Hamnet: Movie Review

Cast: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson
Director: Chloe Zhao

Director Chloe Zhao's take on Maggie O'Farrell's acclaimed novel about the birth of Hamlet the play is an intriguing story, albeit one that occasionally feels a little too aloof to feel fully immersed in.

But it's nothing without its outstanding performance by Jessie Buckley, who stars as Agnes Hathaway, a woman who tries to resist the allure of the mysterious William Shakespeare, the new Latin tutor in town. (Played by Paul Mescal, this Shakespeare is more a supporting role than anything more succinct or central to proceedings.)

However, unable to stay away from the allure, the pair begins a passionate relationship which results in the birth of children, but which sees Shakespeare heading to London from Stratford to take up his writing career - despite the protestations of Agnes.

As Agnes juggles a life without her husband and with young children, she faces tragedy when their youngest daughter becomes stricken with the plague raging through Stratford-Upon-Avon. 

Cloaked in oppressive gloom, Hamlet keeps its audience aloof in parts, crafting a slow-burning tale which may get under your skin, depending on how hard-hearted you are.

Mescal is fine as Shakespeare, but given the distance in the narrative, he's barely there throughout. It leaves the film to Buckley, who more than compensates, delivering a towering performance that commands every second she's on screen.

Zhao does much to build an atmosphere but rarely ventures out if the confines of Hathaway's entrapment, both physically and mentally.

Curiously, much of Hamnet feels beholden to its actors,with only one scene truly capturing something close to organic emotion, the rest feeling like it's a play with its actors, rather than fully immersing audiences in their roles.

The play may be the thing for Shakespeare as he's oft remarked, but without Jessie Buckley's commanding screen presence, Hammett never quite reaches the highs it aspires to.

Golden Globes 2026 winners

Here is the full list of winners and nominees for the 2026 Golden Globes.

Winner and Nominees

Film Awards

Best Film - Musical or Comedy

Blue Moon

Bugonia

Marty Supreme

No Other Choice

Nouvelle Vague

One Battle After Another - WINNER

Best Film - Drama

Frankenstein

Hamnet - WINNER

It Was Just an Accident

The Secret Agent

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Best Actress- Drama

Jessie Buckley - Hamnet - WINNER

Jennifer Lawrence - Die, My Love

Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value

Julia Roberts - After the Hunt

Tessa Thompson - Hedda

Eva Victor - Sorry, Baby

Best Actor - Drama

Joel Edgerton - Train Dreams

Oscar Isaac - Frankenstein

Dwayne Johnson - The Smashing Machine

Michael B Jordan - Sinners

Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent - WINNER

Jeremy Allen White - Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt - The Smashing Machine

Elle Fanning - Sentimental Value

Ariana Grande - Wicked: For Good

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value

Amy Madigan - Weapons

Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another - WINNER

Best Supporting Actor

Benicio Del Toro - One Battle After Another

Jacob Elordi - Frankenstein

Paul Mescal - Hamnet

Sean Penn - One Battle After Another

Adam Sandler - Jay Kelly

Stellan Skarsgård - Sentimental Value - WINNER

Best Actress - Musical or Comedy

Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I’d Kick You - WINNER

Cynthia Erivo - Wicked: For Good

Kate Hudson - Song Sung Blue

Chase Infiniti - One Battle After Another

Amanda Seyfried - The Testament of Ann Lee

Emma Stone - Bugonia

Best Actor - Musical or Comedy

Timothée Chalamet - Marty Supreme - WINNER

George Clooney - Jay Kelly

Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another

Ethan Hawke - Blue Moon

Lee Byung-Hun - No Other Choice

Jesse Plemons - Bugonia

Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

Avatar: Fire and Ash

F1

KPop Demon Hunters

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Sinners - WINNER

Weapons

Wicked: For Good

Zootopia 2

Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another - WINNER

Ryan Coogler - Sinners

Guillermo del Toro - Frankenstein

Jafar Panahi - It Was Just an Accident

Joachim Trier - Sentimental Value

Chloe Zhao - Hamnet

Best Screenplay

Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another - WINNER

Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie - Marty Supreme

Ryan Coogler - Sinners

Jafar Panahi - It Was Just an Accident

Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier - Sentimental Value

Chloé Zhao, Maggie O’Farrell - Hamnet

Best Original Song

Miley Cyrus, Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson, Simon Franglen - Avatar: Fire and Ash; Dream as One

Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Park Hong Jun, Kim Eun-jae (EJAE), Mark Sonnenblick - KPop Demon Hunters; Golden - WINNER

Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Göransson - Sinners; I Lied to You

Stephen Schwartz - Wicked: For Good; No Place Like Home

Stephen Schwartz - Wicked: For Good; The Girl in the Bubble

Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner - Train Dreams; Train Dreams

Best Original Score

Alexandre Desplat - Frankenstein

Ludwig Göransson - Sinners - WINNER

Jonny Greenwood - One Battle After Another

Kanding Ray - Sirāt

Max Richter - Hamnet

Hans Zimmer - F1

Best Non-English Language Film

It Was Just an Accident

No Other Choice

The Secret Agent - WINNER

Sentimental Value

Sirât

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Best Animated Film

Arco

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle - WINNER

Elio

KPop Demon Hunters

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Zootopia 2

TV Awards

Best Series - Comedy or Musical

Abbott Elementary

The Bear

Hacks

Nobody Wants This

Only Murders in the Building

The Studio - WINNER

Best Series - Drama

The Diplomat

The Pitt - WINNER

Pluribus

Severance

Slow Horses

The White Lotus

Best Limited Series

Adolescence - WINNER

All Her Fault

The Beast In Me

Black Mirror

Dying for Sex

The Girlfriend

Best Actress - Drama

Kathy Bates - Matlock

Britt Lower - Severance

Helen Mirren - Mobland

Bella Ramsey - The Last of Us

Keri Russell - The Diplomat

Rhea Seehorn - Pluribus - WINNER

Best Actor – Drama

Sterling K Brown - Paradise

Diego Luna - Andor

Gary Oldman - Slow Horses

Mark Ruffalo - Task

Adam Scott - Severance

Noah Wyle - The Pitt - WINNER

Best Actress - Comedy or Musical

Kristen Bell - Nobody Wants This

Ayo Edebiri - The Bear

Selena Gomez - Only Murders in the Building

Natasha Lyonne - Poker Face

Jenna Ortega - Wednesday

Jean Smart - Hacks - WINNER

Best Actor - Comedy or Musical

Adam Brody - Nobody Wants This

Steve Martin - Only Murders in the Building

Glen Powell - Chad Powers

Seth Rogen - The Studio - WINNER

Martin Short - Only Murders in the Building

Jeremy Allen White - The Bear

Best Supporting Actress

Carrie Coon - The White Lotus

Erin Doherty - Adolescence - WINNER

Hannah Einbinder - Hacks

Catherine O’Hara - The Studio

Parker Posey - The White Lotus

Aimee-Lou Wood - The White Lotus

Best Supporting Actor

Owen Cooper - Adolescence - WINNER

Billy Crudup - The Morning Show

Walton Goggins - The White Lotus

Jason Isaacs - The White Lotus

Tramell Tillman - Severance

Ashley Walters - Adolescence

Best Stand-Up Comedy Performance

Bill Maher - Is Anyone Else Seeing This?

Brett Goldstein - The Second Best Night of Your Life

Kevin Hart - Acting My Age

Kumail Nanjiani - Night Thoughts

Ricky Gervais - Mortality - WINNER

Sarah Silverman - Sarah Silverman: PostMortem

Best Actress - Limited Series

Claire Danes - The Beast in Me

Rashida Jones - Black Mirror

Amanda Seyfried - Long Bright River

Sarah Snook - All Her Fault

Michelle Williams - Dying for Sex - WINNER

Robin Wright - The Girlfriend

Best Actor - Limited Series

Jacob Elordi - The Narrow Road to the Deep North

Paul Giamatti - Black Mirror

Stephen Graham - Adolescence - WINNER

Charlie Hunnam - Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Jude Law - Black Rabbit

Matthew Rhys - The Beast in Me

The Smashing Machine: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Dwayne Johnson; Emily Blunt; Ryan Bader; Bas Rutten; Oleksandr Usyk
Director: Benny Safdie

There are not quite enough punches pulled in Benny Safdie's take on a short period in MMA fighter Mark Kerr's life that shows his ascent in the fighting arenas of Japan and his fall in the home environment he shared with partying girlfriend Dawn (Blunt in a thankless underwritten role).

