Megalopolis: Francis Ford Coppola's Ambitious and Visually Stunning Sci-Fi Epic Explores Power, Love, and Individual Freedom

Cannes, France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France France
Cost $120 million and took 40 years to make.
Ensemble cast includes Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Shia LaBeouf, Nathalie Emmanuel and Jon Voight.
Follows Cesar Catilina's dream of a perfect school-city and his entanglement in political intrigue and personal turmoil.
Megalopolis is a sci-fi epic by Francis Ford Coppola, premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 2024.
Set in a city resembling New York but modeled after ancient Rome.
Themes include power, ambition, love, individual freedom versus societal control.
Megalopolis: Francis Ford Coppola's Ambitious and Visually Stunning Sci-Fi Epic Explores Power, Love, and Individual Freedom

In a world where sensationalism and propaganda often dominate the media landscape, it is crucial to seek out the truth and present facts in an engaging and comprehensive manner. This is especially important when reporting on events or individuals that have been subject to misinformation or misunderstanding. In this article, we will delve into the premiere of Francis Ford Coppola's long-awaited film, Megalopolis, which made its appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024. Through interviews with those involved and a thorough analysis of the film itself, we aim to provide a complete and unbiased account of this highly anticipated release.

Megalopolis, which reportedly cost Coppola $120 million and took 40 years to make, is described as a sci-fi epic set in a city that resembles New York but is modeled after ancient Rome. The film stars an impressive ensemble cast including Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Shia LaBeouf, Nathalie Emmanuel and Jon Voight. It follows the story of Cesar Catilina, played by Adam Driver, who dreams of a 'perfect school-city' where everyone can become who they were meant to be. However, his vision soon becomes clouded as he falls in love with the mayor's daughter, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), and becomes entangled in a web of political intrigue and personal turmoil.

The film has been praised for its ambitious scope and visual spectacle, as well as its exploration of themes such as power, ambition, love, and the struggle between individual freedom and societal control. However, it has also been criticized for its convoluted narrative structure and at times heavy-handed approach to storytelling. Despite these criticisms, Megalopolis has received a generally positive response from audiences and critics alike.

In addition to its premiere at Cannes, Megalopolis was shown in limited release in the United States, where it garnered a mixed reception from both audiences and critics. Some praised its grandeur and ambition, while others found the film's pacing and narrative to be problematic. However, there is no denying that Megalopolis is a cinematic event that showcases Coppola's unparalleled vision and mastery of the craft.

In conclusion, Megalopolis is a visually stunning film that explores complex themes through an ambitious narrative. While it may not be without its flaws, it serves as a testament to Francis Ford Coppola's enduring talent and passion for storytelling. As with any piece of art, the audience is left to interpret the messages and themes presented, making Megalopolis a thought-provoking and engaging experience for all who watch it.



Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Some critics found the film's pacing problematic.
  • The film's narrative structure has been criticized as convoluted.

Sources

75%

  • Unique Points
    • Children of bank overlord Hamilton Crassus III have a penchant for incest.
    • Wow Platinum seduces Clodio and insists he calls her 'Auntie Wow' during their encounter.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (30%)
    The author makes editorializing comments and uses emotional manipulation by describing the film as 'shocking and dividing critics' and 'an absolute eyesore in others'. She also uses sensationalism by highlighting controversial scenes such as incest, sexual acts, and a hospital bed erection. The article selectively reports details that support the author's position of the film being controversial without providing any context or explanation for why these scenes are significant to the plot.
    • Cladio performs cunnilingus on Auntie Wow as she cuts off his rattail. Romantic!
    • For some reason, the children of bank overlord Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight) have a penchant for incest.
    • Variety previously reported that one of the most jaw-dropping moments at an early buyers screening was a scene involving Voight, Plaza, LaBeouf and a hospital bed erection.
    • The wait is over: Francis Ford Coppola’s sci-fi drama Megalopolis has finally premiered at Cannes Film Festival, shocking and dividing critics.
  • Fallacies (75%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority by quoting Peter Debruge's review and stating that the film received a standing ovation at Cannes. Additionally, there are instances of inflammatory rhetoric such as calling some scenes 'an absolute eyesore' and describing LaBeouf's character as a 'false god'. There is also an example of a dichotomous depiction in the description of Vesta Sweetwater being both a culture-dominating singer and a virgin saving herself for marriage.
    • The film, a $120 million epic starring Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito and Shia LaBeouf, was financed by Coppola himself – and has yet to secure a distributor in the United States. Regardless, the movie earned a 7-minute standing ovation from Cannes...
    • Imagine young Connor Roy with a rattail and Kendall’s love of drugs...
    • This leads into a several minute scene in which Clodio performs cunnilingus on Auntie Wow as she cuts off his rattail. Romantic!
    • Funny, because that’s the name of the hit single she performs at the Megalopolis version of ancient Rome’s Colosseum... The rich donate hundreds of millions on the spot to help support her pledge... Except after her performance of Purity, LaBeouf’s character arranges the broadcast of a deepfake sex tape starring VanderWaal and Driver’s character. She is shamed and ripped off stage as Driver’s character is arrested for statutory rape.
    • Clad in a leopard blanket, Voight indeed shows off what looks to be an unseemly ‘boner’, in his own words... It’s revealed to be a miniature bow and arrow, which has fatal consequences for one of his scene partners. The other gets an arrow in each ass cheek: Beware the side effects of Viagra in the Coppola Cinematic Universe.
  • Bias (80%)
    The author makes derogatory comments about certain characters and their actions in the film, demonstrating a potential for ideological bias. The author also uses language that may be perceived as demeaning towards some of the actors and their performances.
    • Imagine young Connor Roy with a rattail and Kendall's love of drugs.
      • Not the best era in her career.
        • This leads into a several minute scene in which Clodio performs cunnilingus on Auntie Wow as she cuts off his rattail. Romantic!
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        97%

