Westside Steve Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Lincoln Touchstone Fox Dreamworks PG 13 149 min It's a little bit ironic. We've been talking about James Bond and Batman and now it's time for a historical film about a man who is a legend in just the same manner. Speculating about honest Abe has been a cottage industry here in America for a good many years. There have been literally dozens of books written about our sixteenth president stretching the gamut from Gore Vidal to Bill O'Reilly. Most of which add bits and pieces to the story most of us already knew. Anyone who is interested in Lincoln probably realizes that there are more than one opinion of his presidency and subsequent legacy. There are those who thought of him as truly the great Emancipator who's moral objections to slavery were the driving force of his tenure. Others, a bit more cynical, believe that freeing the slaves was really a device to cripple the south, win the war and thereby save the Union. I'm not here to support either idea but the film itself seems to lean toward theory one. To be honest I was a bit surprised at this non-traditional take on the Lincoln legacy. Instead of being a cinematic retelling of the war and the assassination plot director Steven Spielberg focuses on the parliamentary procedure to implement the 13th amendment. In this version President Lincoln has come to the realization that the Emancipation proclamation by itself wouldn't be enforceable in a court of law if slaves are to be considered property. Without a constitutional amendment no matter who won the war slaves could easily find themselves back in chains. The Presidents conundrum was trying to find enough pro slavery Democrats to sign on to pr at least abstain voting on a constitutional amendment. To complicate that problem even the Republicans who were on the fence about the amendment weren’t willing to put their political careers on the line especially when they found out that the war would soon be over. The North had begun an all-out assault and it would appear to be only a matter of days before the fat lady sang. So the president in order to get his amendment passed found himself having to goad, cajole, threaten, bully and reward his friends and adversaries. If parliamentary procedure sounds a little bit dry and dirty politics a little bit distasteful you might assume it would be hard to cobble together an excellent film. It is a reflection on Spielberg's great talent that this film is as good as it is. I will admit it's a little bit slow and a tad tedious but still amazingly he's easy to watch. And even if the plot starts to drag the incredible ability off Daniel Day Lewis carries the ball. We've heard over and over that Lincoln was not particularly a great orator possessing what has been called a thin and reedy voice but was also blessed with great charisma. Lewis’ portrayal is nothing short of brilliant. As a matter of fact the entire cast is stering comprised of, but not limited to, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon Levitt and on and on. You’ll feel like you were there and like you’ve met many of the people who have been previously only names in textbooks. B+ WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombo Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 I enjoyed it ... But it could have been better. B when I was expecting an A. Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPPT1974 Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Was going to either see this or Les Miserables but heard from one reviewer in my hometown that Lincoln was boring and they fell asleep at it after only like an hour. Went to see the other movie which was really good for fans of musicals. But still wants to see Lincoln and the fuss about Daniel Day Lewis sweeping every single award! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombo Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Spielberg's overrated. There, I said it. Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted April 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 well I think Spielberg has done some brilliant work. This time I think he wanted to make a statement pretty badly and the flow of the film suffered for it. I do think the actorsreally made it work to the extent that it did. One might say the same for Schindler's List but I thought that one was stunning. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombo Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 This time I think he wanted to make a statement pretty badly and the flow of the film suffered for it. I agree. I think he could have developed some of the side characters more, but that's more writing then directing. I thought the final vote could have been made more dramatic as well. I wish they would have followed a couple of the congressmen along the way to their decision so that we identified with them more when their name was called. But then again, it was called "Lincoln" and DDL was awesome as Abe. Zombo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted April 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 well anytime Spielberg is at the helm I don't think you can blame the writers or anybody else. Had that not in the direction he chose to go they'd have found somebody that could make it so. but D Day is amazing. There aren't many out there as good. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miktoxic Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 daniel day lewis IS the best actor of my time BUT i finally saw this and understood through the first 1/4 of the movie that it was based on the political process of passing the amendment. got it. got it in history class. don't need to 'sleep' through a 3 hour rendition of it. i couldn't stand it and actually started fast forwarding to the end to see if someone at least could end this thing quicker and less painless than the lincoln assassination itself. totally sucked. lewis is now winning on reputation alone. speilberg has lost it. