The kids are out of school, and maybe the family already is feeling a bit, let’s say, too close this summer. Maybe you’re dreaming of an extended vacation in a Hawaiian paradise. But if that seems out of reach, pack up the kids and take them to see Lilo & Stitch at Robinson Film Center.
This is the latest in a line of live-action remakes of animated films. And this one blends all of the slapstick humor of its cartoon counterpart with just enough touching poignancy to appeal to the entire family.
If you have kids of a certain age, I’m sure I don’t need to lay out the premise for you. But for the rest of us, let me summarize.
Lilo is a precocious 6-year-old girl being raised by her older sister, Nani. The girls have lost their parents in an accident, and Nani is working hard to keep them together. Lilo doesn’t understand and is just seeking some connection.
Stitch is… well, he’s mostly indescribable. He is an alien life form, made in a lab. He, too, is caught causing more trouble than he is worth and gets exiled to Earth. Lilo finds Stitch, and the rest of the film is their journey to find Ohana — family.
This film has something for everyone to love: slapstick comedy, touching emotional moments and lots of Elvis Presley music. It’s a 90-minute tropical escape from your day-to-day with an important reminder that Ohana “isn’t always perfect, but that doesn’t mean you are bad.”
- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications