JASMINE's THOUGHTS on Lilo & Stich (2025)

Genre:

Adventure, Comedy, Family, Live Action, Drama, Science Fiction

Rating:

PG

Release Date:

May 23, 2025

Run Time:

1 hr 48 min

Directed by:

Dean Fleischer Camp

Screenplay by:

Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, Mike Van Waes

Produced by:

Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a., Dan Lin

Production Co.:

Walt Disney Pictures

Rideback

Social Media:

    

Cast:

Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, Courtney B. Vance, Zach Galifianakis

See Full Cast & Crew on IMDB

Plot Summary:

Lilo & Stitch is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family. The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp, with a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, and introducing Maia Kealoha. Lilo & Stitch is produced by Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a. and Dan Lin, with Tom Peitzman, Ryan Halprin, Louie Provost, Thomas Schumacher serving as executive producers.

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*My Thoughts*

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

Okay... We already know live-action adaptations of Disney's animated movies have always been a hit or miss. That is why, I went in to the theatre with no high expectations. But... I would have to say all the teasers and trailer(s) that I have seen has gotten my hopes up... just a tad bit. 😆

Well, I walked out of the theatre satisfied. I enjoyed the movie. I was not disappointed. The casting was great. The casting was spot on, especially of Maia Kealoha as Lilo. Maia Kealoha definitely embodied the character Lilo. I absolutely loved that the voice actors from the animated movie was also in this live-action adaptation. Given that any adaptation will not be scene by scene exact, this Lilo & Stitch live-action adaptation is one of the best to date. I loved the story in the animated movie, and this live-action adaptation captured that feeling as well.

Of course, we already know there will always be a variation when it comes to any live-action movie adaptations. Yes, I was somewhat disappointed that Captain Gantu did not make it into this adaptation. I was also somewhat disappointed on the portrayal of Jumba and Pleakley. I was also disappointed with some scenes being omitted out. However, these were not, in no way, major disappointments that would deter me from loving this live-action adaptation. But, of course, I loved that other "major" scenes were included. I can see how that certain scenes were kept or omitted to keep that cohesive storytelling.

I get it though, any adaptations, be it a movie or a book, will always be a variation of the source material. What's important is that these adaptations stay true to the source material... Not skew so far off and away changing the heart of the story. In regards, to Lilo & Stitch, I still had that same heart-warming feeling I did with the animated movie. So... It is a win for me. 😆

This live-action adaptation of Disney's Lilo & Stitch is by far one of Disney's best adaptations thus far. This captured that heart-touching and heart-warming story of family. Like Stitch said, "This is my family. I found it all on my own. It's little and broken, but still good..."

Lilo & Stitch 2025 captured my heart, just as much as the animated movie did. 🤗

via GIPHY

My rating:

JASMINE's THOUGHTS on Doctor Stranger (2016)

Genre:

Fantasy

Action/Adventure

Comedy

Rating:

PG-13

Release Date:

November 4, 2016

DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:

February 28, 2017

Run Time:

1 hr 55 minutes

Directed by:

Scott Derrickson

Screenplay by:

Scott Derrickson, Jon Sphaits, C. Robert  Cargill

Based on the Characters from:

Marvel Comics

Production Co:

Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Distributor:

Walt Disney Pictures

Social Media:

   

Plot Synopsis:

From Marvel Studios comes Doctor Strange, the story of world-famous neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange whose life changes forever after a horrific car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he is forced to look for healing, and hope, in an unlikely place—a mysterious enclave known as Kamar-Taj. He quickly learns that this is not just a center for healing but also the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying our reality. Before long Strange—armed with newly acquired magical powers—is forced to choose whether to return to his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence.

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Cast:

Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Scott Adkins, Mads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton

Find the full cast & crew on IMDB

**My Thoughts**

Well, this was definitely a mind-bending experience...haha!! This reminded me a lot of Inception. Other than that, Doctor Strange was mystifying and magical to watch. Casting was interesting. Heard the complaints, irregardless, Hollywood will cast whomever they want. It would be nice if films would be cast as is described as what is written. <sigh> Otherwise, I did like the casting of this film; regardless, to the complaint of the lack of diversity. Hollywood still has to work on that. Oh well. Let's not get into the "politics" of it... lol! Anyways, it was still a good movie...lol!

This was pretty much an intro movie on this character. Like all the other films, Doctor Strange connects and crossovers to all those other Marvel films, one which was named in the film was Avengers. But, of course, there are more connections. The storyline/plot flowed smoothly as it told the story of Dr. Stephen Strange, and his difficult and painful journey to becoming Dr. Strange.

