Happy birthday, Abraham Lincoln...

...one day late. Thank you for being such an admirable leader of our country.

"People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be."

"Whatever you are, be a good one."

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

But this post isn't really about Abe Lincoln, the man...

If you’re in a hurry, read this line and move on to the next blog post on your to-read list. Go see the film Lincoln. Here is a link to trailers and such in case you've been affected by power outages for the last few months and have not heard of the movie.

If it’s still playing in theaters near me, it’s more than likely also showing near you. Go to a matinee; you won’t regret it. I don’t count it as a must-see theater movie, but if you plan to catch the Academy Awards on February 24, you are going to have wished you’d seen this movie.

I in no way claim to be a movie buff, but thanks to some friends who are, I am beginning to form some opinions about film-making and -quality. I won’t go into too much detail and reveal how much of a novice I still am ;), but I believe every American should see Lincoln. It is your duty. Put it right up there with voting.

American duties:

1. Vote

2. Watch Lincoln

From a historical perspective, Lincoln made me want to refresh my knowledge of Civil War history, and I was a little embarrassed that I only knew something about one out of every three or four political figures mentioned in the film. I have been inspired to do my civil homework!

As for the Oscars (full list of nominations here), I will not be surprised nor upset if Lincoln sweeps every category in which it’s nominated. Maybe I will revise my opinion next week after I’ve watched a couple more best-picture nominees, but of the four I’ve seen (Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Lincoln, and Silver Linings Playbook), Lincoln triumphs, hands-down. Daniel Day-Lewis is outstanding. Sally Field, who to me will always be the Flying Nun, is fantastic. I’ve liked Tommy Lee Jones since seeing him in The Fugitive as a youngster, and he simply could not have given a better performance in this film. I can’t imagine the great insight he gave to young actors on the set of Lincoln, or at least I hope he did. The costumes, production design, and attention to set detail in this movie are phenomenal. I love music and original scores and was honestly so engrossed in the film I barely noticed the soundtrack until the second half, but it fits in this movie like your favorite Smartwool socks: just right. Spielberg should bag his third Best Director Award. This could go on all day, so get thee to the theater and see for yourself! If you don’t make it, though, call me in a few months. I can’t wait to get my hands on the special features of the DVD release and will be happy to share after I’ve had my fill of Abraham Lincoln and one of the most important eras of American history...IF I ever get my fill :)

Have you seen Lincoln? What did you think?

Cheers