#lilo and stitch (2025)

[izzymybeloved]

Y’all I swear Lilo and Stitch (2025) is just Disney’s propaganda piece because wdym you got rid of the tourism/colonialism commentary and Nani doesn’t have custody over Lilo at the end of the story?

[kacievvbbbb]

I just rewatched the original Lilo and Stitch movie and honestly was not expecting to find out that Stitch has to be one of the biggest victims of a decade long flanderization.

I also forgot, and honestly I think most people, that stitch has so much character like he’s not just a ball of chaos, he's also very much a smart ass and makes jokes. And is angry and curious and a little bit of an asshole. You just don’t really get that in the live action or really most iterations of him. He’s reverted back to one.

Like Stitch in the movie is really smart. And he doesn’t just make noises as they will have you believe it’s actually pretty implied that he’s bilingual and was actively learning English (and not talking because Dog cover) and that’s why it was all stilted and kind of broken and unsure. He sounds much smoother and natural speaking in his alien language that Jumba understands. I don’t think the live action movie really got this.

And through out the movie he is not unstoppably causing chaos he’s just angry, confused, and curious and not gentle with things and so things just go wrong around him. The only thing he actively destroys out of a want to destroy is the mini San Fransisco he built and that was copying a movie scene he saw. Stitch destroys things because it’s how he knows to interact with the world around him by the end of the movie he does very little destruction and more just general goofing off (granted with a true lack of understanding on like property damage)

Hell Jumba goes good because he’s been observing Stitch and his struggles to become more than he was made to be. How stitch reacts in a situation where he can no longer perform his primary objective. Jumba pities him like a robot without a job but Stitch evolves to more than he was meant to be and it’s that evolution that flaw in his programming that allows Jumba to switch sides (even if it is played for laughs and never mind that despite his creations Jumba honestly was never even that bad a guy to begin with I mean obviously it’s a kids show but when Jumba lists Stitches objectives they are are inconveniences at best frustrating and mild property damage at worst)

But like the idea that like Stitch is actually just another burden that Nani would need to take care of is laughable when by the end of the movie it is explicitly shown him doing household chores. He makes their lunches escorts Lilo to the bus, bakes her birthday cake, does the laundry and does it well. Hell he practically even has a job. Never mind that Jumba and Pleakly are also there and also pitch in. Plus Cobra. Nani had so much support by the end of the movie that ofcourse she could continue to raise Lilo she wasn’t doing it alone.

The new ending just feels like the makers didn’t have faith in the original concept like they didn’t believe that anyone would believe that Lilo would be okay in the care of aliens we have to replace them with people or else it doesn’t make sense. It’s just weird like they didn’t trust the audience to garps that these silly little aliens are not in fact children that also need supervision but beings capable of taking care of lilo and contributing to the family. And honestly I don’t blame them because people did accept it. And it’s so fucking sad.

We’ve talked a lot about Nani, Lilo and Jumba and their blatant mischaracterization . But not enough about the flanderization of stitch and it’s just sad honestly.

[ankle-beez]

it'd be really cool if everyone put their money where their mouths are and went and saw the new fully 2d animated looney tunes movie that's in theaters RIGHT NOW instead of continuing to scream about the snow white and lilo and stitch remakes

[angstandhappiness]

IMPORTANT

Are you 🫵 pissed off about the Lilo and Stitch monstrosity remake? Do you want to know how you can actually make a difference in supporting the people and ecosystems of Hawaii?

Tourism is a big issue in Hawaii (which the remake got rid of the original's commentary on because it makes foreigners look bad). I'm not gonna promote it, BUT I know that realistically, thousands of people arrive here every single day by the airplane-ful. And the majority of them aren't educated on the socio-cultural and economic impacts of tourism. SO, I'm making this post in an effort to educate visitors. If you or someone you know is visiting or moving to Hawaii (whether by circumstances in or out of your control), here are some suggestions on how you can give back!

You can donate to the Hawaii Community Foundation, which has been instrumental in giving aid to the displaced community of Lahaina after the Maui wildfires in 2023. They also provide scholarships to students of under-represented communities.

If you're interested in visiting Kualoa Ranch, you can do their Mālama Experience where you get your hands dirty giving back to the ‘āina (land)!

There are other organizations you can join to volunteer with, too, like Kupu and Mālama Maunalua. Check them out; maybe you can help with a beach cleanup or plant native trees! These are both non-profit organizations that accept monetary donations.

Visit the Bishop Museum to learn about Hawaiian history and culture! They also have events focused on sustainability and conservation.

If you're visiting Hilo on the Big Island, go visit the Laulima Nature Center! They're a non-profit aimed at protecting Hawaii's native species, and they even have an online store that ships to the US mainland and internationally! (After I post this, I'm gonna head on over and get myself a manu o Kū pin ♡)

A few other tips I have:

DO: Respect the locals' homes. Several beaches and hiking trails have access points in residential areas. Please be mindful to keep your voices down when passing by, and park ONLY in designated parking areas.

DO: Wear reef-safe sunscreen! Sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate are banned in Hawaii because they are known to damage coral reefs.

DON'T: Approach wildlife, particularly honu (sea turtles) and 'īlio holo i ka uaua (Hawaiian monk seals). Stay at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from turtles and at least 50 feet (15 meters) away from monk seals. If you see someone harassing animals, report them to the statewide NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline: (888) 256-9840. You can also contact the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources.

DON'T: Collect sand, rocks, or other natural items to bring home with you. This is to protect the ecosystems and also out of respect for Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians), who have cultural beliefs regarding lava rocks in particular. Taking lava rocks is extremely disrespectful.

DON'T: Litter! Please throw away your waste in proper trash cans. If you see a bin that says "ʻōpala," that's a trash can!

Many Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) are moving to the US mainland because the cost of living in Hawaii has been driven up so high (because of people moving here), they can't afford to live in their ancestral home. So, if you are going to visit or move to Hawaii, please:

- Make the effort to support local businesses, especially those owned by Native Hawaiians!

- Educate yourself and your loved ones about actual Hawaiian culture!

- Try Hawaiian food, like poi!

- Learn some Hawaiian words and don't be afraid to ask how to pronounce words correctly!

- Donate to a food bank!

- Watch films and read books written by Native Hawaiians!

My hope is that whoever sees this post will use it to educate themselves, their friends, and their families who are considering visiting.

My background is in sustainability and the environment, so that's what I know to suggest off the top of my head. If any Kānaka Maoli read this post and have suggestions to add, please do!

[tepkunset]

"What was the point of remaking Lilo & Stitch if Disney changes everything about it" the point is money. The point is always money. They want money. The most money possible. They think they will get more money if they strip away anything that might be 'controversial' (see: even remotely empathetic towards minorities) so they will get all the money.

[quix5gg]

[theforswornelite]

...

[yes-simqueen]

Also, they literally establish that she applied twice and got in twice. What makes her qualified now will still make her qualified in the future, so she absolutely could have waited longer to go to college.

One thing that bothers me about the ending of the Lilo and Stitch remake (among the other things people have already rightfully complained about) is how it acts like Nani has to go to college NOW or she's lost her chance forever.

As someone who was raised by a young mother that didn't get to go to college, because she got 2 kids at 18-20, but then went to college in her early/mid 30s when me and my sister were old enough to be left home alone, it just feels really insulting.

It really adds to the harmful mindset that someone's life, especially that of women, is over if they haven't "got their life together" yet before the age of 25.

There would've been no harm in Nani delaying college for like 5-10 years, instead of abandoning her sister during the most vital years of her development only 2-3 months after already having lost her parents. Animated Nani would never.

[seaside-storm]

Lilo & Stitch (2002)

[matt0044]

In a weird way, Disney’s Live Action Remakes are unintentionally good for media analysis.

They miss the point so much that fans have to revisit the original and explain said point. Often things that we took for granted are given a fresher perspective or refreshed in some cases.

We know they are good but seeing a bad version makes us realize why. We look at details we’ve taken for granted and question how they stood the test of time unlike what’s regurgitated to us.

It’s like a teacher who will intentionally get something wrong so a frustrated student can answer and show their worth. Disney is weirdly encouraging good media literacy.

And advocates for Animation show that love for the art form is not dead.

[doverstar]

don't be fooled. disney wants your money, not to honor their best stories. don't watch the live action lilo and stitch. don't pay to be fed garbage. you are smarter than that. leave the gum on the ground and keep walking. force them to get good.

[liberwolf]

The one time in my life I haven't been pissed off about hearing spoilers. I'm not spending a dime to see the live-action Lilo & Stitch. The original was awesome and it's a classic for a reason. I hope they stop attempting live-actions of beloved animated movies.

"im going to see lilo and stitch tomorrow at the cinema so i can see how bad it is and laugh at it"

YOU ARE STILL GIVING THEM MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[eternal-gromnommer]

The overly-sanitized, corporate-bleached, utterly-soulless, playing-safe marketable Lilo and Stitch remake annoyed me so much I ended up pulling an old concept doodle out of my files from an old "make an existing alien character even more alien looking" spec bio contest. Going the complete exaggerated opposite direction of the movie making Stitch overly cute and merch-able and basically being "what if Stitch just straight up looked like a legit sci-fi horror movie monster played straight? And what if...Lilo still loved him anyway?"

[bigfrozensix]

This "seperation is good actually" trend in media from the past decade or so needs to fucking die already, I'm so sick of it. Especially when the original movie was literally about them fighting to reunite/stay together and then the sequel/remake says "nah".

