Josh Bell
Story Archive
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Screen
The small-screen 'Minority Report' flattens its sci-fi high concept
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015 A few clever sci-fi touches aside, Minority Report is a straightforward cop show.
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Screen
M. Night Shyamalan makes a promising comeback with 'The Visit '
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015 Worth the trip.
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Screen
Mountain-climbing documentary ‘Meru’ has great visuals, but an uneven vision
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015 For audiences fascinated by mountain climbing, it's worth watching on a big screen.
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Screen
HBO's 'Ferrell Takes the Field' feels like a dull victory lap
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015 A few blandly humorous comments, slick game-play footage and a whole lot of high fives. Play ball?
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Screen
'The Bastard Executioner' takes a violent trip into the past
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015 The new series, which has been somewhat unfairly compared to Game of Thrones, is from Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter.
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Screen
TV review: 'Moonbeam City'
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015 Nostalgia overkill? The animated comedy comes off like a cross between Miami Vice and Jem and the Holograms.
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Film
Film review: 'Dragon Blade'
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015 Cheesy dialogue, hammy acting and an overbearing score.
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Screen
Film review: It’s religion vs. dancing in 'Jimmy’s Hall'
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015 The story, based on the real-life experiences of Irish activist Jimmy Gralton, is a bit predictable and heavy-handed.
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Screen
Amazon's 'Hand of God' is a punishing experience
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015 Dramas don’t get much darker than this.
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Screen
The funny, insightful 'Mistress America' is one of this year's best movies
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015 Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig team up again.
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Noise
Concert review: Slipknot and Lamb of God deliver intense music and good vibes
Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015 Even in the fires of hell, it helps to be among friends.
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Features
Fall A&E Preview: Movies
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015 From Johnny Depp in a gritty biopic to the retro-fueled insanity of Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin, fall films are ready to thrill.
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Site Feature
Fall A&E Preview: TV
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015 Despite the drastic changes in TV-viewing habits in recent years, the major broadcast networks insist on rolling out dozens of new shows in early fall.
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Film
'The Diary of a Teenage Girl' is a funny, sad, triumphant coming-of-age story
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015 Diary is based on Phoebe Gloeckner’s semi-autobiographical graphic novel and set in San Francisco in 1976.
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Film
The drug war gets a superficial dramatization in 'Narcos'
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015 A history lesson with occasional drama.
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Film
'We Are Your Friends' brings generic angst to the EDM world
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015 WAYF is set up like an EDM version of Entourage.
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Film
'Z for Zachariah': Love triangle in the post-apocalypse
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015 Exploring issues of race and gender in Eden.
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Screen
Film review: 'No Escape'
Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015 At one time, it might have made sense for Owen Wilson to demonstrate his range by starring in a grimy thriller.
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Film
The Las Vegas Film Festival further cemented its position as the city’s premier movie showcase
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015 The shorts were easily the festival highlights.
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television
Patrick Stewart debases himself in Starz comedy 'Blunt Talk'
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015 Stewart dives into his role with admirable gusto, but the show around him isn’t worthy of his talents.
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television
'Documentary Now!' hits its very specific satirical targets with precision
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015 It may be niche humor, but it fills that niche skillfully.
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Film
Action eventually kills comedy in 'American Ultra'
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015 The filmmakers put so much effort into creating badass moments that they lose sight of the core of the story.
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Screen
‘Cop Car’ is a nasty, darkly funny thriller
Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015 Strong performances and a whole lot of cleverness and creativity from director Jon Watts.
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Noise
Kelly Clarkson put on a relatable and musically accomplished show
Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015 The multiplatinum-selling pop star's enthusiasm for interacting with the audience always came across as genuine.
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A&E
Fake housewives: Q&A with 'The Hotwives of Las Vegas'
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015 "We felt like we had drunkenly done the research in our 20s."
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A&E
Film review: 'Cartel Land'
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015 Vigilantes take the spotlight in this new flick.
