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.

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.

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.

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

Poderia ter vindo com legendas em português.

Consigliatissimo! prodotto arrivato in tempo e in ottime condizioni

If you are a history/politics buff, this is the movie for you! Absolutely brilliant and well worth the Oscar for Daniel Day-Lewis.

Super film avec de bons acteurs!

さすがはスピルバーグ監督作品。 歴史上の人物を見事にエンターテインメントに仕立てあげている。 天晴れだなぁ。