Elvis

Until now, your options for the Elvis Presley story were limited to tales of mom's cloying youth or a 1979 made-for-TV biopic starring Kurt Russell. Thankfully, you no longer have to decide which of the two is less offensive with Elvis, an enjoyable four-hour movie that for the first time includes original master recordings by The King. The film works to show Elvis as a poor kid listening to the blues, his rise to fame, his Army service, and his relationship with a 14-year-old Priscilla. Like most biopics, the fate of Elvis doesn't hinge on the well-known story so much as the performances. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is exceptional in mimicking The King's lip curls and hip swivels, while Cameron Manheim and Robert Patrick portray Presley's parents with more Southern charm than apple pie. (The only questionable character is Randy Quaid's smarmy and domineering manager, "Colonel" Tom Parker, which is his flimsiest work since Vegas Vacation.) While this Presley Estate–approved film skimps on the scandals, it's still a valuable history lesson on what rock'n'roll was about before dying on the crapper became so fashionable.