Josh Bell
Story Archive
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Film
Wim Wenders’ ‘The Salt of the Earth’ chronicles Sebastião Salgado’s remarkable career
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 "It’s affecting to see Salgado talk about the emotional toll of witnessing so much suffering, and how it triggered his shift in focus to the beauty of nature."
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television
Even Philip Seymour Hoffman might not have saved ‘Happyish’
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 Showtime decided to revive and recast the show with Steve Coogan in the lead role.
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television
J.K. Rowling’s ‘The Casual Vacancy’ becomes a downbeat HBO miniseries
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 There’s nothing fantastical about the quaint but grim small town of Pagford—Harry Potter this is not.
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Film
Vegas is the only bright spot in ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2’
Friday, April 17, 2015 The sequel suffers from indifferent plotting and apathetic jokes that often don’t appear to have punchlines.
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Film
‘Merchants of Doubt’ explores the science of denial
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 Robert Kenner's documentary rehashes talking points about scientists who put corporations above public health issues.
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Film
‘True Story’ is a dull version of sensational events
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 True Story could have been an examination of the slippery nature of truth ... but it's not.
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Music
A reunited Fleetwood Mac proves its continued vitality at MGM
Monday, April 13, 2015 Having Christine McVie back after a 16-year hiatus seems to have reinvigorated the group.
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Screen
A familiar Marvel hero gets a solid new start in ‘Daredevil’
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 Clearly influenced by Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies, Daredevil is dark both thematically and visually.
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A&E
‘Wild Tales’ is an inconsistent but mostly compelling anthology film
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 It features six segments that start with mundane events before building to violence, betrayal and (sometimes) death.
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Film
‘Effie Gray’ turns a historical scandal into a stuffy bore
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 It's like watching paint dry on an exquisite masterpiece.
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Film
Documentary ‘Going Clear’ exposes the dark side of Scientology
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 The HBO documentary is effective as an overview of the history and main criticisms of Scientology.
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Screen
Cute aliens: ‘Home’ uses an odd premise for familiar lessons
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Aliens invade Earth and forcibly relocate the entire human population ... but in a fun way.
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television
TV Review: ‘Younger’
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 TV Land’s original sitcoms have been resolutely old-fashioned, but Younger is looking to change that.
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Film
Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart team up in ‘Get Hard’
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Is it full of ill-advised humor about race and sexuality? Sure. But it's less offensive than it is misguided.
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A&E
Film review: Tense thriller '71 recalls the days of the Troubles
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Some parts of the thriller might be a hard to follow, but the director and writer succeed at creating a sense of visceral danger.
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A&E
TV review: Netflix drama ‘Bloodline’ is glossy but dull
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Netflix’s new drama has such a great cast and such impressive production values, it’s easy to give it a pass for being so dramatically inert.
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A&E
VOD oddities: Three recent on-demand releases with offbeat premises
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Two words: Zombeavers. Wait, that's one word.
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Screen
Chaotic nonsense: Sequel ‘Insurgent’ is action-packed but incoherent
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Tris spends most of the movie on the run, which isn't a bad thing.
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Film
‘Cinderella’ plays like a rote retelling
Wednesday, March 11, 2015 Without any twists or stylistic innovations, here's hoping the forthcoming live-action versions of Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book will be a bit livelier.
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Film
Five animated movies that should never get live-action remakes
Wednesday, March 11, 2015 Because real pandas are pretty bad at kung fu.
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A&E
‘One Big Happy’ is a retro sitcom with updated values
Wednesday, March 11, 2015 A generic story isn't improved by adding a small twist.
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A&E
Film review: ‘Red Army’
Wednesday, March 11, 2015 A fascinating look at the world's most successful hockey team.
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A&E
‘iZombie’ offers sympathy for its ghoulish protagonist
Wednesday, March 11, 2015 In iZombie, an undead undead star uses her brain.
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Music
Madonna disappoints with the messy ‘Rebel Heart’
Wednesday, March 11, 2015 It's Madge's worst since 2003's American Life.
