So I have been back from the movie theater for about a half an hour now and have had time to gather my thoughts on what I have just seen. The short version of my review is that Lincoln is a solid film filled to the brim with amazing, Oscar-worthy performances.

This is an actor's movie and, while the film does drag in places - especially around the beginning of Act II - the performances by these actors rectify those dull moments.

This is without a doubt the best performance we have seen from Daniel Day-Lewis up to this point. Though not as loud as his character in Gangs of New York or as over the top and theatrical as his character in There Will Be Blood, Day-Lewis embodies the Sixteenth President of the United States. There was one point in the film where I thought I was actually looking at the real President Lincoln and, needless to say, I got goosebumps. I will not be surprised if Day-Lewis wins his third Oscar for his performance in this film.

Aside from Day-Lewis it is really difficult to pick and choose stand outs in this movie because they are all so freaking good. I have to say that my favorite character in this film is Mr. Bilbo, a Washington D.C. lobbyist played by James Spader. Every scene he is in he steals and he steals it with great acting and good humor. The funniest scene in the film involves him and a gun-wielding congressman. I will say no more in that regard.

The praise for Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field as Thaddeus Stephens and Mary Todd Lincoln are both well-deserved. I have no doubt their names will appear on the list for actors nominated for Oscars come awards time. But I feel David Strathairn as William Seward is a performance that won't get any awards buzz, but definitely deserves it. He is incredible as Lincoln's right hand man and I am kind of sad that he is being left out of all the Oscar buzz hoopla surrounding this film.

I also must praise Tony Kushner's writing as well as Spielberg's directing. Kushner's screenplay is top notch, almost Shakespearean in terms of the quality and intelligence of its dialogue, and should be a frontrunner for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. Spielberg could have ruined the whole thing by making it sappy and cheesy like he does in a lot of his movies. While there are moments of this, particularly at the beginning when soldiers recite the Gettysburg Address to Lincoln, Spielberg typically just points the camera and shoots in this movie. He lets the actors do their work and the movie is better for it.

Now...to all of those who feel as if this movie will try to rewrite history and make Lincoln out to be some kind of saint, your assertions are dead wrong. While the film paints a positive picture of the man, it does not ignore some of the questionable things he did. Things like Habeas Corpus and his restrictions on the press come to mind. While the character of Lincoln explains and defends his actions, he also admits that he himself doesn't know if what he did was ethical or constitutional. He did what he thought was right at the time, Lincoln explains.

So...final thoughts...Lincoln is a solid movie, one of the best of the year, and should rightfully have Oscar buzz surrounding it. Though it's not a perfect movie and does drag in places, the performances of the actors carry this film and make it a good, solid movie. This is one of the most well-acted movies I have seen in a long time and I certainly enjoyed watching it.

Final Grade: A