Given Disney’s track record with fairy tales, the studio probably doesn’t think it needs any independent consultants offering advice about its storylines. But that didn’t stop Just Kidding from soliciting an outside opinion about the brand-new, live-action version of “Cinderella” — from a 9-year-old boy who counts himself a “Sharknado” fan.
His verdict? The fairy godmother and the animals are cool, but the movie needs more foot mutilation.
So says Nate McDonagh, the Rogers Park 9-year-old we invited, with his dad, to a sneak preview of “Cinderella” and its accompanying animated short, “Frozen Fever,” which open Friday.
Having never seen Disney’s 1950 version of the glass-slipper story, our junior critic was nonetheless familiar with the fable from seeing “Into the Woods.” And he enjoyed the studio’s 2013 juggernaut about the ice queen — although he expressed “Frozen” fatigue when we asked him about it. Meanwhile, he’s more than happy to talk about “Sharknado,” his favorite movie.
Despite his professed indifference to Elsa and Anna, Nate was swept away by the seven-minute return to Arendelle. “Frozen Fever” (the title alone has a meta quality) might come as a relief to parents who’ve grown weary of hearing “Let It Go” — the short contains a new song, “Making Today a Perfect Day.” It’s (mostly) a duet sung as Elsa tries to throw a birthday celebration for Anna. But her cold-induced sneezes inadvertently create a cadre of mischievous miniature snowmen who keep Olaf, Kristoff and company very busy. The lesson learned in these breezy seven minutes: “There’s a fine line between chaos and hullabaloo.”
As for the nearly two-hour main feature (which, unlike most Disney animated films, is not a musical), it mostly managed to hold Nate’s attention. He grew restless during the courtship sequence at the ball, and let out a sigh of mild annoyance when the prince finally kissed his princess-to-be at the film’s climax. He also offered these other incisive reactions.
After Cinderella becomes an orphan: “Why do so many people die in Disney movies?”
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When the prince seeks out Cinderella with the glass slipper: “When are they going to cut the sisters’ feet?” (He asked at least three times about this grisly detail from the Brothers Grimm version of the story, which he recalled from “Into the Woods.”)
When asked afterward about what he liked best: “The ‘Frozen’ cartoon, because I want to see what happens next with Elsa and Anna and Olaf. And in ‘Cinderella,’ when they turned the pumpkin to gold.”
Then we prodded: You kept asking about one specific part during the end of the movie. “Yeah, when (the wicked stepmother) cuts the sisters’ toes off.”
Do you think this movie should have included that part? “Yeah. It would’ve been more exciting and funny. I’m an action person.”