Point-by-Point: Lincoln 9/10

I'd resisted going to see Spielberg's Lincoln for weeks for a few reasons, two of the most glaring being the director, who I loathe (I hold to my statement that War Horse is the worst movie thus far this century), and the lead actor. I know Daniel Day-Lewis is considered one of the most respected actors working today, but I just can't get into him the way everyone else seems to. Thus, this movie just seemed like a massive chore to have to sit through.

However, as I was composing my Top Movies of 2012 list, I was, naturally, reading real critics' lists and Lincoln consistently showed up at the top. The evidence was too overwhelming: I had to put aside my misgivings and give it a go, if only to ensure fairness.

The Good:
Spielberg keeps his meddling, emotionally-manipulative mitts (mostly) out of the way of the story. I've seen a few comparisons between this and his directorial style on Empire of the Sun and I really can't argue with that connection. In this, he puts his efforts into creating a fully immersive atmosphere and experience, but lets Tony Kushner's elegant, emotionally-restrained script do the heavy lifting. There are a few sweeping-score moments where you feel like it may devolve into treacle, but it manages to save itself.

More than anything, it seems to be the strength of the script that keeps Spielberg's more overbearing tendencies at bay. Kushner won the Pulitzer for Angels in America and he continues to have an incredible ear for political-but-not-preachy dialogue.

Daniel Day-Lewis, for as much as he may annoy me in most other recent roles (I'm looking at you, Gangs of New York), is incredible and now I get why everyone is raving about this movie, if only for his performance. I'm fascinated by the physical aspect of acting and easily my favorite thing in this movie is his embodiment of how an overly-tall, assured-yet-gawky older man moves. It's a little thing, but I love it.

The Bad:
Remember how I said Spielberg restrains himself, re: emotional masturbation? Well... he does. Until the very end scene/shot. If that shot had happened at the beginning of the movie instead of the end, I would have walked out.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets relatively high billing but is given almost nothing to do. It's odd, in a movie in which many actors/characters make strong impressions in seconds, to have someone who is just taking up space.

The Ugly:
When did beautiful, squirrelly James Spader turn into Jim Broadbent??? I did not even recognize him.

Points I Pondered:

• I realized how little I know about the Civil War, beyond the Big Events. I should probably rectify this at some point. Are movies supposed to make you want to do homework?
• It is entirely possible to jive the events of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and this. It could still work!