A Boston Memorial & "Lincoln" Movie Reaction

Wendy made me realize that it is important to express grief at this kind of stuff; to not pretend it didn't happen , and to acknowledge it. Thank you so much for that.

I've been watching the news for the past two nights. I barely ever watch the news -- and definitely not two nights in a row. All I can say is that what happened at the Boston Marathon was horrific, and what happened after was divine.

As I posted on Twitter, when the actions of a few people make you think goodness is dead, the prayers and help of a million others desperately show it isn't.

We'll find those who are responsible and bring them to justice. But in the meantime, we'll keep our heads steady, hold each other, and help those who lost loved ones. Together.

Makes it feel small, what we're doing. Blogging, having fun, doing what we love, living -- when there are others facing such graver events. Humbling, and almost depressing.

Rest in peace.

Now, on that happy note, on to the movie. Lincoln. I know I said this post would be posted on Friday, but instead, the Query Kombat Tournament details are going to be posted then!

Talk about an emotional movie. It shouldn't have been emotional. I mean, logically, it wasn't. But I feel it was so emotional.

Talk about a tragic life. I feel so much for Lincoln and his wife too. I've never been so into the mind of a president before and it's just shocking how painfully humane it all is. We think of the President as almost a robotic figure, smiling and waving all the time -- yet they yell, cry, have fights with their wives, with their sons, everything. I don't envy Lincoln at all. Being the President must be such a burden.

(Still unsure of when to capitalize the word "president" and when not to. Sigh.)

Daniel Day Lewis did an amazing job playing the President. I thought he was just an overly-hyped actor. Now that I saw this movie, I know he deserved that Oscar. Very...nuanced. I can't think of a better word for it.

Sally Field -- if Anne Hathaway hadn't been in the running, she would have won that Oscar. Very emotional.

I almost don't know what to say about this movie because there is so much -- and so little -- to say. It was an excellent movie for reasons I can't explain.

I think it was the performances that made the movie great. Everyone was so real, so humorous at times, even. And so powerful.

Simply a great movie due to stunning and moving performances. Visual effects were great, but not flashy -- and they didn't need to be. (Although, it'd be so, so awesome to be able to run up to the White House and meet the President any time I wished with no regard for security :D)

*Slight Spoiler Below! Don't read if you don't want to know how the movie portrays Lincoln's death.*

That was a letdown, let me tell you. You don't even see Lincoln being shot. And you barely see one second of Mary Todd Lincoln's grief at Lincoln's deathbed. That's it.

I wanted to see that scene so badly because I wanted to see Sally Field's reaction to the shooting. That would have been so, so utterly amazing. I bet she would have done a great job and now that opportunity is lost. I wanted to feel that raw emotion -- and we only saw one second of it. Not nearly enough.

That was definitely the biggest letdown for me. Sigh.

*Spoiler over!*

It was a quiet film, but powerful. I came into it thinking it would be boring and I wasn't bored. I can't say I was enthralled or on the edge of my seat, either. There is barely a plot. Almost none, and a very slow one at that, with no "twists" or "turns" or anything of that kind. This is history we're talking about, after all. But it wasn't boring, per say.

I enjoyed it. The performances were moving and the film just keeps you thinking about it for a long time. So sad, tragic, and devastating. Great movie. Sigh.

Have you watched Lincoln? What'd you think of it?