Lilo is a precocious young Hawaiian girl who lives with her troubled big sister after the death of their parents. Stitch is an all-destructive but highly intelligent little monster, the result of a mad alien scientist’s dabblings with genetic engineering. When Stitch escapes from the Galactic Council’s captivity, it ends up on Earth, in a Hawaiian dog kennel. Lilo finds it there, and takes it in as a pet. The rest of the film follows Lilo as she tries to socialize Stitch and bring him into the heart of her broken family, and the exploits of two bumbling aliens (the mad scientist and an alien anthropologist) as they try to recapture Stitch.

It’s a wonderfully funny and imaginative film. Lilo and Stitch are both eccentric goofballs, and there are plenty of scenes to show off the strange bond that forms between them. The animation is lovely. Stitch’s behaviour and expressions are hilarious–reminiscent of Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbes) at his most monstrous–which leads to some excellent visual gags. And although the “family” theme of the film is obvious, it is warm and affecting rather than repetitive and preachy. Heartily recommended, even if you don’t have kids around the house.