The Lion King

My brother and I decided to watch a movie yesterday to really check out the new sound system. A few weeks earlier, we had discussed with our kid brother the movies we believed that everyone should have their own copy of. We came up with: Spy Game, Top Gun, Legends of the Fall, and The Lion King. After this discussion, I really wanted to watch TLK again. It had been years since my last viewing, but TLK has always had a special place in my heart. It's one of the movies from my childhood that is actually a normal kids movie. (My other favorites as a kid included Beetlejuice, Raising Arizona, and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.) As much as I love Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast, I have to say that TLK is the best Disney movie ever made. I challenge you to come up with a movie that is better.

Where to even begin about what I love about TLK. First, it's a great storyline. Anything that is loosely based on Hamlet is bound to be fantastic. The plot is very simple and yet so intriguing and inspiring at the same time. I always cry when Mufasa dies. (Uhh, I guess I should have mentioned spoiler alerts, but if you haven't seen TLK yet as a 20-something year old individual, then I think you have bigger problems.) I always thought that I was in the minority that I would always cry during this scene no matter what, but after talking to other individuals, I learned that I'm not the only one that sobs when the King dies. The story just makes me want to be a better person.

Second, TLK contains fantastic music. I love Elton John. As strange as he is, he can make some damn good music. The opening of the movie starting right off with Circle of Life is wonderful. I found myself throughout all of the songs singing along in my head, remembering all of the words even after all of these years. And the filler music is composed by Hans Zimmer, composer extraordinaire. Basically Elton John + Hans Zimmer = Perfection.

Finally, the all-star cast. I have to admit that knowing that adult Nala is voiced by the same person that plays Lucas' mom in One Tree Hill really ruined Nala for me. However, Nala is a nagging chick - (Don't be confused - I'm using slang. I don't mean that Nala is a baby chicken. She's a lionness.) - anyways, so I guess it's fitting to have a person I picture as nagging being the voice of a nagging character. So Moira Kelly is annoying, but she is counterbalanced by so many great people: James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, and even Rowan Atkinson. And of course, there is Jeremy Irons as Scar. If you don't know this already, I have a strange obsession with Jeremy Irons' voice. It's just so sexy. So obviously, it's a huge plus that he is a voice, even if it is for a creepy character.

So the moral of the story is: The Lion King is the best Disney movie ever made, and if you haven't seen it, then you need to find a copy ASAP to fill a huge void that you may not know you even have.