Ray, it is not. Walk the Line, it is not. Straight Out of Compton, it is not. Bohemian Rhapsody it is not. Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis (Moulin Rouge, The Great Gatsby) is slightly better than the disappointing Rocketman. The highly-anticipated Austin Butler-led (Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood, The Bling Ring) biopic had lofty expectations, considering that it was the one that the Presley family agreed was the true reckoning of Elvis’s life and legacy. While engaging for its lengthy 159-minute run-time, the film often felt disjointed and needed direction. With its shifting narrative, viewers often wondered if this movie was about Elvis Presley or more about Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks –Captain Phillips, Sully), his deceitful, longtime manager.
Category Archives: Luke Bracey
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Hacksaw Ridge > Saving Private Ryan.
After my theater viewing of Mel Gibson’s (Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ) newest film, that was my claim. I’ve since slept on this, but I really should have watched it again. Nonetheless, it doesn’t take away from Gibson’s film. Hacksaw Ridge was based on a true story, whereas Saving Private Ryan was not. For me, when all else is equal, it nods to the more factual-based one. Saving Private Ryan was an amazing movie. The Invasion of Normandy Omaha Beach to open the movie was one of the most captivating and memorable action sequences in film history. When I claimed that Hacksaw Ridge was a better movie, I almost inserted the caveat that “outside of the opening 30 minutes of Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge is a better movie.” But that seemed like a copout. I couldn’t spoil it with some condition that limited my case. Continue reading Hacksaw Ridge (2016)