 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Lilo and Stitch
- Review Date: May 18, 2003
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2002
Common Sense Media says
Cute story, great characters, fabulous soundtrack.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that some elements of this movie's cartoon action (including laser battles, gunfire, characters being captured and held hostage, and explosions) -- as well as the more bizarre-looking monsters -- could be scary for young children and justify the PG rating. Stitch, a small but powerful intergalactic creature, is destructive and angry; he bares his sharp teeth and angry attitude frequently throughout, causing chaos and mayhem wherever he goes. As in many Disney stories, Lilo and her sister Nani are orphans, though the circumstance of their parents' death is referenced only once. In a break from Disney tradition, there are no unredeemable villains; everyone ultimately learns important life lessons, including the heroes, who are far from perfect when the movie begins.
What's the story?
LILO & STITCH opens on a far-away planet with all kinds of monstrous-looking creatures. One of them, a scientist, has been experimenting with genetics, and has created an indestructible destruction machine called 626 in the form of a mischievous-looking little blue guy. The scientist is thrown in jail, but the experiment escapes and races off to a planet they refer to as "E-Arth." So, the scientist and an expert on Earth are sent after him to capture him with a minimum of fuss. 626 lands in Hawaii and disguises himself as a dog. He is adopted by a tiny little girl named Lilo who is grieving the loss of her parents. She names him Stitch and teaches him that even a creature designed to destroy can learn to create.
Is it any good?
Lilo & Stitch has a cute story, endearing characters, a sensational soundtrack of Elvis classics, and glorious hand-painted animation. At its heart, it's just an old-fashioned story of a child and a pet. But this is not the usual movie child and it is definitely not the usual pet. The Hawaiian location and gorgeous visuals give it a fresh feeling. Instead of the usual wasp-waisted Disney heroine, there's attractive but believable-looking Nani, Lilo's sister, who is struggling to grow up quickly so that she can care for Lilo the way her parents did.
Lilo is irresistibly adorable and her relationship with her sister is a believable mixture of affection, resentment, and connection. Both are deeply affected by the loss of their parents and torn between fearing another loss and just wanting to get it over with. Ving Rhames adds just the right note of wry authority to his role as the social worker with a surprising past, and Jason Scott Lee is fine as the friend who would like to be more.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about Lilo's definition of a family: "No one gets left behind." What does family mean to you?
Is this movie scarier than other Disney movies (or other cartoon movies in general)? Why or why not?
Why didn't Stitch stay the destructive
monster he was designed to be? Did anything surprise you in the scenes
at the end that showed what happened to Lilo and Stitch and Nani?
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AGE
Run, do not walk from this one.
Following common sense's recommendation I had my 5 year old watch it. Soon my daughter started beating up her little sister, as Lilo beats up her school buddies. Ala Disney's tradition, this movie models bad behavior to later try to turn it into a positive moral. For my 5 year old, all she saw was how if you are mad then you can beat up others.
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AGE
One Of The Best Disney Hand Drawn Movies Ever!
This is one of my favorite classic hand-drawn Disney movies made. Perfect for younger kids who don't mind learning about family.
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AGE
Great alternative family movie
My daughter and I love this movie. The message of everyone's family being different, but loving each other the same is great. She loves the soundtrack and wants to visit Hawaii! (and so do I)
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AGE
too scary for a four year old
Enter Review Here
I saw good reviews in the paper but I had to walk out because it was too frightening for my four year boy.
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AGE
A great family movie
Love this movie. S cried a little bit she loves it. Think we're on the 4th watch. I love that they have a unconventional family like us.
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AGE
This movie is great for all ages. Its full of great messages, like everything from female independence to friendship to proper behavior to emotional security. Lilo and Stitch is also a very cute and funny movie, and can be a tear jerker. It will make children in an unconventional family unit feel ok about their situation, and that its ok to be different. There are quotes in this movie that even adults can appreciate, like when Lilo says "Ohana means family, and family means nobody get left behind, or forgotten." ,which teaches family values.
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AGE
I don't know what disney would have done without stitch! He is awsome and so are the movies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Kid, 12 years old
July 27, 2010
AGE
great nice movie for kids
watched the tv sereis and the 4 movies
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AGE
Loved it
I saw this when I was 5! and I loved it!
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AGE
I may be a little mean to those who appose to this movie, but people frustrate me..... sorry!
Oh my gosh Disney actually showed this on TV tonight, it must have nearly 'Killed' them! I love this movie so much, people take it too seriously, Lilo is a differen't kind of girl who gets treated bad because of her uniqueness (the same way I was treated growing up) and it nearly makes you cry when she says "people treat me differen't" when Nani was trying to explain to her that hurting those girls was wrong. If your kid acts bad, simply tell them NOT to act like that, its a parents job (I'm not trying to bash, I promise) This story is realistic, sweet, and a mix of sy-fy. It is really funny too, I loved it growing up, and I never once hit a person because of the influence of this movie, I hit those kids because they wouldn't leave me alone. Like Lilo when they call her names. Sometimes you really have to understand the characters. And 'oh no!' they used "Butt" and "Idiot"! Never heard of those words before! Dude, I'm sorry, but it is not that bad, they aren't used that much anyway. None of the characters are pure evil or anything, Gantu is the antaginist in this, but he was pretty much just doing his job. The characters can be very easy to love, and they all truely care about eachother. Its very well thought out, the animation is absoultly gorgious as well as the soundtrack, I recomend this movie, its better than loads of that garbage they show now, it actually has a heart put into it.
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| Topics: | adventures, friendship, space and aliens |
| Studio: | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Directors: | Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois |
| Cast: | Chris Sanders, Daveigh Chase, Tia Carrere |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 85 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 21, 2002 |
| DVD release date: | December 3, 2002 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | some peril and scariness |
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