The United States has a troubled past; they take pride in where they came from and just how their history began. It`s filled with violence and a split in the nation`s union. It was truly a nation that was divided amongst itself, and the one elephant in the room that even to this present day can`t be comfortably acknowledged still gives people chills down their spines – Slavery. It`s one of many travesties that have happened in Western Civilization, and yet it`s the only thing that has been swept under the rug while still appearing noticeable. It`s not exactly a taste in your mouth you can wash away with Listerine – it`ll always have lingering effects.

The great civil war between the Union & the Confederate states had been tearing apart the nation for years, and the president at the time (Abraham Lincoln) had gotten approval for the Emancipation Proclamation, which would have freed the slaves in the nation. Many were opposed to it, because back in the days, the Black man was not seen as an equal; White was Right – so they believed. Lincoln believed otherwise, and he fought hard during his final days to see it through that the slaves would be freed. It`s essentially the untold story of Lincoln and just how his legacy would be forever ingrained in the fabric of American History.

Daniel Day-Lewis (Gangs of New York, There Will be Blood) & Steven Spielberg are a perfect combination for this. Daniel is great for playing historical figures (fact or fiction), and Steven is a master of his craft when it comes to bringing stories to life. Clint Eastwood had J.Edgar with Leonardo DiCaprio last year, so this year the ante was pushed higher. The stress and difficulty it takes to be the commanding officer of a tumultuous country would make any man go insane, but the manner that Abraham Lincoln possessed, it showed him as a calm & mild-mannered man, but he had the confidence behind his own word to make sure that he was always doing the right thing – as all Presidents should.

This movie is at the top rankings this year for the fact that it`s a true story about just how a divided nation would have to come to agreement in some way to abolish a heinous activity. The supportive acting provided by Sally Field, David Strathairn, Tommy Lee Jones, and everyone`s new favourite, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who`s just been an acting force as of not even 2 years ago. There`s a lot of passion, and because this was a dark time in the States, it uncovered the raw emotions of just how far Lincoln went to end Slavery and end a Civil War. Many said it was impossible – he made it possible, and Daniel Day-Lewis did a fine job of portraying Honest Abe.

I would look at this movie like Amistad and how it defined a generation when it talked about slavery and just what some good politicians would do to help those who couldn`t help themselves. Lincoln has the capability of being one of those movies you can teach many about that`s not just in the history books. There was a lot more that went into just how the freedom of slaves came about, and I appreciated how in-depth it was and it showed that Blacks weren`t just slaves, but they fought for their country that they weren`t even free or respected in. Patriotism runs deep in America, and no one can ever say that they don`t love their country; this is a great movie that embodies that strong line in their national anthem “…land of the free & home of the brave.“

Go watch this movie (not Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the REAL one) and educate yourself about the roots of freedom in a shackled nation at the time. This is just my opinion & my review, but for now

That’s My Word & It STIXX