Director Wes Anderson loves Roald Dahl’s fiction. Anderson produced a feature film with Fantastic Mr. Fox in 2009. Now, Wes Anderson has four short films based on Roald Dahl short stories on Netflix. The first one, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, stars Benedict Cumberbatch as a gambler who learns to read cards and win millions of dollars in casinos (I thought I saw Cap’n Bob in the background).
The other three films are shorter: The Swan, The Rat Catcher, and Poison. If you’re a Wes Anderson fan, you’ll enjoy these. If you hate Wes Anderson’s work, you’ll skip these. GRADE: B (for all four)
I don’t exactly hate his work but I do find it all of one piece. I guess that’s okay but maybe only if you have more to say than he does. I watched this once (Henry Sugar) but the speed of the dialogue was too fast for me to get it all. And to think some people are playing things at twice and more their normal speed. I am going to have to go to 1/2.
Patti, I watch Wes Anderson’s films but come away shaking my head.
I’m in the “skip it” category. I have too much to watch that I actually do want to see.
Jeff, these episodes are under an hour each so not much time is wasted. Anderson’s films alway look great even if they aren’t great.
His work is excessively cute. When I’m in the right mood, it’s acceptable.
Todd, I think the cuteness of Roald Dahl’s stories attracts Anderson.