John Dotson

Dallas

Movie and TV Journalist at Freelance

Writer at The Cosmic Circus

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Articles

'Warfare' is a Nightmarishly Immersive War Movie That Transcends

3 weeks ago | thecosmiccircus.com | John Dotson

Share this with a friend! Warfare is not a traditional military film. For most of the movies in the genre, jingoism echoes at the forefront, almost as if they aim to serve as recruitment videos more than pieces of art. Xenophobia is usually a tool to create a villain for the American heroes of the film. For example, American Sniper manufactured a Muslim threat for Bradley Cooper‘s portrayal of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. At first, Warfare raises concerns that it will follow this traditional route.
A Scary Slapstick Adventure

1 month ago | thecosmiccircus.com | John Dotson

Share this with a friend! Death of a Unicorn is a comically unhinged concept. The foundation has all the flavors of an SNL Digital Short or a Robot Chicken segment. The movie finds an existence on one unique question: What if we made a Jurassic Park movie but used unicorns instead of dinosaurs? To increase the insanity, take a wholesome comedic star like Paul Rudd and have him smash a crowbar through a unicorn’s face.
John Malkovich Has The Kool-Aid

1 month ago | thecosmiccircus.com | John Dotson

Share this with a friend! The new A24 film Opus spurs reflections about the recently deceased Gene Hackman. The late actor rarely found a genre he could not improve in some form. Hackman made it a point to flourish in movies like The Birdcage, where the role required him to tackle progressive topics with sincere comedic timing. Similarly, he could navigate a darker role, much like his character in Unforgiven. Opus serves as a reminder of another industry icon who can do it all.
'Novocaine' is a Bone-Crunching, Body Horror Action Comedy

1 month ago | thecosmiccircus.com | John Dotson

Share this with a friend! Novocaine would be a starring vehicle for Jim Carrey in a different timeline. In the late ’90s, Carrey was the ruler of physical comedy with an added gimmick. The Mask, Liar Liar, and even Bruce Almighty would beg to question, “What if Jim Carrey but X scenario?” Novocaine is not a starring vehicle for the Ace Ventura actor, but it performs like one. The difference is, Carrey never had the privilege of using his physical comedy talents in an action film.
Strangers on a Seabed: Sino-Russian Collaboration on Undersea Cable Sabotage Operations

2 months ago | jamestown.org | John Dotson

Executive Summary:Recent suspicious activities conducted by the merchant vessels Shunxing-39 and Vasili Shukshin in the vicinity of Taiwan in early 2025 suggest possible collaboration between Chinese and Russian merchant ships related to the reconnaissance and sabotage of undersea communications cables that connect Taiwan to the outside world.
Tinder-ized Surreal Horror

2 months ago | thecosmiccircus.com | John Dotson

Share this with a friend! The Dead Thing might be dropping on Shudder during the Valentine’s Day weekend, but the new film by Elric Kane is hardly a standing ovation to the idea of romance. One might even call it cynical. In the age of loneliness and swipe culture, the need for connection feels more urgent than ever, causing the slightest bit of rejection to feel amplified, especially if feelings accidentally get involved. Kane’s movie wrestles with these ideas, but not in a blatant way.
A Well-Tuned Character Driven Thriller

2 months ago | thecosmiccircus.com | John Dotson

Share this with a friend! After viewing Bring Them Down, this reviewer had one question: Between this movie and The Banshees of Inisherin, why are the Irish so resentful of one another? Much like The Banshees of Inisherin, the feature film debut by Chris Edwards sees bitter men slowly tearing each other down, but instead of it being about a break-up, Bring Them Down sees a simple misunderstanding build to a spiraling rivalry between locals.
'Omaha' Movie Review

2 months ago | thecosmiccircus.com | John Dotson

Share this with a friend! The Sundance Film Festival title, Omaha, touches on one of life’s greatest anxieties involving poverty. Since the pandemic, many of us have financial fears about the future. At the same time, we are living through one of the worst homeless crises in recent memory. Cole Webley directs a heartbreaking vision of a father on the brink of losing everything with nothing or nowhere to turn to.
Movie Review Wrap Up & More!

2 months ago | thecosmiccircus.com | John Dotson

Share this with a friend! Sundance Film Festival 2025 wrapped this weekend, closing the door on another eventful year of amazing titles. The festival brought many films about individuals from every race, sexual orientation, disability, or gender identity. One can see the depth of quality from haunting discussions about disability in Life After to extravagant explorations about love and identity in the fantasy Rains Over Babel.
'Train Dreams' Movie Review

2 months ago | thecosmiccircus.com | John Dotson

Share this with a friend! Some people view life as half full, and others as half empty. Filmmaker Clint Bentley gives the impression of an artist who believes both exist simultaneously and that their existence is meaningful. His new film Train Dreams at the Sundance Film Festival explores these ideas in a meditative film about a man working in the rising railroad industry.