Lincoln FILM Discussion Thread

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

True. It seems to haunt the critics' memories, Williams pastoral music ringing in their ears as the warning bugle against big scoring.

I suspect it's more the swelling americana schmaltz of WAR HORSE's big emotional theme which might indeed cause to rise some stomach juices in conjunction with images of a blinded boy trying to find his mare while stumbling through an army of brawny but teary-eyed WWI soldiers.

just for the record i wrote that because of this...

No to start another sexual innuendo debate

[crocodile 8,017]

Nudity? I guess the bonding theme meant something else entirely!

It was originally called the "bondage theme".

Karol

[publicist 4,643]

Track names like PLOWING or SEEDING or HORSE VS. CAR now get a pleasant drift.

[Jay 37,369]

Wow!

[Incanus 5,715]

[Hlao-roo 389]

True. It seems to haunt the critics' memories, Williams pastoral music ringing in their ears as the warning bugle against big scoring.

I suspect it's more the swelling americana schmaltz of WAR HORSE's big emotional theme which might indeed cause to rise some stomach juices in conjunction with images of a blinded boy trying to find his mare while stumbling through an army of brawny but teary-eyed WWI soldiers.

Really, with the exception of the glaringly awful "No Man's Land," I thought Williams was pitch perfect in the film's final act. If the music is schmaltz, then that's an indictment of the film itself.

It's the opening act, where the music, as wonderful as it sounds on album, sounds conspicuously forced, imposing and dictating rather than underlining and evoking.

[KK 3,307]

Track names like PLOWING or SEEDING or HORSE VS. CAR now get a pleasant drift.

[publicist 4,643]

True. It seems to haunt the critics' memories, Williams pastoral music ringing in their ears as the warning bugle against big scoring.

I suspect it's more the swelling americana schmaltz of WAR HORSE's big emotional theme which might indeed cause to rise some stomach juices in conjunction with images of a blinded boy trying to find his mare while stumbling through an army of brawny but teary-eyed WWI soldiers.

Really, with the exception of the glaringly awful "No Man's Land," I thought Williams was pitch perfect in the film's final act. If the music is schmaltz, then that's an indictment of the film itself.

That goes without saying. I never wanted to insinuate that it wasn't the director alone who was under some really heavy happy pills shit when he shot those scenes.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Why you guys even bother to watch these films, since you seem to hate them so much?

Now days I skip all the super hero movies because I can't stand those anymore. Very simple.

[publicist 4,643]

Just to get your vains popping when your darlings are trashed.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Fair enough.

[A24 4,339]

First reviews for Lincoln are very positive. Daniel Day-Lewis' subdued portrayal surprises and impresses.

http://www.rottentom...m/lincoln_2011/

Lincoln doesn’t try to offer a definitive portrait of the man’s motivations and psychological makeup, and in fact Day-Lewis’s performance is intentionally withdrawn, keeping this celebrated president still something of a mystery.

Alex

[Quintus 5,399]

Just read the Hollywood Reporter review and it sold it to me. Sounds like a brainy film, densely packed with quality dialogue which [surprisingly] stays clear of grandiosity and smaltz. I'll see it.

"I'm done with action movies" http://m.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lincoln-director-steven-spielberg-8-381483

Ohnooos, he's made an Oscar-baiting movie again and gone into another one of his bloody phases. Oh Steven; and you'd made so much progress lately. Pfft...

[publicist 4,643]

Sounds like a brainy film, densely packed with quality dialogue which [surprisingly] stays clear of grandiosity and smaltz.

We will hear again after you've seen it. Judging from the music, i fear that it crosses the border more than once. Not that i would watch LINCOLN in cinema, but still...

[Quintus 5,399]

The review says John is mostly subdued this time (the writer criticised his War Horse score), but yeah, the samples or the trailer don't really seem to convey that. We'll see (on Blu).

[crocodile 8,017]

A "withdrawn performance" from Daniel Day-Lewis? Now this is unheard of.

Karol - still not convinced

[Incanus 5,715]

Sounds like a brainy film, densely packed with quality dialogue which [surprisingly] stays clear of grandiosity and smaltz.

We will hear again after you've seen it. Judging from the music, i fear that it crosses the border more than once. Not that i would watch LINCOLN in cinema, but still...

Williams' score is once again either applauded for restraint or blamed for sentimentality by the critics, depending on how allergic people are to music in films adding any emotion to the scenes. His music is mentioned as a suitable addition to the film in nearly all the reviews I have read thusfar.

