Skip to main content

Lilo & Stitch (2025)


Lilo & Stitch (2025) is the live-action adaptation of the animated Disney classic.

Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, best known for Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, this adaptation brings surprising heart and care to the beloved animated original. The casting is where this film truly excels. It's weird to think that he has no upcoming movies after this. Perhaps he's stuck in negotiations.

Sydney Agudong is a perfect Nani. Not just because she’s from Hawai‘i, but because she balances the character’s stressed responsibility with quiet strength. This is her breakout role, and I'm stoked for her future movies. It's too bad she hasn't been cast in anything worthwhile yet. 

Maia Kealoha, as Lilo, could’ve derailed the whole thing if she missed the mark, but she doesn’t. She brings emotional gravity and mischief in just the right balance. She'll be in an upcoming movie that has an all-star cast called The Wrecking Crew. So look forward to that.

Tia Carrere, who I remember from Wayne’s World and True Lies, plays a new role here, and though she’s aged since her ‘90s heyday, she fits the tone well. Courtney B. Vance from American Crime Story is inspired casting as Cobra Bubbles and gives the character presence and authority.

The film stays true to its roots while adding just enough to stand on its own. Result: A-

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psycho Killer (2026)

Psycho Killer (2026) is a religious-tinged detective thriller that leans far more into procedural tension than outright horror. Directed by Gavin Polone , who is better known as a producer than a filmmaker, the movie benefits heavily from its screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker , the writer behind Se7en . His fingerprints are all over this. The writing is sharp, layered with foreshadowing that only fully clicks at the end, and structured in a way that constantly feels like it is building toward something inevitable. The gorgeous  Georgina Campbell plays the detective tracking down the titular killer, and she carries the film with confidence. You'll remember her from Barbarian and recently Cold Storage.  The script gives her plenty of emotional range to explore, from controlled professionalism to visible cracks under pressure. She handles the lore-heavy exposition well and grounds what could have been overwhelming backstory. It is another strong showing for her and proof she c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cold Storage (2026)

Cold Storage (2026) is a sci fi horror thriller that surprised me in a good way. The writing is solid enough that it actually calmed some of my worries about Disclosure Day coming later this year since the same writer is involved. The story holds together and stays engaging, even when the visuals do not. The CG is laughably bad at times, but the acting/chemistry keeps the movie watchable. Jonny Campbell directs, with the screenplay by David Koepp , known for Jurassic Park and Spider-Man . His writing here is tighter than expected, which is why it gives me more confidence about Disclosure Day. The direction is straightforward and lets the script do most of the work, even if the effects budget clearly limits what can be shown on screen. He needs a redemption after  Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Joe Keery , known for Stranger Things and Free Guy , is the main reason I showed up. He proves he can handle a leading role after Stranger Things and carries the film with a relax...
Post a Comment
Read more