Megalopolis Review • Coppola's Fairy Tale

And here's my review of Megalopolis, the first film in over a decade from legendary director, Francis Ford Coppola.

The film is a bedtime story of heroes, villains, and fantastical worlds from Grandpa Coppola. Its hero is Cesar (Adam Driver), the imperfect artist who gives people cars when all they ask for is faster horses. Its mayor is Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who represents structure, order, and preserving proven quantities. Clodio (Shia LeBeouf) is the Caligula or Nero character, a parasite of chaos waiting for when the society is weak to take over. Then you have Crassus and Wow (Jon Voight and Aubrey Plaza), who are greed and lust, lizard brain impulses that trade grand progress for temporary pleasures. All of these are the foils of Cesar, Coppola's proxy and hope for the future.

Hunter discusses the movie's many ideas (of which there are, perhaps, too many), it being Coppola's most personal movie yet, and where it may fall in the pantheon of great films.

0:00 Intro
1:03 What the Trailers Don't Tell You
6:43 Coppola's Most Personal Movie
8:44 Subversion at Scale
11:28 Too Many Ideas?
12:31 Visuals: The Good and Bad
14:19 It's Preachy
15:36 The Legacy of Megalopolis
18:59 Closing Thoughts

#film #megalopolis #coppola

[Ionisus]

Its exactly what i expected ..a daring unusual weird and strange movie outside the sell out Hollywood formula and system ... and it got me intruiged and involved

[theash]

Heck, at last someone who understands. You should have many more followers for your insights

[FineLineMotionPictures]

Let me begin by saying I am a huge fan of Mr. Francis Ford Coppola. I honestly believe that in the top ten greatest motion pictures ever made, Mr. Coppola has three. The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and Apocalypse Now. Personally, I believe The Godfather and The Godfather Part II to be tied at number 1.

Having said that, I also believe that Mr. Coppola hasn't made a truly great film since the 70s. Rumble Fish was a very good film, Dracula was good, The Cotton Club Encore was good and Tetro was the closest he came to greatness in the latter part of his career.

Even before the 70s, The Rain People was very good, but not a great film for Mr. Coppola. So that brings me to the topic of Megalopolis. A film 45 years in the making. Before it was filmed, when the cast was announced and it was confirmed to be going into production, I made a prediction to myself that this would be the first great film by Francis since the 70s.

In my scoring system, a great film begins at 91/100, a great great film is 94 though 96, a masterpiece is 97 and above, and of course, a 100 is a perfect masterpiece film. Coppola has three perfect 100 masterpieces by my estimation.

So, my thoughts leading up to Megalopolis was I thought Francis would have a chance to hit that 91 mark, but probably nothing higher. Then Cannes came around and the reviews were anything but flattering. So, I thought either A), Francis is way past his best and created a really bad film or B), which I was hoping and leaning towards, that critics these days mostly know NOT what the hell they are talking about. Most critics these days are afraid to voice a real opinion. There is a lot of WOKE garbage and anything out of the norm is immediately going to be panned.

So I saw Megalopolis tonight with high hopes, but relatively low expectations. I was, honestly, sincerely and TOTALLY blown away. I shit you not. I give Megalopolis a perfect 100 score! The film I saw is one of the top 30 or so greatest motion pictures ever and a real cinematic achievement. The story was great! The acting was marvelous in a kind of 1989 Batman sort of way. The cinematography was beautiful and psychedelic. The closest thing I could find to a criticism was maybe it doesn't possess that one, iconic line that will be repeated forever, but so what?! A lot of films are iconic, but not great.

As far as I'm concerned, this film is perfection and I am so happy for Francis Ford Coppola. He sold a large piece of his winery, he took a real chance on himself and it paid off. Yeah, he may not make his budget back and a lot of people are shitting on the film, but I believe he is happy with it and I know for certain that I couldn't be more pleased with it.

Much like how the main character, Cesar Catalina, successfully created the city of Megalopolis, Mr. Coppola created this masterpiece film Megalopolis. Way to go, Francis! Congratulations! Thank you, sir for your contribution to this great art form that we all love. You are one of the absolute greatest filmmakers to ever live.

[azuredivina]

wow, you've put a lot of thought & honestly into this wonderful review. you make me look forward to it even more. thank you. looking forward to watching my favorite actor, Adam Driver, in it as well.

