Lilo & Stitch

Disney continues the magic of their animation with the movie "Lilo & Stitch." Instead of the cliche fairytale set in Europe, this movie contains an intergalactic monster crash landing in Hawaii. Stitch learns about family, through both Hawaiian values, and a select discography from Elvis Presley. The movie is both classic and modern, showing the next steps that Disney could go with their movies.

The main draw of this movie has to be the Hawaiian culture that gets showcased. Stitch gets to learn about "ohana," which means family, and gains a family that he never had. The Hawaiian songs included in the movie were sung by the Kamehamea Schools Children's Chorus. Both "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" and "He Mele No Lilo" are both beautiful Hawaiian-style songs and are used beautifully. The animations for the fire dancers and the hula dancing are quite accurate to the actual performers. I appreciate the fact that Tia Carrere and Jason Scott Lee were selected for voice roles as Nani and Kawika since they represent the local Hawaiian community.

I loved the fact that Disney went with both a design and color palate that one doesn't normally see on a Disney movie. The colors are rich and a great representation of the Hawaiian Islands. The design, seen slightly in Disney's "Mulan" is very rounded and inviting in its shape. Characters emote from their facial expressions and it's accurate.

Disney points out that anyone can be family, so long as you love and care about one another. Granted most Disney characters are missing a father or mother, but Lilo has neither. I like the fact that a non- traditional family was brought to the forefront and shown to work. It displays the fact that everyone has a different family structure, not just the stereotypical white picket fence nuclear family.

The bonuses on the DVD are a little short, but the collection of previews where Stitch invades other classic Disney movies are hysterical and the mockumentary of Stitch's jobs before he got his own movie is cute.

This movie went on to spawn sequels, an animated series, and a Japanese anime. Disney did make a few hiccups with Stitch as a franchise, but he's been toned down recently, especially in the parks, to a more understandable level. This movie was where Stitch began. Disney succeeded in making a great movie that didn't have to involve any princesses, but still maintained the same charm and magic.