‘Lilo and Stitch' is a live-action alien resurrection
The character of Stitch is a fan favorite for them, and these are the people Disney is trying to reach. It's smart counterprogramming to the behemoth that is '
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I shouldn't really be surprised by the Stitch love: I took my then-four-year old nephew to see the original 'Lilo & Stitch,' and I've never seen a kid enjoy a movie more. His raggedy uncle, however, was praying the movie would fry in the projector; I hated, hated, hated this frenetic cartoon about an obnoxious little Hawaiian girl named Lilo and her equally destructive alien pal, Experiment 626, aka 'Stitch.'
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23lilostitch - Stitch in Disney's live-action 'LILO & STITCH.' (Courtesy of Disney)
Courtesy of Disney
The remake keeps about 85 percent of the original plot, and a lot of its dialogue, so this recap will sound very familiar.
The creation of a mad scientist named Jumba (Zach Galifianakis), Stitch was designed for maximum carnage. He's bulletproof, fireproof, smarter than a hundred supercomputers, and can learn and adapt to surroundings in the blink of an eye. Water is his only enemy, as his molecular structure will make him so heavy in water that he will drown.
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Of course, when Stitch escapes from a tribunal where Jumba is being tried for creating him, he crash-lands on an island in Hawai'i, a state surrounded by water. He disguises himself as the world's ugliest dog, and Lilo (Maia Kealoha) temporarily adopts him from the pound.
23lilostitch - Maia Kealoha as Lilo, left, and Sydney Agudong as Nani in Disney's live-action 'LILO & STITCH.' (Matt Kennedy/Disney)
Matt Kennedy/Disney
Lilo's sister Nani (Sydney Agudong) has been taking care of her since their parents died in an automobile accident. Nani is trying to keep the family together, but she's barely an adult. The social worker assigned to the case, Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani in the 2002 original), is understanding, but warns Nani that Lilo may be put in foster care.
Meanwhile, an alien called the Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Waddingham) is quite ticked off that Stitch escaped. She has no choice but to free the jailed Jumba and send him to Earth to retrieve his product. The cruel and unfriendly Jumba is joined by an extroverted, one-eyed Earth specialist named Pleakley (Billy Magnussen). Pleakley's job is to keep the hotheaded Jumba from creating an intergalactic incident.
Also in the mix is the awesomely named Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance), whose role here is slightly altered from the original's incarnation, which was voiced by Ving Rhames. David (Kaipo Dudoit), the tongue-tied surfer dude who's sweet on Nani, also makes the leap to this version. Jason Scott Lee, the original David, has a cameo here as well.
23lilostitch - From left, Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Stitch and Sydney Agudong as Nani in Disney's live-action 'LILO & STITCH.' (Courtesy of Disney)
Courtesy of Disney
As for Stitch, fans will be happy to know that Chris Sanders is once again providing his voice. Sanders also co-directed and co-wrote the original film before going on to greatness with 2010's
'How to Train Your Dragon' and last year's superb adaptation, '
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I revisited the animated version of 'Lilo & Stitch' right before my screening of this movie. I still hated the original, but I found this version a bit more tolerable. Both of the titular characters are more likable here, with Kealoha giving a good performance as Lilo.
Take that with a grain of salt; I may have been slightly softened up by the sight of Stitch driving his car through the screening room before the movie started. This was cuter than anything the movie had to offer. Given my disdain, I'm surprised he didn't try to run me over.
There's still time to hit me, Stitch! Because from a visual standpoint, this film is the ugliest entry in the live action remake sub-genre. The troublemaking alien Stitch and his fellow alien cronies look terrible in this incarnation. Stitch has always looked ugly and acted ratchet—I believe that's why he's so beloved—but a 2-D drawing can pull that off far better than CGI.
23lilostitch - Jumba voiced by Zach Galifianakis, left, and Pleakley voiced by Billy Magnussen in Disney's live-action 'LILO & STITCH.' (Courtesy of Disney)
Courtesy of Disney
Director
The concept of 'ohana,' or extended family, remains a central theme in the live action 'Lilo & Stitch.' According to Lilo, family means no one is left behind or forgotten. I'm not surprised that I had the same cynical reaction to this overly simplistic philosophy in both iterations of this film. However, this version's final speech extoling the virtues of ohana moved me a little bit. Perhaps I'm becoming an old softie after all.
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★★
LILO & STITCH
Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. Written by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, Mike Van Waes. Starring Maia Kealoha, Sydney Agudong, Tia Carrere, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, Hannah Waddingham. Courtney B. Vance, Kaipo Dudoit. At AMC Boston Common, Landmark Kendall Square, Alamo Drafthouse Seaport, AMC Causeway, suburbs. 108 min. PG (mild violence)
Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.
