All 52 Walt Disney Animated Classics: Ranked From Worst To Best

2. The Lion King (1994)

This is the Shakespeare of Disney. This is the epic tale of Simba - and if you have a heart and soul, you know it. The movie has such a powerful story delivered via some of the greatest voice talent Disney has ever casted. The Lion King dominates the craft as an undisputed classic and arguably serves as one of the finest pieces of filmmaking in history. A tale of maturity, responsibility, and loss, The Lion King reaches so much deeper than the drama of an abandoned prince. It discusses so much about our nature as humans as it uses metaphors of tyranny and rebellion to describe a fable of social order, legacy, and the lust for power.

We lose only to gain, so we may understand the importance of what it is we have. Hakuna Matata - which means no worries - that the bad is in the past, while a swinging hit and a comfortable motto in distress is the film's inner-antagonist. Simba is to learn that running away from your pain is not the way to confront it. The Lion King is a phenomenon that transcends its legacy. It has gone from television to theme parks to stage theatre. It is one of the films, just like our number one choice, I'm sure Walt Disney would be proud of if he were alive today.