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Screen
'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' goes overboard on style
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015 The plot is full of twists and a killer car chase, but it lacks a sense of urgency.
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A&E
'Show Me a Hero' explores the consequences of taking a stand
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015 The book-based series is built around city hall intrigue.
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Music
Concert review: Singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams starts shaky but finishes strong
Friday, Aug. 7, 2015 There wasn’t much of an audience for Williams at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, but she got plenty of appreciation from the people that did show up.
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Film
Film review: 'Dark Places'
Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015 The murder mystery staring Charlize Theron is ultimately unsatisfying.
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Film
'The Gift' is not your average thriller
Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015 The elegant story unfortunately ends with a cheap, sensationalistic twist.
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Film
Meryl Streep plays a mediocre musician in the mediocre 'Ricki and the Flash'
Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015 There might be a lot of talent behind the film, but Ricki is inauthentic and uninspired.
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Film
What to watch at this year's Las Vegas Film Festival
Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015 Local productions, favorites from other fests and a partnership with the much-missed CineVegas.
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Film
Four successful superhero reboots
Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015 Batman Forever and Batman & Robin were disastrous, but Batman Begins succeeded both critically and commercially.
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Music
Lyle Lovett and his large band take over the Smith Center stage
Wednesday, July 29, 2015 When Lovett focused on his own songs and his own performance, the show was excellent.
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Screen
Documentary 'Twinsters' is a feel-good family story
Wednesday, July 29, 2015 It never loses sight of the personal story of these optimistic women and their genuinely life-affirming journey.
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Screen
What to look for from Hulu’s expanded original programming
Wednesday, July 29, 2015 Four new shows are coming. Watch out, Netflix.
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Screen
Netflix’s 'Wet Hot American Summer' prequel pays tribute to itself
Wednesday, July 29, 2015 The people who love it really, really, really love it.
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Film
'Rogue Nation' upholds the quality of the 'Mission: Impossible' series
Wednesday, July 29, 2015 With twisty plotting and robust action, the latest installment is a strong example of the best in blockbuster filmmaking.
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Film
The new ‘Vacation’ is a poor addition to the series
Tuesday, July 28, 2015 Starring Christina Applegate and The Hangover's Ed Helms, it's a sad re-creation of a once-beloved comedy franchise.
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Film
CineVegas returns in partnership with the Las Vegas Film Festival
Thursday, July 23, 2015 CineVegas went on hiatus following its 2009 edition.
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Film
‘Paper Towns’ is a tedious teen romance
Thursday, July 23, 2015 Based on a novel by The Fault in Our Stars author John Green, the flick is more John Hughes than Nicholas Sparks.
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Film
'Joe Dirt 2' bites the dust with stale fart jokes and weak callbacks
Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Imagine a cheaper, lazier version of a typical Adam Sandler movie.
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Film
Jake Gyllenhaal swings and misses in boxing drama 'Southpaw'
Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Even the boxing sequences are mostly unremarkable, a few exciting POV shots aside.
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Film
'Infinitely Polar Bear' explores life with a bipolar dad
Wednesday, July 22, 2015 The movie exudes familial love and forgiveness.
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Film
'Pixels' goes from a viral short to a typical Adam Sandler dud
Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Listless performances and a moronic plot. Surprise?
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television
Denis Leary is an unconvincing musical legend in 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll'
Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Dad rock: Like its protagonist, the FX comedy is mostly a sad relic straining to appear hip.
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Film
'Mr. Holmes' takes a different approach to the legendary detective
Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Ian McKellen's Sherlock Holmes doesn’t feel like a copy of any of the dozens of other actors who’ve played the character.
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television
Tennis mockumentary '7 Days in Hell' can’t quite claim victory
Wednesday, July 8, 2015 The HBO flick starring Andy Samberg exists in an odd middle ground between a feature film and an extended sketch.
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Film
The 'Minions' struggle to carry their own movie
Wednesday, July 8, 2015 The little yellow pill-shaped creatures have become pop-culture staples, and the movie’s main purpose seems to be to further their ubiquity.