Therapist Reacts to LILO & STITCH with guest Rebecca Parham

So wonderful to have been a part of discussing this beautiful movie!! Thank you for having me!! ❤

The fact that Lilo is Hawaiian for "lost" and Stitch means "put back together" always makes me appreciate this movie even more!

Nani is such an under appreciated character. She's not a princess, she's not rich, she doesn't have super powers, she barely even has a job. Her problems are so real and it makes it that much more heartbreaking. And unlike all the other Disney/Pixar orphans, she has responsibilities.

Lilo not even thinking before beating Myrtle up will ALWAYS make me cry laughing

I’ve always loved how despite being an obstacle, Cobra Bubbles was never really presented as a villain. We wanted Nani and Lilo to stay together so his presence was often upsetting to both them and us, but it was understood in the grand scheme that he only wanted what was safest for the most vulnerable person there: Lilo. He recognized how much Nani loves Lilo and how hard she was trying, but was also aware that the environment may not be ideal for her. After things in their family stabilized he was more than content with allowing Lilo to stay there, and even became a kind of family friend.

I love how Nani isn't perfect, she yells, she's frustrated, she doesn't get the ice cream thing, but she tries so hard and would do anything for her sister.

The scene with Lilo saying "you can be part of our family, or you can leave if you want" tears me up. Talk about boundless unconditional love that in the same breath she is able to love someone enough to both invite them into her circle or respect their desire to find their own. Not to mention the context of what "ohana" means. With her saying "I won't forget you", she is effectively affirming that Stitch is already family to her and deeply loved. God that was such good writing.

When Lilo said "I remember everyone that leaves", I really felt that. It hit me like a train 😭😭

This is such a small detail but like.... I love that the alien queen corrects herself without missing a heartbeat when Stitch tells her that's his name. Obviously she then pauses because she realizes he's different from when she last saw him... But like... She's just so.. Blatantly accepting. It was never about control or exercising authority, she's not a villain. It was purely just that Stitch was dangerous and she didn't want others to get hurt. But the minute she realizes he's no longer dangerous she's basically like, "Oh. Chill. Go live your life, friend." Like.. I love her omg.

One thing I like about this movie is how David is clearly into Nani, and she is into him, but he's not pushy about wanting to be with her. He sees where her life is at, how she can't allow for a relationship at the moment, and is totally chill and supportive of her, because he's just a good, decent person

Part of what gets me the most about Lilo's character is that she's excellent representation of the fact that autistic people aren't necessarily incapable of empathy, some of us have it in abundance. We don't always respond to the 'right' cues but that can be because we're picking up on unintended ones.

it was also implied that Nani wanted to be a professional surfer, given all the trophies and medals in her room, but she had to abandon that dream in order to get a job and raise Lilo. it must have been such a sudden turmoil that both of them were thrown into and it's amazing how well Nani was trying to adapt and make Lilo feel loved at the same time. it's already so difficult to get a job as a young adult, i can only imagine how hard it must be for someone who has no safety net to fall on, and has to raise a child at the same time. Nani was really an amazing strong character who deserves more appreciation in the Disney fandom. also, i love that Lilo is not the "child prodigy with no feelings" stereotype of an autistic person. autistic people can be smart or nerdy. but movies often makes it seem like a superpower, which is absolutely not true. i like that this movie shows both the strengths and difficulties that come with being neurodivergent. Lilo is an incredibly smart child, but it's clear that she is struggling a lot and is a lot more nuanced character. she is not portrayed like a robot with no feelings, she is so realistically human and vulnerable like any other child.

I always thought David was extremely underrated. He not only respected Nani's rejection, he still continued to be genuine friends with her. On top of that, he cared about both Nani and Lilo, not just Nani; that dude stuck by those two through all of it , and even when he was faced with aliens and a huge spaceship, he just accepted it and supported them. David is a total fucking KING.

That line “I like you better as a sister than as a mother” just wrecks me every time.

Lilo's reasoning behind giving Pudge a sandwich because he controls the weather: Later in the movie, Lilo tells Stitch the day her parents died from a car crash in a storm, she'd forgotten to give Pudge a sandwich. So, in her mind, the storm was caused by Pudge not getting a sandwich that day. So making sure Pudge gets a sandwich everyday is a BIG deal to prevent anyone else she loves from dying. Props to Rebecca for acknowledging this at 21:25!

As someone who was adopted, Lilo and Stitch is one of my FAVORITE movies. I always cry at the end when he says that this is his family, and he found it all by himself. Found family in general is always something I love, but this movie in particular is just so perfect.

Being Neurodivergent myself I never picked up on Lilo being one as well until I remembered Nani telling Cobra "they're not going to understand her" then all the little interactions and facial expressions she made throughout the movie made total sense.

As an adult, Nani's struggle to try to provide for Lilo after their parents died really hits home. Lilo's line of "I liked you better as a sister than as a mom" sums up their changing relationship, and how they both find it difficult to adjust to their new situation.

Nani is the hero of this movie.

"This is my family. I found it all on my own. It's little, and broken, but still good." Makes me bawl, every damn time.