Lights Camera Jackson

Movie Reviews, Entertainment News and Views from Lights Camera Jackson

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I’m Not Laughing

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By definition, a comedy is “intended to make an audience laugh”. “Bridesmaids” director Paul Feig goes by a very similar standard, tweeting, “A comedy’s a film whose #1 goal is to make people laugh. If that wasn’t the filmmakers’ top goal, it’s not a comedy.” 2015 didn’t supply many pure comedies. The video game adventure […]
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Do the Legends Have It?

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Each of the four acting categories this Awards Season has their share of veteran candidates who could be honored, not only for their 2015 performance, but for their entire careers. In the Best Actor race, there’s Michael Caine as a retired orchestra conductor in the drama “Youth”. He’s a two-time Oscar winner, as is Tom […]
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The Year in Sequels – Parts 1 & 2

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“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2”, the fourth and final installment in the novel to screen franchise, had the weakest opening weekend of the series making a tad over $100 million in the U.S. Lionsgate’s theory of splitting the final book into two movies, based on the previous successes of the “Harry Potter” and […]
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LCJ’s 10 Most Fascinating People of 2015

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Transitioning from movie actor to talk show host, Brit James Corden took the reigns from Craig Ferguson as ringmaster of CBS’ “The Late Late Show”. His inaugural show was packed with star-power, including perfect choice first guest Tom Hanks and showed tons of promise. Since then Corden’s car-eoke videos have blown-up online, and his genuine […]
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Critical Catch-Up: A Handful of Mini-Reviews

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Time to plat catch-up. Here’s a quick look at five films getting Award Season attention that didn’t get full reviews. “GRANDMA” – LCJ Rating: C This dramedy from writer/director Paul Weitz (“Admission”) is only 78 minutes, and there’s a good reason why. The story, about a teenage girl who needs some cash from her wacky […]
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Your Ultimate 2016 Animation Guide

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I seem to make this statement every year, but it really does seem like we’re about to enter one of the biggest, and potentially best years in the history of Animated Movies. The crowded 2016 line-up already includes more than a dozen features with a variety of appealing storylines. Headlining the group are a trio […]
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Double Trouble?

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Could two movies prove to be too much for some actors and studios as we approach Awards Season? Cate Blanchett is currently experiencing this problem, as the praise she’s receiving for her lead actress performance in “Carol” (opening in Limited Release Nov. 20) is overshadowing her work in “Truth”. The CBS News biopic with Blanchett […]
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An Overlooked Movie Milestone

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If you’re like me (and, if so, we’re in the minority), you stay to the end of the credits of every movie you see. Not only does this practice mean you occasionally get rewarded with a bonus scene (aka “Easter Egg”) that the moviegoers who leave early miss, but there are also traditional features in […]
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Best Animated Week of the Year

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For 11 of the past 12 years, an animated movie has opened on the first weekend of November. The streak continues this year with the highly-anticipated “The Peanuts Movie”, from 20th Century FOX and Blue Sky Studios, the makers of the “Ice Age” series. “Peanuts” has a HUGE built-in fanbase, from the original Charles Schulz […]
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Leading the Independent Pack

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When movie studios are evaluated at the end of 2015, Universal (“Jurassic World”, “Furious 7”, “Minions”) and Disney (“Avengers”, “Inside Out”, “Star Wars”) will clearly receive top honors for having the greatest box office success. But, when it comes to Quality Films over the course of the year, the award will likely go small, independent […]
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