Well, it’s that time of the year again, it’s “Oscar-bait” season. It’s the time where studios divert money into productions with the intention of getting noticed by the Academy of Film and getting that best picture nomination or win.

To be fair, some of the best movies are released during this time of the year.  Others are seen exactly for what they are: melodramatic, over-acted, over-casted, over-scored sequences of monologues and close-ups.  Where does “Lincoln” stand?  Well, somewhere in-between.

Daniel Day-Lewis stars in this iconic role.  The film focuses squarely in the last few months of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, as he fights a seemingly uphill battle to get enough votes to pass the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which would potentially abolish slavery and end the Civil War.

The best acting jobs I’ve ever seen are done by those who get so lost in the character that the viewer isn’t seeing the actor dressed up and playing the character, they are the character.  Heath Ledger was the Joker in “The Dark Knight,” Forest Whitaker was Idi Amin in “The Last King of Scotland” and Day-Lewis was Daniel Plainview in “There Will Be Blood.”

Here, I didn’t really “get” Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln.  He certainly looked the part, but I didn’t “see” Lincoln, I just saw Day-Lewis dressed as Lincoln. Day-Lewis’ Lincoln didn’t have much personality.  When he was asked a question, he responded with a monologue.  It was as if there was a book of inspirational Lincoln quotes, and they were trying to find places in the script to insert them.

The film’s overall portrayal of Lincoln is brilliant.  He’s seen as aggressive and manipulative as his quest to abolish slavery grows more desperate, and he demands his cabinet to seek enough votes at any cost.

Lincoln is also seen as the legendary figure he’s become over time – the great emancipator, the great orator, the greatest leader in American history – Abraham Lincoln.

What really makes the film worth watching is the audio-visual aspects.  John Williams’ score captures the feel of the period wonderfully, and never feels overdone.

As a period piece, it’s one of the best I’ve ever seen; I felt like I was taken back to the war-torn 1860s.

As a historical drama, “Lincoln” is a masterpiece.  I loved learning things about Lincoln that I never knew before.

Day-Lewis  looked the part, but wasn’t as absorbed into the role as he had been in previous roles.

While I don’t agree, I’m sure he will be getting an Oscar nomination.