Best Performances of 2025, Wake Up Dead Man and Hamnet Reviews (#1043)

Filmspotting

Adam Kempenaar & Josh Larsen

Film Reviews, Tv & Film, Film History

4.6 • 4.2K Ratings

🗓️ 12 December 2025

⏱️ 121 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Hot on the heels of submitting their Chicago Film Critics Association ballots, Adam and Josh share their favorite performances of the year, plus some thoughts on Rian Johnson’s WAKE UP DEAD MAN and Chloe Zhao’s HAMNET. This episode is presented by⁠ Regal Unlimited⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. (Timecodes and chapter starts may not be precise with ads.) Intro (00:00:00-00:03:26) Performances of ‘25: Supporting (00:03:27-00:31:15) Filmspotting Family (00:31:16-00:35:40) Performances of ‘25: Lead (00:35:41-01:09:03) Wake Up Dead Man (01:09:04-01:17:51) Hamnet (01:17:52-01:29:11) Brickspotting (Boys Go to Jupiter, If I Had Legs…) (01:29:12-01:35:41) Notes / Massacre Theatre (01:35:42-01:46:19) Polls (01:46:20-01:54:07) Credits / New Releases (01:54:08-01:57:17) Links: -Chicago Film Critics Association https://chicagofilmcritics.org/ -Poll: Film of the Year https://poll.fm/16367252 -“Black Actresses Are Carrying One Battle After Another” | Vulture https://www.vulture.com/article/black-actresses-are-carrying-one-battle-after-another.html -”Wagner Moura's moment is now.” | L.A. Times https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-12-03/wagner-moura-brazil-secret-agent-kleber-mendonca-filho Feedback: -Email us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠. -⁠⁠⁠Ask Us Anything⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content. Support: -Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus episodes and archive access. ⁠⁠⁠http://filmspottingfamily.com⁠⁠⁠ -T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop. ⁠⁠https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠ Follow: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/larsenonfilm ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Film spotting is presented by Regal Unlimited, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits.
0:07.1	Sign up now in the Regal app or at the link in the show description and use code FilmSpot 25.
0:12.3	That's Film Spot 25 to receive your discount.
0:19.7	What kind of a show are you guys putting on here today?
0:22.6	You're not interested in art?
0:23.8	No.
0:24.2	Now look, we're going to do this thing. We're going to have a conversation.
0:28.9	From Chicago, this is Film Spotting, celebrating our 20th year.
0:32.4	I'm Adam Kempinard.
0:33.5	And I'm Josh Larson.
0:34.6	He's got more inside of him than any man I've ever met.
0:38.1	Who are you looking for?
0:39.6	William Shakespeare.
0:41.5	Paul Meskell is Shakespeare and Jesse Buckley, his wife and Chloe Schaugh's Hamnet, out now in limited release.
0:48.2	Buckley seems like a lock for a best actress nomination, but will she be among our best performers of 2025?
0:55.2	Plus thoughts on Wake Up Dead Man, the latest Knives Out mystery.
0:59.4	That and more.
1:00.4	Ahead on FilmSpotty.
1:08.6	Hey, Harry.
1:09.6	Hello, mate.
1:10.5	Got any tips for the football? Your best bet is to head over to Bet Victor. They're giving new customers a terrific welcome offer. If you bet a minimum of £10, they'll give you £30 in three bets. Oh, that's a steel of a deal. It's a good darn deal that'll make your squirrel for real. Neil? My name's not Neil. I know, but it rhymed.
1:28.9	Listen to Harry and make your best bet on the football at BetVictor.
	...

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