Movie Reviews

Cosmic Circus has been covering movies and TV/streaming series for over five years now. Please take some time to read through some of our movie reviews below to find out what the writers think of past and new films.

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


 

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‘Nightbitch’ is an Exploration of Woman Empowerment

Sometimes, life doesn’t go the way we’ve planned it in our heads. For whatever reason, the reality of our situation doesn’t match what we’ve dreamed up. Perhaps you didn’t get the job promotion you’ve been vying for, or maybe your partner broke up with you when you were just about to propose. During these moments, escapism is sometimes the only coping

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The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim: An Animated Epic Worthy of Middle-earth

Is The Lord of the Rings the new Star Wars? Both franchises feature an iconic, groundbreaking trilogy followed by spin-offs, sequels and television series of varying qualities, and both franchises have vocal fans that can be difficult to please. Now, the vast and expansive world created by author J.R.R. Tolkien is brought to life once again with The Lord of the Rings:

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‘Paddington In Peru’ is a Near-Perfect Family Tale

There is something so charming about the Paddington movies, especially as a British person, but I assume for audiences worldwide too. They are the ultimate family-friendly, wholesome entertainment about a beloved bear who ends up in all kinds of capers. The first and second Paddington films remain some of the highest-rated family movies, and the delightfully British cast that stars in

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‘Wicked’ Part 1: A Triumph of Musical Adaptation

After a decades-long wait, Wicked Part 1 flew into theaters last night. A film adaptation of the smash Broadway hit has been percolating for years, plagued by constant delays and a revolving door of creatives. Director Jon M. Chu finally signed on to bring the story to the big screen, enlisting Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande to play the main roles

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‘Gladiator II’: A Mostly Successful Legacy Sequel

It has been 24 years since the first Gladiator hit theater screens, Directed by Ridley Scott the film went on to win several Oscars including Best Picture. Many people thought that would be it for the action epic that brought fans to the height of the Roman Empire, but now in 2024, Gladiator II, the legacy sequel to the award-winning film

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Thoughts on ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ and the Future of The Sony Marvel Universe | The Cosmic Circle Podcast

 With the recent release of Venom: The Last Dance, Sony’s third film starring Tom Hardy as the Spider-Man anti-hero, there was no denying a need to talk about this one on an episode of The Cosmic Circle podcast. Listen in as host Brian Kitson and fellow writers Uday Kataria and Wiktor Reinfuss discuss the highs and lows of this final chapter in the Venom

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‘Venom: The Last Dance’ – An Unhinged and Uninspired Finale

Venom is one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains. The symbiotic alien was first introduced in 1988’s issue of The Amazing Spider-Man #300, and quickly became a fan-favorite Marvel character. While he’s primarily an antagonist, he’s served as an anti-hero in popular storylines like Lethal Protector. These comics serve as the primary launching point for the Tom Hardy trilogy of films. While

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‘Smile 2’ is the Right Mixture of Hilarious and Chilling

Nowadays, they can make a horror movie about anything. Want a horror film about a loveable teddy bear turned monster? There’s a film for that. Want to see a version of Freaky Friday but with a murderer and a teenage girl? We’ve got you covered. Some ideas are sillier than others, but that doesn’t stop the churning out a wide variety

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‘Rumours’ is A Brilliant Satire

Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson’s film Rumours is very telling of what I like about cinema. Everything I love about the art form is found in this picture: experimentation with an ever-changing aesthetic, satirical jokes that take zero prisoners, and a slight jab at the audience for sitting through a movie that does not reward or fulfill them in

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Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh Shine in the Button-Pushing ‘We Live in Time’

After many years of bathing in the most egregious clichés and emotional trappings, the romantic drama desperately needs reinvention. Look no further than director John Crowley, who made a potential solution to a decaying genre with We Live in Time, a clichéd romantic story told in a scattershot, non-linear narrative. Its structure is highly communicative, too, juxtaposing moments of high-spirited joy

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‘Caddo Lake’ is A Precautious Tale of Family and Will

Situated on the Texas-Louisiana is Caddo Lake, it’s the single (and only) naturally formed lake in the Lone Star State. Inspired by a photograph, filmmakers Celine Held and Logan George collaborated to write and direct Caddo Lake a turbulent tale about family. Legendary director M. Night Shyamalan had involvement as an executive producer on the film and the narrative subtly shows

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