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Film
Film review: ‘Chappie’ is a muddled sci-fi failure
Friday, March 6, 2015 The flick fails at both social commentary and basic storytelling.
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Film
Six Hollywood films to watch for in 2015
Thursday, March 5, 2015 Avengers and Star Wars? Of course. But are you up on your Crimson Peak and Hateful Eight?
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Film
J. Neil Schulman’s ‘Alongside Night’ is at the forefront of libertarian cinema
Thursday, March 5, 2015 Alongside Night is an unabashedly political sci-fi thriller, a libertarian manifesto that recalls Atlas Shrugged.
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A&E
Review: ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 Let's just say it's anything but exotic.
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Film
‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ finds humor in tragedy
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 This show was initially produced for NBC but it's odder and darker than typical network fare.
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Film
‘What We Do in the Shadows’ hilariously explores the daily lives of the undead
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 Have you ever wondered what Jemaine and Bret from Flight of the Conchords would be like if they were vampires?
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Film
Film review: ‘Maps to the Stars’
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 Satirizing show business is one of the easiest ways to score points with an audience and director David Cronenberg goes for the jugular with this one.
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Music
Album review: Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Piece by Piece’
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 It's her most impersonal work yet.
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Music
Machine Head and In Flames prove heavy music is alive and well
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 Can a show's success be judged by its moshpit?
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A&E
Film review: Will Smith and Margot Robbie are grifters in love in ‘Focus’
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 The movie’s first half is playful and sly, ending with a small but satisfying twist.
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A&E
Film review: ‘The Rewrite’ avoids typical rom-com pitfalls
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 Hugh Grant and Marc Lawrence team up for something that's actually enjoyable.
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A&E
Will Forte navigates the post-apocalypse as ‘The Last Man on Earth’
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 If you like your comedy on the darker side, this one's for you.
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A&E
TV review: Cop drama ‘Battle Creek’ explores familiar territory
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 Vince Gilligan is involved, but don't expect a 'Breaking Bad'-type phenomenon.
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Film
Running on empty: 'McFarland, USA' is a forgettable sports drama
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 Kevin Costner’s weary, lived-in performance is the best thing about this predictable flick.
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Film
Five (potential) reasons to watch the Oscars
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 And yes, Neil Patrick Harris is definitely one of them.
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Film
See the Oscar-nominated short films in theaters this weekend
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 Three local theaters are screening the live-action and animated shorts this weekend.
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Film
'Mr. Turner' takes an off-kilter approach to the biopic
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 Timothy Spall gives depth and feeling to J.M.W. Turner at the most unexpected moments.
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television
'The Odd Couple' returns with Matthew Perry
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 The former Friends star is looking for the third time to be the charm in his attempted return to sitcoms.
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A&E
'Kingsman: The Secret Service' is a juvenile action-comedy
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015 Colin Firth ... the action star?
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A&E
'The Slap' takes itself a little too seriously
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015 A miniseries remake starring Peter Sarsgaard, Uma Thurman
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A&E
The Dam Short Film Festival brings out movie lovers in Boulder City
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015 Supporting local filmmakers is one thing that the DSFF does best.
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Film
Beyond '50 Shades': Three more movies to fuel your sexual education
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015 From car-crash fetishists to another BDSM romance.
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television
TV review: Spy drama 'Allegiance' pales next to its obvious inspiration
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 It burns through so much plot in the first three episodes that it seems to be exhausting its premise almost immediately.
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A&E
Three TV spinoffs that actually lived up to their potential
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 The deadpan cartoon girl. The goodhearted vampire. The thing that made us love Heather Locklear.
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Film
The Wachowskis’ 'Jupiter Ascending' is a beautiful disaster
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 Even after two box-office failures, the Wachoskis can still get a studio to pony up millions for an ambitious, effects-heavy sci-fi epic.
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Film
How does the new SpongeBob movie measure up?
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 Kids, parents and stoners ... there's something for everyone in Sponge Out of Water.