and made the whole story flow smoother. You feel the theme of Ohana in this movie as Lilo and Nani learn how to carry on with their lives in a different way.
Watch Lilo & Stitch when it hits theaters on May 23.