But this film's more interested in showcasing a more vulnerable Johnson who undergoes a radical physical transformation to play Kerr, as he tries to deal with his addiction to painkillers and to the highs being in the ring brings.

Yet what emerges is a somewhat sanitised, stylised and somehow stereotyped take on a fighting underdog story - and perhaps while Safdie was going for a film that was about the origins of MMA and how the underapplauded first players in the ring were, what comes from it is more of an underwhelming film that never really truly hits anything out of the ring at all.

Perhaps more successful is the relationship between Johnson's Kerr and Ryan Bader's fellow fighter and coach Mark Coleman. At its heart, this film seems to have bromance in its sights, rather than the fractious relationship between Mark and Dawn which could have been the true emotional heft of the piece.

As the two Marks, the pair embodies a strong collegial bond that borders on brothers more than anything - and most of what intercepts around this relationship dwindles in its orbit sadly.

Key moments in the relationship revolve around the toxic nature of Dawn and Mark. From the sniping that turns aggressive to some shocking moments, by not overdramatising the rift between the two of them, when the horror comes, it's more effective thanks to Safdie's restraint.

Scenes in the ring are perfectly workmanlike in many ways and seek to convey the brutality and bone-crunching nature of what's transpiring - but there's never any stylistic touches here other than a kind of early '90s VHS vibe that gives proceedings a veracity.

While all eyes will be on some of Johnson's best work here, it's all leading up to the idea of what the male ego does when it's defeated - and in his hands, he digs deep and provides moments that remind you he's more than just the broad actor we've come to know and appreciate.

Ultimately, The Smashing Machine isn't quite the dramatic KO you'd expect, but it is worth going a few rounds with for the experience.

The Toxic Avenger: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Kevin Bacon, Julia Davis, Elijah Wood
Director: Macon Blair

Perhaps the greatest recommendation The Toxic Avenger can receive is that of it feeling like it's a film that's been assembled in someone's basement, a film that's controlled in its shabbiness, yet happy to embrace the lo-fi end for the love of its genre audience.

A fully committed Dinklage plays Winston, the janitor at the local chemical megacorp run by Kevin Bacon's sleazy CEO Bob Garbinger.

With his wife recently dead and his stepson distant to say the least, Winston is not having the best times. Something that's further compounded by a terminal diagnosis that can't be helped by a lack of healthcare from the company he's spent decades with. 

Inadvertently crossing paths with a whistle-blower, Winston's killed and dumped in a toxic pool, before transforming into an avenging monstrosity.

With a film like this, it's important to not take it too seriously or to delve too deeply into most of what happens, given how slight a lot of it feels. 

That's not to say there's not coherence here, but given it opens with someone being shot several times before being blasted through a window, it's clearly not aiming for high art - and nor would the Troma genre claim otherwise.

Embracing its Troma edges and innate blood and guts works - as does an all-in Dinklage - but yet there are parts here which feel muted and occasionally drawn out from what somehow manages to be a long  90 minute film.

Yet when it fires and the humour is both deadpan and overt, The Toxic Avenger feels like the trashy time it's aiming for. Director Macon Blair keeps things on the right side of lo-fi, but there's never any aspiration to make this generate a wider appeal for audiences outside of the genre it's dipped its toxic toes into. 

Ultimately, The Toxic Avenger embraces the blood and guts of the genre, but the film itself never really rises beyond a mixed bag - even with the likes of Wood, who plays a kind of cross between Oswald Cobblepot and Peter Lorre and Dinklage, who gives a sadness to his Winston - the film can't do anything other than what it sets out to.

