Touches the heart and tickles the funny bone

Rating: 10/10 (23 June 2002)

Disney has spent the passed few years as the victim of falling box office receipts for its traditionally animated films. Some (i.e. "The Emperor's New Groove", "Fantasia 2000") were because of poor marketing and release schedules. Others (like "Atlantis") just didn't seem to carry the standard of Disney animation. Well, that all ends with "Lilo and Stitch" The story is bright, funny and heartfelt. While I had heard many warnings about the character of Stitch, I found him to be one of the most unique and interesting of Disney characters. The writers also did a wonderful job of making Lilo a real kid. She has a good heart, but doesn't always make the best decisions. She's smart, but troubled. The return to watercolor backgrounds is a complete success. Disney hasn't done this in over sixty years and this colorful movie, set in Hawaii, is the perfect film on which to bring back the tradition. While I know that there are many options in what to spend your family movie budget on, believe me that this is the only family movie playing that will be a treat for the whole family and not just the kids. It's smart and hilarious. The parents might want to come back on a date to enjoy all by themselves.