Disney’s Lilo and Stitch live-action adaptation finally hit Philippine cinemas on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, much to the excitement of fans old and new.
READ: Disney releases trailer for ‘Lilo & Stitch’ live-action adaptation
During an opening day block screening of the retelling of a classic, PUSH ABS-CBN caught up with actress and mom Cai Cortez, who shared her thoughts after watching the film with her kids and niece.
“It was so heartwarming,” Cai began. “Naalala ko kasi when I was a teenager watching it, tapos parang ang saya na experience na now I’m watching it with my kids and my niece. So, parang dalawang generation kaming fan ni Lilo and Stitch that still enjoyed the movie until now.”
The actress complimented the visual effects of the film, saying, “Tapos mas updated pa siya, and ang ganda ng graphics. Ang ganda ng pagsama ‘nung reality dun sa CGI, kaya exciting siya panoorin.”
When asked about her favorite part of the film, Cai pointed to its feel-good ending. But more than the visuals or plot, it’s the heart of the story that stayed with her, particularly its powerful message about “ohana,” the Hawaiian word for family.
“I guess ang pinaka-lesson dito is that you can lose everything; you can lose every material thing in the world, oo, mahirap, but as long as you have your family in your heart, you’ll be okay,” she said.
Reflecting on what she wants her children to take away from the movie, Cai added, “I want them to realize that, alam mo ‘yun, material things, even their iPads—they could lose their iPads, they could lose their toys, and clothes, but as long as you have [a] family and you stay together, you will be happy and complete.”
Originally released in 2002 by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Lilo and Stitch follows the unexpected friendship between Lilo, a young girl from Hawaii, and Stitch, an extraterrestrial creature also known as Experiment 626. The live-action film stars Maia Kealoha as Lilo, while Stitch’s creator, Chris Sanders, once again brings the beloved alien to life with his iconic voice — just as he did in the original animated film.