The “On Location” category is dedicated to the various events attended and covered by Cosmic Circus writers. This includes museums, pop-up events, travel reviews, film festivals, comic cons, and other events dedicated to movies, shows, and related pop culture entertainment.
There’s a good short film hiding somewhere inside Matthew Arnold and Freddie Wong’s grief-tinged sci-fi feature film debut, We’re All Gonna Die. A story that could have been told beautifully in about 45 minutes, maybe even leaving you wanting a little more, is instead stretched to beyond its limits in the feature version, dragging on for almost two full hours. [Warning:
Read MoreIf anyone ever complains to you that there’s nothing new under the sun in the world of cinema, please kindly point them to the documentary Grand Theft Hamlet. This experiment from British co-directors (and romantic partners) Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane covers the gamut of human emotion, from triumph to tragedy, in its 89 minutes of infectious fun. The story behind
Read More“Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” That quote, coined in the late 19th century by English historian and politician Lord Acton, would serve as a perfect tagline for the upcoming three-part HBO docuseries Ren Faire by director Lance Oppenheim. The first hour of the limited series, what Oppenheim describes as a “docu-fantasia,” premiered at SXSW 2024 and will turn up on
Read MoreWhen David Benioff and DB Weiss, the creators of Game of Thrones, inked a deal with Disney to helm a new Star Wars cycle before backing out in favor of a deal with Netflix, many people called out the pair for essentially losing interest in the series that made them storytelling superstars. Nevertheless, anyone who appreciated the deeply addictive Thrones had to
Read MoreIt’s hard to imagine a more rollicking opening night film to kick off SXSW 2024 than director Doug Liman’s remake of the 1989 cheese-fest Road House, which starred the late, great 80s action icon Patrick Swayze. The crowd enthusiastically hooted and hollered their way through Liman’s ultra-violent take on a Zen dispenser of pain with a troubled conscience. There was also
Read MoreIn February, I was lucky enough to be invited to a screening of Martin Scorsese’s historical drama Killers of the Flower Moon. Taking place in downtown Los Angeles at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre, the screening was followed by an exclusive Q&A with several actors from the film, including breakout star Lily Gladstone! [Warning: Spoilers for Killers of the Flower Moon
Read MoreThe Cosmic Circus is going to South by Southwest 2024! The massive conference, offers a little something for everyone, from complete festivals for film & TV and music, to interactive media exhibitions, panel discussions, and celebrity guests. Scheduled speakers at SXSW 2024 include, among many others, Selena Gomez, Samantha Bee, Nick Kroll, Conan O’Brien, and Kirsten Dunst. SXSW will be held
Read More‘Love Me’ has an inspired concept and two great performances, but neither are enough to save its inherent messiness.
Read MoreThe art of the crowd pleaser is a delicate craft. Trying to make something that will connect with audiences on a major scale while also maintaining artistic integrity, on a good day, might as well be near impossible. So it wasn’t difficult to look upon the rave festival reviews for Hit Man, the latest from legendary filmmaker Richard Linklater (Dazed &
Read MoreWhen an independent director is swallowed up into the blockbuster machine, there’s usually two paths for them. Either they stay in the machine or are never heard from again. It’s Kind of a Funny Story and Mississippi Grind directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck seemed destined for the latter after directing Captain Marvel when they didn’t return for the sequel or immediately
Read MoreOf the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 33 theatrical titles, only the two Black Panther films are Academy Award-winners. Ruth E. Carter became the first Black woman to win multiple Oscars in any category with her 2023 win for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, cementing her legacy as a visionary costume designer. In fall 2023, she brought many of her most famous creations to
Read MoreWrapping up my coverage from the Ahsoka panel at Los Angeles Comic Con 2023, it’s time to hear what Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Eman Esfandi, Ivanna Sakhno, and Diana Lee Inosanto had to say about behind-the-scenes magic! In this Ahsoka panel breakdown (the last of three), the actors discuss stunt training, lightsaber duels, and their incredible costumes. The other articles are linked
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