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Fantasia 2000
By Nell Minow,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Delightful, but may scare more sensitive kids.

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Community Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
Really fun, weird, and magical
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Beautiful!
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What's the Story?
FANTASIA 2000 begins with glimpses and sound clips from the original floating into view, and then suddenly we are in the midst of Beethoven's Fifth, accompanied by an abstract battle between groups of triangles. Then Steve Martin comes on to make a joke, and we're off to the next episode, whales in moonlight, to Respighi's "Pines of Rome." The light on the water, the stillness, the dignity and grace of the whales in the water and as they float up into the sky are magnificent. Other segments include a rollicking Al Hirschfeld-inspired look at 1930's New York, to the music of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," a very romantic "Steadfast Tin Soldier" set to Dimitri Shostakovich's second piano concerto, and a mystical tale about death and rebirth in the forest, to Igor Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite." From the original, we get Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, even more sensational on the huge screen, with glowing colors and dazzling detail. And Donald finally gets his chance, as Sir Edward Elgar's famous "Pomp and Circumstance" accompanies not a procession of graduates to their diplomas but a procession of animals to Noah's ark. Celebrities like Angela Lansbury, Quincy Jones, and James Earl Jones provide smooth transitions.
Is It Any Good?
Disney called the original Fantasia "a grand mixture of comedy, fantasy, ballet, drama, impressionism, color, sound, and epic fury," and that well describes the very worthy successor. This charming film is funny, imaginative, and really dazzling, and probably a better entertainment choice for young kids than the original.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way that music makes pictures in our heads, and experiment by asking children to draw pictures as they listen to music. How does the movie's music match each of its segments?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 16, 2000
- On DVD or streaming: November 30, 2010
- Cast: Angela Lansbury , Bette Midler , Steve Martin
- Directors: Hendel Butoy , James Algar , Paul Brizzi , Pixote Hunt
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Music and Sing-Along
- Run time: 75 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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