Author: John Dotson

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‘Obsession’ Movie Review | DIFF 2026

Obsession accomplishes the impossible. It takes one of the most beautiful human experiences and makes it crawl under your skin. It’s natural to crave human connection or the innate feeling of being wanted. No one ever considers the most extreme version of this scenario. What if someone needed you like a heroin craving? Filmmaker Curry Barker apparently has thought about this extensively. There

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‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ is Squishy, Silly Horror with Less Edge

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy sees the Evil Dead Rise director take on a classic movie monster for Blumhouse, following the efforts of properties like The Invisible Man and Wolf Man. For the most part, the latest attempt is successful, especially after the mixed results of Wolf Man. However, the win comes with a few reservations. The movie delivers exactly as advertised.

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‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ is a Cosmic Mess

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has prompted deep reflection in me. Back in 2023, I was still a new writer here. In fact, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was one of my first reviews here at The Cosmic Circus. At the time, I called the animated film “an acceptable nostalgic delight.” My reasons were that the animated film embraced the game’s

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‘Undertone’ Review: An Audio Masterclass in Psychological Horror

Undertone digs at the unnerving fear of emptiness. Not in the sense of space, but the way noise occupies a room. For instance, when some of us need sound to fall asleep or the way we need a television on in the background to get chores done. It’s the anticipated nervousness that if everything becomes silent, something unexpected might fill the

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‘Project Hail Mary’ Review: ‘Interstellar’ Meets Pixar-Style Friendship

Project Hail Mary has a lot of hype surrounding it. The film is led by one of the world’s biggest movie stars, based on a story by a top-tier sci-fi author, and adapted by some of the most talented filmmakers working today. Because of this, it’s easy to overhype the movie’s expectations. Luckily, most of the elements come together better than

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‘Scream 7’ Review: Paramount Stabs and Misses

Scream 7 was always destined for backlash. The film received criticism when Paramount fired Melissa Barrera for expressing an opinion. An opinion that, unfortunately, was correct. And for the most part, the new generation of Scream fans were ready to hate this film. A little background. I grew up on Scream and actually saw the original with my older brother in

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‘The Moment’ Review: Charli XCX’s Witty, Incomplete Brat Summer

The Moment takes a satirical angle in a new mockumentary about Charli XCX’s success around the release of her album Brat. It’s a meta dissection of the process of becoming a pop icon overnight, with an interesting balance of humor and authenticity. None of us can fully understand the overwhelming insecurities of trying to maintain an image while making quick decisions with

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Sundance Film Festival 2026: ‘The Best Summer’ is Millennial Catnip

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Hey, I wonder if the director of Billy Madison has a bunch of concert footage of ’90s alternative bands lying around?” Who hasn’t thought about that, right? The Best Summer at Sundance Film Festival is a documentary that answers the question. And while nobody may have asked for these materials, one cannot deny that they

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Sundance Film Festival 2026: ‘Josephine’ is Fearless and Brilliant Storytelling

The movie Josephine at the Sundance Film Festival 2026 takes on one of the most difficult topics of childhood. And it does so through the lens of being a little girl in a scary world. The film confronts two themes in unflinching detail: childhood trauma and bravery. The notion is communicated wonderfully through a simple setup. We see Josephine‘s point of view

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