        • Unique Points
          • Shia LaBeouf plays a rich-kid politician in the movie 'Megalopolis'
          • The politician character in the movie 'Megalopolis' is exposed as a false prophet.
          • Shia LaBeouf’s character is strung upside down by his feet at the end of the movie.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        95%

        • Unique Points
          • Megalopolis is Francis Ford Coppola's first movie in more than a decade.
          • Adam Driver plays an architect with a vision in the film.
          • The film is set in a city that resembles New York but is modeled after ancient Rome.
          • Cesar Catilina, played by Adam Driver, dreams of a ‘perfect school-city’ where everyone can become who they were meant to be.
          • Julia is a party girl who can quote Marcus Aurelius.
        • Accuracy
          • Shia LaBeouf plays a rich-kid politician in the movie.
          • Cesar plans to rebuild the city of New Rome with a new building material called Megalon.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (95%)
          The article contains some instances of appeals to authority and inflammatory rhetoric, but no formal or dichotomous fallacies are present. The author mentions the allegations against Coppola and expresses her thoughts on the matter, which can be considered an appeal to authority as she is expressing her opinion based on her own observation of the film. She also uses inflammatory language when describing the industry's reaction to Coppola's movie and its alleged lack of welcoming place for free-ranging artists. However, these instances do not significantly impact the overall content or argument of the article.
          • ][The author] thought about these allegations every so often while watching [[Megalopolis]], particularly during one of the bacchanals that punctuate the story and especially when yet another semi-covered breast waggled onscreen. I didn’t find the breasts scandalous or remotely offensive; for one thing, the movie is a speculative fiction about a city that more or less looks like New York, if one modeled on ancient Rome. There the city’s wealthy citizens scheme, the poor suffer and a visionary architect, Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), dreams of a ‘perfect school-city’ in which everyone can become who they were meant to be. [[The author]] follows Catilina pondering his mortality atop what looks like the Chrysler Building. After gingerly crawling outside on a ledge, he gazes over the city and raises a foot in the air, then freezes as if contemplating the abyss. This apparent to-be-or-not-to-be moment initiates a story that finds him wrestling with imponderables, having anguished meltdowns and trying to realize his utopian project using a building material he has invented as he navigates assorted hurdles. Among the most persistent is the imperious mayor, Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who has a beautiful daughter, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), a party girl who can quote the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius by heart.[]
          • The industry, never a welcoming place for free-ranging and -thinking artists, is in the midst of another of its cyclical freakouts. Business is terrible and the sky is definitely, absolutely falling. Fear, panic and timidity rule the day, as they generally do.
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        77%

        • Unique Points
          • Coppola financed Megalopolis with $120 million of his own money after decades of trying to get it made.
          • Cesar falls in love with the mayor’s daughter, Julia, played by Nathalie Emmanuel.
        • Accuracy
          • Francis Ford Coppola's movie 'Megalopolis' premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
          • Adam Driver stars as Cesar Catilina, a visionary architect in Megalopolis.
          • Cesar plans to rebuild the city of New Rome with a new building material called Megalon.
          • Giancarlo Esposito plays Mayor Cicero, who opposes Cesar’s plans for civic improvement.
          • Jon Voight portrays megabanker Hamilton Crassus III in the film.
          • Dustin Hoffman plays high-powered fixer Nush Berman in Megalopolis.
          • Shia LaBeouf stars as Clodio, a wealthy failson with designs on power.
          • Aubrey Plaza plays financial reporter Wow Platinum who uses every asset to make news rather than cover it.
        • Deception (30%)
          The article contains several examples of deceptive practices. The author uses emotional manipulation by describing the movie as 'one of the most unhinged things ever projected on a screen' and 'a hoot: mostly on purpose, occasionally by accident, and sometimes, as when Voight opens a particular fraught encounter by discussing the size of his boner, the latter turns into the former.' The author also engages in selective reporting by focusing only on the strange and unusual aspects of the movie while ignoring its potential merits. Additionally, there are instances of sensationalism with phrases like 'one of the most genuinely unhinged things ever projected on a screen' and 'a parable of what happens when you let artists take over the world.' The author also uses editorializing language such as 'defies and even actively resists description,' 'baffling lows,' and 'chaotic experience.'
          • The movie is one of the most unhinged things ever projected on a screen.
          • It's a hoot: mostly on purpose, occasionally by accident, and sometimes, as when Voight opens a particular fraught encounter by discussing the size of his boner, the latter turns into the former.
          • a parable of what happens when you let artists take over the world
          • defies and even actively resists description
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (80%)
          The author expresses a clear disdain for the movie 'Megalopolis' by Francis Ford Coppola, using language that depicts it as unhinged and chaotic. He also makes assumptions about the motivations of those involved in its production and distribution, implying that they are prioritizing spectacle over substance.
          • Among his more audacious (and easily summarized) gambits is a moment where Cesar calls a press conference and takes a question from a live person in the room, who, at least in my screening, stumbled up on stage with a flashlight and a microphone stand, did his part, and then vanished back into the dark.
            • Coppola's hero occupies the top floor of the Chrysler Building, whence he surveys the city like a scale model laid out for his re-envisioning.
              • It's one of the most genuinely unhinged things ever projected on a screen.
                • Subtitled ‘A Fable’, Megalopolis can be read as a parable of what happens when you let artists take over the world.
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication
                • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication