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This week at The Tryon Theatre is the film “Lilo & Stitch” (2025), a live-action remake of the critically and commercially acclaimed 2002 animated film of the same title. This modern retelling of the film has received similar praise to its source material, especially in the eyes of audiences, whose hearts were captured by the infectiously endearing titular team. 

This film is directed by the talented Dean Fleischer Camp, whose skill for incorporating animated characters into a real-world setting is uncannily good. Stitch, a CGI character, is seamlessly integrated into the real-world environment of each scene, interacting with the other characters as a fully realized part of that shared reality. The artistry of the CGI has reached a new height in Stitch’s furry form, rendered photo-realistically and dynamically, as believably cute and fluffy as any real “dog.” 

If any potential audience member is unfamiliar with the source material, the plot has a simple setup, with many hilarious consequences. Lilo, a young Hawaiian girl, struggles to find a place amongst her peers, isolated for her quirkiness, impulsiveness, and often poorly planned, but well-intentioned, mischief. Her older sister Nani, barely an adult, is Lilo’s overburdened caretaker and soon adds a new weight to her shoulders when Lilo adopts a “dog” from the pound. Unbeknownst to the sisters, this dog, whom Lilo dubs “Stitch,” is actually an escaped alien experiment, on the run from his creator and the alien government. Stitch has been designed for destruction, but soon finds his time with Lilo a life-changing influence. 

For any viewer with who was fond of the original animated “Lilo & Stitch,” this new interpretation does have some admitted differences in plot and characters, but they are minor in their significance to the core of the story: the shared vulnerability and subsequent growth that Lilo and Stitch find in their bonds of good natured mischief and loneliness. The film does a tremendous job of capturing the charm and surprising depth of the adorable duo. Playing Lilo is Maia Kealoha, a new face to the silver screen, whose debut performance is picture-perfect in bringing Lilo to life. Luckily, given the still animated nature of Stitch, the original voice actor, Chris Sanders, reprised his iconic role, giving Stitch his distinct and surprisingly lovable vocalizations. 

This film is a fun and breezy comedy with heart to spare, and just the right dose of sci-fi chaos, combining for a phenomenally entertaining package. As with the original, “Lilo & Stitch” is family-friendly fun, perfectly appropriate for all ages, and like any good children’s entertainment, is surprisingly enjoyable for the adults in the audience, too. Much of the film’s constant humor is more slapstick than anything else, a timeless form of comedy, with a relative purity of spirit. 

We hope you all will join us for the cuteness and laughter of “Lilo & Stitch!”