[crabussy]

handy checklist of why you shouldn't watch the new lilo and stitch movie (even hatewatching it. don't do that. do something fun instead)

completely destroys the entire moral of the movie by making nani leave lilo alone at the end. holy shit.

most if not all allusions to colonisation being harmful to hawai'i is gone or changed to be more "palatable"

beloved character got turned into a shallow villain who doesn't even get redeemed all because they COULDN'T AFFORD TO ANIMATE THE ORIGINAL VILLAIN???????

the gay-coded couple get completely destroyed (one of them turns out to be evil and irredeemable. and we don't get the drag scene anymore. they killed their queerness entirely)

lilo's autistic traits are extremely toned down to make her more "likeable"

the pacing is abysmal and they've removed a lot of important plot points (stitch's ugly duckling scenes for example)

a lot of characters have been completely rewritten. agent bubbles is no longer a deep and interesting multifaceted character. he's now just kind of mean and unfunny for no reason???

stitch's model isn't even faithful to the original movie. THEY PUGGED HIM!!!!!!!!

all the beautiful lighting and compositions from the original movie got put in a WOODCHIPPER. boy I sure do love bright white lighting instead of gorgeous pink dusky hues for the surfing scene

the actor for nani isn't native hawaiian. she's white and filipino and also WAY paler than nani in the original movie. she seems lovely but I think maybe for the movie about native hawaiian oppression they could have cast a hawaiian actor

stitch's character is flanderised and toned down too. he STARTS OFF loveable and less violent and antagonistic. instead of how he was in the original movie- an aggressive creature that BECOMES loving and caring as the movie progresses. his entire arc gets squashed flat so that he can be cute and cuddly for marketing

lilo's whole thing about photographing tourists as a coping mechanism for feeling like a novelty attraction to tourists is just Gone. they make the guy she takes a photo of hawaiian for no reason when he was originally a white tourist

disney made it

disney has a resort on hawai'i that spans 21 acres of hawaiian land with close to 400 rooms that costs over 600USD a night for the cheapest room. this movie is a one hour and forty eight minute advertisement for a resort that contributes to hawai'i's struggles with over-tourism.

[thiinka]

Internet Archive also has this URL but it is being incredibly slow. I'll copy the relevant block and quotes from the main writer, Chris Kekaniokalanai Bright, from the main article page.

We then asked for a standout career moment that he could share. In his response, Bright mentioned receiving the call that he was going to be the writer for Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch. “I’ve always been a fan — grew up on it — but it holds a very special place in my heart because my mom’s choir, the Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus, was actually the one that sang in the original animated Lilo & Stitch,” he told us. Bright shared that he’d met the film’s writer-directors, Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders when he was a child and noted the full-circle moment of now getting to work on the upcoming live-action adaptation. Before the interview wrapped, we asked what inspired the writer’s stories. Bright’s answer included his faith and Hawaiian roots, as well as music and photography. He also stressed how lived experience is vital to the craft of screenwriting. “And I’ve experienced a fair amount,” he noted. “So, getting to pull from that is — I think — when you can make the best art.”

I do not know what the fuck happened behind the scenes to make Lilo and Stitch 2025 to come out the way it did... but it was probably money.

I am spoiling the live action Lilo & Stitch. And I am doing it up front and plainly.

Do not fucking see this movie. Do not waste your money on this. Period.

They made Nani give Lilo up to the American government. They made Nani LEAVE Hawaii and pursue being a marine biologist. They made a native Hawaiian character give up her sibling to pursue a dream that she originally did not have. This is imperialist propaganda at its FINEST.

The original fucking movie is about family staying together. It's about indigenous people being able to stay with each other and stay in their home and be together! That's the whole fucking point! Nani is Lilo's last living relative on her homeland—it is jarring, it is disgusting and disturbing that Nani would not only leave her last blood relative alone, give her up to the very government that is harming native Hawaiians TODAY, but also travel to the "mainland" for her dream!

Not to mention, Nani's actress isn't fucking Hawaiian. She's much paler in photos and real life. They fucking darkened her for this movie.

Don't even get me started on the transgender subtext of Pleakley's "human" disguise from the original movie being completely erased in favor of him being played by a regular ass white man. Jumba doesn't have his accent, they made him more villainous, and his "human" disguise is a non-fat white man—which part of his original joke, I know, is that he was bigger and was more clumsy in the movie because of his size, but to have the main shape of his character completely removed is also fucking weird.

This live action movie is a desecration to the original. I encourage you to not see it, please. Don't give Disney any of your money on this one. Just watch the original. Please just watch the original.

The new message in the live action movie is disturbing and gross.

This is one of the most disrespectful live actions I've seen and heard of. I implore you to not watch it.