Home — Crooked Marquee

Josh Bell

Josh Bell is a freelance writer and movie/TV critic based in Las Vegas. He's the former film editor of 'Las Vegas Weekly' and has written about movies and pop culture for Syfy Wire, Polygon, CBR, Film Racket, Uproxx and more. With comedian Jason Harris, he co-hosts the podcast Awesome Movie Year.

News archive

VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) On Demand This Week

Oct 26th, 2020

Our mini-reviews of ‘Friendsgiving,’ ‘Welcome to the Circle,’ ‘Emily and the Magical Journey,’ and more upcoming, off-the-beaten-path VOD...

Review: Seized

Oct 13th, 2020

The latest direct-to-digital action extravaganza from prolific star Scott Adkins doesn’t match his best efforts, but is nevertheless a serviceable...

VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) On Demand This Week

Oct 12th, 2020

Our mini-reviews of ‘Bad President,’ ‘Monster Force Zero,’ ‘Monochrome: The Chromism,” and more recent off-the-beaten-path on-demand...

Checking In On the Long, Long, Loooong-Running <i>American Pie</i> and <i>Tremors</i> Franchises — Josh Bell

Checking In On the Long, Long, Loooong-Running American Pie and Tremors Franchises

Oct 7th, 2020

This month, curious viewers can check out the ninth (!) ‘American Pie’ movie, and the seventh (!!) ‘Tremors’ film. And how are they?...

VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) On Demand This Week

Sep 28th, 2020

Our latest fringe-VOD round-up, featuring mini-reviews of “Alien Addiction,” “Rising Hawk,” “She’s In Portland,” and more.

VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) On Demand This Week

Sep 14th, 2020

Our mini-reviews of ‘Lost Girls & Love Hotels,’ ‘Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs,’ ‘The Swerve,’ and more

VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) On Demand This Week

Aug 31st, 2020

In the latest batch of VOD releases from the margins, Hugo Weaving tackles Shakespeare, Maisie Williams robs a house, and Pauly Shore drops a...

VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) On Demand This Month

Aug 18th, 2020

In this month’s fringe VOD releases, ghosts and filmmakers find love, bad things happen in escape rooms and wildlife sanctuaries, and a haunted...

Review: Paydirt

Aug 6th, 2020

The paydirt in the opening of Paydirt is actual dirt, stuffed into garbage bags and buried under other dirt, and then dug up by a drug kingpin known...

In Praise of Heather Langenkamp, the MVP of the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' Series

Jul 16th, 2020

The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise is about Freddy Krueger. With his burn scars, his tattered red and green sweater, his worn brown hat, and his...

VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) On Demand This Month

Jul 13th, 2020

This month’s fringe VOD offerings include an alien invasion, a haunted mansion, and a psychic dominatrix, but none of that quite compares to the...

Review: <i>Force of Nature</i> — Josh Bell

Review: Force of Nature

Jun 30th, 2020

There are so many troubling elements to Force of Nature that it’s tough to know where to begin. Stars Emile Hirsch and Mel Gibson have both...

In Praise of the Long-Unavailable, Slyly Subversive 'Little Darlings'

Jun 23rd, 2020

The summer camp sex comedy is a cornerstone of 1980s cinema, and at first glance 1980’s Little Darlings looks like a minor example of the genre,...

VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) On Demand This Month

Jun 15th, 2020

This month’s fringe VOD offerings feature unauthorized depictions of Elvis Presley and Lynyrd Skynyrd, plus a homicidal pro wrestler, a pair of...

VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) On Demand This Month

May 18th, 2020

Bruce Willis, Scott Adkins, and a killer shark make for a direct-to-video all-star line-up in this month’s look at movies on the margins of the...

Page 2 of 5123 4 5