Lilo and Stitch, Disney’s latest live-action remake of a classic animated film, tells the story of a lonely Hawaiian girl who befriends a runaway alien. Source: Australian Catholics.
Who are Lilo and Stitch? Stitch is introduced to us first. He is genetic experiment 626, produced by a mad scientist in a galaxy far, far away. The Council banishes him to Earth.
Lilo is a young Hawaiian girl who lives with her sister, Nani, with whom she is always quarrelling. When Nani allows Lilo to buy a dog, whom does she find in the pound, terrifying all the stray dogs, but Stitch. She has to have him. Together, Lilo and Stitch are able to rustle up quite a bit of mischief and some slapstick comedy.
The 2002 animated filmmakers stressed that the quality that really appealed to them about setting the film in Hawaii was what the locals call “ohana”, which means a sense of family.
Lilo has to learn to love Nani so that they will not be a broken family. Stitch is alone and he needs to learn to belong to a family.
Along the way, we are treated to some exotic characters from the galaxy, including Pleakley, a one-eyed, three-legged expert on Earth and Cobra Bubbles, an ex-CIA operative who has become Lilo’s social worker.
Lilo idolises Elvis, so there is a pleasing soundtrack of his songs.
This 2025 version follows the original plot in great detail but is 20 minutes longer.
And, instead of just voices previously, we have a strong cast of live actors: Maia Keloah a very feisty Lilo and the charmingly energetic Sydney Elizabeth Agudong as, Nani. There are broad comic turns from Billy Magnusson and Zach Galifianakis.
Lilo and Stitch: Starring Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizabeth Agudong, Chris Sanders, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnusson. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. 108 minutes. Rated PG (Mild themes and violence, some scenes may upset young children)
FULL STORY
Lilo and Stitch (Australian Catholics)
