A friend of mine once posed a theory about Steven Spielberg – he only makes movies about two things: monsters or persecution. This led to a long and many-tiered discussion on the topic. At first glance it appears to be true: plenty of monsters (Jaws, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind – even his first film, Duel¸ to some extent) and plenty of persecution (Schindler’s List, The Color Purple, A.I.). Sometimes persecution of monsters occurs, as in E.T. Of course, my friend was over-excited, as movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Minority Report, and Saving Private Ryan are not about either. However, his most recent movie is.
It’s summertime and there are going to be a lot of outdoor movie events, and Iroquois Amphitheater is getting in on it with their Movies Under the Stars Series, which, tonight, involves a screening of Lincoln. This is not so much a biopic as a portrait of a specific time in the president’s life as the Civil War rages and he attempts to find an end to the slaughter, free the slaves, and hold the country together. It is a fantastic film, due largely to Daniel Day-Lewis’ absolutely perfect performance and Tony Kushner’s brilliant and engaging script. (My full review of the film can be read here.)
The film will be shown tonight (Friday) at Iroquois Amphitheater at 8:30. Doors open at 7:30. Iroquois Amphitheater is located at 1080 Amphitheater Road. Complete event details, as well as the rest of the summer lineup, can be found at the Iroquois Amphitheater website.
Image: Internet Movie Database
