The live action remake of Lilo and Stitch is finally here and fans everywhere are feeling all kinds of emotions. For many this movie brings back childhood memories of laughter tears and the powerful meaning of ohana. While Disney stayed true to the spirit of the original story the new version also made a few changes that have sparked a lot of discussion

The original animated movie from 2002 followed a young girl named Lilo and her older sister Nani as they tried to stay together after losing their parents. Their life in Hawaii was full of challenges but their love for each other and the arrival of the alien Stitch helped them discover that family means no one gets left behind or forgotten

In the new live action film the story is mostly the same. We still see Lilo as a curious creative girl who feels like an outsider. Stitch is still wild funny and loyal. Nani is still a strong and loving sister. But this time the ending is different. Instead of staying in Hawaii to raise Lilo Nani decides to leave for college in California to chase her dream of studying marine biology. Lilo stays behind with their family friend Tutu who takes on the role of caregiver

Some fans were surprised and even upset by this change. They felt it changed the core of the story and made it feel less about sisterhood

I was crying at the end because I missed the way it was in the original said McKenna Kowalski 15 a student at Chapin High School in El Paso Texas. But I still think the movie was really sweet and had a lot of heart

Others say the new ending shows a deeper meaning about Hawaiian culture and family. In Hawaii there is a tradition called hanai which means someone who is not your biological parent can raise you with love and care as if you were their own child. It is a way of showing that family can be chosen and shared within the community

I did not know about hanai before but it makes sense now said Abril Perez 15 also from Chapin High. The movie still shows love and family just in a different way that I did not expect but really liked

Ariadna Alvarez 15 another student at Chapin said I was scared they would ruin Lilo and Stitch because it was such a big part of my childhood. But it actually made me feel everything I used to feel when I watched the original. I laughed I cried and I felt connected to the story all over again

Online fans had mixed opinions. Some praised the movie for being a fresh and respectful update that still kept the emotion and fun. Others said it felt different and missed some of the magic of the cartoon version. One person on Reddit wrote This is the first live action remake I have been excited about. It made me feel like a kid again. Another said The new one looks good but it lacks the soul of the original

Even with all the debate the movie has been a huge success. It made over 180 million dollars in the United States during its opening weekend and continues to draw big crowds at theaters. Many people are going to see it more than once

What stays the same is the message. Lilo and Stitch is still about connection understanding and sticking together even when things get hard. Whether your family is made up of siblings aliens friends or hanai caregivers the movie reminds us that love is what makes a family

For a new generation of fans this version of Lilo and Stitch is becoming just as special as the original. And for longtime fans it is a reminder of why this story has lasted so long. Because ohana is forever.