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Well, is it any good? Film critics in newspapers are one thing, but I need the dakka seal of approval before I visit a cinema

In recent years, Speilberg has kinda gone of the boil. Is this a return to form or the most blatant attempt to win an oscar since Tom Cruise in 4th of July!

That's like the people who wished the Titanic hadn't sunk so the ending would have been happier.

Then again, not everyone seems aware that the Titanic was more than fiction.

I might rent it. Honestly I can't be arsed with that level of Oscar bait, and it clearly was Oscar bait.

 KalashnikovMarine wrote:
I might rent it. Honestly I can't be arsed with that level of Oscar bait, and it clearly was Oscar bait.

Agreed. Many critics have attacked it for portraying AL as some kind of saint/legend, when in reality, he had his flaws like everybody else. A few people I've spoken too who want to see it (and have little knowledge of American history) were shocked when I told them that AL was happy to have slavery in the states that already had it (as most people on this site already know) and during the civil war, AL was quite happy to uproot lots of Native tribes.

My concern is Steven Speilberg. Obviously, he's not the same director that did Duel and Jaws, ROTLA, but he seems to lay on the emotion pretty thick these days. I'll probably wait for the DVD as well.

"these days"?

Uh... Colour Purple.

Going to watch it tomorrow night. Will seek out this thread and a post review then.

Agree that Spielberg is not what he once was, but there are the occasional flashes of that old genius in his latter day films.

The opening 15 minutes of Crystal Skull (the bit between the gopher and the fridge) was classic Indy and the scene in Minority Report where Tom Cruise is hiding from those robot spiders in the bath was suitably tense. I'll happily watch a below par Spielberg film (except The Terminal), cos it'll still be better than most of the stuff that's out.

 Flashman wrote:
Going to watch it tomorrow night. Will seek out this thread and a post review then.

Agree that Spielberg is not what he once was, but there are the occasional flashes of that old genius in his latter day films.

The opening 15 minutes of Crystal Skull (the bit between the gopher and the fridge) was classic Indy and the scene in Minority Report where Tom Cruise is hiding from those robot spiders in the bath was suitably tense. I'll happily watch a below par Spielberg film (except The Terminal), cos it'll still be better than most of the stuff that's out.

I don't want to put pressure on you, but if you don't like it, I won't like it! Why waster a fiver on a cinema ticket if it's not that good.

Crystal skull had its moments, but was a bit naff TBO.

It's no bad thing that Lincoln is being released at this time, as I'm currently reading a book about Reconstructionism in the southern states. Still can't figure out why Johnson was impeached

Ok then, the best thing I can say about this film is that if talky political dramas are your cup of tea, you'll probably get some enjoyment out of this. If not, then avoid this film like the plague.

The film meanders around the core drama of the 13th amendment, to ponder the character of Lincoln himself. Daniel Day Lewis is excellent in these scenes, but you find yourself wondering whether the man really did express himself in lengthy speeches and anecdotes to which everyone listened attentively.

The main problem for the film is that these character scenes are competing with the drama in the House of Representatives where they are feverishly debating the 13th amendment. In spite of Daniel Day Lewis's performance, this is really where all the entertaining stuff happens. Tommy Lee Jones scene steals as you expect he would, particularly when renouncing his radical political views via a superb character assassination of his political opponent.

As with every Spielberg effort of the last two decades, the film struggles to find an ending after the drama of the final vote. Eventually, we stop at the assassination which is pointless because it has nothing to do with the main plot or Lincoln as portrayed in the film i.e. the link between Lincoln, his enemies and a motive for assassination isn't made clear.

The cast is mahoosive and it's fun spotting great actors in minor roles such as Jackie Earle Hayley as a cold eyed Vice President of the Confederate States (see below) negotiating for peace and Jared Harris as Ulysses Grant trying to stall him.



Final Verdict - I enjoyed some aspects of the film, but found a few scenes to be a bit long winded and I'm not sure I'd fall over myself to watch it again.

Alternatively, I enjoyed 'Les Mis' immensely.

 Flashman wrote:
Ok then, the best thing I can say about this film is that if talky political dramas are your cup of tea, you'll probably get some enjoyment out of this. If not, then avoid this film like the plague.

The film meanders around the core drama of the 13th amendment, to ponder the character of Lincoln himself. Daniel Day Lewis is excellent in these scenes, but you find yourself wondering whether the man really did express himself in lengthy speeches and anecdotes to which everyone listened attentively.

