PETER BRADSHAW reviews MEGALOPOLIS

[@FrancoisDressler]

I liked it very much. I have an affection for Kaleidoscopic cinema and this delivered on that end.

[@stevenmackay3342]

I can't believe you tubes algorithm has only today recommended your channel to me!!! I used to read your film reviews in the paper all the time. Subscribed.

[@PeterBradshaw1]

thank you!

[@BigBeeBeeSting]

If anyone remembers one of his earlier films Called 'One from the heart' (which not many people liked either) both shares some similarities. Both are Fables. Megalopolis announces it is on the opening frame. They both share an artificial visual style, exaggerated and heightened dialogue and a very simple story line. All these elements are what is found in Fables. I definitely have criticisms of parts of it where sections go on way too long but I found the visual style so arresting that even when it was becoming dull I just could not tear my eyes away. He sure wanted to make this and all the power to him for getting it made.

[@jamesdavies6228]

Given that this is Coppola's first feature film in a number of years and his life is reaching its natural conclusion I had gone into a showing of this film with high expectations that he would communicate a message that would be powerful, original and interesting. That said I was expecting that the film would still commit to showing that message via a coherent and absorbing story-line. It didn't work out that way, as instead we received an enormous number of ideas that were thrown our way in a never-ending supply of different styles and tones. There was nothing in the story-line that affected me emotionally and that was compounded by all of the actors moving in their own, individual directions in terms of sincerity and irony. The overwhelming sense I got from the film was that Coppola has an enormous amount to say in his final days and it didn't matter to him how those ideas were communicated so long as some of them ended up sticking in the viewers' minds. You were right to describe this film as a passion project - I just wished he took more care with his passions.

[@zsht]

For all Coppola has given us, I'm happy to donate a few hours and a couple of quid to his passion project.

[@MrMusicbyMartin]

A genuine film critic here, subscribed.

[@ganazby]

Excellent review, Peter. I truly wanted to be blown away by this movie, but I ended up being mightily bored (this is coming from someone who loves Bela Tarr’s work). Would I watch it again? Yes. That amount of effort and personal commitment deserves a second viewing.

[@fandango8741]

In my own personal film writing whenever I have a moment of 'wow that's great... where did that come from?' I quickly realise it's totally from the influence of following you for the last decade and a half Peter. Intelligent writing about film doesn't have to be dry and ponderous but can be personal, insightful, and wickedly funny. Thanks for all the joy over the years and making me a better writer.

[@PeterBradshaw1]

That's so kind of you - thank you!

[@squareinsquare2078]

Peter Bradshaw has been added to my list of go-to movie reviewers on KZbin, alongside Kermode and Mayo, RedLetterMedia and YMS. I like all their takes, and respect their opinions, even if I don't agree with them at times. Good man Peter, this channel deserves to grow.

[@PeterBradshaw1]

Thank you!

[@ioan7885]

if Peter says a movie is good, I watch it. If Peter says the movie ain't good, I ain't watch it. this is how much I trust this man.

[@PeterBradshaw1]

Ha thank you - though I should say I have always been in the “let a hundred flowers bloom” camp!!

[@ioan7885]

@PeterBradshaw1 haha. I love cinema and I always read you for good reason. The only time I disagreed was in relation to Ridley's Napoleon which I wouldn't give 5 stars.

[@benjamindover4337]

I feel like we should be more accepting of "lower quality" visual effects because insisting on perfection in that area relegates fantasy and science fiction films to only be made by corporatized studios. So let's not judge so harshly when the effects aren't photorealistic etc. Remember we grew up enjoying films that had no such effects and we're still able to enjoy them and even get something out of them.

[@sodiumlights]

District 9, photo-real fx, 30million budget

[@darthkek1953]

This sort of thing does happen. Kuberick gave us Eyes Wide Shut. Altman gave us Popeye. The Cohens gave us Ladykillers. Speilberg gave us Ready Player One. Ridley Scott gave us Prometheus. And Covenant. And Napoleon. And Last Duel. And Gladiator 2 : Colosseum Boogaloo. And Woody Allen gave us fly-on-the-wall sex tapes from his documentary Jeffery & Me.

[@heartofcinema3454]

There is a Fellini feel to the middle section of the film. It was okay, worth watching to salute a great director. Although he hasn't made a great film since the early 80's.

[@richardking3206]

I long ago gave up expecting brilliant films to drop forever from our best directors. Maybe I’ll catch this down the line sometime. Thanks for your honesty, Peter!

[@christophernoto]

We’re here for you, Peter! 🎉 I love this No BS review! Your particular usage of “interesting” reminds me of another, related use of it that was repeated to me as”an ancient curse.” It was, “May you live in interesting times.” which is something that we are certainly doing. 😱😂

[@richardbrayshaw570]

It's a massive Francis Ford Coppola movie so I'll do my duty, spend my £££ and watch the hell out of it on the big screen. Might have to sneak some of his wine in to the cinema, though.

