"Lincoln" Officially Joins the Oscar Race with Trailer #2

Daniel Day Lewis

*UPDATE: A review has been posted here.

As I reported a few weeks back when the original teaser trailer for director Steven Spielberg's Lincoln premiered, I was convinced that this was going to be a hard sell. The trailer looked almost like a Civil War equivalence of the heart-string tugging War Horse, which has been a sign of Spielberg choosing sentimentality over narration. I expected this to be the case after that trailer made the rounds. However, upon the release of a new trailer, it may be time for reconsideration for every field possible.

The original teaser premiered to such a divisive crowd that was convinced that it would be a glorification of Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day Lewis) as a man and not for what made him great. The only real interesting criticism to spark from all of this was the choice for Lincoln's voice, which was higher and less authoritative than majority of mainstream cinema has been used to. There is no doubt that Lewis COULD turn in an awards worthy performance, but that is because of his reputation.

Then a full trailer premiered during the Barrack Obama-Mitt Romney presidential debate last night. At most, that is a bold and amazing way to premiere a trailer. By showing a trailer about arguably one of the most beloved presidents in American history, it almost insults the accomplishments of everyone that talked last night. Whether or not it was intentional, it was a bold move that ended up overshadowing everything. It also shows that Steven Spielberg just has that power (and is a better marketer than Clint Eastwood this season).

The internet went crazy this morning and everyone quickly tried to get their two cents in. All of it was over this:

Just like that, Lincoln became a serious Oscar contender. Where the original trailer suffered from too much melodrama and a John Williams score that was created to make you cry, this shows Lincoln as the person with a plan. Someone who wanted to change the world. Even the Williams' composition selected is more aggressive and this feels like a thrilling movie, which is saying something for a presidential biopic. 

Can this be a return to form for Spielberg? He has always shifted in quality project to project, but with War Horse, it felt like he was getting soft. Still, consider his track record:

Jaws

*Best Film Editing: Verna Fields

*Best Original Score: John Williams

*Best Sound: Robert L. Hoyt, Rodger Heman Jr., Earl Madery, John R. Carter

Best Picture

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

*Best Cinematography: Vilmos Zsigmond

*Special Achievement Award: Frank E. Warner (Sound Effects Editing)

Best Supporting Actress: Melinda Dillon

Best Art Direction: Joe Alves, Daniel A. Lomino, Phil Abramson

Best Director: Steven Spielberg

Best Visual Effects: Roy Arbogast, Douglas Trumbull, Matthew Yuricich, Gregory Jein, Richard Yuricich

Best Film Editing: Michael Kahn

Best Original Score: John Williams

Best Sound: Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don MacDougall, Gene S. Cantamessa

1941

Best Cinematography: William A. Fraker

Best Visual Effects: William A. Fraker, A.D. Flowers, Gregory Jein

Best Sound: Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don MacDougall, Gene S. Cantamessa

Raiders of the Lost Ark

*Best Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, Michael Ford

*Best Visual Effects: Richard Edlund, Kit West, Bruce Nicholson, Joe Johnston

*Best Film Editing: Michael Kahn

*Best Sound: Bill Varney, Steve Maslow, Gregg Landaker, Roy Charman

*Special Achievement Award: Ben Burtt, Richard L. Anderson (Sound Effects Editing)

Best Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe

Best Director: Steven Spielberg

Best Original Score: John Williams

Best Picture

E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial

*Best Sound Effects Editing: Charles L. Campbell, Ben Burtt

*Best Visual Effects: Carlo Rambaldi, Dennis Muren, Kenneth Smith

*Best Original Score: John Williams

*Best Sound: Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don Digirolamo, Gene S. Cantamessa

Best Cinematography: Allen Daviau

Best Director: Steven Spielberg

Best Film Editing: Carol Littleton

Best Original Screenplay: Melissa Mathison

Best Picture

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

*Best Visual Effects: Dennis Muren, Michael J. McAlister, Lorne Peterson, George Gibbs

