Review of Lincoln (2012) by Brandon S — 20 Jul 2016

In contemporary cinema, there are two types of movie magic: 1) The fantasy and adventure of escapism. 2) Transporting an audience to the past, and re-creating history. Steven Spielberg has redefined both of these breeds of movie magic in the past thirty years of moviemaking.

Spielberg's LINCOLN shines as a strong example of the latter. It's a pure, breezy, well-paced example of an excellent director telling a story excellently.

Also, how could I not mention the acting, which is almost inarguably the best aspect of the movie. Lee Pace, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, Sally Field, (briefly) David Oyelowo, and David Straithairn all give brilliant performances, but it goes without saying that one stands out above the rest: Daniel Day-Lewis. He gives a performance so striking and compelling that it will surely stand the test of time as a towering landmark, much like the figure he portrays with such quiet humility and excellent pacing.

Simply put, this is a masterpiece.