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 ReviewsReviews

Humanity’s Survival and Prehistoric Horrors in ‘Out of Darkness’

One of the coolest compliments I ever heard the late, great Roger Ebert express about a movie was that, while you’re watching it, your mind keeps turning; the movie’s mysteries encourage you to explore your own imagination in regard to what you’re seeing on the screen. The new prehistoric horror film from Bleecker Street titled Out of Darkness is exactly the

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Film FestivalsMovie ReviewsReviews

‘She is Conann’ Review: A Banksy-inspired Vision of Conan the Barbarian

She is Conann is not a Conan film. The characters are mostly here, including the addition of Red Sonja. But the acid dream of She is Conann has other ideas on its mind. In a weird, nightmarish feminine LGTBQ vision of the Barbarian. We see the iconic character through various stages of her life, bathing the brutal character’s journey in a tub of

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Book ReviewsBooksStellar Picks

Read ‘Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up’ by Alexandra Potter Before ‘Not Dead Yet’ Returns!

Ever felt like you don’t know what you’re doing? Did life not exactly live up to the plans your thirteen-year-old self made? Are you sure that everyone else has it figured out and you’re the only one who doesn’t? Well, guess what, you’re not actually alone! From time to time, we all feel like f**k ups! And finally, Alexandra Potter dared

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ReviewsTV & Streaming Series Reviews

Review: ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Season 1 Finale

Have you ever wondered if the book you liked would ever get a fantastic live-action adaptation that will honor its legacy? (especially after a not so great movie) Did you ever think, “If Greek Gods can have children on Earth?” Have you ever wanted to experience what it’s like to be a demigod who needs to figure out who they are?

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ReviewsTV & Streaming Series Reviews

‘True Detective: Night Country’ Review: First Half of Season Features Intrigue and Atmosphere

As of this writing, the fourth iteration of the divisive HBO anthology series True Detective is halfway through its six-episode run. For the first time, the show comes with a subtitle, True Detective: Night Country. It also features a complete shake up of the creative forces behind the iconic series. Gone is showrunner Nic Pizzolatto, the driving force behind True Detective

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Book ReviewsBooksStellar Picks

Book Review: ‘Wicked’ by Gregory Maguire

Nearly thirty years ago, Gregory Maguire published his first book for adults. A reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West started a phenomenon. Wicked spawned a multibook series about the citizens of Oz, a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, and now a two-part movie series set to

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Movie ReviewsReviews

Review: Voice Cast Helps Make ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ a Fun Movie Despite Changes

It’s no exaggeration that I’ve eagerly waited for the release of The Tiger’s Apprentice. It finally releases on Paramount+ this Friday after being announced for theaters back in 2020. Based on the young adult fantasy novel from author Laurence Yep, it tells the story of a young man taking on a grand responsibility. The faithfulness of this adaptation is up for debate,

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ReviewsStellar PicksTV & Streaming Series Reviews

‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ Review: Refreshing Reboot With it’s Own Flair

Sometimes casting speaks for itself, so when the announcement of rebooted Mr. and Mrs. Smith came through with Donald Glover attached to star, co-create, and produce, I was totally on board. Alongside him is the amazingly talented Maya Erskine (who you may recognize from voicing Mizu in the Blue-Eyed Samurai) who was an excellent choice to replace Phoebe Waller-Bridge. If your

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