[@joeb5765]

As Pauline Kael said about The Bonfire of the Vanities, 'only a great filmmaker could make a film this bad.'. I think it will be a future cult classic, but as a comedy. It is extraordinarily bad. And hilarious. But it's not boring.

[@futureofoil]

Great share, Peter, as usual. I think the film has been too ambitious for its own good.

[@PeterBradshaw1]

Thank you!

[@HuplesCat]

It is the best film and the worst film. It needs distance. It has time travel but that is not in the plot. The plot is not really the plot. It is not reality nor linear. It is not just great or just awful but both! Stunning

[@willhemmings]

A film in which 'permission to demolish whole swathes of the city' for a 'utopian building project' is met with anger at the failure to provide for 'humanity's actual needs - a living wage, sanitation, roads, schools, hospitals, not this pie in the sky megalo-nonsense'. Here in Britain, we call it HS2

[@carolewiles9344]

Thank you

[@sj6049]

Peter please record your book reading and upload it! Even better, stream it!

[@continualwonders]

You are one of my favorite movie critics, Peter. I love and appreciate that you always tell it like it is. I trust your opinion and enjoy hearing your perspectives. I’m excited for your KZbin reviews on Joker, Maria and Cuaron’s cine-series Disclaimer. I already know I’m going to go see Anora, The Brutalist and Babygirl, but you always help me figure out the ones I’m on the fence about 😊

[@PeterBradshaw1]

@@continualwonders thank you so much!

[@alexandrosalexandropoulos4836]

Great review and very honest as well. (Trivia difficult to know if not Greek: Megalopolis means in "A very big city". The funny thing is that one of the smallest towns in Greece is called Megalopolis!)

[@olavbjortomt1596]

I don't really mind hearing the co-star of Baddiel's Syndrome vocalise his May 2024 Guardian review word-for-word, but you should be offering a slightly different version for KZbin, for variety's sake at least (also perhaps with a dose of newer reflection since it has been more than five months since your review of Megalopolis was published)

[@bourdieufan7433]

great stuff Mr B

[@PeterBradshaw1]

Thank you!

[@joeb5765]

It's weird how people seem to be expecting this to be some kind of masterpiece when he's not really made anything vaguely watchable since The Rainmaker in '97. Possibly cause it looks so completely mad and has a ridiculously starry cast. I'll definitely be going, but would I even bother to watch Twixt if it was on tele? No. That's good marketing. As usual, a very insightful review. I hope to disagree.

[@FrancoisDressler]

I liked Youth Without Youth...

[@joeb5765]

@@FrancoisDressler yeah but it wasn't shown at Imax

[@joeb5765]

Thank you Francois

[@ganazby]

I liked ‘Youth Without Youth’, too. A beautiful film.

[@Thomas15]

Megalopolis is a total mess of a film. It’s incoherent and unbelievably dull. It’s not just worst of the year awful, but potentially worst of the decade. I can’t think of anything positive about it. I would like to say it’s good to see a big budget original non-sequel non-franchise film, but this is so bad it might make it less likely for studios to put their trust and money into original ideas. _“The cinematic equivalent of toothache”_ - Mark Kermode 1/10

[@MonkeyMagicMonk]

That's a shame..

[@carsonpeterson758]

Wasn’t this supposed to be an epic critical acclaim and Oscar comeback for Coppola like it would mark his return to Oscar bait and critical darling I was hoping it would. Wasn’t it

[@Cammy_1707]

Don’t see the point in the video reviews if you’re just reading word for word from articles Peter? Love the reviews but surely something more engaging that just reading print for print

[@squareinsquare2078]

But if he wrote the article then its the same as an author recording an audio book? 🤔

[@looperant]

Right then, based on your review, I won't be watching this one to get the answer to the question I already know the answer to about the brutal, murderous, narcissistic US empire. Thanks!

[@tomislavzdunic802]

Apsolut cosmic garbage

[@jefferysteen1041]

The Godfather 4 would have been a better idea

[@jefferysteen1041]

@Limeegg1 It's a total MESS!The group I was with all hated it!

[@commonwunder]

Most reviewers of this movie will "pull-their-punches", because the 'artist' is more important than any, one particular piece of their work. Which is the opposite of most artist legacies... where you're told to, enjoy their work... without engaging with their personality. ( Remember "Coppola just wants to kiss, all of the girls" ) The grand maestro spends a hundred and twenty million on an ugly, bloated mess to say Western society is an ugly, bloated mess. And the cultured, educated critics, are supposed to applaud it. You will now see the awkwardness of apologists... "let me count the ways", on how not to say I hated it. It's the problem all 'Capitalist progressives' have to regularly face within modern, Western society. Cherry pick the better bits ...and forget the ugliness of the whole.