The Lion King is still my favorite animated movie of all time. Partly because of sentimental value and memories, but those alone couldn't hold a movie at the top of my list, let alone top 10. This movie is still my favorite because as cliché as it may sound, I keep finding new things from it with every viewing, and I've seen the movie well over a 100 times by now.

The artwork is stunning, especially in its attempt to capture the look and feel of the African landscapes. From the silently and unnervingly rustling dry grassplains to the lush, green jungles so vivid with color you can almost feel the cooling breeze to the blazing red sunrises and sunsets that Africa is well-known for, the movie brings you as close as one can get to Africa by just sitting on their couch at home. The use of color is fabulous and the subtle weaving of African-style designs into the movie here and there brings a nice touch.

The characters are all memorable and really make the story what it is. There is the right balance of drama and humour throughout the story, and the voice-acting from the cast is great.

Besides all this, the music is what first got me hooked to the film and what ultimately turned me into a fan. The songs by Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice are catchy and memorable, but the score by Hans Zimmer still puts me in awe today. 'Powerful' is the best word to describe it, it's a real shame hardly any of the themes made it to the official soundtrack. The music that plays when Mufasa and Simba play unde ther stars is one of my all-time favorite movie scores and I sorely wish it would have been included on the soundtrack.

You can tell from everything that the filmmakers - who, at the time of the making, weren't sure whether the movie would become a huge success or a huge flop - gave it their everything while having fun along the way. Everything is thought out to the max the story, the characters, the animation, the artwork and the music. They knew they might have been headed for a disaster, but if they were, they'd give it all they had first and make the best movie they could. And they did.

The Lion King is the best filmed ever made, animated or not. For the past 10 years I have been a fan of the film, and it will never stop being my favorite. Till 2003, TLK was the # 1 animated movie of all time till Finding Nemo took the title

It's amazing what time has done to this poor movie. Where once there was a movie that was my favorite Disney movie of all time, now there is merely a movie that is well liked. The Lion King's saving graces are its wonderful instrumentals, an astounding opener, incredible animation that almost surpasses everything Disney's put out since The Little Mermaid, and fine characterization from Mufasa, voiced by the impeccable James Earl Jones. Plus the hula joke by the movie's two comedians, Timon and Pumbaa, always makes me laugh.

The first act is the best. It lets you get a feel for the characters and contains the right mix of comedy, drama, and songs. Once Simba grows up and the second act kicks in, however, it becomes clear just how slim the story in The Lion King really is. The movie contains themes that other Disney movies have done and to much better effect. It is especially reminiscent of Bambi and The Fox and the Hound. However, unlike those two movies, outside of the main character running away and then finally realizing his destiny, The Lion King doesn't have much to draw on except for the weight of its own influences and its sense of dramatic scope. Unlike Tod or Bambi, Simba just isn't developed enough to carry much weight in his own story. He comes off looking a little like a mouthpiece for empty dramatic dialogue about doubt and guilt. And when it came time for him to fight the villain, the climactic battle is disposed of very quickly, making it seem like the writers weren't sure of what to do with the two at the moment of truth and just wanted to get things over with. It might give one a sense that the relationship between Simba and Scar doesn't have much other than the violence of violence's sake.

However, The Lion King is very strong where it counts. If anything, the animation will still continue to stun you, but I feel that The Lion King is still entertaining throughout. The humor is still hilarious(if somewhat slapsticky at parts). The characters are still great. The songs are still singable. And the drama always comes at the right moment and always grips you with full force. And the events leading up to the unsatisfying fight scene are still well told and exquisitely portrayed.

The Lion King has solid performances from all its characters, great voice work from a star-studded cast and a tale that is poignant, dramatic and fun at the same time. The animation is impressive in scope as well as style. The unforgettable stampede scene is best appreciated on the largest screen you can find. It featured a new kind of computer animation--the controllable crowd--that has been expanded upon and used in other films such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Mulan. Another scene with interesting imagery occurs while the villain, Scar, sings "Be Prepared." The hyenas that march past him are very reminescent of an army of Hitler's goose-stepping Nazis and the effect is very chilling, but chilling in a good way. One piece of imagery that did bother me though was the fight between Scar and Simba at the end of the film. It wasn't the fighting so much as the slow motion depiction of it seemed a little inappropriate. Can we say "glorified violence"? Oh, I knew we could...

With a talent like Elton John at the helm, I think it would be hard to go wrong in the music area. The songs are very catchy and the accompanying animation impressive without being 'too much.' I really liked the incorporation of African rhythms and vocals. For those who found they enjoyed the music of the movie, I would also recommend the sequel to the soundtrack, "Rhythm of the Pride Lands."

Another of Disney's best modern films, the Lion King features beautiful character design, gorgeous animation, a good story, enjoyable songs, and just about everything else you'd expect from an animated film.

Disney took the bold step of creating their own story for this film, something they had rarely done before. (Yeah, yeah, I know, slightly based on Hamlet.) The originality is one of the film's strengths: another is the excellent characterisation. The voice talent in this film is truly brilliant (including such fine actors as Jeremy Irons, Rowan Atkinson and James Earl Jones.) Mufasa is the perfect father...Scar the perfect villain...Timon and Pumba the quintessential best-buddies. There's not a single character in this film you'd want to cut out.

There are many scenes of incredible emotional power...The Lion King is probably the most-often mentioned film in the 'Movies that make you cry' discussion at my favorite web forum.

To leaven out the heavier scenes are light-hearted adventures, and humor provided by Timon, Pumba, Rafiki and Zazu (and occasionally even by Simba and Scar.)

Of course, no movie is perfect. The final confrontation between Simba and Scar seems weak in comparison with the rest of the film, and a couple of the song-and-dance segments go on a bit long, and the hyenas seem a touch overdone at times.

But that's all just nit-picking. The Lion King is as good a cartoon as you can hope to find.