Cosmic Circus Podcasts

Latest Episodes:

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey Discussion | Cosmic Circus Reviews Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

Uday, Vin and John talk about the hit new film from Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey. The three debate whether anyone but Nolan could have pulled off this epic film, the trouble with the sound design, their feelings about the casting choices, and some of the more controversial aspects of the film. They also discuss what Christopher Nolan might do next after this epic smash hit.

The Odyssey (2026)

Directed & Written by Christopher Nolan
Based on The Odyssey by Homer
Starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway
Cinematography by Hoyte van Hoytema
Edited by Jennifer Lame
Music by Ludwig Göransson
Production design by Ruth De Jong
Costume design by Ellen Mirojnick

Find Vin's video review on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRF1xeMKxsA&t=8s

John's written review of The Odyssey is available here: https://thecosmiccircus.com/the-odyssey-movie-review/

Supergirl Comics: 'Woman of Tomorrow' and the Future of the DCU | Cosmic Circus Comics Jun 28, 2026

Show notes

Vic and Vin reassemble to discuss the new DC Studios film Supergirl as compared to the comic 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.' The Superboys also deliberate how the film impacts 'Man of Tomorrow' and the future of James Gunn's DC Universe.

(Spoiler warning for those who have not watched the film or read the comic!)

Supergirl (2026)
- Directed by Craig Gillespie
- Written by Ana Nogueira
- Starring Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2021) #1-8
- Written by Tom King
- Art by Bilquis Evely
- Colors by Mat Lopes

Timestamps
00:00 - Intro
01:50 - the 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow' comic and a few thoughts on how it compares to the film
05:50 - the pacing in the film
08:55 - comparing the new Superman/Supergirl films with Guardians of the Galaxy
11:00 - Critical response to the film and the fact that the film is not as bad as it could have been in comparison to other comic book movies in recent years
13:00 - David Corenswet's version of Superman
18:34 - Discussing the visuals in the Woman of Tomorrow comic
20:45 - Jason Momoa as Lobo
22:50 - Krem in the film vs. the comics
25:00 - Changes to ending from comic (spoilers)
27:28 - Other Supergirl live action depictions
31:30 - Legion of Superheroes
33:30 - Potential for the future of DCU
36:42 - Outro

Find the video version of this podcast on YouTube @thecosmiccircus

For more nerdy pop culture coverage, including movie and TV news, reviews, and interviews by The Cosmic Circus contributors, visit https://www.thecosmiccircus.com

Reviews of 'Obsession,' 'The Furious,' and Giallo Horror Cinema | Cosmic Circus Reviews Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

John and Vin are back talking about the films Obsession and The Furious, both of which John was able to see at the Dallas International Film Festival earlier this year. Vin also chats about films he saw at the Timeless Film Festival Warsaw, and lastly they talk briefly about revisiting the Back to the Future films after a movie marathon.

For John's written reviews of Obsession and the Furious (viewed at the Dallas International Film Festival), visit the links below.
https://thecosmiccircus.com/obsession-movie-review-diff-2026/
https://thecosmiccircus.com/the-furious-movie-review-diff-2026/

Find the video version of this podcast on YouTube @thecosmiccircus

For more nerdy pop culture coverage, including movie and TV news, reviews, and interviews by The Cosmic Circus contributors, visit https://www.thecosmiccircus.com

'Project Hail Mary' Review with John & Vin | Cosmic Circus Reviews Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

John & Vin discuss Project Hail Mary, the blockbuster new book-to-film adaptation from Amazon/MGM Studios!

