Disney Animated Features (Part 2)

6. The Lion King (1994) The first Disney feature based on an original idea, The Lion King took elements of Hamlet, added a splash of Broadway, and quickly became the highest-grossing animated feature of all time (inflation notwithstanding.) The Lion King featured a spectacular opening scene, highlighting its theme of "The Circle of Life." That theme resonates throughout the entire film, and eventually our hearts. This film was a phenomenon, the biggest in Disney history since Snow White.

5. Beauty and the Beast (1991) Following on the heels of The Little Mermaid, Beauty took the idea of a Broadway-type production one step further. Songwriters Howard Ashman and Alan Menkin created big production numbers to add a sense of live theatre. Computer generated imagery was used in the famous ballroom sequence, allowing the animators free reign with movement and atmosphere. The film was the first, and last, animated feature to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. So significant was this achievement, that the Academy eventually created a special category for animated films. If Mermaid started the Silver Age of Disney, Beauty and the Beast added a splash of gold.

4. Bambi (1942) What child hasn't grieved for the death of Bambi's mom? One of the most famous "deaths" in the history of cinema, the scene proved to Disney's critics that the studio meant business, and that "cartoon characters" could be designed for more than laughs. Bambi is one of the most lush and realistic of all the animated features, and the animators spent months observing real wildlife in their attempts to recreate nature. It worked, and today the film stands as not only a monument and tribute to Walt Disney, but to the wonder, awe, and delight of the cinema-going experience.