Week 08: Travels in the Disneyverse

This week, I decided to rewatch my favorite Disney movie: Lilo & Stitch. The reason why this movie is my favorite is because not only do I have a huge admiration for aliens, but to me, this was the most dynamic Disney movie made. Lilo and Stitch wasn't afraid to push the boundaries of how a broken/struggling family can still be happy. Lilo wasn't like your typical Disney princess, she was unorthodox and dealt with the struggles of being an outsider which represented a lot of kids in the audience who felt left out.

The movie revolves around change, acceptance, character development and redemption. This breaks my heart because you can see the exact moment that Lilo realizes how important she is to her sister: Nani. She has seen herself as the burden and responsibility (“You’d trade me for a rabbit”). She worries that she takes away the good things from Nani (“Did Stitch and I make you lose your job?”). But right here at the end. She realizes. She is the good thing. She is the ONE. GOOD. THING. that Nani wants to keep. And she’s realizing that Nani won’t get to keep her.

It wasn’t until later in the movie that Stitch learned the importance of kindness, showcasing the power of redemption. Stitch's character evolves from a selfish killing machine, to a gentle alien who has found a reason to exist.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx0LA2tPXvU)