The film itself is receiving also quite positive feedback, especially Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones garnering praise for their roles. The Lincoln family angle seems to be left to the sidelines in this historical lesson, where the voting and passing of the Amendment are in the focus from the start.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Sounds like a brainy film, densely packed with quality dialogue which [surprisingly] stays clear of grandiosity and smaltz.

We will hear again after you've seen it. Judging from the music, i fear that it crosses the border more than once. Not that i would watch LINCOLN in cinema, but still...

Williams' score is once again either applauded for restraint or blamed for sentimentality by the critics, depending on how allergic people are to music in films adding any emotion to the scenes.

Achoo!

[Incanus 5,715]

It must be the flower syrup Williams used in place of saccharine in his score you are reacting to. You should see your doctor. We can't have you sneezing in the theaters, let alone having more serious symptoms like shortness of breath and feelings of suffocation when that music starts to play.

[mrbellamy 6,287]

The review says John is mostly subdued this time (the writer criticised his War Horse score), but yeah, the samples or the trailer don't really seem to convey that. We'll see (on Blu).

A lot of the reports and reviews I've read have specifically made a point of saying the movie itself is a different beast from the marketing. Less bloated sanctimony and Hollywood histrionics, more intelligent political arguments and playful idiosynchrasies. Mostly I'm just surprised by the number of people praising (of all things) its sense of humor. Knowing Spielberg/Williams and given the subject, publicist may be right that there will be at least a couple eye-rolling musical moments, but over the last few weeks, I've been getting the sense that this movie will be more interesting and entertaining than it probably has any right to be.

[Red 75]

A "withdrawn performance" from Daniel Day-Lewis? Now this is unheard of.

Karol - still not convinced

He's absolutely capable of subtlety. There are elements of his performance as Daniel Plainview that are quiet. If he's ever giving a loud performance it's only because it's written that way.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

There's something very Neeson-looking about him in the trailers that I forgot to mention until now.

[Hlao-roo 389]

A "withdrawn performance" from Daniel Day-Lewis? Now this is unheard of.

Karol - still not convinced

He's absolutely capable of subtlety. There are elements of his performance as Daniel Plainview that are quiet. If he's ever giving a loud performance it's only because it's written that way.

Day-Lewis is capable of subtlety in a paint-himself-purple and dance-naked-on-top-of-a-harpsichord sort of way.

[mrbellamy 6,287]

LOTS of interviews here with the cast and crew, plus 3 clips from the film: http://www.traileraddict.com/tags/lincoln

Link to JW's interview: http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/lincoln/interview-john-williams

[JamieC 13]

Have you seen the news this week that Tony Kushner has mentioned that he is writing a new screenplay for Steven Spielberg ? I assume it is a screenplay for a film that Spielberg might choose to direct ?

JC

[Jay 37,369]

Maybe its the Gershwin biopic

[JamieC 13]

I wondered the same, Jason. Or ...maybe...the talked-about Moses movie ?

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Both would be great by me!

[mrbellamy 6,287]

I love the idea of an ongoing Spielberg/Kushner collaboration. They're such an unlikely pair, yet seem to be bringing out the best in each other. Definitely a step up from David Koepp, anyway.

[King Mark 3,631]

Moses movie :I'd really like to hear a biblical epic by Williams

Gershwin biopic. :Not interested

[Brónach 1,302]

War Horse: still haven't seen it.

Lincoln: apparently boring, we'll see.

Robopocalypse: meh!

Gerswhin biopic: not interested.

Moses movie: not interested. Seriously, of all the legends around the world, why do we always have to go back to the same Judaic mythology?

[Romão 2,274]

In meantime, Lincoln has been getting a lot of rave reviews. They are everywhere by now, I wonder why there's so little discussion about the movie

[mrbellamy 6,287]

I've been keeping up with them, but didn't feel it necessary to keep posting reviews after the Hollywood Reporter one hit.

It's kicking ass, though. 51 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, 94% positive with an average rating of 8/10: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lincoln_2011

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

So still no word on whether or not "The People's House" makes it into the film? I can't think of many places they would put it, other than when they finally get the amendment passed.

[Hlao-roo 389]

I've been keeping up with them, but didn't feel it necessary to keep posting reviews after the Hollywood Reporter one hit.

It's kicking ass, though. 51 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, 94% positive with an average rating of 8/10: http://www.rottentom.../m/lincoln_2011

An 88 at Metacritic (http://www.metacriti.../critic-reviews). Waiting for the reliably sour Village Voice review to drag it down a couple notches.

