The Lion King

So everybody talks about the great films that teach you life lessons, the classics and all that. Well to be honest I probably haven’t seen most of the films. Give me a good horror, chick flick or anything with some eye candy to look at and I’m happy. Amongst my favourite films are the likes of “Dirty Dancing,” which to be fair is a classic, but not really the thing you watch to learn about life, it’s more of a rainy day, duvet and ice cream film. And there’s the heart wrenching “Remember Me,” that a lot of people dismiss as “the guy from Twilight,” and assume will be a yet another cheesy generic chick flick, but turns out to be a devastating tale of misguided love and tragedy.  

But my all-time favourite film, ever since I was a kid, has to be “The Lion King,” and its sequel “The Lion King 2, Simba’s Pride.” I know it’s a kids film, and really, at 20 years old I should be over it, and have a more mature sounding favourite film, and after all these years I should defiantly be over crying every time Mufasa dies and give up hope that he will wake up and everything will be ok. But I’m not and I haven’t, because no matter how many times I see Simba’s poor shattered, bawling face I can’t help but cry with him. That’s just me.

Along with making me cry like a lost puppy every time I watch it, both “The Lion King,” and its sequel have taught me, and subsequently everyone who has watched it a good few lessons. 

1. People will do things, things that they shouldn't, and they will blame it on you, and consequently convince all your family it is your fault, before finally admitting to everybody it was them. The key here, don't listen when you’re crazy uncle tells you to run away. He IS evil, especially with a name like Scar, that one is kind of a giveaway.
2. Next - Hakuna Matata. "It means no worries, for the rest of your days." So listen to the Meerkat, because we all know talking meerkat’s are the way to go. 

1. Your family might be gone, but they live on in you. They will never be far away from you. 
2. The past hurts; you know life sucks and all that. “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or ... learn from it." You can't escape from the past, you can't forget about it and you can't outrun it. But you can stop history repeating itself and learn from your mistakes.
3. Finally - the entire sequel teaches that different races (Simba's lions and the "outsiders") should be together as one, and that we should be tolerant towards anybody and everybody.