Lincoln 2012

Back from seeing this today at the Bam (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and wish I liked it more than I did. At times it felt as long as the Civil War, and didn't like some of what Spielberg did, the beginning scene after a civil war battle was silly and not needed, and did he really need to end it with his death, which was also not needed. On the plus side Lewis is unforgettable , but don't know if he will get a third Oscar for it and his scenes with Sally Field are engrossing. The whole 19th Century political games with the 13th amendment is dense, confusing and not all that compelling, even though we have some good scenery chewing hams like Tommy Lee Jones. The entire supporting cast besides Jones is large and good and since most of the historical figures are pretty much unknown we don't have the impersonation waxwork syndrome which usually kills this sort of film for me. Still I can't see the film getting much love come Oscar time, it just isn't compelling or exciting, but it will get the respect and attention that must be paid to this sort of historical drama. A side note which I found totally amazing to me halfway through the film a guy (no teenager) in front of me actually took out his dumb ass phone and started to tweet away, the light shinning in my face. I tapped on his shoulder to turn it off, but in doing so I stepped on the foot of the guy sitting next to me. You would think that someone his age would know better.