I remember being completely captivated by ‘The Lion King’ when I was a kid. The story of Simba’s journey from a cub to a king, the catchy songs, and the vibrant animation were all things that left an indelible mark on my childhood. Recently, I decided to rewatch it as an adult, curious to see if it would still hold the same magic. To my surprise, while the film’s core themes of responsibility and growth still resonated with me, I found myself noticing nuances and underlying messages that had gone completely over my head as a child. The themes of loss, redemption, and the cyclical nature of life and death were all there, but they carried a depth that I had missed before. It’s fascinating how a movie we adore as children can take on new meanings and layers as we grow older, making us appreciate it in ways we couldn’t have imagined back then.
Toy Story (1) is one of those movies where I’ve seen it at least three times. Once when I was 7, again when I was 9, then when I was 16. It’s wild to me that there are small things that I still can pick up with every new watch. It’s such a solid idea for a movie and well executed on all fronts in my book. Overall, it’s one of my 10 star rated movies.