The main problem for the film is that these character scenes are competing with the drama in the House of Representatives where they are feverishly debating the 13th amendment. In spite of Daniel Day Lewis's performance, this is really where all the entertaining stuff happens. Tommy Lee Jones scene steals as you expect he would, particularly when renouncing his radical political views via a superb character assassination of his political opponent.

As with every Spielberg effort of the last two decades, the film struggles to find an ending after the drama of the final vote. Eventually, we stop at the assassination which is pointless because it has nothing to do with the main plot or Lincoln as portrayed in the film i.e. the link between Lincoln, his enemies and a motive for assassination isn't made clear.

The cast is mahoosive and it's fun spotting great actors in minor roles such as Jackie Earle Hayley as a cold eyed Vice President of the Confederate States (see below) negotiating for peace and Jared Harris as Ulysses Grant trying to stall him.



Final Verdict - I enjoyed some aspects of the film, but found a few scenes to be a bit long winded and I'm not sure I'd fall over myself to watch it again.

DVD it is then. If only somebody would give George Washington or Napoleon, or the Duke of Wellington the Lincoln treatment, I'd be laughing


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Albatross wrote:
Alternatively, I enjoyed 'Les Mis' immensely.

It's a musical! Give me Mad Max any day of the week

Did you seriously put a Spoiler warning on Lincoln? I'm pretty sure the statute of limitation on spoilers for this has run out.

Its about a fight about the 13th Amendment. In that context it is good and the performances are excellent. I really like how they worte a stroytelling Lincoln.

If you're looking for a biography though, this isn't it.

 AduroT wrote:
Did you seriously put a Spoiler warning on Lincoln? I'm pretty sure the statute of limitation on spoilers for this has run out.

As I said in the original post, some people didn't know that Lincoln was killed and were not happy when they found out (before watching the film)


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Frazzled wrote:
Its about a fight about the 13th Amendment. In that context it is good and the performances are excellent. I really like how they worte a stroytelling Lincoln.

If you're looking for a biography though, this isn't it.

The north has not forgotten Texas' treachery in turning its back on the union.

Back On topic. So it's a three star out of five film then? In all honesty, even if everybody hated it, I'd still buy the DVD. I've got a weakness for American history.

Just found out the other day that President Hayes has never appeared on a US banknote or stamp. That's the kind of info that can win you quiz nights!

 Frazzled wrote:
Its about a fight about the 13th Amendment. In that context it is good and the performances are excellent. I really like how they worte a stroytelling Lincoln.

If you're looking for a biography though, this isn't it.

+1

Solid story and acting (and visuals, etc.), and unusual choices. Everyone I know who's seen it agrees that it's about 5 minutes' worth of cutting from being a much better film (heavy-handed at unnecessary points). Not a must-see, but definitely recommended, esp. if you enjoy political dramas. (No, you don't need to be a history buff to understand.)

 spiralingcadaver wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
Its about a fight about the 13th Amendment. In that context it is good and the performances are excellent. I really like how they worte a stroytelling Lincoln.

If you're looking for a biography though, this isn't it.

+1

Solid story and acting (and visuals, etc.), and unusual choices. Everyone I know who's seen it agrees that it's about 5 minutes' worth of cutting from being a much better film (heavy-handed at unnecessary points). Not a must-see, but definitely recommended, esp. if you enjoy political dramas. (No, you don't need to be a history buff to understand.)

A return to form for Speilberg then?

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 AduroT wrote:
Did you seriously put a Spoiler warning on Lincoln? I'm pretty sure the statute of limitation on spoilers for this has run out.

As I said in the original post, some people didn't know that Lincoln was killed and were not happy when they found out (before watching the film)


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Frazzled wrote:
Its about a fight about the 13th Amendment. In that context it is good and the performances are excellent. I really like how they worte a stroytelling Lincoln.

If you're looking for a biography though, this isn't it.

The north has not forgotten Texas' treachery in turning its back on the union.

If I were Lincoln I would have offered Texas back to Mexico via telegram the day after the Union lost Bull Run.
Under an Enlightened Frazzled regime there would have been nothing left alive in the South. It would have had to be repopulated by new immigrants. But I'm hard core.

Back On topic. So it's a three star out of five film then? In all honesty, even if everybody hated it, I'd still buy the DVD. I've got a weakness for American history.

Just found out the other day that President Hayes has never appeared on a US banknote or stamp. That's the kind of info that can win you quiz nights!

In contrast if you like good acting, writing, a nice speller from a popcorn movie, go see it. I would take a quick refresher on what the 13th Amendment is and understand its about events related to its passage, and a critical study of Lincoln during that period.