I walked into the early screening of Disney’s Lilo & Stitch live action remake not totally convinced the world needed a live action version. I mean, all we have to do is look at Snow White and feel a little disillusioned by the live action magic of the Mouse. But by the time the credits rolled, my eyes were glassy, my heart was full, and I could hear the laughter, clapping and cheers of the children of the audience.
Turns out this movie wasn’t just needed. It felt necessary.
In a time when diversity is under attack and women of color are constantly being targeted, this Lilo & Stitch live action remake arrives like a warm aloha. This is that positive reminder that stories matter, culture matters and a little girl with a big imagination and even bigger feelings matters most of all.
Maia Kealoha is Lilo. She doesn’t just act. She is the six-year-old girl who’s grieving, misunderstood, weird, brilliant and bursting with love. She’s raw and vulnerable and chaotic in the most beautiful way. You believe every moment she’s on screen.
Sydney Elizabeth Agudong plays Nani, Lilo’s older sister, who is strong and resilient. It’s still disappointing that they didn’t cast a Native Hawaiian actress in this role. It had to be acknowledged.
Even so, Sydney brings depth and power to Nani. She surfs and plays the uke. She sings and dances and works her ass off trying to keep her family together. That strength is visible in every scene she’s in.
The soul of this movie is still ohana. That unshakable belief that family means no one gets left behind. The Aloha ‘Oe scene put me in all of my feels. Lilo and Nani in their hammock, surrounded by grief and love, will break your heart in the best way. These two are slowly walking uphill together in a world that is careening out of control on a slope.
The visuals are stunning. The surfing scenes are chef’s kiss. The hula, the luaus, the rhythm of daily island life. It’s all so full of heart. It brought back such wonderful memories of being in Hawaii with my adult son at the end of 2023. Watching this film felt like going back. The warmth, the land, the people and the power of ancestral love was right there.
In a live action version of a movie, set in a place that has heritage and history that America has tried vehemently to erase, I think that Disney takes the time to show Hawaii. This film takes an opportunity to pay a deeper homage to the people and their culture. What America stole from Native Hawaiians always feels like a bit of an asterisks in film and this is no different but you can tell the intention is there.
The kids in the audience were giggling, clapping and gasping and it made my whole soul sing. As a mom who used to watch this movie cuddled up with her baby boy, hearing those tiny laughs filled me with so much joy it almost hurt. For one brief moment in that theater, I get to feel what it’s like to be that mom and then in the movie, I am reminded of how challenging our roles as parents, caretakers and guardians can be.
This story still hits and all the laughs from the original still land. The emotion is real and, in true Disney style, the message is timeless. through this movie, we are reminded to love each other, take care of your people and make room for the ones who are lost and hurting.
We might not have needed a live action Lilo & Stitch but I’m super glad we got one.
Mahalo to the people of Hawaii, who gave this movie its heart. And mahalo to the culture that lives and breathes through every frame.
My heart is there. Always.
Disney’s Lilo & Stitch live action remake hits theaters nationwide on Friday, May 23 just in time for AANHPI Heritage Month. Whether you’re showing up for the culture, the childhood nostalgia or just to cry in public like I did, this one deserves your time. Bring your kids and your whole heart.
Because ohana still means nobody gets left behind.
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