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Blueberry Fritters As I wandered around searching for popular items, I stumbled upon a spot selling blueberry fritters. These aren't a particularly famous treat in the Disneyland, but they looked pretty good. They came in perfect bite-sized portions, which made them easy to eat while walking around. The flavor was similar to a blueberry doughnut, but they were extremely oily. If they had been drained better, I would've devoured them. But the grease was just too much to eat. To be fair, the flavor on these fritters was amazing. Rating: A 5 out of 10. Some people might be able to overlook the oil — I wish I could. Cotton Candy Simple and reliable — cotton candy is a classic theme park treat, and Disneyland is no exception. I have a bit of a sweet tooth, and there's nothing like a fluffy ball of sugar to satisfy that craving. I grabbed a bag of pink cotton candy. It was perfectly sweet and easy to eat. 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The taste was almost identical to Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I'm not sure if that's good or bad… but that is probably good to most people. It did leave a slightly strange aftertaste — one I don't typically associate with churros. Rating: It wasn't the best churro I've ever had, but it was solid. I'm giving it a 6.2 out of 10. Lobster Roll As a native New Englander, I like to think I know a thing or two about lobster rolls. At Harbor Gallery Restaurant, lobster rolls are the specialty, and it was up to me to find out if they could measure up to a classic New England version. The smell was convincing — not fishy or off-putting at all. It was clear this wasn't fresh lobster, but the seasoning helped make up for that. It had a bit of Cajun spice to it, which you wouldn't normally find back home. Rating: I surprisingly enjoyed this. I give it a solid 7 out of 10. Barbecue Skewers I'd heard great things about the barbecue skewers in the park. They're cooked to order and smelled amazing on the grill. The key to a great skewer is meat that's tender and easy to pull off the stick. The beef skewer was incredibly tender — though slightly too peppery for my taste. Honestly, it was comparable to some of the wagyu I've cooked before, and I've cooked a lot. The chicken skewer, however, was really dry and overcooked. I was surprised that it wasn't good considering I just ate one of the best beef skewers of my life from the same spot. I definitely recommend sticking with the beef skewers when visiting the park. I'm still dreaming about them. Rating: Beef skewer — 8 out of 10. Chicken skewer — 3 out of 10. Summer Strawberry Float After a string of heavier snacks, I needed something to wash it all down. Enter the Summer Strawberry Float — essentially a cup of Sprite topped with strawberry ice cream. It tasted like strawberries and cream, and when you stir it up, it becomes smooth, foamy and extra refreshing. Rating: Unexpectedly one of the best bites of the day. I'm giving it an 8 out of 10. Dole Whip Perhaps the most famous food in all of Disneyland is the Dole Whip — a pineapple-flavored soft-serve treat. With all the hype surrounding it, I went in with sky-high expectations. Even the person serving it told me it was the most popular item in the park. On a hot California day, this was exactly what I needed. I expected it to taste artificial, but it surprisingly delivered a fresh blend of cream and real pineapple flavor. While I couldn't say it was the best food in Disneyland before trying everything else, I already knew it would at least be in my top three. Rating: An easy 8 out of 10 — leaving two points worth of room in case something managed to top it. Spoiler alert, something did. Birria Grilled Cheese Jolly Holiday serves up a birria grilled cheese sandwich that I was genuinely excited to try. When it arrived, it looked amazing. The bread was perfectly toasted, stuffed with generous amounts of cheese and meat, and it came with not one, but two outstanding sauces for dipping. It was love at first bite. Rating: An overwhelming 9.5 out of 10. I might buy a Disneyland ticket just to eat this again... and maybe follow it up with a Dole Whip for dessert. Turkey Leg The Disneyland turkey leg has legendary status — it's been around for years and has a cult following. I had never tried one until now. I knew it would be good when I saw it dripping through the packaging — a juicy turkey is something you rarely see on Thanksgiving. The smell alone was incredible. One bite in, the perfectly seasoned meat was falling off the bone. It was huge — probably one to two pounds worth of meat — enough to keep me full all day. That said, I don't understand why you'd eat something this heavy right before getting on a roller coaster. Seems like a risky choice... but hey, to each their own. Rating: This turkey leg is a 10 out of 10. I have zero notes. I wish I could have it on Thanksgiving — and honestly, on every other day of the year, too. Blue Milk I had been waiting all day to try the famous Blue Milk from Star Wars. It's often hyped-up, and apparently for good reason. One of my favorite drinks is horchata — rice milk flavored with cinnamon and sugar. This reminded me of that, but even better. It tasted like creamy Italian ice and was the perfect refreshment on a hot day. Rating: Easily a 10 out of 10. My expectations were already high — and they were completely exceeded. Monte Cristo Finally, the moment we've all been waiting for! The best food at Disneyland was a complete surprise to me. The must-try item is the Monte Cristo — basically a deep-fried ham and cheese sandwich. It smelled amazing, and I hoped it would taste even better. It did. In fact, it was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. The restaurant that serves it has experienced a three-month waitlist, and it quickly became clear to me why. Rating: The Monte Cristo is even better than the turkey leg — and that got a 10 out of 10 — so I'm giving this one an 11. Parting thoughts Theme park food can be hit or miss — and Disneyland is no exception. As a chef, I'm naturally looking for the best of the best, but this adventure was about more than just finding the perfect bite. It was about having fun, embracing the surprises and seeing what all the hype was about. Some of these snacks blew me away (looking at you, Monte Cristo), while others… well, let's just say they made the ride lines feel even longer. But that's part of the magic — not knowing what you'll get until you try it. If you're planning a trip, I recommend grabbing a few of these iconic eats and making your own list. Your favorite might be one I gave a low score, and that's totally fair. Food is personal. And if you enjoyed this breakdown, check out my video to see all of what Disneyland had to offer:
