Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews

The latest billion-dollar-plus live-action blockbuster from Disney is further proof that the fuzzy little alien troublemaker Stitch has indeed taken over our planet. Some of the details may have changed from the beloved 2002 animated original, some new wrinkles, yet the basic story at its core remains, and it still works like a charm.

A pair of siblings is struggling to keep their recently devastated family unit together when a super-powered visitor from outer space crashlands into their lives and changes everything. Newcomer Maia Kealoha knocks it out of the park in the challenging role of the little six-year-old with the big personality, but it's Sydney Elizebeth Agudong as sister Nani who shoulders much of the revised story's harsh realities with genuine heart. There's one member of my personal 'ohana who's none too happy about the villainization of a key character, but 2025's Lilo & Stitch is undeniably funny and touching in its own unique way and it absolutely works.

The 4K edition is available exclusively in a SteelBook combo pack with an HD Blu-ray of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code. The 2.39:1 image boasts near-perfect black levels with fine, organic details, while the starry nighttime scenes gain real pop from the high dynamic range. Just spin the HD Disc Two for a few scenes' comparison to more fully appreciate the extra bit of sparkle afforded by Ultra HD. ILM's extensive digital renderings of characters and locales are seamlessly incorporated with the flesh-and-blood cast, and you can't go wrong with that beautiful Hawaiian scenery and its many shades of leafy greens and blue skies.

I was quickly taken by the smooth, frequent phasing between channels, both for bits of dialogue and the many environmental audio cues in this crisp and lively Dolby Atmos track. (The HD Blu-ray maxes out at DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1.) In particular, Stitch is quite the energetic 360-degree scamperer. Composer Mark Romer makes some very interesting choices for his soundtrack—Honolulu's own Bruno Mars shows up on guitar—combining modern and traditional Hawaiian instruments, sometimes in effective ways we might not expect. My one minor disappointment was the lack of conspicuous LFE, for crashes and energy weapons and such.

All of the extras are located on Disc Two (also accessible via Movies Anywhere), led by a 16-minute "making of" alongside a shorter, more kid-friendly look behind the scenes. There are two deleted scenes, bloopers and, in a final nod to the youngsters in the audience, the chance to re-watch half a dozen moments as if Stitch is sitting right there with us. At least this way, our snacks are safe.

Chris Chiarella