Essays could and I'm sure will be written on all the brilliant subtleties in Lincoln. It transcends film in a way and becomes something else entirely. What that is, I can't say for sure, but it's unlike anything I've seen. It is a masterpiece I think, and I do agree it seems like Spielberg's career has been culminating to it.As for the race, there is no race anymore. ZDT and Argo can't win without even a director nom, so Lincoln has won. It's just a formality of officially handing out the awards now.