RELATED: Every Michael Bay Movie, Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes

Luhrmann is no stranger to musical movies, having directed the popular musical Moulin Rouge! (2001). His latest project, Elvis, returns to music as well, albeit differently, as it portrays the life of the legendary Elvis Presley, played by Austin Butler. With his newest movie released, it’s an as good time as any to take a look at Luhrmann’s filmography which includes many well-rated movies.

6 Australia (2008): 6.6

Luhrmann returned to his birth country when he directed this epic romance drama that takes place in the first half of the 20th century. Nicole Kidman stars as Lady Sarah Ashley, an Englishwoman who inherits a ranch. She goes to Australia and has to overcome many challenges. Luckily, she employs a man named Drover (Hugh Jackman) who might be the right person to help her.

The movie has its dramatic as well as romantic moments, and the main duo Kidman and Jackman create a believable relationship that doesn’t always go smoothly but leads to a strong bond nonetheless. Australia has a beautiful setting and even though it wasn’t as financially successful as other Luhrmann’s movies, it’s still a must-watch for fans of the western slash romance slash drama genre. An interesting fact is that Heath Ledger was originally cast in the movie but changed his mind and took on the role of the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008) instead.

5 Romeo + Juliet (1996): 6.7

Baz Luhrmann is one of the directors who like to work with the same actors multiple times if their first cooperation worked out well. One such actor is Nicole Kidman, while another is Leonardo DiCaprio. William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a well-known tale, but the 1996 movie adaptation sets it in modern days, making it different from the original. What remains the same is the developing love story between two young people who find their way to each other despite initial difficulties… but whose relationship won’t most likely have a happy ending.

RELATED: Every Movie Directed By Matthew Vaughn, Ranked

Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the titular roles give strong performances. Just like with multiple movies, though, the roles could have gone to different people. For example, actresses such as Natalie Portman, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon, and Christina Ricci were all considered for the part of Julie before it went to Danes. Not everyone liked the fact that the story was modernized, but most of the audience appreciated the movie’s quality.

4 Strictly Ballroom (1992): 7.2

Baz Luhrmann’s first feature film isn’t as known as his later work, but it garnered positive ratings nevertheless. Strictly Ballroom is a romantic comedy about Scott, a man who’s been training hard for a dance competition. His dream gets in danger when he has to work with a new dance partner, Fran.

Even though it’s possible to guess how some plot points will evolve, Strictly Ballroom ultimately comes across as a feel-good movie with excellent music. It already hints at the fact that music and dancing will play an important part in multiple of Luhrmann’s future movies. Unlike most of his later work, the director made this movie in Australia, and it won several prestigious BAFTA awards.

3 The Great Gatsby (2013): 7.2

By taking on The Great Gatsby, Baz Luhrmann proved, yet again, that he mastered portraying times long gone, the atmosphere of the past. Inspired by the iconic novel by Francis Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby centers on three people who grow close while they lead their pleasure-filled, mostly careless lives… or so it would seem, except nothing’s as perfect as they would like it to be.

RELATED: Every Russo Brothers Movie, Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes

The story is often unpredictable, and it’s interesting to watch how the characters’ lives evolve. The movie stars multiple well-known faces, such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, and Elizabeth Debicki, and all of them don’t disappoint. The Great Gatsby won two Oscars, including the one for the best costumes, and it’s visually beautiful as a whole.

2 Moulin Rouge! (2001): 7.6

To this day, Moulin Rouge! remains Luhrmann’s most famous movie and the tragic love story between Nicole Kidman’s Satine and Ewan McGregor’s Christian continues to touch viewers. Set in Paris in 1900, the movie creates a strong atmosphere, and it’s filled with memorable music as well as beautiful visual, something that’s typical for Baz Luhrmann’s movies.

What makes this movie even more memorable is how it manages to combine modern music and a historical setting into a coherent whole. Moulin Rouge! turned out to be a success as it was nominated for eight Oscars, winning two of them.

1 Elvis (2022): 7.8

With just one thousand ratings on IMDb, it’s likely the movie’s overall rating might yet change. But even so, Elvis does have positive reviews from critics and moviegoers alike. Elvis Presley is a name well familiar to music fans, but this movie inspired by real events shows a different part of his life that not everyone might know about. It portrays the complicated relationship between Elvis and his manager Tom Parker.

The movie offers a captivating story, wonderful music, and strong acting performances by both Austin Butler as Elvis and Tom Hanks who played Parker. Even though Parker’s one of the protagonists of the movie, he isn’t very likable, which only makes the story more interesting. While it’s difficult to predict the future, it’s not a stretch to imagine that Elvis could very well score an Oscar nomination in the future, or even win an Academy Award.

MORE: Every Guillermo Del Toro Movie, Ranked By Their Box Office Performance