With this week’s theme being in ways very versatile, I decided to go with the animation route. Currently I feel like animations with animals are the current time. They are all really good and if you haven’t seen them, I recommend them highly. Plus, animations that have animals in them are cute and we all need some cuteness.
1. THE LION KING (1994)
Please do not even try to watch the live action version because nothing could compare to the original. I haven’t and I never will because I’m honouring the legacy of The Lion King. The first animation I remember watching, the first movie that, as I recall, made me cry. It still does probably because I’m an emotional mess. The songs, the story, the heart – The Lion King is a sweet animation about a lion accepting his legacy. It is, hands down, the animation that is my childhood.
2. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)
A little more grown up and a little more cooler in terms of how it was made. Stop-motion animation is a rare genre and I tend to love and like every movie in this genre. I’m happy they keep making these, and I’m glad Wes Anderson has done so here. George Clooney as the Fox is just a soothing experience. The movie is very Anderson so if you don’t like his style, you might not love this one. I for one have the best memories with this movie and I will always have a special place for it in my heart.
3. ICE AGE (2002)
Throwing it back to the early 00’s and Ice Age, a movie that came and entertained so many of us. It spawned many sequels and while I haven’t been a fan of the entire franchise, the first movie still sparks joy. There are just some animations that are special. When Ice Age came out, you knew it was going to be special in its own way. It’s 18 years old at this point but in ways, it’s already timeless.
THIS AMAZING SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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I’m just not an animation guy. Through my nieces and nephews I’ve probably seen all of The Lion King just not in any kind of order and I’ve certainly heard of the others but haven’t seen them.
By happenstance I saw two of my picks within the last month which worked out well for this but Born Free was a perennial on TV when I was a kid.
Rascal (1969)-Near the turn of the last century in a small Wisconsin town young Sterling North (Bill Mumy) adopts a baby raccoon-Rascal and spends most of that summer trying to keep him out of trouble while his widowed traveling salesman father Willard (Steve Forrest) is away on business. Disney produced reverie based on the autobiographical book by North.
Born Free (1966)-In a Kenyan game preserve wardens Joy and George Adamson (played by real life marrieds British performers Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers) discover three young cubs whose mother has been shot by poachers. They care for the three at the reserve until the two larger cubs are sent to a zoo, but both develop a special kinship with Elsa, the runt of the litter. Being of a gentle disposition they at first keep her as a pet but when the prospect of George’s reassignment and the threat of having to send Elsa to a zoo arises the couple decide that since she was born free they have to reintegrate her into the wild. Based on a true story.
Black Zoo (1963)-At the private zoo “Conrad’s Animal Kingdom” warped owner Michael Conrad (Michael Gough) is up to no good. He rules over a cult of animal worshippers whose fealty is only to the four footed beasts and when anyone poses a threat to their society Conrad has trained the animals to dispatch them in gruesome ways.
I’ve still never seen Fantastic Mr. Fox. Lion King is one of my all time faves. I really liked the second Ice Age film, that one is my favorite of the series. Can’t go wrong with Denis Leary’s voice.
Hey I almost included the original LION KING on my list, but ended up going w/ a Pixar movie 🙂 I still haven’t seen the photo realism version as I don’t want it to ruin the story for me. Funny you said live action but it’s actually still animated as even ALL the power of Disney can’t make the animals actually talk, ahahaha.
Love your other two picks too!
I just loved the Lion King! It’s one of my all time favorite animated films! And Fantastic Mr. Fox was such an enjoyable treat! Great list!
Oh, Ice Age is a perfect pick. I have many fond childhood memories of that film.
Great picks! I can’t believe Fantastic Mr. Fox didn’t even cross my mind. I wouldn’t have picked it anyway because I did some sort of theme within a theme but I loved it so much I just can’t believe I didn’t think of it.
I have not seen The Fantastic Mr. Fox but I would like to but I enjoyed the other 2. The Lion King is a good film even though the Dad dies. Ice Age is excellent and so funny with that ancient squirrel
i think Mr. Fox is worth a watch, check it out when you can! 😉
I watched the first few Ice Age movies and greatly enjoyed them…very funny.
Love The Lion King…the songs are just so good. I still want to check out the “live action” remake.
I love Fantastic Mr Fox. Classic Anderson, very storybookish and whimsical.
I will never watch Lion King’s live action.. I just.. I cannot for my childhood.