Although we mainly focus on reviews of movies and TV or streaming series, we have a wide array of reviews here at Cosmic Circus. This includes concerts, tech and other products, travel, games, books, and comics.
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The embrace of artificial intelligence in mainstream cinema has been the most depressing sight the medium has ever seen. It’s a total abdication of creativity at every turn as high-profile filmmakers use a technology built on theft to “craft” images that are both unappealing and emotionally hollow. Many might say that “X movie feels like it was made by AI,” but
Read MoreJavier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi’s La Bola Negra is a lot to take in. The decade-spanning epic tracks three queer characters at distinct moments in history. The film often feels grand and emotive, simply by looking at the succession of visual (and thematic) juxtapositions thrillingly brought to life by cinematographer Gris Jordana’s eye for painterly, almost God-like, compositions. It can also
Read MoreAnyone who turned on Taika Waititi post-Hunt for the Wilderpeople may be the most vindicated individuals in the universe upon seeing his adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun. The Japanese-British writer’s thought-provoking, emotive prose is reduced to a bevy of unfunny TikTok-lite jokes that hamper a genuinely heartfelt story. This adaptation might have been something truly special on the
Read MoreDavid Ellison and Ynon Kreiz are two of the producers of Sam Hargrave’s Matchbox: The Movie, an adaptation of the popular Mattel IP of the same name. They now run Hollywood’s biggest media conglomerate, Skydance, a company that owns some of the country’s most significant assets and makes Disney’s acquisition of the 20th Century library seem tame by comparison. There’s lots
Read MoreI look forward to Steam Next Fest segments whenever they appear throughout the year. While my Steam Deck is not my favorite console/handheld, I will give props to Steam itself for hosting so many games with demos available. It gives us all a chance to check out games coming out soon and things far in the future. I played well over
Read MoreThe Simpsons Halloween specials were yearly traditions for me growing up. In syndication, there were always marathons of the collected episodes up to that point. I’ve probably watched the horror shorts in the first eight The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror episodes more than individual episodes. Even though I am a waning fan of The Simpsons, having stopped around season fifteen, I
Read MoreAnimol lifts the lid on the behind-closed doors mystery of the process of youth rehabilitation within a young offender’s institute. This is Ashley Walters‘ directorial debut, as he switches sides to be behind the camera but permits his personal lived experience from those So Solid days to create a gritty, compelling incisive drama that is difficult to look away from! What
Read MoreAncient ruins, abandoned settlements, forgotten civilizations, and landscapes swallowed by supernatural corruption all suggest an adventure game set in a world with its own history. The challenge, however, is turning that atmosphere into something more unique and meaningful than another open-world filled with side quests and repetitive waves of enemies. With Enshrouded, we find that quickly by playing a game that
Read MoreDC’s Clayface is a character I’ve loved since childhood. There was something incredibly cool about a villain with shape-shifting abilities like the T-1000 from Terminator 2, plus the ability to manipulate his enemies through acting. Not to mention, Clayface had a truly tragic backstory that made him sympathetic. He was always my favorite from the 1990s animated series. DC didn’t really
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