Sam Bauman: ‘Lincoln,’ a movie that will touch senior memories

Most seniors will enjoy the movie “Lincoln” now playing in Carson City at the Fandango Galaxy Cineplex. The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as the President. Sally Field plays Mary Todd Lincoln; Tommy Lee Lewis is the radical Republican biting at Lincoln’s back when he fears the 13th Amendment to the Constitution may not be enacted. Steven Spielberg directed and produced the movie for about $55 million, inexpensive by today’s thriller costs. And much better than most movies this year.Seniors will probably enjoy this film more than younger moviegoers (although they certainly should see it) because they are more familiar with the Lincoln epic. Seniors perhaps have the perspective of age to follow the complications of the story, which covers the last four months of Lincoln’s life.And they certainly can see the parallels between Lincoln’s struggles with Congress and the bitter partisanship of those days — just like today’s Congress. Bipartisanship was as rare 150 years ago as it is today, and but for two votes the 13th Amendment might never have been passed.This is the kind of film that rarely gets made these days of continuing installments of the “Twilight” series. One can see which way Hollywood thinks about films like “Lincoln” as opposed to “Breaking Dawn Part 2” of the Twilight genre. “Lincoln” plays five times a day while “Breaking Dawn” screens 18 times a day.I know, as we age we tend to stop going to the movies. I suspect this is because not many movies are made for seniors; it’s more of a teen and 20s event with spy stories, violence and mayhem staples. But if you haven’t been to a movie recently, this is a fine one to start in enjoying films.How good is “Lincoln?” By today’s standards, it’s Mount Everest. Lewis conveys the president sensitively, from his moments of anger to his minutes with his son Thad, such as when the president lays down next to a sleeping Thad on the floor in a moment of intimacy. While the four months of the film don’t include the Gettysburg Address that is so lofty and caring, we get it early in the film when Lincoln is interviewing Union soldiers, two of whom recite the Address admiringly. How long has it been since you heard that noble speech and marveled at it?This column is not the place to review movies, but somehow “Lincoln” seems to be something that seniors especially can enjoy.And besides, wasn’t it Lincoln who gave Thanksgiving its place on our calendar?More on CapTelWhile the CapTel phone is issued to qualified users without charge or fee, the users are required to keep OHHARC in Reno informed of its whereabouts. It’s much like the way the Reno VA gives veterans hearing aids. The VA retains ownership of the hearing aids, largely because if there are problems with the units it’s easier for the VA to get them repaired than for the veteran. So OHHARC retains ownership of an issued CapTel.Once given a CapTel you are never to loan it to someone else. If it is stolen you are required to file a police report and a copy of the report sent to OHHARC. If a user moves out of state he or she is required to return the CapTel with accessories to OHHARC. The user is required to pay for repairs to a CapTel damaged through misuse.Setting up a CapTel involves the usual hassles with the Internet provider service, but it took me about three days to get mine up and running, largely because I had to replace my AT&T modem when it failed. That was $107, but I would have had to replace it anyway as it was giving me problems. Getting back online with the new modem took a lot of talking with AT&T compounded by my hearing loss which made following telephoned instructions difficult. Well, nobody ever said hearing loss in a picnic. I'm still trying to get the CapTel working because I dread going to AT&T for help.I'll let you know how well it works.• Sam Bauman writes about senior affairs, among other things, for the Nevada Appeal.