LINCOLN

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.

Historically accurate. Great acting. Watch it.

This is one of my favorite movies of all time! Daniel Day-Lewis is simply outstanding in his role as the 16th President of the United States. He did his research, and it shows. I could not recommend this film highly enough. It should be shown in history classes around the world.

Is LINCOLN Steven Spielberg's finest achievement? Let's just say there's a lot of competition. Yet the awards, the acclaim, the accolades, the audience reception of this remarkable film speak for themselves. Telling the story of the last four months of our 16th President's life, LINCOLN focuses on the passage of the 13th Amendment--the abolishment of slavery. The Civil War is winding down; Lincoln, fearful that his Emancipation Proclamation which declared the slaves war contraband would be struck down by the courts, takes on a sense of urgency to pass the amendment in the month of January, during a lame duck Congress. With a slim Republican majority, the president is going to need some Democrats to join the Republicans; fortunately, there are 64 lame duck Democrats--who just might be looking for patronage jobs come March. Secretary of State William Seward (David Strathairn), the president's right hand man, recruits three self-proclaimed "scoundrels" (James Spader, John Hawkes, Tim Blake Nelson) to approach these Democrats in an effort to "buy" them off. The machinations of this sausage making is fascinating, and as a Confederate delegation reaches General Grant (Jared Harris) to discuss a cessation of hostilities, the story becomes more layered and compelling. We all know from history the amendment passes--narrowly--and LINCOLN then focuses on the ending of the brutal war--and the tragic ending of the president's life. Daniel Day-Lewis is an extraordinary actor, and here he gives a spellbinding performance as the tall, slender, introverted, brooding, careworn Commander-in-Chief. Yet the actor conveys another layer to this complex man; Lincoln might have the weight of the world on his shoulders, but his wit was always razor sharp, and he could relate a plethora of stories at the drop of a hat. Day-Lewis makes this film work, and work exceedingly well. The entire cast is stellar, but in particular I was most impressed by Tommy Lee Jones (fierce abolitionist Congressman Thaddeus Stevens), Sally Field (a shrill, feisty Mary Todd Lincoln), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (eldest child Robert Lincoln, who desperately wants to get in the fight), James Spader as referenced above, Bruce McGill (fiery Secretary of War Edwin Stanton), and Jared Harris as General Grant in what was comparably a very small role. Numerous actors have relatively brief roles as Congressmen or telegraph operators or staffers, yet everyone meshes in elegant believability. This Blu-Ray edition offers several bonus features; all of them are very good. From interviews with Spielberg, the cast, and the production crew, to showing us how the film was shot in Richmond, Virginia, to behind-the-scenes looks at sets, costumes, props, and musical scoring, it's all material that enhances the viewing experience. Spielberg has made several remarkable films. There would be no objection from this reviewer to make the argument that LINCOLN is this filmmaker's very best. --D. Mikels, Esq.

Steven Spielberg directs an outstanding film staring Daniel Day-Lewis in the 2012 movie: Lincoln. The few moments of violence and cruelty involved in the Civil War are constant and I would not recommend exposing ignorant young children to this sort of topic until they understand why this is all happening. Overall, Lincoln stole my heart for the life of this selfless president who became a voice of reason and completely changed the meaning of American freedom and civil rights. Daniel Day-Lewis is an incredible actor. He really became Abraham Lincoln in this film. He took into account how the president felt about everything going on his is life from the civil war, passing the amendment, and coping with the depression of the loss of a son and the possible loss of another. I loved how Lincoln was portrayed. Lewis didn't just walk around on stilts with a long beard; they took great detail in aging marks, Lincoln's fascinating height, and his grace. The visual motions of this movie made me feel like I was right there in the presence of a legend. About halfway through the movie, you're in Lincoln's meeting room and he shares a story of his time as a lawyer in Illinois. He was representing an innocent woman who would be found guilty of committing a murder of self-defense against her husband. "I took her into a conference room and she asked me where she could get a drink of water. I said `Kentucky.'" This was a really intriguing quote because this is what Lincoln has always stood for: Liberty. And you see that all throughout the film. His struggle to end a war or free slaves is so moving. To see a gentle man in the mists of violence and repression moves your heart and keeps your attention throughout the movie. I love how they did not create a scene where you watch Lincoln get assassinated. That really showed me that this movie was about his life and nothing else. Not his death and not his shooter. It was all about Abraham Lincoln, his family, and his decisions. The films made you watch as he went though his second term as president and had you grow close with the late president. My heart was stolen from this film. Daniel Day-Lewis was phenomenal from his appearance to his emotion. His voice of reason and large heart keeps you captivated and on the edge of your seat as he speaks softly. I would recommend this film to anyone who is interested in historical wars and presidential history. Go see Lincoln. You'll be happy you did.

Excellent video. Movie is very good. Video received in excellent condition. Very good price. Fast shipping.

A star-studded cast has been gathered for this amazing picture from Shephen Spielberg. The time is January, 1865. President Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) has been re-elected and is awaiting inauguration. Lincoln wishes to add the 13th amendment to the Constitution which would abolish slavery. It is Lincoln's hope to pass the amendment before the inauguration. Acting on information from Secretary of State Seward (David Strathairn), Lincoln learns that he will need 20 Democratic votes to pass the amendment. Lincoln and Seward target several lame-duck congressmen who will be out of office in the hopes of gaining their vote for the amendment. Meanwhile, Lincoln's wife Mary (Sally Field) is still mourning the death of son Willie. To make matters even more difficult for her, her son Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) wants to enlist in the army. This is almost too much for Mary to handle. The action in Congress continues to boil as the vote draws near. Plus, the bloody Civil War rages on. A delegation has been sent from the Confederacy to Washington to meet with Lincoln to see if a peace settlement could be arranged. But this delegation could threaten the congressional vote on the 13th amendment. I'm a big fan of American history, and I found "Lincoln" to be compelling and dramatic. Spielberg has done a masterful job of assembling a fine cast of actors. Daniel Day-Lewis was the perfect choice for Lincoln, and Sally Field does an equally impressive job as Mary Todd Lincoln. Of course, I can't forget Tommy Lee Jones as the racial-equality congressman Thaddeus Stevens. I thought the movie was historically accurate, and I'm glad Spielberg chose to focus on the last 4 months of Lincoln's time in office. It was interesting for me to see the battle over passage of the 13th amendment and how some of the political manuvering took place. I give "Lincoln" my highest recommendation. Daniel Day-Lewis is excellent and the story is historically correct. Don't miss this fine film about the final four months of our 16th President.

good movie