Lincoln

A Steven Spielberg blockbuster about the sixteenth U.S. president? You can almost envision what the plot is about - down to the point when 'Honest' Abe meets a charming little black child named Tiny Tim and promises to end slavery forever with tears in his eyes. But "Lincoln" is not your typical cradle-to-grave biography of a president - who the British audience couldn't care less. Instead, it is a detailed, thought-provoking, and highly verbose study of democracies that is nearly totally devoid of schmaltz.

The major 'event' occurs either in a Senate of yelling old white guys with beards, or in the inner sanctums of The White House. Here, the re-elected President Abraham Lincoln (portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis) is a seasoned politician, determined to pass a controversial constitutional change to abolish slavery, less out of heartfelt conviction and more out of a former lawyer's values of justice that all men should be treated as equals.

"Lincoln" is not exactly Oscar-worthy, but it successfully transforms a boring subject matter into a compelling drama. "Lincoln" deserves its title as one of the best movies about American presidents.

Year of Release: 2012

Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%