"Lincoln"

Few performances qualify as monumental. That's the best word to characterize Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln, though. He vanishes into the president's awkward, folksy, melancholy spirit, creating an unforgettable portrait of greatness that pretty much puts to rest any thought of another actor trying his hand at a serious portrayal of Lincoln for a good long while. Steven Spielberg eschews the battlefield for a talky yet affecting look at Lincoln's final months. America couldn't have done without Lincoln, and Spielberg couldn't have done without Day-Lewis.

By AP Movie Writer David Germain.

Credit: AP Photo/DreamWorks/Twentieth Century Fox