Well, the cinematography and effects, I guess, was mind-blowing. The illusions of the twisting, folding, and inverting of places, space, and time, was incredibly dizzying. Almost went cross-eyed...haha! But, it did its job in getting viewers (well, me) "hypnotized" into the movie.

Again, Doctor Strange sets up, yet another storyline, another character into the Marvel Universe. Anyways, I thought Doctor Strange had all the elements that fans would expect for a Marvel film.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Genre:

Musical/Fantasy/Romance

Rating:

PG

Run Time:

2 hrs 9 minutes

Release Date:

March 17, 2017 (US)

Directed by:

Bill Condon

Screenplay written by:

Stephen Chbosky & Evan Spiliotopoulos

Distributed by:

Walt Disney Pictures

Production Co:

Mandeville Films, Walt Disney Pictures

Social Media:

  

Synopsis:

Disney's Beauty and the Beast is a live-action re-telling of the studio's animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs. Beauty and the Beast is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle's enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast's hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within. The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Oscar® winner Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle’s eccentric, but lovable father; Josh Gad as Lefou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, the candelabra; Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster; six-time Tony Award® winner Audra McDonald as Madame Garderobe, the wardrobe; Oscar nominee Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and two-time Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.

Directed by Oscar® winner Bill Condon and based on the 1991 animated film, the film is produced by Mandeville Films’ David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman with eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards® (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the 1991 animated film, providing the score, which will include new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as several new songs written by Menken and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice. Beauty and the Beast will be released in U.S. theaters on March 17, 2017.

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Cast:

Emma Watson, Dan Stevens Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Audra McDonald, Ian McKellan, Emma Thompson, Kevin Kline,

See Full List of Cast & Crew on IMDB

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*My Thoughts*

Note: This review contains spoilers.

“A tale as old as time…” I honestly never cared for that phrase because, “No… people were not around that long to even make the tale.” But, anyway, what I do care about is Beauty and the Beast. It certainly is ageless. Whether the audience members buy a ticket because they remember the 1991 animation or are Disney fans in the making, the 2017 version is a beautiful display of a story I loved since I was a baby.

The set, stage, and music were on point. The colors, design, and overall composition helped set the mood for each scene. For example, the dark woods leading to the castle had a strict color scheme of black trees, white snow, and undertones of light blue that created a feeling of dread. The castle was always in the shadow of a cloudy sky and had a gothic theme i.e. black arches, gargoyles, etc. It wasn’t until the fairy tale ending the mood was uplifted with a drastic change from gothic to bright, extravagant, and golden. My favorite set up was for Be Our Guest. It had heavy contrast from the background and the colorful napkins and plates. Be Our Guest focused on the servants and showed off the little details in their golden curves and designs, while playing with food.

If I had to nitpick about something, it would be the size of the some of the rooms. The library and dining room seemed a bit too small for a large castle, but I’ll let it go.

The acting is nothing to scoff at, as I find it difficult not to enjoy a fun musical. (Unless, the musical is pure singing that I can’t understand.) My favorite is probably Ewan McGregor as Lumière. It was mostly the accented voice but he was too friendly and welcoming for me not to love. Emma Watson as Belle, I thought, was a lovely choice. Not only is she popular from her previous works but she easily embedded herself in to her role as an adventurous bibliophile and became the face of (live-action) Belle. Although, she could have cried a little bit more at the end when the last rose petal dropped. The best acting came with the scene of the last petal, when the servants said their final words as household objects. As an audience member, I could feel their devastation and sorrow, as if the cast really had been trapped together under a curse for 10 years.

The story itself should be no surprise but I enjoyed the extra effort put in to make the curse a bit more tragic. Forgotten, alone, and trapped in a foreboding castle, surrounded by a black forest, the Enchantress’s curse should have kept the curse incubated until death. The story became more tragic, as I don’t remember the original story having the curse’s condition in which the servants transform even further into inanimate objects when the last petal fell. Being stuck as a talking, moving candlestick or clock is bad enough, but losing all traces of your humanity, consciousness, and freedom and becoming an antique without a chance to escape is heartbreaking. Good thing, that isn’t how the story ends. The writers also expanded the Beast’s backstory by giving and taking away his mother at a young age, and thus making him more human, rather than a shallow prince charming.

Overall, I enjoyed this rendition of Beauty and the Beast especially because of the message, “Don’t judge based upon appearances.” It was sweet, sad, the animation was beautiful (even though I’m not a glitter person), and it’s an ageless story.

My rating: