Reviews

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.

Refer to the Stellar Picks archive to find some of our top-rated movies, shows, books, games, and more!


Movie ReviewsReviewsStellar Picks

‘You Can See Everything’ Review: A Groundbreaking Documentary

You Can See Everything shows Nathan Fielder asking Elizabeth Holmes one simple question: “Are you being real right now?” It’s a question that drove the marketing to popularity, as the scene shows Holmes radiating big puppy eyes, innocently tilting her head, and responding, “I’m always being real.” Without context, it looks like Fielder is in psychological warfare with one of the

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Movie ReviewsReviews

‘Matchbox: The Movie’ Review: A Very Bumpy Ride for Viewers

John Cena-led Matchbox: The Movie released on Apple TV earlier this month. Starring alongside Cena in the Skydance film are Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris, and Arturo Castro. Does this movie capture the imaginative mind of a child playing with toy cars, or instead does it just recapture the pain of modern blockbuster action films? Director Sam Hargrave has worked in

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ReviewsTV & Streaming Series Reviews

‘Below’ Review: Netflix Series Makes Monster More Believable Than the Story Itself

In a post-Widow’s Bay world, is there enough room for another small town, bay-based TV show like Netflix’s Below? The two shows are quite different in terms of their premise and, most importantly, in their quality. While there are snippets of genuine surprise, Below is not a Netflix series you have to run and see. [Warning: some spoilers for the series

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ReviewsTV & Streaming Series Reviews

‘Avatar: Seven Havens’ Season 1 Premiere Review: An Ambitious Beginning

Avatar: Seven Havens tells the story of Pavi, a young Earthbender who discovers that she is the next Avatar in a world that no longer trusts people who have this title or associate with it. The first three episodes introduce us to this now destroyed and unbalanced world. In it we see a new mythology, an introduction to new characters, and

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Movie ReviewsReviews

‘The Social Reckoning’ Review: Sorkin’s Inept Follow-up to ‘The Social Network’

Anyone who thinks image-making matters less than “the story” (whatever that means) should watch David Fincher’s The Social Network and Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning side by side. Shot by the same cinematographer, Jeff Cronenweth, it won’t be long before you realize why Fincher’s film stands the test of time as one of the most impactful masterpieces of the 2010s. But

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Book ReviewsBooksComics & CollectiblesComics ReviewsReviews

‘Legends & Lattes: The Graphic Novel’ Review: A Lovely Addition to The Cozy Fantasy Series

This week came the release of Legends & Lattes: The Graphic Novel, based on the much-loved cozy fantasy by best-selling author Travis Baldree. The graphic novel was adapted by Samuel Sattin, with illustrations by Shanti Rittgers and Sarah Webb. I have listened to the audiobook previously (which Baldree narrates himself), and when I heard about the graphic novel on the way,

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Movie ReviewsReviews

‘Verity’ Review: Showalter’s Film Adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s Work Misses the Point

The one good thing about Michael Showalter’s Verity is that it has more verve than previous adaptations of Colleen Hoover’s work. It’s not very good, but at least Showalter has fun with compositions that recall the oeuvres of Brian De Palma and Paul Verhoeven. Plenty of split-diopters and superimpositions create a quasi-campy quality as cinematographer Jim Frohna captures Lowen Ashleigh’s (Dakota

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Game ReviewsGamingReviews

‘Vaewolf’ Game Review (Early Access): A Wild Premise Done Well

The concept of Vaewolf sounds ridiculous at first. A young elf survives the massacre of his people, becomes infected by a werewolf curse, is rescued by a vampire, and ultimately turns into a creature capable of switching between all three forms. Yet beneath that deliberately exaggerated idea is a surprisingly focused action roguelite. It is set in an alternate version of

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BooksEventsReviewsTheatre & Live Shows

‘The Hunger Games: On Stage’ Review: An Awkward, Interpretive Dance-Filled Mess

The Hunger Games is one of the most popular young adult franchises in the world, spanning five incredible books and six popular films. Naturally, some creative individuals thought the stage was the next frontier for Katniss to conquer. The Hunger Games: On Stage debuted in London earlier this year in a purpose-built theater in Canary Wharf. As a massive fan of

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