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 daniel day lewis IS the best actor of my time BUT i finally saw this and understood through the first 1/4 of the movie that it was based on the political process of passing the amendment. got it. got it in history class. don't need to 'sleep' through a 3 hour rendition of it. i couldn't stand it and actually started fast forwarding to the end to see if someone at least could end this thing quicker and less painless than the lincoln assassination itself. totally sucked. lewis is now winning on reputation alone. speilberg has lost it. D. No, disagree. It was just a different kind of movie. It was never an action/sci-fi film that is so popular. Sure, maybe if that is not your speed, fine. Just don't criticize it and the performances because it was something you don't care for. I don't like chick flicks....but I am sure many of them are well done/written/directed/acted. Historical movies that are not based on warfare perhaps can come off dry....and this one is a bit. But just know that. Go watch Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Slayer. Perhaps that will satisfy your palate for Abe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Who wants to watch a movie that has no T and A? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Who wants to watch a movie that has no T and A? You must have missed it. There were several bedroom scenes with D-Day and Sally Field. I mean, she was naked only wearing her flying nun bonnet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koalabazooka Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 You must have missed it. There were several bedroom scenes with D-Day and Sally Field. I mean, she was naked only wearing her flying nun bonnet. Greatest comeback ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miktoxic Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 You must have missed it. There were several bedroom scenes with D-Day and Sally Field. I mean, she was naked only wearing her flying nun bonnet. blech. dude it was slow and just plain drawn out. sure there were some good performances, but just cuz lewis can perfect a slang or dialect does not mean him pounding his fists on the table and back room deals make a great movie. yeah you are correct, it wasn't my speed. i don't do 55 in the left lane. i leave that to nimrods that can't drive. there was nothing in speiberg's cinematography that was challenging. argo was historical as well and at least you could watch it without nodding off or hoping it would end. and ang lee has been shitting all over speilberg chin since his version of the hulk. hence their awards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 blech. dude it was slow and just plain drawn out. sure there were some good performances, but just cuz lewis can perfect a slang or dialect does not mean him pounding his fists on the table and back room deals make a great movie. yeah you are correct, it wasn't my speed. i don't do 55 in the left lane. i leave that to nimrods that can't drive. there was nothing in speiberg's cinematography that was challenging. argo was historical as well and at least you could watch it without nodding off or hoping it would end. and ang lee has been shitting all over speilberg chin since his version of the hulk. hence their awards. Well, you notice that Argo won over Lincoln for best picture. Certainly the subject matter of Lincoln was "dryer" than that of Argo...or the Hulk. To compare those 3 is silly. Let's bottom line this: yes, this wasn't YOUR speed. That is the sum and substance of your argument. Someday 100 years from now someone may make a movie about Obama and his healthcare proposal and the government shutdown and the debt ceiling limit. Those are current events and they are not MY Speed...and thus I ignore all the cacophony about them (unless I am getting paid to listen). But to some all this stuff is riveting. Someday someone may pass an amendment granting freedom rather than slavery to clones. (Hey!....I have a great idea.....just rewrite the Lincoln script but set it a hundred or so years into the future and have it be about clones rather than slaves. It would be science fiction then. Would you like that better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted October 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 I thought it was a damn good film but I agree it was a little tedious. Other factors combined to push it over the top, not the political pandering but the top notch acting across the board. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miktoxic Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 set it a hundred or so years into the future and have it be about clones rather than slaves. It would be science fiction then. Would you like that better? gipper. speilberg did it already and it shat the bed as well. it was called A.I. with jude law and haley joe omelet. better cinematography in that pile of used robotic parts than in lincoln and a much more interesting storyline. hey this is just my opinion. we all have different tatstes. i think what speilberg did in schindler's list and saving private ryan was over the top genius. his collaboration with hanks to do band of brothers was incredible. just don't know if i would have signed on to shoot some historically boorish courtroom scenes rather than tell the story of the war that had brother fighting versus brother and the tragedy that was living in the country outside of the 'struggle' that the suit and tie politician had wining and dining in ballrooms and brothels smoking cigars and getting their cocks sucked. just a bad story altogether. granted it must have given those hardcore political historians chubbies watching it but to the average person (and i've asked plenty since watching it) it just plain sucked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gipper Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 gipper. speilberg did it already and it shat the bed as well. it was called A.I. with jude law and haley joe omelet. better cinematography in that pile of used robotic parts than in lincoln and a much more interesting storyline. Interesting point, AI as the 13th Amendment for Robots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted October 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 I actually like that one but I really wish I could have seen what Stanley Kubrick would have done had he lived. His only disappointment to me was Ieyes wide shut. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 You must have missed it. There were several bedroom scenes with D-Day and Sally Field. I mean, she was naked only wearing her flying nun bonnet. They must look like mummies now, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miktoxic Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 I actually like that one but I really wish I could have seen what Stanley Kubrick would have done had he lived. His only disappointment to me was Ieyes wide shut. WSS my thoughts as well. They must look like mummies now, eh? LMAO!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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