"I'm sorry." "You can't be." What an ending. It's so devastating that it left me a bit speechless. No matter the good deeds you do for others, it will be ignored because your race and religion is a problem for some people. And that brings the end to the daily Wes Anderson’s Netflix-Journey. I'm sad that it's over but I'm happy it exists. Dev Patel, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Richard Ayoade, and Rupert Friend were all terrific. AI and dumb TikTok users could never do this. All these short films are the finest work from Mr. Anderson.

Not as interesting to look at as the usual Anderson sets but more suspencefully engaging. Snakes make me tense and that worked here. Great performances and comedy. [spoiler]I like the anti-racism subtext here... perhaps the antidote he needed was for another type of poison.[/spoiler]

This short returns to one of the best parts of “Henry Sugar” and that is Patel’s rapid delivery of narration even while acting out the things he speaks. Toward the midpoint of the film, when Woods calls Dr. Ganderbai for help, Patel’s narration indicates a pause for three seconds…which the two actors quickly oblige, holding the audience’s attention in rapt silence before continuing. Read the full review on my Substack. (https://theoscarproject.substack.com/p/review-the-swanthe-rat-catcherpoison)

Henry Sugar and Other Stories are quite good. My only criticism: Why are they not complied into one feature film? Each short is elevated when viewed collectively.

(007/2026) It's cool, but it feels like there's no punchline.