One of my favorite movies of all time is The Lion King and I find in each rewatch I find something new to like about it. The most recent time I watched it, noticed how vivid and emotional the voice acting is. The iconic scene where Mufasa appears to Simba in the heavens is amplified by Matthew Broderick's vocal performance- heavy with genuine emotion, a boy speaking in a man's voice, desperate for an answer from a father he has loved and lost. The strangled cry of 'you said you'd always be there for me!' always brings tears to my eyes, and I think that a less competent lead voice actor would have taken the film down a notch from 'flawless' to 'really great'. Many characters in animated films confront demons, experience grief, and are otherwise engaged in emotional turmoil, but few are able to nail it quite in the same way Broderick did in The Lion King.

Now Disney knows their stuff, and all of the voice actors they use are dynamic, energetic and typically suit the character well. But I feel a fantastic voice acting cast can really increase the emotional value in an animated film. Another great example is Mulan- Shang's voice sounds exactly what you'd expect out of a hardened military brat turned colonel, Murphy as Mushu is the perfect comic relief. But Ming-Na Wen as Mulan stands out in the cast. Mulan is an obvious introvert who is soft-spoken and a bit awkward except when she is with her family, (and later, her brothers in arms) where she is vibrant and sweet. Her voice changes from stiff and flat when forced to talk to strangers, but when she is with those she loves and likes, she becomes much more expressive and lively, a subtle difference that helps paint a 'bigger picture' of who she is and how she perceives herself and those around her. With Wen's voice acting, we get the picture of Mulan as a thoughtful, intelligent person, who despite her relative comfort in her own company, cherishes her relationships with her inner circle deeply. Mulan wasn't particularly ground breaking in terms of animation or narrative, but ultimately stands out in the Disney library despite that.

What's your take on the importance of exceptional voice acting (or lack thereof) and it's impact on a film's overall quality and likeability? What is your example of exceptional voice acting, and what makes it so impactful?