Elvis

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh, Kelvin Harrison Jr., David Wenham, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Luke Bracey, Dacre Montgomery
Running Time:159 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★) 

Baz Luhrmann's Elvis definitely doesn't linger in one spot for very long, moving at a breakneck pace with frenetic editing and over-the-top theatricality as it charges through the milestones of Presley's life and career. With a dizzying, dazzling visual style and thrilling recreations of the King's stage performances (and the public's reaction to them) it's compulsively watchable and hard to look away from. That it's garnered such polarizing reactions is kind of a shock considering just how much it gets right, following the necessary beats, but doing so in an imaginative, flashy style that fits the one-of-a-kind performer it covers. 

Allegedly problematic elements, like a potentially awkward framing device and the criticisms of Elvis' appropriation of black music and culture, are not only seamlessly woven into the narrative, but addressed head-on. Presley's love of entertaining drives the action, with Luhrmann approximating for us the experience of watching him onstage and off. So while there are many bells and whistles, they add rather than detract from Austin Butler's electrifying lead performance in the title role. Radiating the King's innate charisma and magnetism, he gets even better as it goes on, with this eye-popping spectacle only enhancing the mythic presence Butler's called upon to convey. 

It's 1997 and Elvis Presley's (Butler) former manager, the now destitute Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) lies on his deathbed reminiscing about when first discovered the King of Rock n' Roll. Labeling himself the "snowman," Parker was a carnival huckster and opportunist, perpetually on the hunt for his own "Greatest Show on Earth" that puts him in the company of P.T. Barnum. He first meets Elvis while managing country singer Hank Snow (David Wenham), immediately recognizing the young man's crossover potential as a white artist who "sounds black." 

We flash back to Elvis' Mississippi childhood, having grown up poor with a mother, Gladys (Helen Thomson), who doted over him, and a father, Vernon (Richard Roxburgh), who did some time in jail. Finding refuge as a kid in comic books and his obsession with Memphis' African-American music scene, he later strikes a deal with Sun Records, but it's his memorable "Louisiana Hayride" TV performance that puts him on Parker's radar. 

With Parker guiding his career, Elvis becomes an overnight sensation in the face of politicians' complaints about his suggestive stage antics, further stoking racial hostilities and getting him into legal trouble. Upon returning from the Army to embark on a movie career, his new musical direction is eventually shaped by the social and cultural unrest of the '60's. Soon after marrying Priscilla Beaulieu (an excellent Olivia DeJonge), the possessive Col Parker's grip over Elvis tightens, turning him into a prisoner of his own fame. Despite a thriving comeback that pushes him far past his limits, prescription drug addiction threatens to derail it, all while Parker's true colors are revealed.

Having Col. Parker narrate his interpretation of events creates a perspective shift that greatly differentiates this from most biographical depictions of the King. But it does get off oddly, with a barely recognizable Hanks in a fat suit, buried under pounds of makeup and prosthetics speaking in a sometimes unintelligible Dutch accent most are probably unaware Parker even had. While all of this hardly seem necessary for one of our greatest actors and the image of a dying, hospital gown-wearing Parker dragging his IV pole across a hotel casino floor is quite a sight, Hanks' portrayal is far from the debacle it's been toted as. 

Once the immediate shock of that attention-grabbing dream sequence wears off, Hanks does bring kind of a devious charm to Parker, both as Elvis' father figure and eventual gate keeper. Physical appearance aside, Hanks does provide access to the man inside the suit, and at the risk of damning with faint praise, you do warm up to him as an antagonist. Plus, Luhrmann keeps the action moving at a fast enough clip that there really isn't time to complain about it, with Butler's exhilarating recreations of Elvis' iconic, show-stopping performances stealing most of the film.

Despite four credited writers, the script's far from unfocused, following a tight chronological order that never feels stifling or too paint-by-numbers because it's such a visual and auditory feast. The cinematography and production design has a predictably over-the-top sheen, but looks and feels period authentic, which is a must considering how many different eras it needs to span for a complete account.

