A Movie Review of Lincoln!

Lincoln is a history lovers dream.

The movie is like a docudrama.  It takes 2 1/2 hours to show how the 13th Amendment was passed.  It was fascinating to me how Lincoln worked his charm to persuade 20 Democrat Senators to vote for an amendment that would finally give the slaves their freedom.

Daniel Day-Lewis does an incredible job of portraying Lincoln, there is talk of him getting an academy award for his portrayal, and I definitely think he should.

He showed Lincoln to be the man I always envisioned him as, from all my study and research of him.  He was amazing at using story-telling and jokes to get his message across (reminds me of Reagan).  He was patient in his interactions with his difficult wife (played by Sally Field who was also incredible).  He loved his children, allowing them to come into the Oval Office at almost anytime (to everyone else's dismay).  He carried a heavy burden with all of the loss of life during the war.  Yet, he was up at 3:00 in the morning wanting to pardon deserters.  

Tommy Lee Jones was wonderful as Thaddeus Stevens, a Republican Congressman who had been fighting for the freedom of the slaves for 30 years.

There is some controversy on whether Lincoln would've used the language Spielberg had him use in the movie.  For me, it didn't take anything away from the rest of the content.

I highly recommend it and give it 4 1/2 stars!

Amazing Grace--Revisited!

When Amazing Grace first came out I talked about it several times on here and did a review of it.  Its is my #2 inspirational movie after Braveheart.

In light of Tuesday's election, I needed some inspiration and decided to re-watch it.  It has so many wonderful quotes that I wanted to share some of them.  If you haven't seen this movie, its a must see.  Its the true story of one man who never gave up fighting against an injustice, no matter how many times he was defeated.  And of course, he was eventually victorious!

Amazing Grace Quotes:

Barbara Wilberforce: You still have passion! That matters more!

John Newton: Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly. I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.

William Wilberforce: No matter how loud you shout, you will not drown out the voice of the people! 

William Wilberforce: I want you to remember that smell... remember the Madagascar... remember, God made men equal.

Pitt the Younger: As your Prime Minister, I urge you caution
William Wilberforce: And as my friend?
Pitt the Younger: To hell with caution. 

William Wilberforce: No one of our age has ever taken power.
Pitt the Younger: Which is why we're too young to realize certain things are impossible. Which is why we will do them anyway. 

Richard the Butler: He's an optimist. Bloody incurable.

Pitt the Younger: Do you intend to use your beautiful voice to praise the Lord... or change the world? 

John Newton: [reciting his song] "I once was blind but now I see". Didn't I write that?
William Wilberforce: Yes, you did.
John Newton: Now at last it's true. 

"So enormous, so dreadful, so irremediable did the [slave] trade's wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for abolition. Let the consequences be what they would: I from this time determined that I would never rest until I had effected its abolition."--William Wilberforce

Lord Charles Fox: When people speak of great men, they think of men like Napoleon - men of violence. Rarely do they think of peaceful men. But contrast the reception they will receive when they return home from their battles. Napoleon will arrive in pomp and in power, a man who's achieved the very summit of earthly ambition. And yet his dreams will be haunted by the oppressions of war. William Wilberforce, however, will return to his family, lay his head on his pillow and remember: the slave trade is no more.
[Wilberforce receives a standing ovation from the entire House and the Gallery] 

Related Posts:
Amazing Grace!
Iron Jawed Angels
Freedom

A Review of "Won't Back Down!"

Last night I was given a free pass to see the movie Won't Back Down before its' release on September 28th. It was an AMAZING, inspirational movie based on actual events!

It was a powerful, realistic portrayal of how some schools are failing our kids. I was shocked to see Maggie Gyllenhaal (who is known for being a big liberal), star in a movie that showed how teachers' unions are protecting bad teachers and as a result our kids aren't getting the education they deserve.

It was also a picture of what it means to fight for something you are passionate about, despite the naysayers. I must confess, I'm always a sucker for these type of movies.

I'm not sure why I or the others' at the theater were picked to get the free passes, but you could tell most of the people in the audience loved it. I found myself and others clapping, gasping and crying at certain parts. I highly recommend seeing it when it comes out on September 28th, I give it 5 stars!