...although with the hiring of Scott Foundas (and the departure of J. Hoberman earlier this year), we might be in for something unprecedented to appear on the pages of the Voice.

[Incanus 5,715]

Village Voice actually gives a glowing review ending in this insightful comment:

Oh, and there's some orchestral bullshit by John Williams, too, if you're into that kind of thing.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Village Voice actually gives a glowing review ending in this insightful comment:

Oh, and there's some orchestral bullshit by John Williams, too, if you're into that kind of thing.

For all his superciliousness, Hoberman knew how to turn a phrase. This fellow, on the other hand, sounds precisely like a stereotypical alt-weekly hipster.

[Incanus 5,715]

Well there is a definite hipsterial vibe in the writing. Damn their scurvy hides, scarf clad necks and accessory glasses!

[Hlao-roo 389]

I love the idea of an ongoing Spielberg/Kushner collaboration. They're such an unlikely pair, yet seem to be bringing out the best in each other. Definitely a step up from David Koepp, anyway.

Don't forget that Koepp is Spielberg's "closer," though.

[Incanus 5,715]

I love the idea of an ongoing Spielberg/Kushner collaboration. They're such an unlikely pair, yet seem to be bringing out the best in each other. Definitely a step up from David Koepp, anyway.

Don't forget that Koepp is Spielberg's "closer," though.

Well he has been "closing" the chances of many a good initial concept from becoming a good film.

[Hlao-roo 389]

I love the idea of an ongoing Spielberg/Kushner collaboration. They're such an unlikely pair, yet seem to be bringing out the best in each other. Definitely a step up from David Koepp, anyway.

Don't forget that Koepp is Spielberg's "closer," though.

Well he has been "closing" the chances of many a good initial concept from becoming a good film.

Uncool, bro.

[Incanus 5,715]

He is, he really is an uncool bro.

[publicist 4,643]

Just to rain on the jubilee parade, filmfreakcentral's review is in, and it's spicy as expected:

"Bearing no relationship to the Gore Vidal biography with which it shares its name, Steven Spielberg's predictably uneven Lincolnfeatures moments of real grandeur narrated to death by John Williams's inspiring™ and rousing™ score. No speech from Honest Abe (Daniel Day-Lewis) goes without ample and gaudy decoration, making me wonder which one Spielberg doesn't trust to deliver the goods: Day-Lewis, or Lincoln. More to the point, what Spielberg probably doesn't trust is the viewer's intelligence and humanity, meaning the real question is whether he thinks the kind of people who would go to a movie about Abraham Lincoln are morons."...(LINK)

[Hlao-roo 389]

Just to rain on the jubilee parade, filmfreakcentral's review is in, and it's spicy as expected:

"Bearing no relationship to the Gore Vidal biography with which it shares its name, Steven Spielberg's predictably uneven Lincolnfeatures moments of real grandeur narrated to death by John Williams's inspiring™ and rousing™ score. No speech from Honest Abe (Daniel Day-Lewis) goes without ample and gaudy decoration, making me wonder which one Spielberg doesn't trust to deliver the goods: Day-Lewis, or Lincoln. More to the point, what Spielberg probably doesn't trust is the viewer's intelligence and humanity, meaning the real question is whether he thinks the kind of people who would go to a movie about Abraham Lincoln are morons."...(LINK)

Yes, the review does seem nicely tailored to your particular sensibilities.

"[T]he real question is whether he thinks the kind of people who would go to a movie about Abraham Lincoln are morons."

Oh, yes, that is the real question, isn't it? Hopefully the reviewer will figure out the answer soon and get back to us. Oh, right.

[publicist 4,643]

While Chaw is one negative bitch, i'll eat my nonexisting hat if there's not at least some truth to what he says. If this indeed is like WAR HORSE (which i partly forgave for its innocous premise), Spielberg should be relegated to action/animation purgatory.

[Jay 37,369]

Anyone besides me seeing this on opening day today? I'm sitting in the theater right now waiting for it to start!

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Whoa, lucky guy!

We expect a full report after the premiere

Hope you enjoy it!!

[Jay 37,369]

Well that was a solemn, slow-moving, more of a collection of scenes than a cohesive movie movie with a really, really weird, abrupt and horrifically executed ending. The whole movie was surprisingly un-Spielbergian. More thoughts tomorrow.

[A24 4,339]

Judging by the score, it's all a little too nice again. I wish a musical talent like John Williams would reinvent himself every once in a while.

[BloodBoal 7,538]