Best Original Score: John Williams

The Color Purple

Best Actress: Whoopi Goldberg

Best Supporting Actress: Margaret Avery

Best Supporting Actress: Oprah Winfrew

Best Art Direction: J. Michael Riva, Bo Welch, Linda DeScenna

Best Cinematography: Allen Daviau

Best Costume Design: Aggie Guerard Rodgers

Best Makeup: Ken Chase

Best Original Score: Quincy Jones, Jeremy Lubbock, Rod Temperton, Caiphus Semenya, Andrae Crouch, Chris Boardman, Jorge Calandrelli, Joel Rosenbaum, Fred Steiner, Jack Hayes, Jerry Hey, Randy Kerber

Best Original Song: "Miss Celie's Blues (Sister)" - Quincy Jones (music/lyrics), Rod Temperton (music/lyrics), Lionel Richie (lyrics)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Menno Meyjes

Best Picture

Empire of the Sun

Best Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Harry Cordwell

Best Cinematography: Allen Daviau

Best Costume Design: Bob Ringwood

Best Film Editing: Michael Kahn

Best Original Score: John Williams

Best Sound: Robert Knudson, Don Digirolamo, John Boyd, Tony Dawe

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

*Best Sound Effects Editing: Ben Burtt, Richard Hymns

Best Original Score: John Williams

Best Sound: Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Shawn Murphy, Tony Dawe

Hook

Best Art Direction: Norman Garwood, Garrett Lewis

Best Costume Design: Anthony Powell

Best Visual Effects: Eric Brevig, Harley Jessup, Mark Sullivan, Michael Lantieri

Best Makeup: Christina Smith, Monty Westmore, Greg Cannom

Best Original Song: "When You're Alone" - John Williams (music), Leslie Bricusse (lyrics)

Jurassic Park

*Best Sound Effects Editing: Gary Rydstrom, Richard Hymns

*Best Visual Effects: Dennis Muren, Stan Winston, Phil Tippett, Michael Lantieri

*Best Sound Gary Summers, Gary Rydstrom, Shawn Murphy, Ron Judkins

Schindler's List

*Best Art Direction: Allan Starski, Ewa Braun

*Best Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski

*Best Director: Steven Spielberg

*Best Film Editing: Michael Kahn

*Best Original Score: John Williams

*Best Adapted Screenplay Steven Zallian

*Best Picture

Best Actor: Liam Neeson

Best Supporting Actor: Ralph Fiennes

Best Costume Design: Anna B. Sheppard

Best Makeup: Cristina Smith, MAtthew W. Mungle, Judith A. Cory

Best Sound: Andy Nelson, Steve Pederson, Scott Millan, Ron Judkins

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Best Visual Effects: Dennis Muren, Stan Winston, Randy Dutra, Michael Lantieri

Amistad

Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Hopkins

Best Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski

Best Costume Design: Ruth E. Carter

Best Original Score: John Williams

Saving Private Ryan

*Best Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski

*Best Director: Steven Spielberg

*Best Sound Effects Editing: Gary Rydstrom, Richard Hymns

*Best Film Editing: Michael Kahn

*Best Sound: Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, Ron Judkins

Best Actor: Tom Hanks

Best Art Direction: Thomas E. Sanders, Lisa Dean

Best Makeup: Lois Burwell, Conor O'Sullivan, Daniel C. Striepeke

Best Original Score: John Williams

Best Original Screenplay: Robert Rodat

Best Picture

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence

Best Visual Effects: Dennis Muren, Scott Farrar, Stan Winston, Michael Lantieri

Best Original Score: John Williams

Minority Report

Best Sound Editing: Richard Hymns, Gary Rydstrom

Catch Me If You Can

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Walken

Best Original Score: John Williams

War of the Worlds

Best Sound Editing: Richard King

Best Sound Mixing: Any Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Ron Judkins

Best Visual Effects: Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randy Dutra, Daniel Sudick

Munich

Best Director: Steven Spielberg

Best Film Editing: Michael Kahn

Best Original Score: John Williams

Best Adapted Screenplay: Tony Kushner, Eric Roth

Best Picture

The Adventures of Tintin

Best Original Score: John Williams

War Horse

Best Original Score: John Williams

Best Art Direction: Rick Carter, Lee Sandales

Best Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski

Best Sound Editing: Richard Hymns, Gary Rydstrom

Best Sound Mixing: Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson, Stuart Wilson

Best Picture

* indicates wins.

