A live-action film based on the 2002 Disney movie Lilo & Stitch, this is the story of a lonely and grieving 6-year-old named Lilo who befriends and adopts a blue dog-shaped alien that she names Stitch. Stitch is a space fugitive, who both aliens and human law enforcement try to get ahold of as he terrorizes and entertains both Lilo and her old sister, Nani. Through love and belief in “ohana,” the Hawaiian concept of family, Lilo gives Stitch the ability to care for someone else, while Stitch brings the two sisters closer together. (108 min.)
Editor’s note: Our usual Split Screen reviewers, Glen and Anna Starkey, are on vacation, and Staff Writers Libbey Hanson and Emma Montalbano filled in this week.
Libbey: How long has it been since you watched Lilo & Stitch? For me, it’s got to be at least 18 years—eek! But when I heard Disney was releasing a live-action remake, I felt a sudden wisp of nostalgia, longing to see a cute little beady-eyed, blue-furred terror befriend an adorable and lonely child in Hawaii. If you have similar feelings, you’re covered. You can see the iconic story unfold right before your eyes on the big screen, just in a new and fun way. Lilo & Stitch (2025) started right off the bat with Stitch (aka experiment 626) being a naughty little alien in a spaceship far, far away. It’s not his fault he’s naughty though—he was designed to be destructive by the genius alien scientist Jumba (Zach Galifianakis). After Stitch escapes the ship and heads toward Earth, the spaceship leader (Hannah Waddingham) orders Jumba and Earth-loving alien Pleaky (Billy Magnussen) to retrieve him. Once Stitch lands on a Hawaiian island, he meets 6-year-old Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her older sister, Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong), who are grieving their recently lost parents. But before Stitch can bring this family together, by nature, he must first cause some destruction.
Emma: I honestly can’t remember if I’ve even seen the original Lilo & Stitch, so I had no idea how the story would unfold. Going into the movie, I thought Stitch was a cute, cuddly friend, but, almost immediately, the aliens introduced him as a six-limbed monster, capable of mass destruction. Within minutes of being on Earth, the fluffy blue alien manages to ruin a wedding reception. Then, he’s run over by a big-rig, mistaken for a dog, and taken to a nearby animal shelter. Since the loss of her parents, Lilo has been acting out and causing trouble. It doesn’t help that other local kids have been picking on her, calling her weird. When Lilo finds Stitch at the animal shelter and her face lights up, it’s clear that the two will become partners in crime. The movie had moments of chaos, humor, and even heartbreak, but with its fast pacing, we didn’t sit with any one emotion for too long. Toward the end, I felt overwhelmed, trying to wipe my tears from a sad scene while simultaneously laughing at a new plot point that came right after. I wasn’t alone, though, because I could hear Libbey sniffling and chuckling beside me.
Libbey: I totally agree with you, Emma. I think this movie really nailed making us feel a whole spectrum of emotions, but I wanted to feel them a bit longer, especially the sweet moments between the sisters and Stitch. It was a “Hawaiian roller coaster ride” of emotions, if you catch my drift. Being a late ’90s child and last watching this movie so young, I was surprised at how many characters and story plots I remembered. Some pleasant similarities were the Elvis scenes, Pudge the sandwich-eating fish, and Sgt. Cobra Bubbles—the most iconic name. But the plot did change some, with the evil aliens taking human shape and one of them being just too plain evil for my liking (don’t worry, I won’t spoil who).
Emma: I went into this movie with low expectations, given Disney’s last couple of attempts at live-action remakes, but I was pleasantly surprised by the wholesomeness of this film. Perhaps it helped that I didn’t remember the original movie because I had nothing to compare this one to. I loved when Stitch tried to speak English to communicate with Lilo and the other characters. These heartwarming moments helped humanize the little alien, making me want a Stitch of my own to befriend.
New Times Staff Writers Libbey Hanson and Emma Montalbano stepped in for usual reviewers Glen and Anna Starkey this week. Send comments to gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Jun 5-15, 2025.