Lights Camera Jackson

Movie Reviews, Entertainment News and Views from Lights Camera Jackson

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‘Youth’ Review

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Italian director Paolo Sorrentino won an Oscar two years ago in the Best Foreign-Language category for “The Great Beauty”, a phrase that also applies to his latest film, the unforgettable “Youth”. Unlike anything I’ve seen (and likely will see) this year, “Youth” is bold, unique, powerful and deeply moving – the same words I used […]
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‘The Danish Girl’ Review

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“The Danish Girl” is director Tom Hooper’s follow-up to his 2010 Best Picture Academy Award winner “The King’s Speech” and equally impressive and innovative 2012 musical adaptation of “Les Miserables”. In February, Eddie Redmayne won the Best Actor Oscar for playing the revolutionary Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything”. Redmayne has a legitimate chance […]
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‘Trumbo’ Review

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Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo once said, “The only kind of love worth having is the kind that goes on living and laughing and fighting and loving.” As a new biopic showcases, Trumbo loved to write, and he fought for his First Amendment rights for the freedom to express himself while holding beliefs that weren’t shared […]
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‘The Good Dinosaur’ Review

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Less than an hour into Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur”, I began thinking about the studio’s 15 other animated movies (never a good thing). Not all of them are outstanding (“WALL-E” being the most overrated), but given the choice, I would watch any of them again in favor of a second viewing of “The Good Dinosaur”, […]
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‘The Lady in the Van’ Review

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Dame Maggie Smith is approaching her 81st birthday, but age isn’t slowing her down one bit. The veteran actress is in the midst of an impressive renaissance. She’s been the quintessential player in the PBS drama “Downton Abbey” and has given great performances in both “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and its even better 2015 […]
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‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2’ Review

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After a solid first installment and an even stronger sequel, “The Hunger Games” franchise flamed-out with last year’s “Mockingjay – Part 1”. Lionsgate decided to split the third and final book from Suzanne Collins’ phenomenon series into two films based on the financial successes of the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” series, which utilized this strategy. […]
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‘Creed’ Review

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40 years ago, Sylvester Stallone ran up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as boxer Rocky Balboa in a film that established the standard for the sports movie genre. Following five other “Rocky” films Balboa is finally retired. But in “Creed” a special young fighter inspires Rocky to make yet another comeback. We’ve […]
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‘Love the Coopers’ Review

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In a season filled with blockbusters and awards hopefuls, “Love the Coopers” deserves a very special recognition: This all-star comedy takes elements from every “dysfunctional family coming together for the holidays” movie ever made, combining them into one, large fruitcake…that’s as hard as a rock. If you’re expecting some holiday cheer from this star-studded effort, […]
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‘Spectre’ Review

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2012’s “Skyfall” marked a box office high and critical resurgence for James Bond. However, the 53-year-old franchise has, sadly and surprisingly, taken a downfall with the newest installment – “Spectre”: that’s Bland, James Bland. Returning director Sam Mendes does deserve credit for getting things off to a rousing start, with Daniel Craig’s 007 in Mexico […]
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‘The Peanuts Movie’ Review

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When Blue Sky Studios, the makers of the “Ice Age” franchise, announced they were going to tackle the world of Charlie Brown and Co. with a CGI “Peanuts” movie, the expression “Good Grief” was heard loud and wide – the general opinion being: Why mess such beloved characters? But, 65 years after the comic strip […]
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