Lilo and Stitch
Lilo & Stitch is an Academy Award nominated film in the Disney animated features canon. The film was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution on June 21, 2002. Lilo & Stitch was also the second of three Disney animated features produced primarily at its animation studio at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida. The film was rated PG for mild sci-fi action.Lilo and Stitch Plot
An extra-terrestrial mad scientist named Dr. Jumba Jookiba (voiced by David Ogden Stiers) is imprisoned for illegally experimenting and creating creatures to cause chaos and destruction. His latest experiment is Number 626: a cute, little, blue alien who is deceptively strong, fast, intelligent, destructive and indestructable. During Jumba's trial, the Grand Councilwoman tried to reason with 626. Its only response was an apparently vulgar "meega na la kweesta", which caused the council to gasp and shudder in shock. Jumba quickly protested, "I didn't teach him that!"On his way to a penal colony, 626 escapes and crash lands on the small Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi, on Earth. Masquerading as a dog (but looking more like a koala), 626 is adopted by a little girl named Lilo Pelekai (voiced by Daveigh Chase) who is living with her 19/20 year-old sister Nani (voiced by Tia Carrere) after their parents died in a car accident. Lilo is lonely and a bit of an outcast until she finds a new friend in 626, whom she names "Stitch" (voiced by Chris Sanders). She treasures a doll (which she made herself) named Scrump and a photo of her family.
Lilo tries to teach Stitch to behave using Elvis Presley and his music as a model for good behavior. Despite Lilo's somewhat successful attempts to modify Stitch's behavior, his destructive tendencies make life difficult for everyone, especially Nani. Since they are constantly being monitored by a social worker, former Central Intelligence Agent and currently interplanetary diplomat Cobra Bubbles (voiced by Ving Rhames), Lilo is at risk of being placed in foster care if their living conditions do not improve. Nani is attempting to provide a stable home environment for Lilo by finding steady employment.
Making matters even more difficult for Lilo and Nani are Jumba and Galactic Agent Pleakley (voiced by Kevin McDonald) attempts to capture Stitch. After their failure and subsequent dismissal, a shark-like alien named Captain Gantu (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) is assigned to capture Stitch.
Eventually, Stitch runs rings around Gantu, laughing all the way. The Grand Councilwoman appears on the beach and would arrest Stitch, but becomes reluctant to do so when she sees that he has reformed. Lilo, prodded by Cobra Bubbles, presents her certificate of adoption which makes her Stitch's owner, causing the Grand Councilwoman to release the little creature. Stitch's sentence to exile provides a loophole; he is now in Lilo and Nani's care.
Throughout the movie, the message provided tells the audience that family must stick together in all cases, however difficult. It also stresses the importance of Lilo and Nani's Hawaiian culture and how it must be kept alive. Furthermore, it is also meant to remind children of the importance of good behavior as well as adults that not all children are "rotten to the core", and that every child has some goodness deep inside.
