One of Disney's most quirky and imaginative animated features, Lilo & Stitch plays like an antidote to the calculated, by-the-numbers feel that permeates even the best of the studio's latter-era films. Refreshingly free of demographically determined elements, Lilo & Stitch is lively entertainment that manages to integrate themes of family, loss, and redemption without being overly didactic or sentimental. The movie also generates frequent laughter without leaning too heavily on the self-aware jokiness and throwaway pop-culture references favored by so many of its contemporary animated features. Instead, humor emerges from the unique characters of Stitch, an anarchic and destructive (yet cuddly) space alien, and Lilo, a mischievous young girl who finds her match in Stitch. There's room for a few rousing action sequences as well as some quiet, heartbreakingly sweet moments that equal the finest Disney has put onscreen. Not least of all, the animation is infused with a naturalistic, unobtrusive beauty, thanks in large part to the watercolor backgrounds (Disney's first since the 1940s) and Chris Sanders' distinct art style, with its rounded edges and vibrant colors. The fact that the hand-drawn Lilo & Stitch is considered an anomaly in the CG-dominated '00s is a little troubling, but it's also a potent reminder that there is still a place for superb traditional animation in a post-Toy Story world.