Lilo and Stitch

reviewed by Jaime

For some parents, an animated feature film can become agonizing as their children hit the remind and play buttons until the VHS tape is ready to bust. Last weekend, at the ripe old age of 25, I became one of those kids.

On a whim, Dave bought Disney's Lilo and Stitch and I discovered my new favorite Disney film.

So why is Lilo and Stitch the best Disney movie yet?

1. It's hilarious. Other Disney movies such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast have had brief moments of hilarity. Lilo and Stitch, however, keeps you rolling in the aisles throughout the entire film.

2. It's original. Typically, Disney has used its animated features to retell familiar stories or fairy tales. This time, however, they pulled out all the creativity stops and created a fresh and fun story that leaves you guessing how happy the end will be.

3. It's visually appealing. Disney's soft watercolor style is back, and it is a refreshing change from recent features filled with computer animation such as Tarzan and Aladdin. As an added bonus, Disney ditched the cleavage and curves that filled Pocahantas and Aladdin in favor of more true to life characters. Plus, the characters are adorable.

4. It's story is moving, yet never sappy. Disney has a tendency to use a heavy hand while it tries to convey a life lesson. Although the life lesson is in the forefront of Lilo and Stitch, Disney has shown enough restraint to make the lesson on the importance of family seem realistically portrayed.

5. It's not a musical. For some reason, the folks at Disney seem to believe animated films must be musicals. With Lilo and Stitch, that notion has been abandoned. A smart move, I think, because adults tend to tune out the cloying song and dance routines that only serve to slow down the film. Instead, Lilo and Stitch relies on The King himself (Elvis Presley) to provide musical entertainment for all ages.

If you haven't yet watched Lilo and Stitch, go ahead and buy the DVD. We've had it for less than a week and I've already watched it twice. I think you will, too.