A lion cub prince, believing himself responsible for his father's
​death, flees into exile only to return years later to accept his destiny.

FAMILY/MUSICAL

The Lion King (1994)

Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff

Written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton

Starring Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella,
Rowan Atkinson, Moira Kelly, Whoopi Goldberg,
​Cheech Marin, Robert Guillaume, Madge Sinclair

Oscar Wins - Best Original Score (Hans Zimmer),
Best Original Song (Can You Feel the Love Tonight)

Oscar Nominations - Best Original Song (Circle of Life),
Best Original Song (Hakuna Matata)

---

Connor Eyzaguirre

July 19, 2019

10/10

The Lion King is Disney's greatest triumph. To this day, it remains emotionally stirring, gorgeously animated, and a perfect slice of nostalgia for an entire generation. The story is the perfect blend of comedy and drama, and the voice cast is impeccable. This film features some of the most dramatic and grown-up moments in Disney's entire catalog, and they've remained as tear-inducing as they were when the film first came out. I just watched it again after many years and I was crying within the first ten minutes, almost as soon as "Circle of Life" began with that iconic sunrise.

Young Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) will one day be king of Pride Rock, but he doesn't understand the responsibilities that come with such a title. His jealous uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons, in an amazing vocal performance) wants him and his father Mufasa (James Earl Jones, in another incredible performance) dead so he can steal the throne, so he orchestrates Mufasa's murder and convinces Simba it was his fault. So, Simba flees and grows up in exile, believing himself to be responsible. His journey to remember who he's supposed to be is mesmerizing and unforgettable, as is Elton John's incredible accompanying soundtrack and Hans Zimmer's timeless score.

The Lion King was one of my absolute favorites as a child, and it remains so to this day. Every second of this film is animated so beautifully and reminds me of how it felt watching the film when I was young. Disney will never top themselves with this one, but I look forward to watching the live-action (kinda) remake just to see them try.