Even those only vaguely familiar with Elvis' trajectory will notice that the story's structure revolves around maybe three or four key events. Most notable is the hysteria surrounding that first Hayride show with girls screaming, fainting and ripping off his clothes, effectively signifying that nothing will be the same for Presley again. As Elvis' hip swiveling and gyrating dance moves court controversy, Parker's attempt to clean up his client's image and go mainstream is the first sign of a developing rift between the two. It's also an early indication Elvis isn't someone who's ready to compromise his musical integrity to appeal to a larger audience, or appease an old school, brand conscious manager.       

Rocked by personal tragedy but newly married, Elvis is awakened to a world that's seemingly passed him by. It's here where Butler's performance kicks into overdrive and the film really finds its voice, connecting Elvis' upbringing to the tumult of the 60's embodied by the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy. His rebellious spirit was established early so it makes sense he'd be able to carve out a new niche for himself in the hippie era, while also re-embracing the style of music he initially loved. It's also when things really start to go downhill with the controlling Parker, who's a step or two behind the times, but still taking credit for Elvis' best ideas. 

The Elvis Christmas television special intended by Parker to appease sponsors instead escalates tensions, signaling what should have been the end of their toxic, parasitic partnership. Instead it leads to a bitter feud which exposes Parker's true intentions. It's to Luhrmann and Hanks' credit that they do make the character somewhat more complicated than expected, even as Parker blackmails Elvis into the exhaustive, seemingly endless Las Vegas International Hotel residency that leads to his downfall. We know what's coming, but the film doesn't tastelessly dwell on it, with the focus remaining on Presley's adoration for the music, which Butler captures the essence of.

Finding an ideal outlet and subject for the unrestrained craziness some have found irritating in his previous work, this may be the best version of Luhrmann's style we've ever gotten. His polarizing, sensationalized approach feels completely organic to the story, lifting what should be an ordinary biopic about an extraordinary entertainer to even greater heights. In equal parts a human tragedy and the fulfillment of an American dream, it's a testament to the film's authenticity and power that the actual footage shown at the end becomes indistinguishable from what we've just watched. Exciting enough to reaffirm the devotion of lifelong fans while still converting the uninitiated, Elvis delivers on all counts, putting other pretenders in the genre to shame.           

Better Watch Out (2017)

Director: Chris Peckover
Starring: Olivia DeJonge, Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould, Aleks Mikic, Dacre Montgomery, Patrick Warburton, Virginia Madsen
Running Time: 89 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★) 

**PLOT SPOILERS FOLLOW**

The Chistmas-themed horror movie has long become an annual viewing fixture dating all the way back to 1974's Black Christmas, sometimes with mixed results. That originator of the sub-genre (which heavily inspired Carpenter's Halloween) has since been remade twice, speaking less to its effectiveness than Hollywood's penchant for beating a great idea into the ground. But luckily, the yuletide horror entries have been spread out enough through the decades that when a really good one does arrive, it can make an impact, feeling comfortably familiar enough to remind us how it's supposed to be done. Unfortunately, the same can't be as frequently said for home invasion thrillers, the other sub-genre with which it all too frequently overlaps. 

Relief comes in the form of Chris Peckover's Better Watch Out, which combines the two genres for a far better than expected psychological excursion that puts an intriguing spin on what could have been very standard material. In fact, we know that since it seems as if every other week brings the latest V.O.D. home invasion dissapointment this looked like it could have been from its trailers and commercials. Instead, we get a clever send-up that manages to flip the script and deliver what could potentially be re-watched and appreciated as one of the stronger holiday-themed thrillers in a while. 