Nominations: 112

Wins: 31

Quite an impressive accomplishment for one director. At this rate, it is almost expected that even if Lincoln doesn't live up to the hype that it will get Best Picture (cite: War Horse). It is largely due to the fact that it is a biopic of a beloved American figure and that it is being portrayed by one of the most charismatic actors working today. Daniel Day Lewis has quite a roster himself. Of course, not up to Spielberg's standards, but acting is different: 

My Left Foot

*Best Actor

In the Name of the Father

Best Actor

Gangs of New York

Best Actor

There Will Be Blood

*Best Actor

Nominations: 4

Wins: 2

Together, it makes the trailer seem almost more promising. The juggernauts teaming together to tackle this topic could actually work. The trailer shows a passionate Lincoln as he tries to get amendments passed and win the Civil War. Most of all, John Williams' score seems to be fighting alongside him, and it makes for one hell of a scene. The trailer takes on almost a monologue style approach, and we get to hear Lincoln's cadence. If there is one thing we can say, it is that Lewis sounds overtly passionate and the way that he presents himself almost makes the audience believe that the teaser was only a warm up.

So the question here is, does this solve all of the bad vibes? Mostly yes. We feel that there is a movie not called War Horse inside of here. We get Lewis finally reminding us why we liked him in the first place. Also, there are a lot of great costumes and characters mixed in for good luck. The issue now is to see if this will pay off.

My predictions for Lincoln, providing that it holds up to its promise, is that it will have a fair amount of nominations under its belt. The most obvious is going to be Daniel Day Lewis for Best Actor as well as Lincoln for Best Picture. My theory is that it will be good, but Steven Spielberg will not get Best Director, unless it appeals on a technical level. Also, scatter around some awards for Best Costumer and Best Makeup, notably because it is a period piece, and that field usually wins big here.

The big question is if Lewis wins, this will be the first time in Oscars history that someone has won the Best Actor statue three times. Of all people to earn this honor, Lewis would be the most honorable vote in terms of modern actors. However, it is too early to determine if he is going to be breaking Oscar records right away. There are still numerous other performances to come that must be considered.

It is too early to tell what other categories will win, but I am sure that John Williams will continue to be a Best Original Score nominee every year until he dies. Also, we haven't become too sure if the supporting cast has any merit of acting mixed in. I hold out hope that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the secret and will give a dynamite performance (or at very least give him a pity nomination for ignoring his brilliance in 50/50).

This trailer is really impressive and makes me wonder if my previously established faith in Joaquin Phoenix's work in The Master would go unmatched. Of course, Lewis would have taken him on even with skepticism and a bad movie. However, when this movie looks great, if just from hearing Lincoln talk, Phoenix may be in trouble. The most exciting thing is, if these two do end up going head to head, it may end up being one of the more exciting years for the Oscars. 

After all, with Seth MacFarlane hosting and sci-fi movies getting some buzz, it is possible that this could be the most diverse year in recent times. For all we know, Les Miserables will live up to the hype and sweep everything. All of this speculation could be for naught. However, for now, I am wanting to predict that it will be a tough field between Joaquin Phoenix and Daniel Day Lewis. Lincoln will not win Best Picture.

What do you think? Does this trailer finally convince you that Lincoln is a worthy foe to what originally looked like the year of Paul Thomas Anderson? Does Steven Spielberg's massive amount of awards, nominations, and prestige give him the edge to go home with the most nominations?