Cobra Bubbles and Jumba and Pleakley are just three supporting characters worth admission.

The Icing on the Top
The supporting cast is also filled with hilarious characterizations. Two words: Cobra Bubbles. The first sequence with social worker Bubbles is a classic bit of modern slapstick comedy. "Cobra Bubbles is a great example of a character who is complex," says Chris Sanders. "He represents a major threat to what's left of Lilo's family, but the audience realizes that he isn't trying to separate them out of bad or evil intentions. He's simply doing what he's supposed to be doing. We're very proud of the fact that the film has a powerful emotional impact beneath its deceptively friendly look. In a sense it's very much like Bambi where you don't suspect that its going to be as powerful as it is when you first look at it."

Two more words: Jumba and Pleakley. The two aliens sent to retrieve Stitch are cleverly designed and their actions never feel forced or cliched. Even minor characters -- a frog or a sunburned tourist for example -- get big laughs doing practically nothing.

We are so used to CG now, that this film's simple flat artwork is a treat for the eyes. The refreshing watercolor backdrops remind one of classic 1930s and '40s Hollywood cartoons (to my esoteric eye, they closely evoke the elaborately painted scenics by Shane Miller at Famous Studios in the 1940s). CG is, of course, used in the film but mainly in the alien scenes and the space chases (perhaps an unconscious comment on CG being an invader to traditionally animated films?).

The only missing element is an original song score -- but who's complaining? We've had enough cartoon musicals during the 1990s to last us a while still. The Elvis Presley tracks are an appropriate substitute.

Lilo & Stitch is the second feature film to be produced at Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida. The team of 300 artists, animators and technicians based there handled all aspects of the production, with the exception of digital painting. They did good. Real good.

Is there anything about Lilo & Stitch I didn't like? No. Go see it. It's a great film.

Jerry Beck is an animation producer and cartoon historian who is simultaneously developing a show with MTV Animation and writing a book for Harry N. Abrams Publishers. He also has a cool Website at www.cartoonresearch.com.