The original "Fantasia" was groundbreaking for its time and it aged very well; it really challenged our imagination. So, an update/sequel was really necessary? Let's see. The first segment contains some of the most repulsive patterns and textures I've ever seen; it almost gave me a headache... blah! The second segment is even worse; the idea might have been good but dear God, those wales look awful! I don't really complain about the CGI, but here, it simply doesn't work combined with traditional animation. Fortunately, here comes the best segment (third); it looks really cool and has some dynamic animation combined with great ideas; it puts a smile on your face; too bad it wasn't released separately. The fourth segment is pretty meh; I don't know, the animation is not very appealing; it really lacks something; too synthetic and lifeless. Pass. Then, a breath of fresh air; good ol' slapstick humor; short and sweet. The sixth segment is the definition of redundancy; what were they thinking?! The final 2 segments are just OK but I've seen similar ideas done much better; so, still meh. Also, Steve Martin... really??!... REALLY?? So, "Fantasia 2000" is worth watching just for the 3rd and 5th segment.

I don't see the beauty that is so famously Disney. Yes, the hard work was there, but not that amazing beauty. Granted, in the original, there's none of the artistic beauty in the ostrich and hippo act as compared to the Pastoral piece, for example, but even the hippos and ostriches kept some thread of that amazing, artistic talent, meshed with the music and storytelling.Too much explanation in the various celebrity introductions. They were also a bit "camp," in my opinion, which just doesn't work. In the original, when the humans interacted with the animated characters, it was done with an initial touch of surprise but quickly turned to accepted reality which was charming and intelligent, somehow. There was a certain element of humility; a sincere, 100 percent effort for the love of the craft, art, storytelling and most important, the beholder.Never again. Whereas the original? A yearly favorite.

This is an animated feature-length film from Walt Disney Pictures. There will be spoilers ahead:This is essentially done in the same structure as the original Fantasia, except that the last two segments don't form a type of connection of theme as A Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria did in the original. There are eight segments, as in the original and The Sorcerer's Apprentice is one of the segments included in Fantasia 2000, in keeping with Walt Disney's original intention to keep subsequent versions of the film some mix of old and new segments. Steve Martin does an overview and seven segments are introduced individually by hosts. The segments are, in order:Symphony No. 5 in C Minor-Beethoven, which features abstract animation resembling bats and butterflies and thus opening this with abstract animation in the same manner as the original.Pines of Rome-Ottorino Respeghi, is introduced by Itzhak Perlman, absolutely beautiful animation of whales moving about during migration.Rhapsody In Blue-Gershwin (Quincy Jones) my favorite segment, with the animation done to resemble the drawings of Al Hirschfeld and with a storyline, the interweaving of the stories of four people over a day in New York City.Piano Concerto 2 In F Major-Shostakovich, (Bette Midler) which is "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" by Hans Christian Andersen set to music.The Carnival of Animals-Saint-Saens (James Earl Jones) about flamingos and one of them having a yo-yo. It must be seen to be appreciated!The Sorcerer's Apprentice-Paul Dukas (Penn and Teller) the complete segment carried over from the original.Pomp and Circumstance-Elgar (conductor James Levine) the familiar marches paired with animation of Donald Duck trying to help Noah fill the Ark, with help from Daisy Duck, with the expected consequences.Firebird Suite (1919 version)-Stravinsky (Angela Lansbury) probably the most visually impressive segment, absolutely beautiful to look at, it follows a sprite who accidentally awakens a "firebird", with disastrous consequences. This final segment actually encapsulates the thematic elements of the last two segments in the original in terms of destruction and salvation.About the only problem I have with this is its length. I would have liked it to be longer than its 74 minutes. Even 90 minutes would have been preferable, though two hours (given that the original was slightly over two hours) would have suited me better. That's a minor quibble. It's a worthy successor.This film is available on DVD and Blu Ray. I've owned it on VHS, DVD and Blu Ray and Blu Ray is the way to go if you have that capability. Most Recommended.

Uncle Walt would have hated this updated version of his Classic. I found it to be a total bore.It was nice to see Bette Midler, but Angela Lansbury ... not so much. I fear Ms. Lansbury lost a few fans when she decided to do an episode of Law & Order: SVU. One thing that was very good about the old studio system was that they would have never allowed her to play a part so negative to her career. Even in The Harvey Girls she came out smelling as a rose! Back to Fantasia 2000 ... a waste of money. It is true that when the original first came out it was bomb ... people hated it. However, it gained popularity in the 1960's ... considered to be one righteous trip, with or without mushrooms! I knew a guy that saw it on acid, he was never the same after that. No, I am not into that stuff ... bit it does show why Fantasia became a hit in the 1960s.Seeing Mickey as The Sorcerer's Apprentise was pretty cool, mainly because he didn't say anything ... always hated Mickey's voice! Creeps me out! All in all, stick with the original ... and leave this one to the spider webs and dust.