Bambi (March 27/05)

Though it might be a touch overrated, Bambi is nevertheless a thoroughly engaging and uncommonly mature effort from producer Walt Disney. Given that it is, nowadays, impossible to conjure up an image of a Disney cartoon without thinking of wacky sidekicks and lavish musical numbers, Bambi comes off as antiquated and irrelevant by comparison. But with its emphasis on images and artfulness, it's hard not to be impressed by Bambi (and the murder of Bambi's mother remains one of the most disturbing moments in animated film history).

A synopsis seems somewhat superfluous at this point, but essentially, the movie revolves around the titular deer - an expectedly adorable creature who grows from a clumsy fawn to a confident adult within the space of the film's 70 minutes. There are a few periphery characters - most notably Bambi's sidekick, a hyperactive rabbit named Thumper - but generally speaking, the focus remains on Bambi.

Featuring a voice cast comprised entirely of unknowns (something that certainly would not happen in this day and age), Bambi moves along at a brisk clip - incorporating the changing seasons into the progression of the storyline. With an emphasis on character development over plot, the film isn't quite as accessible as some of Disney's more recent efforts; kids raised on plot and gag heavy productions such as Aladdin and The Lion King will likely express confusion at Bambi's relatively docile vibe. And though there are a few elements within the movie that feel incredibly dated - ie the Greek chorus that opens and closes the film - there's no denying that Bambi remains an engaging and surprisingly moving animation classic.