Lincoln

[Jedi Master Carr]

I saw this today and it was amazing. One of Spielberg's best films in years probably since Saving Private Ryan. Daniel Day Lewis really did a brilliant job in the role. He looked and sounded like Lincoln and really nailed the person. I really loved the humor that many people forget about him. The supporting cast was great too, especially Tommy Lee Jones who will probably get an Oscar for his role as Thaddeus Stevens. Sally Field was outstanding as Mary Todd and James Spader and David Strathairn both gave great performances as well. I also really liked the script and its focus on the getting the votes for the 13th amendment. It was cool to see all the politicking and behind the scenes to get this passed. It was amazing movie and I would recommend it for those interested in historical movies or just great drama. I would give 4 stars if I had to rate it.

[CMJ]

Yes, by far the best 2012 film I have seen.

[Jedi Master Carr]

You think its the frontrunner for Best Picture?

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I thought Lincoln was excellent. DDL was amazing, as always, and Tommy Lee Jones was great. That wig was terrible and he had to wear it nearly the entire movie, which couldn't have been easy to act underneath it. Not knowing much except the bullet points of that period I found the movie engrossing. I loved all the politicking and behind the scenes lobbying that was going on. And the stakes were so high!

I enjoyed being able to pick out Lee Pace (The Fall and Pushing Daisies) as the young Democratic senator from... Virginia? The senate scenes were so enjoyable with everyone yelling and calling names, lol.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Lee Pace played Fernando Wood from New York. I found that out by looking it up :p I did hear he was from NY but didn't know who he was until looking on the net about him. He did do a pretty job playing that person.

[CMJ]

You think its the frontrunner for Best Picture?

Unfortunately no. Word around LA is that it's Les Miserables to lose at this point.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I am not sure about Les Miserables, of course I am not the biggest fan of musicals. The most recent Entertainment weekly said it was a two movie race between Lincoln and Argo with Silver Linings and Pi behind them. They didn't seem as confident with Les Miserables.

[CMJ]

I am not sure about Les Miserables, of course I am not the biggest fan of musicals.

Me neither - like some, dislike others. But, Les Miz is BIG and likely to be nommed across the board. It's also incredibly popular, among the longest running of all time, so it'll probably be a huge crowd pleaser.

[CMJ]

Oh, and LM tidal wave has just appeared since it started screening two days ago.

http://www.thewrap.com/awards/column-post/les-miserables-unveiled-ovations-controversy-and-high-oscar-hopes-66341

[Jedi Master Carr]

It should be interesting and probably a close race. Lincoln should have the advantages in the acting categories with DDL and Jones both seem favored right now.

[CMJ]

I guess I never put up a proper review here, eh? I saw this about a month before it came out. A co-worker of mine had an invite to a Q&A screening of Lincoln at the Pacific Design Center Theater and asked me if I wanted to go since he knows how big of a history (and Spielberg for that matter) guy I am. Seeing as how I’d been looking forward to this movie since the first time I heard about it several years ago - I leapt at the chance.

The cast was really amazing from DDL all the way down the minor roles with folks who had one or two lines. If there is one award this film
absolutely deserves it would be the SAG Ensemble statue. It’s really hard not to totally swept up in the pro-DDL 3rd Oscar mania after seeing
the film (not just because I thought he was so fantastic, but because of everyone else in my theater — he got ROUSING applause when his name came up in the end credits) — even though it’s hard for me to imagine him getting another one so soon. I don't think people realize how tough it is for actors to win three or more trophies. Especially since all would be lead (and the voters must think of that sort of thing looking at the statistics, hell no male has ever won 3 LEAD acting Oscars and only one female has). But yeah, he captured the Abraham Lincoln I always pictured him as from books (and I have read many books on the CW time period) - to a stunning degree. He was fatherly and funny, but with a cunning and steely underbelly that others often seem to not see.

I could go down the line of all the actors - but it’d seriously take forever. There are soooo many people in this and they all do fantastic work. The script is just great. It captured the language and time so well - maybe the best I have ever seen honestly. You can tell Kushner did his homework on this. The focus on Lincoln’s last few months was definitely the right call (hell, even as it was it jettisoned Lincoln’s tour of Richmond, which was always had some of my favorite visuals from history….especially when he sits at Jefferson Davis’ desk). Loved seeing Lincoln as a working politician and not just giving speeches or whatever (which would have been an easy trap to fall into). He does tell a lot of yarns, but that was something people always recorded that he did (probably stemming from his days as a traveling lawyer in Illinois).

The production values are all first rate. Kaminski has some downright painterly imagery (no surprise given he used some 1860's era paintings as inspiration on how to light things). The costumes and sets and all make it feel as though you just stepped into the 1860’s. Kahn’s editing work is not flashy, and he used a lot of long takes which probably made his work both harder and easier at the same time. John Williams’ music is scaled back….maybe even less music than he used in SPR. I must make mention of Ben Burtt's sound design. Not sure if you've read, but he got permission to use record Lincoln's watch (the museum people wound it up and everything so they could record the sound) as well as some other things he had ((the clock Lincoln has had his office in Illinois and one in the White House as well). So, the ticking you hear in the film was his actual stuff.

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[Jedi Master Carr]

Oh, and LM tidal wave has just appeared since it started screening two days ago.

http://www.thewrap.com/awards/column-post/les-miserables-unveiled-ovations-controversy-and-high-oscar-hopes-66341

I wanted to bump this because I think Lincoln is still the favorite for BP. Les Mes while will get a lot of nominations has just been beaten up too much by critics. It would be the lowest reviewed film ever to win, and I can't see that happening. I thought Zero Dark Thirty would have a shot, but the torture stuff is hurting it, and I can't see it winning because of the controversy. I think this is Lincoln's to lose.

[CMJ]

Oh, and LM tidal wave has just appeared since it started screening two days ago.

http://www.thewrap.com/awards/column-post/les-miserables-unveiled-ovations-controversy-and-high-oscar-hopes-66341

I wanted to bump this because I think Lincoln is still the favorite for BP. Les Mes while will get a lot of nominations has just been beaten up too much by critics. It would be the lowest reviewed film ever to win, and I can't see that happening. I thought Zero Dark Thirty would have a shot, but the torture stuff is hurting it, and I can't see it winning because of the controversy. I think this is Lincoln's to lose.

Still reluctant to say it's Lincoln's to lose, but things look better for it than a few weeks ago. I still have doubts it'll win. Spielberg has a core group of support in the industry, but obviously the Academy has gone against some of his most respected films in a major way before.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well I might be going a little far in guaranteeing it. It is probably the front runner with Zero Dark Thirty second right now.