Lincoln

[Chuck to Chuck]

Quite good.  The key scene for me was near the beginning where Lincoln goes through the legal machinations of the Emancipation Proclamation. I had never heard the details behind it and the possible ramifications.

Rather up front on its focus on father-son issues.  While that's a common Spielberg theme, it's usually more subtle.

[Quality Start Machine]

Quite good.  The key scene for me was near the beginning where Lincoln goes through the legal machinations of the Emancipation Proclamation. I had never heard the details behind it and the possible ramifications.

Rather up front on its focus on father-son issues.  While that's a common Spielberg theme, it's usually more subtle.

If you have the time, I highly recommend reading Carl Sandburg's biography of Lincoln. It covers the Emancipation Proclamation in much greater detail.

[CBStew]

As we left the theater Mrs. Cubbieblue said that for most kids this is the closest that they will get to knowing the history of the end of the Civil War.  If that is the case they could certainly do worse.  Pretty damn accurate if you ask me.  This is a fine movie.  It is authentic right down to the clunky Victorian furniture in the White House, and the generally lax standards of personal hygiene.  What especially pleased me is that it counters a lot of revisionism about Lincoln.  We have all heard about how he wanted to deport freed slaves back to Africa and had no particular respect for Black people.  Perhaps.  But he abhorred the institution of slavery and refused to end the war and allow it to survive, even at the cost of more death and suffering among his own people.  The movie focuses on the last three and a half months of the war, after Lincoln was reelected.  If they started the movie with the previous summer it would have been even more dramatic because his reelection was by no means certain.  It took the fall of Atlanta and Sheridan's campaign in the Shenandoah Valley to sink the Peace Democrats who would have settled with the South---and even if there was reunion would have allowed slavery to survive.  Yet Lincoln wouldn't meet with representatives of the Confederacy and sell out his stand on ending slavery.  Wonderful acting.  Not just by Daniel Day Lewis, but Sally Fields, Tommy Lee Jones, and at least 20 supporting players whom you have been seeing on TV for years now without knowing their names. (Walton Goggins, our favorite villain from "Justified" has about 8 lines.  David Costabile, our favorite villain from "White Collar".  James Spader, Shatner's love interest in "Boston Legal".  John Hawkes from "Sessions".  Bruce McGill from "Animal House" and Rizolli and Isles" and dozens of other things.)    John Williams' score is perfect for the movie.   You will hate yourself if you miss this movie.