Chloe Zhao’s HAMNET is one of the most buzzed about films of the year, emotionally charged, featuring acclaimed performances, and offering a portrayal of the biographical origins of Shakespeare’s HAMLET in his marriage and grief at the loss of his son, Hamnet. But is the film a triumph of biographical filmmaking and a testimony to the power of art, or is it an overwrought melodrama with little new to say? The Brothers dig into the film’s performances, disagreeing on the film’s success. They discuss its relationships to other Shakespeare films, its thematic resonances, and references to other filmmakers including Terrence Malick and Lars Von Trier. At the end they discuss the first five years of this podcast, celebrating their favourite reviews and conversations, as well as the films they wish they had been able to review, including OPPENHEIMER, and films they would discuss differently in hindsight.

0:46 - Keynote

2:05 - Roundtable: “Hamnet”

53:00 - Looking Back at 5 Years of the Podcast

Clips:

“Hamnet” (2025)

“Antichrist” (2009)

“On the Nature of Daylight” - Max Richter

“Mank” (2020)

“Lethal Weapon” (1987)

“The Simpsons” (1993)

Read more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.com

Subscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Episode 61: Hamnet / 5 Years of the Podcast