Lincoln

It seems that all I've been blogging about recently is musicals and movies...and on a much-limited budget, they're not newly released movies at that. But I still feel compelled to share a brief review just in case you're debating on whether to see it or not. In regard to this movie...I say "Do!" Go see it or if you have to wait until it's out on DVD, fine...but every American should see it.

I don't think that's on overstatement. After all, if you live in the U.S., this is your history. I love history and historical movies are just the icing on the cake for me! I haven't followed through with it as much as I've wanted, but as my two oldest have gone through United States History this school year, I've wanted to show them a different movie from several significant eras. I've learned a lot from movies over the years...even more than I ever did in textbooks...and have wanted to share this with my kids. I still plan on watching the movies I've selected for them, it just won't be in the order in which we've discussed the history too.

Case and point, the movie that is up for discussion. The kids and I have already passed through the Civil War era, but this was one I definitely wanted them to see. My youngest has also gone through a more elementary version of studying the Civil War this semester and I took all three of them to see Lincoln a few days ago.

Okay, so maybe the kids thought it was boring...but I did not! I truly did not know anything about the premise of the movie. I wrongly assumed that this was a biopic of Lincoln's life. From the opening scene, it's established that this is 1865, which from my knowledge of the Civil War told me right away that this was the last few months of Lincoln's life. Once again, I wrongly assumed most of the movie would be "flashback" to bring us up to speed to where the movie began.

About 20 minutes into the movie...I stopped guessing where it was headed and instead went along for the ride. You see, my history textbooks and even the numerous documentaries, articles, books and movies I've perused over the years never taught me about this part of history...the passing of the 13th Amendment. This amendment freed all slaves in the United States for all time.

I knew I'd probably cry at some point during the movie...I didn't know it would be in the first scene! My kids were teasing me later and the child that didn't go with us upon hearing the content that made me cry...which was the recitation of The Gettysburg Address...couldn't understand why I'd get teary to hear it spoken. I'm sure I didn't adequately put it into words, but here's the gist of it.

I am absolutely fascinated by anything that has to do with the Civil War and World War II, and have been for many, many years. In my limited human understanding, I believe outside of these two eras, there is no other time in "modern" history when the sweeping hand of God has been more evident. If you ever doubt God's existence or His involvement in human affairs, I believe you only need to study these two historical periods to see that even when battle after battle flopped...when there seemed no hope...when evil appeared to dominate and devour...God's will to wipe out prevailing, rampant evil still came through! 

Through foibles, fighting, misunderstandings and miscommunications...imperfect as it may have seemed...good triumphed over evil. This movie is yet one more testimony as to how that occurred.

I thought I was done writing, but two more thoughts rose to the surface:
1. Daniel Day Lewis deserved the Oscar! Okay, okay, I haven't seen all of the other actors' performances, but there were times in this movie when I forgot I was watching an actor. It was, I believe, one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen.
2. Watching this so soon after The Conspirator (regarding the trial of the Lincoln assassination conspirators) was a good complement, one movie to another.