Disney at their best

Rating: 10/10 (16 June 2006)

Not a lot to say because, simply, it can't be put into words. I was only three or four when this film came out, and never saw it at the cinema, but I remember watching it over and over again when I was younger - and loving it. For kids it's a perfect film, and on re-watching it a few days ago for the first time in years (and crying like an idiot at the age of fifteen) I can say that this, alongside The Shawshank Redemption, is my favourite movie of all time.
To people who watched it when they were younger, it's even better when you look back at it. Disney has an amazing subtlety in this film that makes the in-jokes of "Shrek" and other more recent offerings look outdated. It's beautifully drawn, beautifully executed, and makes you long for the good old days before 3D animation. Add to this a gorgeous score (the opening shot of 'Circle of Life', with the sunrise and the singing - which I think is Swahili - brings tears to your eyes) and an incredible storyline, and you get Disney's best film to date. On that note - it's been twelve years, and it's not aged at all. It's just got better.