To watch Lilo & Stitch is like turning through the pages of a storybook with its classic watercolor Disney art style and important messages within. A lot of Disney movies feature loveable animal creatures, but none so got the audience's love and attention quite like the erratic alien Stitch did.The movie was released during an interesting time in animation where studios like Disney and Dreamworks looked to be pushing the boundaries of animation before CGI took over. Lilo & Stitch on the other hand had a classic Disney look from its early days and its lower budget would actually be a gift to making it one of the most inventive and truthful Disney films to date.Lilo & Stitch may not be the first film to come to mind when thinking of emotional Disney moments, but it is certainly packed full of them. Now, 20 years on, the story of a lonely orphaned girl and a lost alien who finds his ohana are still loved dearly and emotionally. Its deep relationship building between Lilo with her older sister Nani and with Stitch whilst dealing with moments of depression, loneliness, and the desire for friendship are still all very relevant today. For fans growing up with the movie, it is no doubt they have built new emotions along the way, but after 20 years it is too one of the most heartwarming movies which don't take the easy way out to build bonds and relationships.
The film's initial release saw a certified fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes and currently sits at 86% with favorable reviews. Lilo & Stitch achieved so much with a lot less than much worse Disney movies, especially when looking at its budget. While $80 million is still a lot of money, it was the lowest budget for a Disney movie since The Hunchback Of Notre Dame and worked well with that budget. Directors Chris Sanders (who also voices Stitch) and Dean DeBlois took their budget and went back to Disney's classic watercolor style that was seen in early movies like Snow White And The Seven Dwarves and Dumbo who makes a brief cameo in the film.The natural and watercolor look makes the movie feel like a picture book and brings to life the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i. That classic art style set it apart from the highly-detailed and 2D animated films at the time such as Treasure Planet and Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the new CGI films such as Dinosaur. This overall look and feel to the movie nicely fit it in with the Disney classics collection and makes the movie feel older than it does when compared to other 2000s releases.Not just the overall look of the movie, but the amount of effort that was put into detailing it makes Lilo & Stitch extra special in comparison to other movies. Thanks to Sanders' determination for accuracy and respect for culture, Lilo & Stitch captures Hawaiian culture, art, and life admirably, and the musical contributions by Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu and the Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus bring the spirit and soul of Hawaii to life in this animated feature.The Hawaiian culture itself plays into the bond between Lilo and Stitch where surf culture, music, and dance are incorporated into Stitch's development as part of the ohana and his trust in Lilo. The visit by Sanders and his team helped develop the principles of the story itself with the concept of Ohana and the relationship folks in Hawaii and its islands share. The Lilo & Stitch sequel (to which there are many) mentions how everyone calls each other cousin despite the fact no one is related and that wholesome connection between its population resonates humbly with the character relationships in the films.Lilo & Stitch's writing also does what a lot of modern Disney films do now and creates significance through small items that are simply explained to the audience. At the beginning of the movie, Lilo is seen taking a sandwich to the ocean to give to Pudge the Fish and her reasoning for this to her dance teacher is that he controls the weather. Whilst a hilarious reason to take a sandwich to the ocean, the description is actually synonymous with that of her parent's death. It is later revealed that they died whilst driving in a bad storm and that's the reason why Lilo wants to keep the weather-controlling fish satisfied.The subtle relations to death are cleverly written to catch adult's attention Lilo's depressed moods and angst outbursts in the early parts of the film may look humorous to children viewers, but as an adult, they add a lot more depth to Lilo's character and how she deals with what her life has become. If anything these mood swings and dark content become a lot more understandable and gives Lilo & Stitch a lot more value as fans get older and are a film to be taken both comically and seriously and on another level shows how the bond with Stitch is so important.
Sadness aside, the film is one of the funniest and most quotable Disney movies, especially of its time. Disney's other studio, Pixar was releasing plenty of big-budget and favorable titles at the time, and their writing was certainly built upon quotable moments. Pixar aside, however, the vast majority of quotes from Lilo whether they are hilarious: "My friends need to be punished" or emotional: "If you want to leave, you can... I remember everyone that leaves" they stick with fans and have to be up there with the likes of Mean Girls. The continuous Elvis Presley references give the film a vintage feeling and the bickering and fighting between Lilo and Nani who always make up with each other are very relatable to siblings no matter the age gap.
Stitch who is the mascot of the film is the perfect balance of the classic Disney dog-like companion and has lots of grotesque and childish moments perfect for a young audience. His development and understanding throughout the film, with the relation to The Ugly Duckling story and wanting to find where he belongs in the world is a beautiful side to a character where throughout most of the movie young wouldn't expect such emotions. That development itself baffles the alien and human characters around him. This isn't a film that looks for a big evil bad guy character either, and whilst Jumba and Pleakley are there to capture Stitch, they have a Team Rocket from Pokemon charm to them with how Stitch continuously foils their schemes. Stitch would work well as a Pokemon as well.
Lilo & Stitch provides the perfect balance between comedy, philosophy, heart, and ohana. It opens up the world of Hawaii to viewers and invites them into the warm and embracing culture. Whilst using its cheaper, but more graphically appealing watercolor design, it still goes above and beyond, especially with scenes involving space and alien warfare. It teaches viewers, especially those who may feel like outcasts that there is someone for them and their ohana could come from anywhere.
Lilo & Stitch celebrates its anniversary on June 21st and is still very much loved today. Whether there are scenes being removed because of fears children will hide in washing machines or that there are now a billion Stitch plushies and figurines because of the costume changes from the credit sequence, it's guaranteed that Lilo & Stitch will still be talked about fondly for many more decades to come. Whilst it is arguable about certain titles being in Disney's classic collection, there is no doubt that Lilo & Stitch feels right at home as one of animated entertainment's most well-written movies.