Over Memorial Day weekend, "Lilo & Stitch" grossed nearly $150 million dollars, despite being a perfectly average movie (albeit one with questionably offensive plot changes from the original). On the holiday proper, it had the fourth biggest box office gross on a Monday, ever, surpassing films like "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "Avengers: Endgame." It's unsurprising because A) it's a movie that has the benefit of being recognizable IP that sparks generational love, B) Stitch is so cute and marketable that he rivals Mickey Mouse in popularity internationally, and C) it had zero competition in a barren media landscape for younger audiences. Cartoon Network is being deprioritized, the G-rating has all but completely died, all-ages entertainment has been reworked to mean "four quadrant blockbusters," and the consequence is that children's entertainment is now in a state of cultural malnourishment.

Sure, there are worthwhile options on streaming, but a one-time charge to...