Project Hail Mary (2026)
- Directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
- Written by Drew Goddard (The Martian movie)
- Based on the book by Andy Weir (The Martian book)
- Starring Ryan Gosling, James Ortiz, Sandra Hüller
- Cinematography by Greig Fraser (Dune, Batman)
- Music by Daniel Pemberton (Spider-Verse)

Timestamps for Project Hail Mary review

00:00 - Intro
02:13 - The story
04:20 - The Martian or Project Hail Mary, which one did we like better?
06:54 - General thoughts on Project Hail Mary
09:00 - Pacing issues
10:30 - Rocky is where the movie comes to life
11:55 - Issues with the film
13:30 - Practical Rocky, special effects, visuals, and music
15:24 - Comments from friends who have read the book by Andy Weir
17:30 - References to other sci-fi films
18:15 - The relationship between Ryland and Rocky, and humor. Ryan Gosling's Tom Hanks moment
21:37 - The flashbacks and pacing
24:20 - Overall positive about the film
25:45 - John saw an Odyssey prologue preview before the film
26:00 - IMAX news John heard about regarding upgrades before The Odyssey and the addition of 5 locations on the way.
27:30 - Final thoughts on Project Hail Mary
28:30 - Outro

Find the video version of this discussion and much more on YouTube @TheCosmicCircus
For more nerdy pop culture coverage, including movie and TV news, reviews, and interviews by The Cosmic Circus contributors, visit TheCosmicCircus.com

Exclusive Interview: Tiger Wizard of Exalted Funeral's 'TAVERS: A Meow Wolf Roleplay Game' Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

In this exclusive interview, Tiger Wizard talks about how a game like TAVERS comes into existence. Beginning with a deep dive into the larger world of Meow Wolf, Tiger Wizard explores what makes this world so interesting and how it has influenced the development of TAVERS as a game. He discussed what stood out about this world and how he wanted to translate the colorful and playful nature of the original concept. Tiger Wizard also discusses bringing this TTRPG game to Kickstarter and the response it has gotten from others!

Listen to the interview here or on our YouTube channel @TheCosmicCircus

For more information about TAVERS: A Meow Wolf Roleplay Game, such as game mechanics and where to back it, visit Exalted Funeral's website!

Timestamps for our interview with Tiger Wizard about TAVERS: A Meow Wolf Roleplay

00:00 - Intro to Meow Wolf and TAVERS, and immersive TTRPG storytelling game
02:39 - The game design process
04:46 - Designing different "TAVER flavors" (different archetype designs)
07:00 - Flexibility and customization within TAVERS
08:40 - Cool art and aesthetics in the game
10:38 - Game mechanics
13:30 - Favorite aspects of creating this game, playing and collaboration
18:00 - Kickstarter success and benefits for supporters
21:00 - What you need to play TAVERS
22:30 - Why use crowdsourcing for this?
24:35 - Personal reflections on this game's appeal
26:04 - Outro

John's Nine Inch Nails - Peel It Back Tour Concert Experience | Cosmic Circus Reviews Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

John tells Vin about Nine Inch Nails' critically-acclaimed Peel It Back Tour (June 2025 to March 2026).

Nine Inch Nails

Main members: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
Touring members: Robin Finck, Alessandro Cortini/Stu Brooks, & Ilan Rubin/Josh Freese
Opening act: Boys Noize

Timestamps 00:00 - Intro and John's history with Nine Inch Nails 02:30 - One of the best concerts he's ever been to... 05:43 - Is there many new songs or a mix of old and new? 06:15 - the ending song of the concert, "Hurt" 07:00 - a visually cinematic concert 08:38 - "The Perfect Drug", the drums 10:25 - Outro

Find the video version of this podcast on YouTube @thecosmiccircus

For more nerdy pop culture coverage, including movie and TV news, reviews, and interviews by The Cosmic Circus contributors, visit https://www.thecosmiccircus.com

The Bride! (2026) Movie Review | Cosmic Circus Reviews Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

John and Vin are back at it again, this time with a discussion about The Bride! starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale. The film was directed and written by Maggie Gyllenhaal and based on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, with cinematography by Lawrence Sher, edited by Dylan Tichenor and music by Hildur Guðnadóttir.

