Lights Camera Jackson

Movie Reviews, Entertainment News and Views from Lights Camera Jackson

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Hollywood’s Obsession with Movies about Hollywood

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It’s one of my favorite genres, and certainly one that insiders love as well: films about the entertainment industry. Whether the storyline centers around making movies, TV shows, Broadway plays or music, Hollywood can’t seem to get enough of showcasing Hollywood. The latest example is this week’s release of the Coen Bros. comedy “Hail, Caesar!”, […]
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Critics Choice Awards Wrap-up

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The 21st Annual Critics Choice Awards brought together the best in Movies and TV for the first time for a live, highly entertaining, three-hour show. The Barker Hanger at the Santa Monica Airport was packed with celebs whose work over the past year on screens big and small and now, even smaller, rose to the […]
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Oscar Nominations React

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Here are the biggest snubs and surprises from the Oscar Nominations: – Eight Best Picture nominees: “Star Wars”, “Carol”, “Compton” not on the list – Lenny Abrahamson (“Room”) and Adam McKay (“The Big Short”) with surprise Best Director nominations; Ridley Scott (“The Martian”), Todd Haynes (“Carol”), Steven Spielberg (“Bridge of Spies”) snubbed – No Johnny […]
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BAFTA Nominations Breakdown

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The BAFTAs are the British version of The Oscars. And while it may not be as well known in the states as The Globes, SAG and Critics Choice Awards, this is the final major all-encompassing show before The Academy Awards. Here are the big surprises from today’s nominations announcement: – “Bridge of Spies” and “Carol” […]
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2015’s Guilty Pleasures

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Fans and critics alike often have a problem separating “Best” and “Favorite” when it comes to end of the year Top 10 compilations. A perfect example of this are all those who have “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and/or “Mad Max: Fury Road” on their Best of 2015 lists. A film can be wildly entertaining, […]
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The 10 Worst Movies of 2015

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The Worst of the Worst of 2015 come in three varieties – Action Movies, Comedies and…Action Comedies: 1. “GET HARD” In theory, the pairing of Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart was brilliant. But a lackluster script combined with ad-libbing that provides NO LAUGHS equals a really unpleasant experience. 2. “AMERICAN ULTRA” Tries way too hard […]
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The 10 Best Movies of 2015

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This year’s 10 Best list includes three beautiful romances, a pair of indie dramas, a comedy, a sports spinoff, an animated adventure, a powerful documentary and one of the most unique and bold films I’ve ever seen. 1. “YOUTH” This drama, from “The Great Beauty” director Paolo Sorrentino, features a stellar cast led by Michael […]
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2015’s Picture Perfect Pairings

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Some movies go together like popcorn and butter. Here are the best Double Feature mash-up combos of 2015: 1. “Spotlight” & “Truth” – The gritty inner-workings of investigative journalism 2. “Creed” & “Southpaw” – Pound-for-pound boxing dramas 3. “99 Homes” & “The Big Short” – Before, during and after the 2009 stock market/real estate crash […]
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10 Years a Critic

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I am approaching the end of my 10th year as a film critic. The goal here is to sum-up a decade of (as it’s stated on my website) movie news, reviews and views. I could go through lots of movie industry statistics and break down the quality of films by genre, but that would be […]
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The Comic Actor of the Decade

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One of the first films I ever reviewed was the animated adaptation of “Curious George”, starring Will Ferrell as the voice of The Man in the Yellow Hat. One of the last films I will be reviewing in my first 10 years as a film critic is “Daddy’s Home”, with Ferrell re-teaming with his “Other […]
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