Mousey Movies - Lilo & Stitch

Love him or hate him you still have to admit that Stitch is part of the Mouse Family. The lovable/despicable alien’s merchandise is everywhere and sells! In the Between Family, Stitch is beloved. The Between Tween when younger got into fights with PhotoPass photographers looking to add magic to photos. They wanted a terrified reaction to match up with the inclusion of Stitch in the photos. Why would you act scared when your lovable friend Stitch emerges? That is absurd the young Between Tween would announce. Luckily in 2012 we found a photographer that understood the excitement and encouraged an over the top thrilled reaction. The Tween loves the photos of Stitch happily popping into frame.

In this Mousey feature, Lilo & Stitch, alien criminal Stitch flees to Earth. While trying to hide from his captors he meets and bonds with a young girl named Lilo. Lilo has recently lost her parents and her guardian and older sister struggles with growing up more quickly than one might want. Lilo adopts Stitch as her family pet, in a family where family matters.  this Alan Silverstri scored film is here to stay with all it's Mouseyness:

• He’s a Tramp: Lilo meets Stitch in an animal rescue shelter. While Stitch pretends to be a dog there are a number of real dogs in the kennel. They should look familiar to Disney fans as they are stylized after the dogs from the kennel in Lady and the Tramp.

• Stitch: In 2002, Chris Sanders did it all in Lilo & Stitch! Sanders providing the voice, writing the story, designing characters and directing the film. Sanders mark on this franchise is impossible to ignore. Sanders, a CalArts graduate, is linked to several Disney animated classics especially in story in visual development for The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan and Fantasia 2000. He followed up Lilo & Stitch with the sequels Stitch! The Movie and Lilo & Stitch: Stitch Has a Glitch. In 2006 Sanders left Disney employment as rumors swirled that John Lasseter and he had disagreements over the story of the movie that would become Bolt. Reports have downplayed the rift since, especially since Sanders returned and voiced Stitch and Leroy in Leroy and Stitch. Also in 2012 he has participated in D23 fan events, so hopefully some reconciliation has occurred. Sanders has had continued success at Dreamworks with films such as How to Train Your Dragon. 

• Postcards from the Edge: At one point Stitch looks through some postcards. One postcard is from Orlando, the location of Stitch’s third home in the Walt Disney World Resort. And another is from San Francisco, home of the Walt Disney Family Museum, which I am desperate to visit!

• A113: It is very standard for animators who are also alumni of CalArts to hide their former classroom in their movies. In Stitch they really hit us over the head with A113 as every license plate, every single one be it car, gas truck or fire truck is A113.

Ohana means family, a message that the Between Family reminds ourselves of a lot. The Between Tween also likes to remind me that meat on sticks is delicious! I like Lilo & Stitch in the final assessment, though honestly if the Between Kids are rewatching it I tend to look for something else to watch. But based on the number of times I have heard the opening theme when cruising the roads of Betweenland behind my head, Lilo & Stitch continues to be a kid hit.

Mousey Movies - Captain America: The First Avenger

I do have standards and despite what you may think I do not declare every movie is Mousey.  First, I need to find a minimum of four hooks that tie into the Disney legacy.  So when I rewatched The Incredible Hulk, I could not find those four hooks and I declared it not Mousey.  Other movies that I have simply not enjoyed I refuse to declare Mousey out of spite.  For example I will not call Gnomeo and Juliet Mousey, despite the role of Elton John and a Kermit t-shirt on a clothesline because I did not enjoy it.  I do have standards!  Despite that I really want Captain America: The First Avenger to be Mousey.  It is the last offering from the Marvel Cinematic Universe before The Avengers with the post-credit scene likely running straight into the 2012 blockbuster. 

Now a friend, let us call him Universal Urgings or Harry Hangover, and I discussed the possibility via email.  And he thought my reasoning was weak!  Honestly, he may be right.  I truthfully cannot use links to the other Marvel films to declare the movie Mousey.  And though it also has Stan Lee in a cameo, that really does not count for declaring a movie Mousey.  Sadly, there is no Agent Coulson, unless you count the bonus features or the trailer immediately after the post credit scene.  So I had to get creative.  You be the judge, was I too hasty in declaring Captain America: The First Avenger Mousey?:    

·     Driven to Serve:  Puny Steve Rogers is driven to serve. He wants to do his fair share in the war effort against the Axis powers in World War II.  But he is disqualified over and over again because he is too sickly, too small, too weak.  In order to overcome these obstacles he agrees to become a super solider, undergoing a treatment that gives him strength and speed.  He uses these super abilities as Captain America to thwart Germany’s foremost scientific organization, Hydra, and its leader the Red Skull. 

There is a real life parallel with Walt Disney.  During World War I, Disney also wanted to serve and do his fair share in the war in Europe.  His older brother Roy O. Disney was serving in the Navy and Walt thought he should be carrying part of the burden of the war effort.  At age 16 he dropped out of school and tried to join the Army.  He was rejected for being too young.  But like Rogers, Disney found a way to overcome his obstacles to service.  He joined the Red Cross and drove an ambulance in France.  Unlike Rogers, Disney’s service was all in peace time.  He did not begin his year in the Red Cross until after the November 11, 1918, armistice.            

·     Are You Mad:  Sebastian Stan plays Steve Rogers best friend and companion in arms Sergeant James Bucky Barnes.  Barnes prepared for his role by studying hours of World War II films and documentaries.  This leads me to ask, how does one prepare to be the Mad Hatter  Stan steals an entire episode of ABC’s Once Upon a Time as this iconic Disney character.  It is nice to be reminded that some worlds, including ours, need magic!  

·     Rockets Away:  Director Joe Johnston clearly knows two things.  First, he has been successful with films set during World War II.  Second, he has a proven track record with using fantastic scientific devices as a plot device.  Third, what wait three, he knows how to direct his bad guys as German baddies.  Johnston not only was successful with this formula in Captain America: The First Avenger but also in the cult classic The Rocketeer. 

·     Ohana: The movie is scored by prolific composer Alan Silvestri.  Silverstri’s past Disney credits include but are not limited to Lilo and Stitch, Flight of the Navigator, and The Parent Trap (Lindsey Lohan version).  Silvestri was nominated for a Grammy for a Disney offering, 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit.  

Well, did I pull it off?  Do you agree this is a Mousey Movie?  It sure does smell like it to me!  Take that Potter Pal, you have been defeated.  And good will carry the day as we await the release of Disney and Marvel’s The Avengers.