[TonyC-leks]

I agree with this review 100%...I just watched the movie and I was expecting a terrible mess like Babylon but was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the movie (did not check my phone one time) and enjoyed the visuals (which made it worth watching in the theaters). I really did not understand the criticism of the movie as being disjointed and/or fragmented...were there are a lot of weird scenes...absolutely but it was very David Lynchesque and many of them were either drug/dream/memory scenes, which are distorted in a person's memories/mind. The storyline was pretty straight forward in my view and the themes were pretty obvious (at time a little too obvious) but I didn't feel anything was out of place or unnecessary. It was Shakespearean in tone but it was mixed with Alice in Wonderland/David Lynch. Also reminded me of a mid 1990s film entitled Hudsucker Proxy about an idealistic creator going up against the realities of industry and the world.

I also felt that a lot of reviewers were caught up in the film being made by Coppola and costing $120 million to make...I feel like if this was made by a young unknown director with a $50 million budget...people would be a lot open to the film and likely praising the director with being bold and innovative.

Finally, I like the point you make about Coppola wanting to pushing the limits of filmmaking...especially with the whole live person 4th wall breaking. A lot of directors and filmmakers are complaining/perplexed about why people aren't going to the theaters anymore...well because the the media of movie is not unique to theaters anymore. So you have to bring them something that they cannot experience at home. Whether this movie succeeds in doing that...I don't know but it is commendable for Coppola to try something different.

[fandude]

I like your analysis. The best of the ones I've seen so far.

[joeedley]

Brilliant! SO glad I saw this before seeing the movie this afternoon. Thanks!

[benjamindover]

Your review really puts the film into perspective. It sounds like something right up my alley. Looking forward to seeing it myself. There seem to be a lot of ideas being explored here which have been bubbling up over the past few decades. I think it could spur a lot of discussions.

[alejandrorodriguezborrero]

The movie feels in time like 1991 Wim Wenders Until the end of the World Directors cut first edition, is not bad or good is regular, art movie is not for everyone

[sharifmansour]

I was really surprised to find a review this well-informed and thought-out for this movie. The trolls are out in full force and out for blood, in some of the comments sections which is frankly upsetting. Thank you for being such a pleasant youtuber! You got yourself another subscriber, homie.

[reubennoneya]

The point that all the characters are parts of him and this humanity is brilliant.

[EgghuntRecords]

you explained the movie very well. I saw it tonite and definitely enjoyed it once I realized it had that storybook satire feel.

[rabidmonkeys]

when I saw it I got it. but I also understood why it could never be bigger. amazing film

[OuterGalaxyLounge]

Enjoyed your ruminations. My son and I are seeing this next week. I'm glad he likes to try adventurous films. I've been watching serious and classic films from Hollywood and the international realm since the 1970s when I was a teenager. Looking forward to your second assessment.

[ultravisione]

great review
among many who attack the film as if it were the worst ever made, your point of view instead perceives that meaning that many have missed but it is always like this when art is pure

[rancosteel]

Coppola sold his vineyard for 500 million. Financed the 140 million for the film. Gave the distribution rights away for zero profits. Real artists finance their visions.

[Yeshi]

Thank you this great review and discussion. I’ve been waiting for this film for a long time and once even gave up on the thought of it ever happening. Now that it’s out I can personally say I really enjoyed it and it was worth all the wait.

I agree with basically everything you said even the dislikes. Hit the nail on the head with the fact that it’s very difficult to sell to an audience. No one was really prepared for this movie once it started, even those who know Coppola’s complete filmography were caught off guard which is kind of amazing. It reminded me most of One from the heart, a film I like very much but one people had trouble accepting at the time. If Francis had a true style or signature I think it would lie in these films plus stuff like Rumble Fish and Tetro.

It felt full circle to me finally watching this. The Outsiders was my favourite movie as a kid. Seeing the Godfather at 16 on a school night was a truly a life changing experience. I’ll never forget staying up til 2 or 3 in the morning in awe of what I experienced. Kickstarted me as a movie fan. So grateful I got the chance to see a Coppola picture in theatres!

As for legacy only test of course is time. As an older legendary director I don’t think it will end up like a late Ford or Fellini. As Tarantino said “I don’t wanna make Billy Wilder’s Buddy Buddy or Cheyanne Autumn!” It will surely be much more discussed than that.

However as much as I appreciated Megalopolis for its message, audacity and wild splendor it didn’t reach the emotional and sublime heights of say Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life or Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron. Those are my best examples of late cinematic masterworks in my opinion. I’d also put The Irishman and Twin Peaks The Return (tv) there too.

All in all I do agree that it is his most personal film. Once it ended you could just feel it. So grateful he could make it and that we all could see it. Look forward to how well it works on a second viewing.

[LindaMWynne]

I enjoyed it and cried at the end. It is really worth watching. It is not what you would expect from Coppola.

[mambaforever]

Good review and you're very funny in the comments lol. Unfortunately i hated the movie, but it's nice to hear a different perspective

[violinmke]

You've convinced me to give it a try.