Which in this case feels like a missed opportunity.

Mario Tennis Fever releases first-look trailer

The Mario Tennis series is back. Hit the court with over-the-top tennis mayhem when Mario Tennis Fever launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on 12th February.

Mario Tennis Fever will serve up new characters, game modes and experiences. This time around there are 38 playable characters, the most in series history – including the debuts of Goomba, Nabbit, Piranha Plant, Baby Wario and Baby Waluigi. Once you’ve selected your character, get into the game with tried-and-true techniques like Topspin, Slices and Lobs.

Get ready for the all-new Fever Rackets and swing the match in your favour. Equip your character with a selection of 30 new rackets, each with its own unique abilities – like the Ice Racket, which turns parts of the court into a slippery frozen tundra, the Mini Mushroom Racket, which shrinks your opponent to bite size and the Shadow Racket, which will have your opponent seeing double as you create a duplicate of your character. Just fill up your Fever Gauge to unleash a Fever Shot. And if you’re on the receiving end of one, don’t worry; you can try and send it back at your opponent before the shot hits the court, so they feel the effects instead.

Mario Tennis Fever also introduces new and returning game modes for everyone from pros to first timers. Get ready for Trial Towers mode, where players take on a series of challenges as you make your way to the top. There is also the new Mix It Up mode, where you can play matches with unconventional rules – like Ring Shot, where you have to hit balls with precision through rings to earn points, and Forest Court Match where you can expand the court by feeding Piranha Plants a steady diet of tennis balls. Jump into a Wonder Court Match and experience Wonder Effects inspired by Super Mario Bros. Wonder that can really keep you guessing. You can also enjoy returning modes like Tournament mode, this time enhanced with play-by-play commentary from a Talking Flower. There are also online modes*1 like Online Room, a casual play mode with customisable rules, or Ranked Matches where you can battle other players from around the world for tennis supremacy. There is even Swing Mode where you can gently swing your Joy-Con 2 controller to hit a variety of different shots.

Mario Tennis Fever offers a new way for you to practice your techniques or learn new ones with Adventure mode. In this single-player campaign, where mysterious monsters turn Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Wario and Waluigi into babies, they must re-master their tennis skills and overcome challenges to return to normal.

The game also supports GameShare*2 functionality, meaning if one person has Mario Tennis Fever on Nintendo Switch 2, up to three nearby players can join in using their Nintendo Switch 2 or Nintendo Switch.

As you enjoy all of the chaotic tennis action in Mario Tennis Fever, you’ll also have the opportunity to give your Nintendo Switch 2 a stylish new look. Nintendo has announced the availability of the first new coloured Joy-Con 2 controllers – Light Purple and Light Green – also arriving 12th February. Pre-purchase will be available today on My Nintendo Store.

A new trailer for Mario Tennis Fever featured a look at some of the new characters, game modes, all-new Fever Rackets and other experiences that will be available when the game smashes onto Nintendo Switch 2 on 12th February.

The Wrecking Crew releases first-look trailer

The first trailer for the upcoming Prime Video movie The Wrecking Crew has been released.

In this action comedy, two estranged half-brothers, Jonny (Jason Momoa) and James (Dave Bautista) are forced to reunite after their father’s mysterious death. As they set out to uncover the truth, buried secrets resurface and loyalties are tested, unveiling a conspiracy that can tear their family apart.

  

Together, they are ready to WRECK anything that gets in their way.  Set in the streets of Hawaii, the film is directed by Angel Manuel Soto (Blue Beetle) and also stars Claes Bang, Jacob Batalon, Stephen Root, and Morena Baccarin.

Directed by | Ángel Manuel Soto

Written by | Jonathan Tropper

Produced by | Jeff Fierson, p.g.a., Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista, Matt Reeves, Lynn Harris, p.g.a.

Starring | Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa, Claes Bang, Temuera Morrison, Jacob Batalon, Frankie Adams, Miyavi, With Stephen Root and Morena Baccarin

Run Time | 2 hours 2 minutes 

About the film:

• THE WRECKING CREW is a must-see modern action comedy driven by the electric chemistry of its leading global duo, Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa. The two have always wanted to work on a project together and discovered this was the perfect film to finally collaborate on.

The Wrecking Crew releases on Prime Video on January 28.

Watch The Wrecking Crew trailer below!

NBA 2K26 Season 4 Drops This Friday, 9 January

2K announced NBA 2K26 Season 4 will launch this Friday, January 9, featuring the return of the NBA 2K16 community-favourite, Rivet City Championship Park, along with rewards and content to gear up for All-Star weekend in Los Angeles and celebrate Lunar New Year.

 
San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama and Philadelphia 76er Tyrese Maxey take centre stage this Season. Players can ring in 2026 by putting their skills to the test with All-Star Game competitions in MyCAREER for All-Star themed swag, collect modern era MyTEAM cards and more.

Victor Wembanyama and Tyrese Maxey command the Hollywood spotlight, featuring All-Star themed rewards in MyCAREER and MyTEAM

Today, 2K announced that NBA ® 2K26 Season 4 launches this Friday, January 9, with all-new content across MyCAREER, MyTEAM, and The W. Roll out the red carpet for this Season’s featured heroes, San Antonio Spur Victor Wembanyama and Philadelphia 76er Tyrese Maxey, as they take center stage on the road to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

The trailer for NBA 2K26 Season 4 can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/rIq2M48rF04

The latest updates and rewards include:

• MyCAREER: Earning a spot in the All-Star Game starting lineup is a special honour for rookies and veterans alike. Showcase undeniable MyPLAYER talent in the 3-point content, Slam Dunk Contest, and the game itself to add to a decorated legacy. Seasonal rewards include a Level 32 Tyrese Haliburton Big Head Mask, a Level 36 All-Star Hockey Jersey, and, for the first time ever in The City, a cel-shaded, Level 39 Hyperfade Suit, and more. Wear & Earn events will continue, where players will have the chance to show off the All-Star swag and celebrate the Lunar New Year.
• The Park*: The NBA 2K16 community-favourite, Rivet City Championship MyPARK, returns in NBA 2K26. Take your MyPLAYER to the iconic high-altitude park above The City limits to compete with your Crew all Season.
• MyTEAM: MyTEAM cards feature a collection of players from the modern era, starting with a Level 1 Amethyst Tyrese Maxey Evo card that evolves to a 94 OVR and peaks with a Level 40 99 OVR Dark Matter Russell Westbrook card. Additional highlights include Level 10 Diamond Thabo Sefolosha, Level 20 Pink Diamond DeAndre Jordan, Level 28 Galaxy Opal Coach Tyronn Lue, and a second 99 OVR player with Level 35 Dark Matter Angel Reese.
• The W*: WNBA free agency is around the corner, and we’re eager to see if some of the league’s high-impact players make a move. Until then, players can chase all-new weekly and seasonal rewards in The W.
• Season 4 Pro Pass & Hall of Fame Pass**: The Season 4 Pro Pass & Hall of Fame Pass unlocks 40 additional levels of content, including automatic rewards like Gold Fierce Lion Head, Animated Ice Blue Voltage Zip-Up Hoodie, Galaxy Opal Aaron Gordon and Season 4 Pro Pass Pack, and premium awards such as Skull Gaiter at Level 3, Red ‘Court Vision’ Glowing Eyes at Level 33, and Season 4 Galaxy Opal Option Pack at Level 37.
• 2K Beats: A specially curated playlist by A-Trak will be added to the Season 4 Soundtrack. Check out the new additions on Spotify and Apple Music, along with a dedicated playlist of A-Trak’s curation. The update also introduces new 2K Beats tracks from Disclosure and Anderson .Paak, Giggs, Glorilla, CORTIS, Joey Valence and Brae, Devin Donnell, pat junior, Steven Joseph, and more.

For full details on NBA 2K26 Season 4, check out the latest Courtside Report. NBA 2K26 is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam.

NBA 2K26 is rated M. For more information on NBA 2K26, please visit https://nba.2k.com/2k26/.

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