Tear Jerker / Fantasia 2000

• The baby whale who gets lost in the Pines Of Rome sequence.
• The Steadfast Tin Soldier's ordeal.
• The "Firebird Suite" sequence - if you have a soft spot for nature, the Firebird's rampage is one of the most horrific scenes in Disney, and the ashen Sprite is a further blow...then the whole thing turns around as the forest is restored better than before (all accompanied by the glorious Stravinsky ballet music, natch).
  • When the sprite is revived from the ashes, she looks overwhelmed, grief-stricken, and ashamed. She can't even look the elk in the eye after what has happened to her.
  • The sprite restoring the beautiful tree that she had made after it was destroyed. And the soaring music through the whole end sequence.
  • The ending itself is so awe-inspiring when the sprite's sorrow and all the destruction turn into some of the most beautiful animation ever made which seems to palpably explode with celebration and wonder.
• The "Pomp and Circumstance" sequence:
  • Both Donald and Daisy fail to witness each other get on the Ark before the flood sweeps away their home, so they believe their true love to be gone forever. Sure, they get back together in the end, but the idea of feeling so alone amidst a boat full of millions of couples is heartbreaking.
  • Another standout would be Donald trying to release the dove. The minute Donald turns his back the dove goes back to his mate, but Donald then grabs the dove and tosses him off the ark. The dove's mate then breaks down in tears, and you can tell from the look on Don's face that he immediately felt guilty about it.
  • Just before they reunite, both Donald and Daisy have moments that yank on the heartstrings awfully hard. As Noah's family leaves the ark and Noah pats Donald on the head for a job well done, Donald pulls out the picture of him and Daisy and hangs his head in sorrow. Meanwhile, Daisy leaves the ark, shoulders slumped in grief, and reaches for her pendant, the last keepsake she has of Donald, only to discover it has (once again) come off of its string. She has a look of abject terror on her face as she frantically begins searching the ground for it and anyone who's ever realised they just lost something very dear to them will know exactly how she feels at that moment. Not helping matters is that while this is going on, Pomp and Circumstance is reaching its apex with a beautiful singing solo cutting away to a dramatic bell descant.
• The iceskating fantasy sequence in "Rhapsody in Blue".
  • Pretty much everyone in that segment is a woobie, but special mention goes to Duke, the construction worker who wistfully dreams of being a drummer; Rachel, the lonely little girl who wants to spend time with her parents; and poor Jobless Joe, broke, hungry, and desperate for work but unable to find any. Fortunately, things work out for all of them in the end.
  • Don't forget about poor John, the husband who is forced to carry everything and is abused and bossed around by his cruel wife and her spoiled dog. One might imagine that by the end, he'd still be forced to carry around his wife's things.

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