With Christmas right around the corner, 17-year-old Ashley (Olivia DeJonge) is babysitting 12-year-old Luke Lerner (Levi Miller), who's looking forward to his parents (Virginia Madsen and Patrick Warbuton) leaving them for a night on the town since he's had a crush on her for years. Proudly announcing his intentions to make a move on her to departing best friend Garrett (Ed Oxenbould), Ashley and Luke are left alone in the house when strange noises, broken windows and other mysterious goings on outside hint that an intruder got in. This is only partially true, as the masked man is actually a returning Garrett, revealed as part of Luke's outrageous scenario to impress a thoroughly unimpressed and disgusted Ashley. With his friend's very reluctant help, Luke must now abruptly change course, and in doing so, traps his babysitter in a diabolically twisted cat-and-mouse game that tests her mental and physical resiliance, while revealing the true depths of his depravity. 

Peckover cleverly sets our expectations for one very specific type of film all while building the foundation to give us an entirely different one. That starts with the two main characters who you could easily imagine in an '80's or 90's teen movie as the popular, promiscuous girl and the too clever, wisecracking nerdy tween she's babysitting who hopelessly pines after her. Ignoring the fact that this kid seems entirely too old to have a babysitter at all and the friends' interaction at the start hint that Luke's intentions may be less innocent than perceived, Zack Kahn's script does a commendable job challenging any other preconceptions. 

As the story and situation builds momentum, it's obvious Luke is far more messed up than either Ashley, Garrett or even a pair of Ashley's flawed boyfriends (played by Aleka Mikec and Stranger Things' Dacre Montgomery) have given him credit for. Like a junior Patrick Batman in training, he oftens feigns remorse while concocting various tricks to dispose of any evidence of his escalating crimes, including people. Levi Miller really gets under your skin as Luke, partially due to us not being used to seeing a kid this age lead the charge as a sociopathic home invader and he's just irritatingly snide and arrogant enough that we can't wait to see him to get his comeuppance, assuming it ever comes. 

The instances Luke should clearly be overpowered by his victims are well handled by a script that emphasizes his intellect over physicality. Noticeably more concerned with his parents finding him out than being brought up on murder, assault or kidnapping charges, his simplistic explanation that he's an unloved only child hints at serious mental illness, though his actions do a better job at confirming it. The screenplay leans heavily into this notion with all the subtlty of a swinging paint can to the head. 

While Miller excels at playing this emotionally stunted monster, Australian actress Olivia DeJonge (most recently seen in Netflix's The Society) is definitely a future talent to watch as Ashley, excelling as the determined victim, believably transitioning from sheer outrage and disbelief at what this kid's doing to survival mode, proving he doesn't have the market cornered on playing head games. We get an immediate sense she's a fighter and that quality goes into overdrive when he uses her rejection of him as the ultimate fuel for his worst impulses. You have to wonder where he thinks this whole thing will go, but as his grip on the situation begins slipping, a power struggle ensues.   

The setting and atmosphere are huge details that most other entires in the holiday horror genre tend to frequently fall short on. There's absolutely no question what time of the year it is here, nailing the music, cinematography, set and wardrobe design, likely increasing the rewatchability factor of a movie that may not have been revisited on the strength its plot alone. Though its worth noting its ending is pretty much perfect, at least within the context of this universe Peckover creates for these two characters over the course of an extremely tight 90 minutes. Besides it being what we want as viewers, it's called for in terms of the story, and delivered with a sarcastically satisfying final shot. No explanation needed, except the look of stunned silence on the antagonist's face that maybe everything didn't quite go exactly as planned.   

Slyly funny and subversive, with a pair of strong performances carrying it, you wonder how Bettter Watch Out managed to fly under the radar despite its relatively favorable notices. But with no hint this was going to be anything other than your creepy, run-of-the-mill holiday home invasion thriller, it's at least somewhat easier to see why. especially in an overcrowded market full of similar titles. This twisted tale doesn't really resemble them, standing out by crossing Home Alone-like hijinx with a nightmarish version of Adventures in Babysitting, made only that much stronger by fully exploiting its premise and setting right up to and including the final credits.