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Josh Bell

Contributing Editor

Contributing editor Josh Bell he has been a Las Vegas Weekly staffer since 2002, writing film and TV reviews and covering local entertainment. He is a member of the Las Vegas Film Critics Society, and his movie reviews appear on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

A Las Vegas resident since 1995, Bell took a brief detour to Massachusetts, where he graduated from Amherst College in 2002 with a degree in English. He has contributed to publications including Las Vegas Life, Casino Player, Kirkus Reviews and Media Life. Like everyone, he has a blog (signalbleed.blogspot.com).

When not at a screening or in front of the TV, Bell enjoys reading novels and comic books, and taking naps.

Josh's favorite movie is Heathers.

Contact Josh via e-mail

Call Josh at 702-990-2411.

Story Archive

'New Moon': Quiver. Swoon. Yawn.
The latest in the Twilight saga is more gooey tedium for fans only
Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009
If you haven't gotten your fill of pouts and sad eyes from the New Moon stars on tabloid covers, the new film serves up another helping in the next installment of the Twilight vampire saga.
The Blind Side
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
Short on sports, big on inspiration.
Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
Put John Paul Jones, Josh Homme and Dave Grohl in a band together, and you’re bound to grab people’s attention.
Forget Leno and Letterman; the latest talk-show battle is on cable
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
A head-to-head competition is taking place as networks work to establish their own talk-show dynasties, with a bit more diversity in their choice of hosts.
Pirate Radio
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
Set sail for an education in debauchery from some hedonistic DJs.
2012
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
Also known as: The Day After Tomorrow.
Carrie Underwood
Play On
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
Underwood’s music is as poppy as country gets.
An existential failure: AMC’s new 'The Prisoner' lacks the original’s verve
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
The 1960s British TV series The Prisoner is hugely influential in the world of sci-fi and secret-agent TV shows and movies. How does AMC's new version stack up?
So fun, too fast: Kelly Clarkson at The Joint
Singer stays just 80 great minutes
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
Does any pop star have more fun than Kelly Clarkson?
Slipknot
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
The final performance on Slipknot’s latest tour, Halloween night at the Pearl, was as intense as would be expected.
A Christmas Carol
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
Listen, Robert Zemeckis, I think we need to have a talk. Remember when you used to make those cool popcorn blockbusters full of real actors and cutting-edge special effects and lots of heart?
The Fourth Kind
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
In 2000, Dr. Abigail Tyler uncovered supposed evidence of widespread alien abductions in Nome, Alaska. In 2009, the movie about Tyler is just another lame thriller.
Creed
Full Circle
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
After eight years, nothing has changed.
Intimate horror at the Blacklist Festival
Deserving short film fest is short on audience at the Griffin
Friday, Oct. 30, 2009
Short horror films, beer and creepy art. What's not to like?
Movies about the afterlife
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009
No, Dead Man Walking is not on this list.
A makeshift memorial for MJ
This Is It is an inadequate epitaph for the King of Pop
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
"This Is It" is an inadequate epitaph for the King of Pop.
Trick 'r Treat
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
Trick ’r Treat deserves points for avoiding cheap thrills and excessive gore, but its limited old-school charms are not nearly as impressive as its inflated reputation suggests.
The aliens have landed
ABC revives sci-fi classic V
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
Is V the new Lost?
Horror heaven
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
In Vegas, Halloween often means slutty comments, but for those craving spooks, there's Fangoria.
U2 showcases classic past, passable present
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
Do we really need stadium concerts anymore? Probably not, but if we have to endure them, then U2 is certainly the band for the job.
In defense of chain pizza
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009
Josh Bell isn't a foodie, but he's willing to defend Papa John's.
"A Serious Man" proves to be seriously impressive
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
The Coen brothers are in top form with newest flick, A Serious Man.
Lyle Lovett
Natural Forces
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
Lyle Lovett is holding back.
Taking Dawn takes Vegas
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
Taking Dawn's throwback hard-rock act is clearly going places.
Steel Panther
Feel the Steel
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
Steel Panther's Feel The Steel is so bad it isn't even funny.
Checking in on the fall’s new shows
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
For the most part, shows have garnered more buzz than ratings, and pilots that seemed encouraging have developed into series not nearly as entertaining.
The Sounds bring big pop to a small venue
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009
