I love going to the movies, but I don’t get to see many of them. This past Christmas season, I indulged myself and saw four of the biggest hits out there. They were all long films, but they all held my interest, and I left each of them glad I went. Here is my personal “take” on each, listed in the order of my own preference:

1. Lincoln – Abraham Lincoln is one of my heroes. I have a painting of him on the wall in my office. He reminds me of integrity, humility and humor. It’s hard to believe a story about the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment could be so exciting. I loved this movie. As far as the best performance by an actor is concerned, it has to be Daniel Day—Lewis.
2. Les Miserables – I never would have thought I could sit through a movie that’s almost all singing. But Victor Hugo’s story is just so compelling that it didn’t matter. To me, there’s no story outside the Bible that depicts themes of grace and redemption as well as this.
3. The Hobbit – Maybe not as good as the previous movies in the Lord of the Rings series but still worth seeing, especially if you’re a Tolkien fan. I’ve read all four books and I enjoyed them so much I practically needed counseling when I finished. I love the male camaraderie and sense of adventure that Bilbo, Gandalf and his friends share.
4. Skyfall – I’m a big Bond fan. I love watching these movies with my son. Great action and great cinematography. I think Daniel Craig rates right below Sean Connery as the best man to play James Bond. It has a really gnarly bad guy played by Javier Bardem.