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EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert
There is an unbridled magnetism when it comes to the sights and sounds of anything related to or performed by Elvis Presley. My own late mother, who was a critic of Presley’s music, still labored under the delusion that his infamous hip shaking and slick-haired appearance on the “Ed Sullivan Show” in 1956 forever labeled him as nothing more than a “hood.” After she watched Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 biopic on Presley, it wasn’t long before she had the Spotify radio turned to the Elvis channel out of further curiosity. There’s also an ugly little private story in our family that my dear Aunt Dottie sent my Uncle Paul down towards the front of an Elvis concert in 1975 at Tampa Bay’s Curtis Hall in hopes of retrieving one of the many sweaty and bejeweled scarves that he wore before tossing into the crowd. Dear Uncle Paul was trounced upon by a frenzy of women and returned with a torn shirt cuff and ripped lapel before offering up a subtle, “Those women were crazy!” Both the madness and appeal of Presley still cannot be denied, but in 2026, can he still leave a memorable impression? Absolutely.
Luhrmann puts together quite possibly the greatest concert film ever made (outdoing that of even Metallica’s 2013 IMAX outing). Filmed largely with undiscovered and never-before-seen footage, Luhrmann’s musical masterpiece is said to showcase nearly 80 percent of new concert footage, which only works to boost the already legendary Presley catalog.
Yet, the film is not just a musical, but lies somewhere in the cinematic ether of documentary as well. There are outtakes aplenty here, some with Presley trudging backstage, drenched in sweat, and in dire need of near-medical attention and some alongside humorous little bits and interviews in which his natural charm and seemingly endless affinity to entertain are all on full display for all to see.
Both the camera and Luhrman love showcasing Presley here because I would reckon that 99 percent of this film is about Elvis, with the remainder falling to the rare Priscilla or Lisa Marie appearance. Still, between the obvious exhaustion and affable moments, there is also a total gem of a clip that highlights a special 1960 benefit show that he performed in Pearl Harbor that was thought to have been lost to the ages. Such a moment, among the many song and dance numbers that shine, is absolutely necessary to see on a bigger screen with blasting sound while you can. For those longing to have attended an actual concert by Presley, seeing Luhrmann’s film is as close as one can possibly get. Don’t be surprised after leaving the theater you find yourself searching for an Elvis-only radio station, too.
Wuthering Heights
Academy Award nominees Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie positively light up the screen in one of the most romantic, albeit erotic, film adaptations of Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights” that has ever existed. Folks, this one is a prurient doozy. Part romance, part Victorian womanhood coming of age, and all-around brimming with violent undertones, this film serves fairly faithfully to the early 19th century novel that was once nearly blacklisted by printers for its “savagery.” Elordi and Robbie star as the borderline tragic Heathcliff and Catherine, who, while they have eyes for one another, society and status dictate otherwise. Director Emerald Finnell doesn’t hold back in her stylized vision for what seems to up the carnality count and push aside Victorian conventions. “Wuthering Heights” is a bold perspective on risk-taking in the love department, and this film is destined to be seen.
There is an unbridled magnetism when it comes to the sights and sounds of anything related to or performed by Elvis Presley. My own late mother, who was a critic of Presley’s music, still labored under the delusion that his infamous hip shaking and slick-haired appearance on the “Ed Sullivan Show” in 1956 forever labeled him as nothing more than a “hood.” After she watched Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 biopic on Presley, it wasn’t long before she had the Spotify radio turned to the Elvis channel out of further curiosity. There’s also an ugly little private story in our family that my dear Aunt Dottie sent my Uncle Paul down towards the front of an Elvis concert in 1975 at Tampa Bay’s Curtis Hall in hopes of retrieving one of the many sweaty and bejeweled scarves that he wore before tossing into the crowd. Dear Uncle Paul was trounced upon by a frenzy of women and returned with a torn shirt cuff and ripped lapel before offering up a subtle, “Those women were crazy!” Both the madness and appeal of Presley still cannot be denied, but in 2026, can he still leave a memorable impression? Absolutely.
Luhrmann puts together quite possibly the greatest concert film ever made (outdoing that of even Metallica’s 2013 IMAX outing). Filmed largely with undiscovered and never-before-seen footage, Luhrmann’s musical masterpiece is said to showcase nearly 80 percent of new concert footage, which only works to boost the already legendary Presley catalog.
Yet, the film is not just a musical, but lies somewhere in the cinematic ether of documentary as well. There are outtakes aplenty here, some with Presley trudging backstage, drenched in sweat, and in dire need of near-medical attention and some alongside humorous little bits and interviews in which his natural charm and seemingly endless affinity to entertain are all on full display for all to see.
Both the camera and Luhrman love showcasing Presley here because I would reckon that 99 percent of this film is about Elvis, with the remainder falling to the rare Priscilla or Lisa Marie appearance. Still, between the obvious exhaustion and affable moments, there is also a total gem of a clip that highlights a special 1960 benefit show that he performed in Pearl Harbor that was thought to have been lost to the ages. Such a moment, among the many song and dance numbers that shine, is absolutely necessary to see on a bigger screen with blasting sound while you can. For those longing to have attended an actual concert by Presley, seeing Luhrmann’s film is as close as one can possibly get. Don’t be surprised after leaving the theater you find yourself searching for an Elvis-only radio station, too.
Wuthering Heights
Academy Award nominees Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie positively light up the screen in one of the most romantic, albeit erotic, film adaptations of Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights” that has ever existed. Folks, this one is a prurient doozy. Part romance, part Victorian womanhood coming of age, and all-around brimming with violent undertones, this film serves fairly faithfully to the early 19th century novel that was once nearly blacklisted by printers for its “savagery.” Elordi and Robbie star as the borderline tragic Heathcliff and Catherine, who, while they have eyes for one another, society and status dictate otherwise. Director Emerald Finnell doesn’t hold back in her stylized vision for what seems to up the carnality count and push aside Victorian conventions. “Wuthering Heights” is a bold perspective on risk-taking in the love department, and this film is destined to be seen.
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