It’s been 20 years since lilo and stitch was released in theaters. However, the film’s co-director remembers feeling frustrated when people were claiming the 2013 film. Frozen it was the first Disney film to prioritize brotherhood over romance.
“To be clear, I think Frozen is great,” said Chris Sanders. The New York Times (opens in a new tab). “But it was a little frustrating for me because people were like, ‘Finally, a non-romantic relationship with these two girls,’ and I was like, ‘We did it! That’s been done absolutely before.'”
The animated film follows Lilo (voiced by Daveigh Chase), an eccentric six-year-old girl who is raised in Hawaii by her older sister Nani (Tia Carrere) after their parents are killed in a car accident. Lilo adopts Stitch, the product of an illegal genetic experiment with the ability to cause endless chaos, thinking he’s a dog. A key theme of the film is the Hawaiian concept of ‘ohana’ or family.
“When the movie came out, that’s what a lot of critics were talking about,” producer Clark Spencer said of the film’s family dynamic. “Those moments that were grounded in reality in a way that people could see themselves, and it didn’t feel like they were cartoon characters.”
Frozen is also a movie about two sisters, Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell). Released 11 years after Lilo & Stitch, it follows the estranged couple as they reunite and rebuild their childhood bond after Elsa loses control of her magical powers. Unlike Lilo & Stitch, Frozen has a romantic subplot.
Both Lilo & Stitch and Frozen are available to stream disney more. For more visual inspiration, check out our picks for the other best movies on disney plus that you can stream right now.
