I went with CabinGirl to see Lincoln this afternoon. We loved it. Daniel Day Lewis was amazing. The screenplay was great. The cinematography was outstanding. I enjoyed it more than I’ve enjoyed a movie in a very long time. It’s sad what has happened to the Republican Party.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
If only The Great Gatsby came out when it was supposed to, then my December movie experience would have been amazing. Lincoln, Django: Unchained, The Great Gatsby. Can’t blame them for moving it. And I usually don’t see movies in theaters because they’re so fracking expensive.
Yes I liked it a lot, especially the cinematography. The criticisms on black passiveness and the stabs at the Radicals were well-deserved, though.
TNC had lots of commentary on it:
Link
Tons more over there; you should check it out.
Did you see Great Gatsby already? Is it actually good? The trailer was terrible. But so was the Lincoln trailer, and it was indeed terrific.
I thought Django was very flawed but fascinating. Not QT’s best but I’m glad he made it. There is a terrific 3-part interview of him at the Root by Henry Louis Gates that is well worth your time.
It’s not out! They moved the release because of all the competition with Christmas/December releases. And I thought the newest trailer was quite good. I just hope Tobey M. doesn’t ruin it.
Yes, not his best, but I liked it more than Inglourious Basterds.
Some solid comments in the Coates review, but while Lincoln was no saint on slavery to the extent he long advocated for colonization, even some of the leading so-called radicals who were for abolition at some point proposed colonization abroad.
These names included Harriet Beecher Stowe and her brother Henry Ward Beecher, Thaddeus Stevens,, Horace Greeley, IL Sen Lyman Trumbull, Salmon Chase, and Benjamin Wade.
Books like The Fiery Trial are needed as a corrective to the flood of books that are too worshipful of Lincoln, but other observers out there seem a little unfair in some of their Lincoln criticisms, especially as they appear unaware that Abe was far from alone in once considering alternatives to simple abolition.
Good to hear adult reviews, because I have it on the good authority of my 13 year old nephew that “LAMH, that movie was the boredess movie ever”…lol
Speaking of Daniel Day Lewis, since you’ve seen the movie and loved it, you might like this picture from the White House flikr photostream.
Daniel Day Lewis at White House
Great shot. Love Souza – his photos are like political crack to an Obamanaut like me.
The table-pounding near the end of the lame duck was pretty great, as was the intricate explanation by the President of his thought processes re. the Emancipation Proclamation and its limited or nonexistent utility after the war; Kushner really achieved something in that soliliquy.
His statement “The Proclamation may have been illegal; I threw the case to the voters, and they re-elected me” was a painful reminder of the Bush Administration’s violations of the law. I wonder if we could have gotten some prosecutorial-style accountability for W. and his guilty minions if Kerry had been elected. Now, here we are a few years later, and all level of abuses and bad ideas have become institutionalized, largely with the approval of the other Federal branches and the general acceptance of the people. I can’t go where Greenwald et al. go on the issue; there are other things I care about more, and if I prioritized the security state
“Disappointed” doesn’t begin to cover it.
sorry…to finish- “If I prioritized fighting the security state, I don’t think I’d do well psychologically.”
First movie we have gone to in a long time. Very worth it!
Check out Eric Foner’s Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877. The capture by corporate interests that let the Confederates off the hook happened almost immediately after Grant’s election. What began as a Unionist fusion strategy morphed into a fusions strategy of industrialist, financiers, and planters-turned-capitalists. The planters-turned-capitalists dominated the Southern railroad companies, tobacco companies, and textile companies that began appearing after the Civil War.
Yes, this was a great flick. For a long time I have thought that Hollywood no longer had the ability to make serious drama with themes of politics and social justice: think “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “Inherit the Wind.” But, this gem revived my faith.
There were some cornball moments, especially the intro scene, but all in all this was a terrific political drama that had the look and feel of the truth to it.
I think Daniel Day Lewis will be a shew-in for the Best Actor Oscar, but I also thought Tommy Lee Jones’ portrayal of Thad Stevens was absolutely fantastic. Jones really made that character come to life for me.
It is indeed ironic that the Republicans of today are the Democrats of 1865. That was a thought I simply could not get out of my mind watching the movie. Sad but absolutely true.
My foremost impression was how similar things were back then to today. Votes had to be purchased, antagonism was the rule, change was difficult. The movie made me want to learn more about Lincoln and I read the Fiery Trial. Pretty similar to Obama in that he sought consensus first and never got too ahead of public opinion. His views on slavery, and blacks generally, evolved quite a bit from the beginning of his presidency.
I started “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer” but my girlfriend made me stop it after the first vampire.