There’s a 1994 Walt Disney animated classic that falls nothing short of amazing. The Golden Globe award winner has become one of my favorites, and the musical genius of composer Hans Zimmer has won a place in my heart. The Lion King is definitely a must-see.

From the beginning, directors Rob and Roger Allers captivated me with the precious little lion that graced the screen, and would soon go through his mischievous childhood stages before reaching his full potential as heir to the throne.

Although this story isn’t the classic, happy fairy tale of a lion’s perfect life, it truly shows the hardships and grief of a young cub’s struggle to find his true self.

The stars whose voices support the animation include Jonathan Thomas as young Simba. Simba’s cruel uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons), who schemes to steal the throne, lures Simba and his father Mufasa (James Earl Jones) into a stampede in which Mufasa is killed.  Simba escapes, however, and Scar convinces him to run away.

Simba grows up to enjoy his worry free, hakuna matata (a Swahili phrase roughly translated as “no worries”) filled life with his new friends Timon and Pumbaa. Later he stumbles upon an old friend, Nala (Niketa Calame), who gives him the motivation to take back his homelands from Scar, and rise up as the king he’s meant to be.

The Lion King is definitely one of the greats. The battle between Scar and Simba made for the best scene with its ultimate emotional conflict. I promise your heart will feel complete after watching this movie. It’s definitely a must see.