Lights Camera Jackson

Movie Reviews, Entertainment News and Views from Lights Camera Jackson

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‘American Sniper’ Review

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The film that defined Clint Eastwood/Director in the 1990s was “Unforgiven”. In the 2000s, “Million Dollar Baby”, his excellent boxing drama co-starring Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman, likewise earned Eastwood Best Director and Best Picture Oscars. Now, for this current decade, “American Sniper” could very well be the film that takes Eastwood to the pinnacle […]
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‘Inherent Vice’ Review

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“Inherent Vice” is writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s follow-up to 2012’s overrated “The Master”. The only appreciation I had for that film were the performances of stars Joaquin Phoenix and particularly the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman. The rest was an unfocused and overly complicated mess. That same description can be used to describe “Inherent Vice”, which […]
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‘Wild’ Review

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Last year, director Jean-Marc Vallee earned “Dallas Buyers Club” stars Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto Lead and Supporting Actor honors from nearly every major awards organization. Now, Vallee’s follow-up, “Wild”, has placed Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern as Lead and Supporting Actress frontrunners for their raw and brave performances in one of 2014’s most engrossing […]
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‘The Imitation Game’ Review

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“The Imitation Game” is one of those Awards Season films every studio dreams of having on their “For Your Consideration” list. The true-life drama captured the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival and it’s destined to be a favorite among voters over the next few months, as is star Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays […]
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‘Penguins of Madagascar’ Review

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Not long after DreamWorks Animation released its over-the-top, all-star comedy “Madagascar” in 2005, the studio was already thinking about having the film’s breakout characters, the slick and suave Penguins, headline their own movie. Now, nearly 10 years later (and following two more “Madagascar” films and a “Penguins” TV series on Nickelodeon), the Penguins are finally […]
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‘The Homesman’ Review

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“The Homesman” is easily the most bizarre movie of 2014. Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones, one of the most respected actors of the past three decades, co-writes, directs, and stars in this adaptation of a 1988 novel. It’s a western, set in the mid-1800s. There are no trains in the film, so to be […]
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‘The Theory of Everything’ Review

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British actor Eddie Redmayne’s breakout performance was opposite Michelle Williams in 2011’s underappreciated biopic “My Week with Marilyn”. One year later, he joined the stellar ensemble of Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried for the big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical sensation “Les Miserables”. Now, Redmayne finally takes center stage, giving […]
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‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’ Review

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“The Hunger Games” movie franchise, based on Suzanne Collins’ wildly successful book series, reached greater heights with last year’s second installment, “Catching Fire”. The sequel proved to be stronger, both in quality and at the box office, than the original film. Unfortunately, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1”, the first half of the epic […]
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‘Dumb and Dumber To’ Review

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1994’s “Dumb and Dumber” is considered by some to be a cult comedy classic, highlighted by one of the funniest performances of Jim Carrey’s career. 20 years later, Carrey (who’s hasn’t had much success with anything in a while) and Jeff Daniels (who’s earned an Emmy for his current work on HBO’s “The Newsroom”) reunite […]
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‘Foxcatcher’ Review

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“Foxcatcher” is director Bennett Miller’s follow-up to 2011’s “Moneyball”, making this his second “based on a true story” sports drama in a row. The first trailer was actually unveiled over a year ago (September 2013) because the film was originally scheduled for release last December. However, Sony Pictures Classics decided to take “Foxcatcher” out of […]
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