LINCOLN [Blu-ray]

Historical drama, Civil War, political wranglingThis is a film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, so the budget was huge and production values were high. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is phenomenal as Lincoln, and the film does a good job conveying all the pressures Lincoln faced; it focuses on his efforts to turn the Emancipation Proclamation into the 13th Amendment before the end of the Civil War. We also get to see some the many players that helped and opposed it.Sally Fields is likewise formidable and believable as the troubled and complex Mary Lincoln. Our modern sensibilities toward the office of president are much changed from what the Lincoln family experienced, and everyone, for good or ill, was much more accessible by even the average citizen. Most people don't know it, but a cow grazed on the front lawn of the White House, both for the milk and to help keep the grass down somewhat.Other supporting luminaries such James Spader as Republican operative William N Bilbo, Hal Holbrook as Francis Preston Blair, Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, S Epatha Merkerson as Stevens' biracial housekeeper, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Todd Lincoln, and David Strathairn as William H Seward all give strong performances.At 150 minutes, it's a long film, but you're often so engrossed you don't notice. And, there are several short bonus features. Well worth the cost to add this to one's film library. Enjoyed.

The film is pretty smart with how it handles it's subject matter. rather than try to tell Lincoln's story from the cradle to the grave it instead focuses on the last few months of his life. primarily when Congress had to pass the 13th amendment to abolish slavery. it shows how deeply divided on the subject even the emancipationists in the North were on the subject, but also how brave it was for certain politicians to stand up and vote for it. plus Tommy Lee jones gives the best performance of his career, in my opinion, as Thaddeus Stevens a very unsung hero of American civil rights. the movie is long but it's so compelling you'll wish it went on for longer, focusing both on the last pivotal battles of the civil war, as well as Lincoln's personal family drama. the key word for the movie is tasteful. it focuses on what it needs to focus on but doesn't give a second of screen time to his killer, and that was genius in my opinion. over all watch this movie. it's a great informative film that will make you want to do your own research on the man and the time period

I was very, very anxious to see "Lincoln" in the theatres but was unfortunately unable to. Once it became available for home consumption I watched it twice on the same day. I have always been a huge fan of Stephen; I'd love to meet him someday. His work has never dissapointed me, and this, the 11th of his films that I have seen (Jaws, E.T., all four Indys, Close Encounters, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, and Saving Private Ryan are the others) is just flat-out beautiful and left me crying a bit at the end.Daniel Day-Lewis is wonderful--and very human--as our 16th President. He gives us a Lincoln who's got all the homespun stories and is kind and loving on the one hand, but on the other, can turn on the political charm when he needs it to do the proverbial arm-twisting necessary to secure key votes that will help the 13th Amendment get the required 2/3 majority to finally pass the House. And Day-Lewis' Abe must still be a husband and father in a family not devoid of issues--particularly eldest son Robert's desire to join the army--which neither his father or mother Mary (Sally Field) wants. Field's First Lady is still dealing with the loss of one son (Willie) to a well-documented illness and is still on edge. Eventually, Field and Day-Lewis go at it in a good-old domestic nose-to-nose. Sally Field's always been great. She put herself through quite a bit to perform this difficult character, but she damn-well did it--and she deserves all the accolades she's already received for the job she did.And then there's the Cabinet--led by Robert Straithorn's icy and ascerbic Secretary of State Seward. Straithorn's perfect for this role. He plays these types as well as anyone. And eventually, Day-Lewis' Abe eventually is driven to go ballistic by his own closest advisors as he must deal with not only the urgency he feels for getting the Amendment passed, but the timing of a Confederate peace offer that Seward's not too pleased about and is quick to let his President know about it. And yet, Straithorn also shows great respect and restraint when, in the Lincoln death scene, he quickly and quietly delivers the most famous thing Seward ever said: "Now he belongs to the Ages." It sounded almost as if Straithorn must have felt it was something he didn't really feel he deserved the right to say--even as an actor.I wish Hal Holbrook had had a little more to do, but he's a treasure in any case.But there are two things that truly steal this film for me on top of everything else. How about Tommy Lee Jones? His Thaddeus Stevens absolutely kicks ass--not only the character's personality, but the way Jones just nails it. And there's a little surprise Jones provides for us once the Amendment passes.And then, there are the locations. The Richmond-Petersburg area is like a second home to me. I went to VCU, worked for four years for the Commonwealth as a young messenger/delivery man while in school, began my media career there and still have many dear friends there. The scenes shot in and around Capitol Square really hit home, because I could recognize many things close-up that, of course, had to be shot tight to begin with. The scene shot near Washington's statue in the rotunda of Jefferson's Capitol had me saying "Boy, if I had a nickle for every time I walked through that hallway when I was making a delivery!" I still visit Richmond at least once a year to see my old friends. It's always been a beautiful city and I'll always love it. It served Spielberg well.My only question...is the computer animation that turns Jefferson's Capitol into a newly-reconstructed (completed in time for 1865) U.S. Capitol completely accurate? Was the top of the Capitol dome ACTUALLY blue in the beginning and then painted white later on? Didn't know that. Oh well, that's a little thing.And with that little throw-away line said, this film, on the whole, is another Spielberg masterpiece.

This is the second time our family has watched this excellent film. Events are (for the most part) historically accurate; acting and writing are superb