Movie Review: LINCOLN

DreamWorks film "Lincoln" (2012)

(Houston, Texas)  Movies allow us time travel, expanding our horizons, opening us sometimes to depths of emotion we did not realize we carried. History’s power as storyteller derives from actual events; yet knowing the end of the story, the dramatic depiction still holds our attention. It happened to me watching the new movie “Lincoln.” I wasn't impatient for the end of the movie, and hardly noticed its extreme length. I rarely recommend the time and money this film requires of its viewers, but I do today.

The adept telling of history strengthens the foundation of our Republic, grounding it ever stronger in the truth; allowing viewers to probe their ordinary world with the tools of experience. Director Steven Spielberg accomplishes the impossible task of telling Lincoln’s story with aplomb, placing special emphasis on the passing of the 13^th Amendment by Congress in 1865. This central narrative showed how the abolition of slavery effected the drive toward peace in the Civil War.

Euclid’s simple scientific truth profoundly affected Lincoln’s thinking about human equality. Elemental to the geometry of Euclid was this statement, “things which are equal to the same thing are equal to each other.” Abraham Lincoln likened this principle as truth that could be applied to the fight against slavery: he saw the “same thing” as God; therefore, as equals created in God’s image, African slaves were equal to white Americans, however difficult the consequence of this truth. This is the only scene I will discuss, and even though it is short, its power is immense: Lincoln steadfastly believed equality under law was worth defending, even through the shedding of blood.  

The acting ensemble, including dozens of politicians, generals, and White House personnel, gave the appearance of reality while not taking the spotlight from the main character. Spielberg’s use of light in profile shots formed a corona from the differentiated rays of the sun blasting around Lincoln’s body in many scenes. This bright aura reflects his uncommon magnanimity; another way of visually showing the saintly reverence Lincoln deserves. Most of what we've learned about history is wrong, but this movie gives a fair account. The South is not demonized, the Congress is shown for what it is (a hyper-lobbied mess), Lincoln struggled with a difficult family life as the war raged, and the force of personality often superseded his political and intellectual talent.

The pantheon of Spielberg classics receives another member into its prestigious Hall of Fame. This movie is a national treasure and should not be missed. (150 minutes, DreamWorks)

©Mark H. Pillsbury

Dinesh D'Souza - CPAC 2012 speech - It launched a Movie: 2016

Dinesh D'Souza - CPAC 2012 speech - YouTube: "http://youtu.be/Z6QOscKvUjU"

'via Blog this'

This Speech has been made into a Movie, by Dinesh D'Souza (YouTube video above)

Why wouldn’t this country’s media dig deeply into a relatively unknown candidate? Why did the pleasure of overcoming an historical barrier override the typical journalistic effort applied to a major candidate?

Did they review carefully the life of Barack Obama as they did candidates like George W. Bush or John Kerry?

Who were the most influential people in the life of Barack Obama, considering he never knew his father? So many facts about Barack Obama are left unexplained.

How does Obama’s history of leftist, radical, socialist/anti-colonial politics match with the accommodating image of a moderate, post-partisan candidate portrayed in the 2008 campaign? What happens after Obama does not have to campaign anymore? The movie suggests what the country will look like in 2016.

Why did Bill Ayers, Frank Marshall Davis, Jeremiah Wright, and so many of Obama's mentors get pushed aside during the campaign? If the American people knew who Obama was they would see he is not an ordinary Democrat. He's not just a Chicago-style influence peddler/community organizer, he has a global vision unlike any other president in our history.

