ZachGalifianakis – Credits Rolling

Lilo and Stitch follows the story of a young girl named Lilo (Maia Kealoha) who lives with her sister Nani (Sydney Elizabeth Agudong). Following the death of their parents, Nani has stepped into the motherly role trying to keep it all together while Lilo is more lonely than ever. When an alien crash lands on earth and the two meet, a friendship forms.

The 2002 animated version of the film is one of my all time favorites. Now that Disney has given it the live action treatment, I’ll admit I was hesitant it would be a let down like so many of the others have been. In the end I was pleasantly surprised and couldn’t believe how wonderful it truly was.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Stitch is the CUTEST. From the moment those first photos of him dropped, I knew I was just going to fall in love with him. Reprising his role once more, Chris Sanders jumps right back in the game bringing the destructible yet lovable alien to life. The relationship that forms between Stitch and Lilo is just as special in this version and I loved seeing all their adventures together play out on the big screen.

Unsurprisingly there were some changes made to the story. Sometimes these can be good and sometimes they are just unnecessary, but I understand that they are needed. I actually thought the upgrades worked. Having the focus more on the sisterly bond between Lilo and Nani was a smart move; it added so much more heart to the film and really made me feel emotional. I also liked how the character of Cobra Bubbles was essentially split in two characters with Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance) as the secret agent and Tia Carrere as social worker Mrs. Kekoa. The inclusion of Amy Hill as Tutu was a welcome one and I liked how Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) were portrayed.

Lilo and Stitch is hands down one of, if not the best, Disney live action remakes yet. It stayed true to the original while also bringing the story into today’s day and age. With a talented cast and the adorable Stitch, Disney has a new hit on its hands.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️.5

I remember the Beanie Baby craze like it was yesterday. I had dozens of them and was always looking for more to add to my collection. My favorite was Patti the platypus because she was purple and that was my favorite color. And then suddenly, they were just gone and I never really knew why. That is why I was looking forward to checking out The Beanie Bubble.

Released on Apple TV+, the movie follows Ty Warner (Zach Galifianakis), a salesman down on his luck. When he teams up with friend and neighbor Robbie (Elizabeth Banks), their creation takes on a life of their own. Thanks to the help of a gifted receptionist named Maya (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Ty’s fiancée Sheila (Sarah Snook), we see the rise and fall of one of the greatest times in consumerism.

While this is mostly based on a true story, there were some liberties taken here and there to elevate the material. What they wanted was to give this film more of a comedic air and while I appreciated the notion, I didn’t really see it in the long run. Yes there were some funny moments, but it was mixed in with some dramatic moments too. At least the color palette was poppy and vibrant which, combined with the fun soundtrack mixed with early 90s hits, made for an uplifting experience.

Galifianakis and Banks are fine comedians who did a great job at carrying this film on their backs. The former was unrecognisable as the toy tycoon. He makes you want to root for him at the beginning, but as time goes by, you realize it is actually the women in his life who are the true heroes of this phenomenon. Maya, in particular, was the most impressive of all – give this woman her own film!

Although there was nothing to write home about, The Beanie Bubble was an interesting enough addition to the long list of consumerist movies ranging from Tetris, to BlackBerry and most recently Barbie. With a likeable cast and insight into the rise and fall of a toy that I loved growing up, it made for great Sunday afternoon viewing.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️