The Bride! (2026) discussion timestamps

00:00 - Intro and story concept for The Bride!
02:30 - Jessie Buckley's performance(s) in the film
04:00 - A confusing story and geography
07:30 - Jessie Buckley's "heavy lifting" with a bad script and inconsistent themes
09:00 - Christian Bale as Frankenstein
10:00 - What is the point? Too much is left out or confusing to make much sense of the story
15:00 - Easter eggs and Julianne Hough of Dancing with the Stars
15:40 - A multiversal story?
17:07 - The potential that was missed in The Bride!
19:40 - Joker 2 parallels
20:30 - Could Jessie Buckley's Oscar chances for Hamnet be hurt by The Bride!?
22:45 - A weird mix and mess of inconsistent themes
24:00 - Other 2026 films so far...
26:00 - Outro
27:25 - Outtakes

'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Season 1 Review with Vin & Drew | Cosmic Circus Reviews Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

Vin & Drew breakdown the first season of "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" from the Game of Thrones universe. They also discuss the state of the franchise overall and what other media adaptations can learn from the success of the show.

Timestamps 00:00 - Intro and spoiler warning 01:36 - Drew and Vin's histories with the Game of Thrones universe 05:15 - Initial impressions of A Knight of Seven Kingdoms in comparison with previous Game of Thrones series and House of the Dragon 08:38 - How would you pitch A Knight of Seven Kingdoms to someone who is not into GOT 10:00 - Excellent character work and writing, including great side characters 17:25 - This is a show that makes them excited about Game of Thrones again, after some of the negative discourse about previous series. 18:10 - Negatives about A Knight of Seven Kingdoms, and the challenge of keeping viewers engaged in what amounts to an anthology series. 21:00 - Still a lot of story to tell about Dunk and Egg for season 2 and beyond. 24:30 - What can House of the Dragon and other GOT spinoffs learn from this new series? 27:00 - A great foundation to work from for future seasons 28:50 - Lessons learned about good book adaptations 31:45 - What can other franchise media (Marvel, DC, Star Wars) take away from what this series did? 33:50 - Final thoughts and rating for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms 34:35 - Outro

Stephen Murphy Talks Working on 'Primate' as Director of Photography in this exclusive interview! Feb 22, 2026

Show notes

In our interview with Stephen Murphy, he discusses his personal journey into the art of cinematography and his distinct vision for the film. Through shadows, darkness, vivid colors, and specific angles and shots, this cinematographer discusses how he shaped key scenes in the film to elicit specific emotions from the audience and what classic horror films influenced some of his work.

Primate (2026) is currently available to rent or buy on digital, with a Blu-ray/DVD release scheduled for April 21, 2026.

Timestamps for our interview with Stephen Murphy about Primate
00:00 - Intro. What is the role of a Director of Photography in films and shows?
02:16 - What is his personal journey into cinematography?
05:30 - What was the overall visual philosophy used in Primate?
07:30 - On homages to past films in the genre in this film.
08:30 - Using light to create suspense instead of "jump scares."
10:50 - The process of setting up the scenes and collaborating with different directors
13:05 - On working on Heart Eyes (2025).
14:00 - The use of color in the visuals in Primate. (such as the pool scenes)
16:15 - Achieving a claustrophobic feel in the film using the lenses and environment.
19:15 - A shot that he's particularly proud of in the film.
19:40- Filming inside the closet
21:50 - What do you hope audiences take away from your work as cinematographer in Primate?

Jacob Elordi’s Monster Steals the Show in Netflix’s Frankenstein | Cosmic Circus Reviews Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Hosts Vin and John break down Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 Frankenstein, assessing its faithfulness to Mary Shelley’s novel, standout performances (especially Jacob Elordi), and striking production design.

They praise the costumes, music, and Elordi’s soulful turn, but criticize the film’s slow first hour, digital look, uneven pacing, and an ending that doesn’t fully land.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
01:15 - Intro to Frankenstein, talking about Mary Shelley's novel and what the story is about, as well as other film versions of this classic tale.
06:00 - Frankenstein (2025) film discussion with mild spoilers
08:40 - Jacob Elordi's performance
09:30 - Comparing the book to the 2025 film
11:35 - Positives and negatives about the film, and "the Netflix effect"
16:20 - The Monster's design, costumes and production design
20:30 - The ending and other overall thoughts
25:00 - Outro

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected