‘The Lion King’ (1994)
30 years ago this week, The Lion King hit theaters. It’s the fifth film in the 10 year Disney Renaissance period, and for my money, the best one (it might even be my favorite Disney movie, period, but don’t quote me on that!). The Lion King has all the hallmarks of a great Disney Renaissance movie: a banging score (Hans Zimmer did not come to play with this one!), original songs by all-time greats (in this case, Elton John and Tim Rice), a star-studded voice cast (James Earl Jones and Nathan Lane are particular standouts here), and a classic story as source material (this is Hamlet with lions!). When his Uncle Scar kills his father King Mufasa, young Simba escapes with his life and is forced to flee Pride Rock; returning as an adult, he plots alongside his friends, meerkat Timon and warthog Pumbaa, to take back what is rightfully his. I dare you to watch it without getting any of the infectious songs stuck in your head; you’ll be humming “Hakuna Matata” and “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” for days after.