Elvis

I didn't care for Elvis going into this film, I still don't care for him now. But I have seen a pretty great film, and that's what a good biopic should be about. This film is the big Baz Luhrmann show, with Elvis Presley being there as a most honored guest. That might suck for hardcore Elvis fans, it sure was a blessing for me.

The plot and structure of the film are pretty basic. We follow the rise and fall of Elvis through his agent. How he was discovered, the impact he had on American pop culture and the struggles he went through to remain relevant, especially when his agent doesn't turn out to be all that trustworthy.

Luhrmann has a way with music. The way he incorporates it, remixes it and enhances it is spectacular. Elvis is one big maximalist audiovisual spectacle from start to finish, and that's exactly what makes this film work so well. You get to feel the artist and the vibe of the culture he grew up in, not just watch it from afar. Good stuff, I wish at least half of the biopics I watched were half as good as this film.