Frank Marshall Davis

I came to these conclusions about the next term of an Obama presidency:

1. What can relieve some of the pressure on the government to bring in more revenue? More taxes. The CBO estimates the new tax burden will be 3% of GDP.
2. Has the power and prestige of US foreign policy increased or decreased during this presidency? It has been a twisted and confusing foreign policy and ultimately islamic power in the middle east has risen and our standing and the standing of Israel has decreased. (Iran, Libya, Syria, Egypt... do they seem consistent?)
3. The movie sets forth a dichotomy between two worldviews that anyone watching the movie has to decide between?  Oil drilling, NASA, radical Islam issues: Libya versus Syria, Iran versus Egypt, bigger government, healthcare, re-aligning American foreign policy away from Israel, there are so many parts of the Obama story that puzzle me.
4. Even if one supports Obama, but has not read his books, it is worth to see how the scholar and political writer Dinesh D'Souza peels back Obama's own words in the books that many of us did not actually read?! Even if you think you know a lot about the president, there is stuff in here which is surprising, and it comes right out of Obama's mouth.
5. Much of the movie is taken with drilling into the words of Obama's story as previously written, and interdicting the his story with more factual research. This is the kind of work that America's media aristocracy chose not to do. For some reason he just got a pass. Maybe that will not continue in a second Obama term.

I learned many things from this work and highly recommend that anyone interested in politics, history, presidential power, or current events, take time to go see this movie as it tries to interpret what Obama will do with a second term. It opens all over the country on July 27, 2012.

©Mark H. Pillsbury

TIME Magazine Cover: Are You Mom Enough? - May 21, 2012 - Parenting - Mother - Babies - Children - U.S.

TIME Magazine Cover: Are You Mom Enough? - May 21, 2012 - Parenting - Mother - Babies - Children - U.S.:

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Theater of the Absurd:

On the worst week in stock performance so far in 2012, from Wall Street, Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, even Houston; mainstream sources of media have been pouring out a pipeline of strange, abnormal, and disturbing information that got so thick and nasty this week that I finally noticed the absurdity of it all and turned it off. I am sick of being immersed in the strange but true stories blasting off of the screen, or talking to me on the radio as I drive. Have you heard or seen this stuff?

• A writer for the Houston Chronicle was fired because she makes money on the side for being a nude (exotic) dancer.
• Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin renounced his U.S. citizenship in order to avoid paying a huge income tax bill when the social network site goes public later this month.
• Graphic image of a mother breast feeding on the cover of TIME magazine (see link above via Blogger)
• Chief Justice of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in California, had sexually explicit material on a personal website, reported by the LA Times. 
• A popular gun website selling Trayvon Martin-inspired paper targets depicting a hooded sweatshirt similar to the Florida shooting victim
• The Philadelphia Inquirer ran the front-page story of a former priest transferred eight (8) times in 25 years amid a trail of complaints about his infatuation and misconduct with teen boys. He is finally being prosecuted for sexual abuse.
• Three iconic figures of entertainment, sports, and politics are currently on trial in United States federal court: John Travolta of TV and movie fame since the 70s, Roger Clemens baseball star since the 80s, and Senator John Edwards a major political figure since the 90s. All on trial for nefarious misconduct, lying, or fraud. (innocent until proven guilty)
• Jennifer Lopez fondled and groped during a dance routine on FOX’s American Idol, where she is singing about making love to young male dancers, during one of the highest watched shows among young people on the market
• President Obama decides to change his position on traditional marriage, apparently worried about his chances at re-election; pandering to the farthest left political wing of his base.
• The trailer for a new film-noir crime thriller set in Mesquite or Garland, Texas which looks to be one of the most graphic movies since The Exorcist: http://youtu.be/W16OlLoB5Fw

The quality of discourse in our culture matters. It's what dominates the national psyche, dictates the conversations and patterns of thought of viewers and listeners. The media business is so saturated and competitive, that the battle for our consideration turned ugly. Whatever is the most absurd, peculiar, salacious, prurient, violent, negative, controversial, adversarial, provocative, different, and even naughty; has the best chance at catching the attention of the audience with deliberate placement of striking, noticeable material at the lead of the broadcast or the cover of the publication.

I'd suggest what Eugene Peterson once said in The Message; that viewers and listeners would do best by filling their minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. This might sum up what I am trying to get my mind around as I look at this week’s news. Turn it off. Enjoy some time with your mother this weekend.

©Mark H. Pillsbury