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Adrienne and Kevin Krock attended a recent advance screening of Lilo & Stitch at the El Captain Theater in Hollywood. They've both jotted down some notes on what to expect of both the movie and the El Capitan's special presentation.

Country singer Wynonna Judd surprises the audience with a live performance of Elvis Presley's "Burning Love" at the Sunday evening premiere

Adrienne Krock: This week, Lilo & Stitch, Disney’s latest animated feature, opens in theaters. Disney has been in marketing overdrive, but so has the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, which is sponsoring the movie in the hopes of attracting families to Hawaiian vacations. But would the movie live up to the hype?

On Sunday, June 16, my husband, Kevin, and I attended a premiere of Lilo & Stitch at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood. Going into the movie I had two questions: Why did the movie have a PG rating, and, did the trailers give away the entire plot?

Promotional art © Disney

The answer to the first question became obvious in the opening minutes of the movie that introduce Stitch. These scenes, which take place in space, are intense and violent. At one point, a robot sticks a hypodermic needle in Stitch’s head and extracts pink fluid to collect “genetic material.”

Did the trailers reveal the plot? Well, they are deceiving. Without giving away the plot, just be aware that if you have seen the trailers, you may have to suspend some preconceived ideas you formed. Some pieces of the plot move rather abruptly at times, but I doubt you will be disappointed.

Promotional art © Disney

Although the PG rating hung over my head, the hype seemed so great I wondered if the movie could meet the expectations that so many people I knew had for it. The watercolor effect on the screen was beautiful. I personally appreciated women drawn in this movie, who looked more down-to-Earth and less idealized like Kira from Atlantis.

One pleasant surprise I found was Kevin McDonald, probably best known from his work with Kids in the Hall. He voices one of the alien characters and, like many casting choices in previous Disney animated features, his personality fits the role perfectly.

Promotional art © Disney
Kevin McDonald is the voice of Pleakley

I left the theater telling my husband that I need the CD soundtrack. The music performed by Mark Keali`i Ho`omalu and the Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus is wonderful, and Wynonna Judd’s version of “Burning Love” makes me want to sing and dance along with her.

Promotional art © Disney

Kevin Krock: Simply put, this movie is indeed right on target and thoroughly enjoyable, although it has its occasional -- but minor -- quirks. The character animation is beautiful, and the extensive use of computer animation blends almost flawlessly.

Also, for the first time since Dumbo, Disney has utilized wonderfully soft and subtle watercolor backgrounds in a feature film, and they provide a unique storybook illustration feel to the movie that perfectly captures the gorgeous Hawaiian Island settings and space ship interiors. Even though working with watercolors is a technical challenge, the work pays off heartily.

Promotional art © Disney

Fitting in with the animation, the voice talent provides a good mixture of authentic Hawaiian personalities and fantastic alien characters. As Adrienne mentioned, the voice actor personalities are all captured in their on-screen personas, and as an ensemble, the characters blend together quite well.

The soundtrack also works quite well on a number of levels. The opening Hawaiian title song perfectly frames the beautiful tropical images and starts the movie off on a very fun note, and the inclusion of Elvis songs may seem odd but ultimately works surprisingly well. As Adrienne mentioned, we found the soundtrack enjoyable enough to want to buy the CD.

Promotional art © Disney

The only issues I really have with the movie revolve around the story, and they are relatively minor -- especially from a child’s perspective. The basic flow of the movie is solid, and while providing heavy doses of laughs and heart-tugs, some of the character development could have been cleaner. For example, the motive behind Lilo and Nani’s actions for the first third of the movie is somewhat unclear, but once revealed, everything makes sense in the end.

Even with relatively small plot problems like that, the true test is whether or not you connect and feel for the characters in the end, and based on the reaction of the audience in the theater, the movie works.

El Capitan Theater

Finally, should you have the opportunity to watch the movie in Hollywood, the El Capitan Theater theatrical experience is top notch. The digital projection is sharp, bright, and a treat to watch, and the audio is clear and nicely balanced. I have watched several movies at the El Capitan over the last few years, and I have always been pleased with the environment.

Lilo & Stitch greet visitors (and Adrienne) to their Hawaiian Beach Party after the movie's premiere

Adrienne: After the movie, we went next door to the “Hawaiian Beach Party.”

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