Skip to content
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • PodBean
  • Subscribe To My Pal Sammy Newsletter
  • ABOUT
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

My Summer Lair

Think NPR's Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: My Summer Lair with host Sammy Younan: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

  • Home
  • Podcast
    • My Summer Lair
    • Space Station Oddity
  • Set The VCR
  • New Book Alert
  • True Sammy Stories
  • Toggle search form

232 | Jefferson Moneo (Cosmic Dawn)

Posted on January 18, 2022April 13, 2023 By Sammy Younan No Comments on 232 | Jefferson Moneo (Cosmic Dawn)

My Summer Lair Chapter #232: Why Do You Believe What You Believe?

Welcome writer and director Jefferson Moneo to My Summer Lair; his latest feature is Cosmic Dawn. A trippy UFO cult saga starring Camille Rowe and Emmanuelle Chriqui.

I’ll give you the basic description but know there is lots more going on than this:
“After witnessing the alien abduction of her mother as a child, Aurora joins the UFO cult The Cosmic Dawn.”

As you’re about to hear in this far-out My Summer Lair conversation, this movie…visually yes it’s an arresting kaleidoscope.

Yet it’s also inspired by Jefferson’s unexplained experience he had in his youth…what he says are “crazy lights.” He openly shared his unique experience and I dunno what to make of it. Part of me is Mulder, part of me is Scully.

Like being prompted by the movie…you have to question your assumptions. Between the UFO cult and the experience of Aurora who witnessed the alien abduction of her mother as a child…it’s all off-kilter. What’s going on here?

The only certainty is uncertainty. Which is what you’d expect from a nonlinear movie.

This close encounter suggests an equally difficult question: Why do you believe what you believe?

Some contemplation music is provided by MGMT who contributed a number of songs to the Cosmic Dawn soundtrack; that wonderful synth and the style of the movie smoothly combine to offer up a warm 80s sci-fi movie feeling.

Currently Cosmic Dawn is available on On Demand Platforms.

But oh yes let’s start with Jefferson’s personal experience with the crazy lights.

The Cosmic Dawn trailer:

Cosmic Dawn @ W • T • F

Host Sammy Younan

Recorded: Wednesday January 26, 2022 at 11:30am

Stress free pop culture tastefully harvested for your divine delight. Once a week a carefully curated edition of My Pal Sammy goes directly to your inbox. Sign up for my newsletter so we can have some fun…exploring The Cosmic Dawn!

My Summer Lair, Podcast Tags:Cosmic Dawn, Jefferson Moneo, Movies, Science-Fiction

Post navigation

Previous Post: 231 | Will Di Novi (Hot Docs Podcast Festival)
Next Post: 233 | Alex Mallari Jr. (The Adam Project & Hello (Again))

More Related Articles

Ryan North (How to Invent Everything) My Summer Lair 88 088 | Ryan North (How to Invent Everything) My Summer Lair
David Ben (Illusions: The Art of Magic) and Sammy Younan in My Summer Lair 146 | David Ben (Illusions: The Art of Magic) My Summer Lair
George Stroumboulopoulos (House of Strombo) 071 | George Stroumboulopoulos (House of Strombo) My Summer Lair
050 | Jeff Kopas (Blood Honey) My Summer Lair
Jamel Shabazz (Back In The Days-Perspectives) 121 | Jamel Shabazz (Back In The Days-Perspectives) My Summer Lair
David Sax (The Revenge Of Analog) 058 | David Sax (The Revenge Of Analog) My Summer Lair

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • #SetTheVCR: November 02-08, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    If you are a Nocturne type who likes to Rise and Fall with TV Recommendations, keep your Funny Money. #SetTheVCR, unlike Bot Love...is free.
  • #SetTheVCR: October 26 – November 01, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    There's a always a Price to pay when you bring TV Recommendations back to life. But that's #SetTheVCR Your dark guide through the scary streaming era.
  • #SetTheVCR: October 19-25, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    From me to You: Nobody Wants This is a constant TV Recommendations refrain. Well, Yaga came to the right place: #SetTheVCR is all about Just One More Before I Die...
  • #SetTheVCR: October 12-18, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    Have I got the Lowdown on TV Recommendations like a VisionQuest at Crystal Lake. this #SetTheVCR is a Treasure Island of TV goodness.
  • #SetTheVCR: October 05-11, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    Wanna Take Of Yourself with TV Recommendations that don't make you Look Back in Anger? Don't look Below, rather check out #SetTheVCR and get Carrie...d away.
  • #SetTheVCR: September 28 – October 04, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    Have I got Furious TV Recommendations for you! You'll wanna Tuner into this week's #SetTheVCR as kick off Halloween with Silver Screamers.
  • #SetTheVCR: September 21-27, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    The Simpsons are back and there's a City of Blood. TV Guide won't give you TV Recommendations with a range like that. That can only be: #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: September 14-20, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    You can review TV Recommendations until you're Blue In The Face. #SetTheVCR may be written by a Slow Horse but it's just as wild as The Stern Show.
  • #SetTheVCR: September 07-13, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    Do bland TV Recommendations make you say Dang! Well, I Pity The Fool that doesn't read #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: August 31 – September 06, 2026
    by Sammy Younan
    In the hunt for an American Classic some TV Recommendations will suggest a Scary Movie. Which is just #SetTheVCR fun. Welcome to a place where you'll never say Mayday.
  • Nepo Baby Exceptions vs Expectations: Sunny Sandler Is Overcast…August 14, 2026
    High resources demand high talent. Why (nepo baby) Sunny Sandler falls short of the Universal Gold Standard.
  • #PantsWorthy: Nimrods Is A Green Day Word SearchAugust 13, 2026
    Nimrods is a fun road trip movie & so here is my Nimrods review as a Green Day word search.
  • #CouchWorthy: Reacher: Season 4August 12, 2026
    After a chance encounter with a stranger on a subway goes horribly wrong, Reacher is drawn into a game that pits him against ruthless foes.
  • #CouchWorthy: From Mixtapes to The King of Pop BiopicsAugust 11, 2026
    A cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known: Respect Gen X.
  • Happy National Pinball Day! Buying Bold Dreams with QuartersAugust 1, 2026
    Celebrating National Pinball Day: a salute to tactile storytelling, analog chaos, and buying bold dreams with quarters in neon-lit arcades.
  • #CouchWorthy: Batman: Caped Crusader Season 2July 29, 2026
    Batman: Caped Crusader is a hard-boiled animated series that follows the fearsome vigilante in his early years.

  • New Book Alert: Cesar Romero: The Joker Is Wild
    by Sammy Younan
    My Summer Lair host Sammy Younan reviews Yaron Weitzman's Tanking to the Top. Trust The Process of The Philadelphia 76ers?
  • Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1: Gotham Nocturne: Overture
    Under-Review: Detective Comics: Gotham Nocturne: Overture
    by Sammy Younan
    My Summer Lair host Sammy Younan reviews Batman - Detective Comics: Gotham Nocturne: OvertureL Volume 1,
  • New Book Alert: California Bear
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?
  • New Book Alert: The Music Was Just Getting Good
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?
  • New Book Alert: The Ascent
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?

Copyright © 2026 My Summer Lair.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme