All 6 Baz Luhrmann Movies, Ranked

by Baz Luhrmann Detractors may be somewhat pleased to learn that there have only been half a dozen films made and released by the filmmaker in over 30 years of feature directing. And yes it has detractors; those who find his style a bit exhausting, silly and over the top. But these qualities almost always seem intentional, and with a little work and the right frame of mind, it's possible to be surprised by much of what Luhrmann crafts as an intensely passionate filmmaker.

Some detractors may appreciate it to some degree, and some of Luhrmann's fans may have a film or two of his that they personally find a little off; it is not likely to be black and white. Certainly, Baz Luhrmann is always swinging for the fences…or always trying to hit a six, to make the phrase include cricket, which is much more popular in Luhrmann's native Australia than baseball. This approach leads to some big wins and some notable missteps, and a filmography that is scattered and unlikely to be categorized in a way that most agree. What follows is just a ranking of his half-dozen feature films to date, without scoring any of his shorts or work in the world of television.

6 'Australia' (2008)

Actors: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Essie Davis

While it didn't necessarily coalesce into something great, there was a clear attempt to do something big and genuinely epic with a feeling of Australia. It was close to three hours long, had a historical setting in the titular country before and after World War II, had an impressive cast led by Hugh Jackman i Nicole Kidman, was made on a considerable budget, and also worked a love story into the whole thing. Maybe it's enough to call it Oscar bait, of a certain tone, but it didn't have the success it needed to, unlike other past epics that had achieved success at the Oscars.

It's hard to criticize Australia too harsh when judged purely as a spectacle, because it is presented well and uses its generally large budget effectively. Unfortunately, it's underwritten and overdone, not working as well narratively or thematically as it does visually. Even then, Baz Luhrmann has probably made more dazzling films in his time, both before and after. Australia is perhaps the only real fault of Luhrmann's career, and the one film of his that you're unlikely to see too many people passionately defending in its entirety.

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5 'Strictly Ballroom' (1992)

Performers: Paul Mercurio, Tara Morice, Bill Hunter

Make no mistake: Strictly Ballroom it was an impressive debut for Baz Luhrmann, and is ultimately much better than the aforementioned Australia. It established several of the filmmaker's trademarks and stylistic quirks on a smaller scale than his later projects, but is still undeniably Luhrmann-esque. It is also the first part of a thematic set of films that Baz Luhrmann calls his own Red curtain trilogywhich then got two more installments that were much more tragic (not to mention slightly better), in 1996 and then in 2001.

As to Strictly Ballroom, is a romantic comedy set in the world of ballroom dancing, which brings two unlikely people together as partners for a competition. In typical romantic comedy fashion, they learn to work together and slowly fall in love with each other as well. There is definitely a formula behind the story of Strictly Ballroombut nevertheless works and even charms at times, while stylish visuals and well-choreographed dance numbers also end up doing a good job for the film overall.

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4 'The Great Gatsby' (2013)

Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan

Some books don't lend themselves well to film adaptations, but others do The great Gatsby (written by F. Scott Fitzgerald) seem well-suited to thrive in both novel and feature format. Of course, it's probably a stronger book than it's ever been made into a movie, with the 1974 version starring Robert Redford being solid, if a little dry, and then Baz Luhrmann's better-known version, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, alienating some for being too different from the novel. There is no consensus here; this might be Luhrmann's most divisiveconsidering that the novel is so well known and because there is a star as big as DiCaprio at the center of it all.

Some directors might have held back after being criticized for making a film like Australia, but Luhrmann just pushed it a little harder… and it worked! Of course, that helped The great Gatsby it was a little shorter, but it was more bombastic, louder, and generally wilder, and this approach to recontextualizing/modernizing the 1920s setting was certainly interesting. This may have been a deal-breaker for some, but it was a new take on a very popular novel, and in the end, more things worked than didn't.

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3 “Elvis” (2022)

Actors: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge

A major misstep from Baz Luhrmann's three most recent films, Australia, The great Gatsbyand now elvisit's the length thing – they're a bit too long. Australia it feels the most unnecessarily long, and elvis it only drags on a few moments in its final hour, but Luhrmann's excess is more than enough when his films clock in at two hours (as shown by the soon-to-be-mentioned films). The holder Elvis Presley was a larger than life presence and certainly deserved a great movie… maybe just one that was less than 2.5 hours, rather than more than 2.5 hours.

Beating the running time, there's still a lot to love about this biopic, with historical times taking on a new look and feel, reminiscent of The great Gatsby approach to the roaring twenties, i Austin Butler giving a star performance in the lead role. elvis it also looks and sounds great throughout, even when a scene here and there could use a little patience. oh also Tom Hanks he's good at it His performance was divisive and often mocked, but for tackling the type of character he was playing, Hanks did a surprisingly great (and widely hated) job.

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2 'Moulin Rouge' (2001)

Actors: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo

while Strictly Ballroom had his fair share of dancing, it took until Red Mill for Baz Luhrmann to make a full musical, because this one also had a fair amount of singing along with the dancing. Luhrmann's concluded Trilogy by Red Curtin, which functions as a jukebox musical with many of the most popular songs of the 20th century heard throughout…even though the film itself takes place as the 19th century ends and the 20th century begins. In a way, Luhrmann does this in much of the work.

The style is an assault on the senses at first, and it tries to keep up Red Mill at first it is borderline nausea. Eventually, things click, and the fast editing, wild camera movements, and over-the-top performances start to charm more than they frustrate. It's an over-the-top, bombastic romantic musical that also doubles as a tragedy (it says as much in the film's opening scene), but it's hard not to be impressed by the vision it offers and how it goes. achieve. In addition, it could contain a de by Ewan McGregor the best and most underrated leading performances (the film was nominated for eight Oscars, but none of those nominations went to him).

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1 'Romeo + Juliet' (1996)

Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, Jesse Bradford

Over the course of hundreds of years, people never seem to get tired by ShakespeareRomeo and Juliet. The play inspired a stage musical that was adapted into a Best Picture-winning film, and the basics of the plot have even been adapted into an animated family film. It's a tragic romantic story at its best, and Baz Luhrmann's interpretation of it all, released in 1996 and called Romeo + Juliet – is perhaps one of the boldest of all adaptations, and perhaps even one of the best.

It takes dialogue directly from the play, but updates the setting to present-day America, perfectly maintaining the spirit and text of the original while making something fresh and aesthetically interesting. Romeo + Juliet has some bombast in the presentation, but not an excessive amount; Luhrmann blended his energy well with the fiery and often melodramatic original play. Romeo and Juliet it's always been young, unsubtle and perhaps even over-dramatic, and Luhrmann perfectly understood the task here. It's almost a shame he didn't make another film based on Shakespeare's works, but if he could only make one, Romeo and Juliet it was the right choice.

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