I’ll be completely honest with you – walking into Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch felt like stepping outside my comfort zone. I’m the person who gets excited about jump scares and practical gore effects, not heartwarming family tales. But sometimes you’ve got to trust the process, and in this case, I decided to let the real experts guide my judgment: the kids in the theater.

The theater was about half full, and from the moment that blue furry chaos machine appeared on screen, the magic started happening. These weren’t just polite kid giggles – we’re talking full-on belly laughs, spontaneous applause, and at one point, a little girl behind me shouted “He’s so cute!” loud enough for three rows to hear. When you can get that kind of genuine reaction from your target audience, you’re doing something right.

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What caught me off guard was how well it worked for the adults, too. The parents around me weren’t just enduring another kids’ movie – they were actually engaged. The humor hits on multiple levels without feeling forced, and there’s enough heart in the story to keep everyone invested. Disney managed to capture that rare sweet spot where a family film actually feels like it’s for the whole family.

Visually, this thing impressed me more than I expected. Stitch’s CGI design strikes the perfect balance between adorable and mischievous alien creature. He feels real enough that you believe he’s actually causing havoc in these people’s lives, which is crucial for selling the premise. The Hawaiian setting is absolutely gorgeous, and more importantly, it feels like they approached the cultural elements with genuine respect rather than just using them as pretty window dressing.

My biggest reservation going in was the same one I have with most of these live-action Disney adaptations: why mess with perfection? The original animated Lilo & Stitch was already a masterpiece of storytelling and character development. But if Disney’s determined to keep making these remakes, at least this one understands what made the source material special – it’s the emotional core underneath all the alien mayhem.

Look, I can’t give you my usual horror fan breakdown of practical effects and atmospheric tension, but I can tell you this: every single kid in that theater walked out grinning from ear to ear, and their parents looked genuinely happy too. Sometimes that’s exactly what a movie is supposed to accomplish.

Grade: B+

About The Peetimes: There are two great Peetimes to choose from.

There are extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Lilo & Stitch.

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Plot
A lonely Hawaiian girl befriends a runaway alien, helping to mend her fragmented family.