Lights Camera Jackson

Movie Reviews, Entertainment News and Views from Lights Camera Jackson

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‘Black Nativity’ Review

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“Black Nativity” is based on the popular, 50-year-old off-Broadway play written by Langston Hughes. The screen version has been modernized and energized with the help of spiritual songs by some of the music world’s brightest stars. Troubled teenager Langston (played by Jacob Latimore) lives with his mother Naima (Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson) in […]
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‘Frozen’ Review

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I can sum-up “Frozen” in just one word: Spectacular! This is Disney’s best animated musical since 1991’s “Beauty and the Beast”, which just happens to be my all-time favorite film. Less than a minute into “Frozen” it becomes clear that we’re about to experience something special, and that this production is destined for the stage. […]
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‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ Review

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2012’s blockbuster film, adapted from the blockbuster book, “The Hunger Games”, grossed over $400 million and ignited the career of star Jennifer Lawrence. Now an Oscar winner (and a nominee again this year for her performance in David O. Russell’s period crime drama “American Hustle”), Lawrence is “on fire” in Hollywood right now. And she’s […]
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‘The Wind Rises’ Review

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Director Hayao Miyazaki’s latest addition to his wonderful resume of animated films, which he claims are for children but are loved by fans of all ages, deserves to be remembered for a lot of reasons. But, sadly, “The Wind Rises”, will likely best be remembered as Miyazaki’s 11th and final film. At 72, he says […]
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‘The Book Thief’ Review

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I did not expect, in the first minute of “The Book Thief”, that I would be reminded, rather heavy-handedly, of the fact that we all are going to die. This cheerful beginning is just the first of a series of drops from the voiceover narrator, aka: “Death” throughout the film. And all of them are […]
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‘All Is Lost’ Review

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The pitch meeting for “All Is Lost” must’ve gone something like this: “Robert Redford…in a boat for 90 minutes…lost at sea…and he may have a chance to win his first acting Oscar.” And obviously it worked. This film is a floating one-man show. Redford is the only performer seen on screen for the entire movie, playing the only […]
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‘Thor: The Dark World’ Review

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“Thor: The Dark World” is the latest Marvel superhero blockbuster. However, while our main character wears a cape and fights evil-doers, and the word ‘Dark’ is in the title, this is essentially a romantic comedy. Let me re-phrase that: a BAD romantic comedy. After Anthony Hopkins’ long, unnecessary intro about the evil Dark Elves, his […]
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‘Ender’s Game’ Review

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At one point in “Ender’s Game” Harrison Ford tells young protagonist Ender (played by “Hugo”‘s Asa Butterfield), “You will be remembered as a hero.” Well, I will remember this movie, about a teenage boy recruited to lead a military force in a battle against evil aliens, as one of the biggest wastes of time at […]
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‘Free Birds’ Review

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In the animated comedy, “Free Birds”, a pair of turkeys named Reggie and Jake (voiced by Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson) travel back in time to the first Thanksgiving in 1621 so they can get their kind off the menu. When I first heard this concept, I thought it was unique, clever and had a […]
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’12 Years a Slave’ Review

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“12 Years a Slave” earned strong critical praise at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award. It’s no surprise director Steve McQueen’s latest drama won 3 Oscars, including Best Picture of the Year, and deservedly so. This is a heartbreaking, moving and inspiring film that needs to be seen. Based […]
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