Justin Timberlake might have been playing just across the casino, but Swedish retro-poppers The Sounds didn’t seem to have any trouble drawing a crowd to the House of Blues last night.
Fountains of Wayne rocks the comps
Friday, Oct. 16, 2009
“Hello, guest list,” Fountains of Wayne frontman Chris Collingwood said by way of introduction as his band took the stage at Wasted Space last night.
Heavy metal, like clockwork
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009
Thanks to the relative dearth of women in heavy music, Lacuna co-lead vocalist Cristina Scabbia has become the biggest sex symbol in metal, and the audience made its (perhaps slightly creepy) appreciation known.
The Boys are Back
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009
Minor conflicts arise, but The Boys Are Back is so uneventful that it often seems like we’re watching Joe parent in real time.
A short take on short films
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009
With CineVegas out of the picture, we need events like the Las Vegas Latino Short Film Festival more than ever.
Kiss
Sonic Boom
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009
I know, it’s hard to believe, but Kiss’ latest collection of original material sticks successfully to the basics, essentially ignoring the last 25 years of musical history and just rocking out ’70s- and ’80s-style.
Couples Retreat
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
Couples Retreat has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Paranormal Activity
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
Paranormal Activity is at heart another haunted-house movie, albeit one that takes the time to think about the true nature of haunting.
The Burning Plain
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
The Burning Plain is a dour, heavy-handed drama.
ESPN’s 30 for 30 brings depth to unsung sports stories
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
30 for 30 proves that TV about sports can be artistic, thoughtful and moving.
The Clydesdale
Clementine
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
A little more of Overton, and a little less goofing off, would have made Clementine as rewarding an experience as The Clydesdale’s excellent live shows.
Alice in Chains
Black Gives Way to Blue
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
Black Gives Way to Blue doesn’t sound much different from the two solo albums guitarist Jerry Cantrell released a few years back, continuing the Alice in Chains legacy of sludgy, sometimes catchy hard rock.
Kylie Minogue's pop spectacle worth the (22-year) wait
Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009
“Does anyone know roughly off the top of their head how long it’s taken me to get here?” Kylie Minogue asked the packed house at the Pearl Saturday night on the second stop of her first-ever North American tour. Yes, Kylie. Too long. Too damn long.
At the cinematic mercy of others
What happens when friends, co-workers and complete strangers can inflict movies on a critic
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009
People often tell Weekly film critic Josh Bell that he's paying attention to the wrong movies, so he gave them a chance to pick what deserved coverage, whether that was an underrated favorite or a terrible movie selected for sheer torture value.
Whip It
Want to feel like one of Drew Barrymore's bestest buds? Watch this movie
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut Whip It plays like one pictures a sleepover at Barrymore’s house might unfold.
Zombieland
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Zombieland takes everything Shaun did cleverly—the meta-movie references, the love amidst the apocalypse, the forging of a makeshift family to combat unspeakable horrors—and amps it up with distracting, empty visuals and lazy, repetitive jokes.
Farewell, CineVegas
A look back at the dearly departed film festival
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Even with CineVegas in limbo, its legacy will remain.
Miranda Lambert
Revolution
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Miranda Lambert is still exploring all the facets of her craft, and she’s got plenty of ground left to cover.
Journey to the center of sci-fi
Downtown’s Sci Fi Center has become home to an unlikely movie theater
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
Add 50 movie theater seats to a comic book and memorabilia store and you have the city's unlikeliest movie theater. Who wants to catch a showing of Blade Runner?
Cold Souls
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
Cold Souls owes a lot to Charlie Kaufman’s work, particularly Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but director Sophie Barthes’ film generally suffers by comparison.
The September Issue
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
Legendary Vouge editor Anna Wintour inspired Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada, but The September Issue shows she isn't quite as cruel as the devil.
Pearl Jam
Backspacer
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
Pearl Jam has nothing left to prove, and that can be liberating. After you’ve sold millions of albums and essentially defined an entire movement, you can afford to do whatever you feel like doing, even if that's going into dad-rock territory.
New time, same old Leno
The Jay Leno Show is more of the uninspired same
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
Anyone who loved Leno on Tonight will likely continue to love him here, but extending the host’s brand of middle-of-the-road, obvious comedy and fawning celebrity interviews is not something to be celebrated.
Thor at the Bus Stop
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
Despite the mystical overtones, Thor isn’t a supernatural movie.