Coppola's Megalopolis Released to Mixed Reviews

Francis Ford Coppola's long-awaited film 'Megalopolis,' which he self-financed for $120 million, has finally hit theaters, receiving mixed reviews. While some critics laud its ambitious and visionary blend of retro-futuristic aesthetics and Shakespearean drama, others find it a bloated and self-indulgent mess that falls short of Coppola's past masterpieces. The film, set in a dystopian New York dubbed New Rome, features Adam Driver as an architect with supernatural abilities, embroiled in a political battle. Despite negative prerelease buzz and low box office predictions, the film's premiere at Cannes received a 10-minute standing ovation, suggesting a deeply polarized reception. Coppola, 85, has tied the film's themes to contemporary issues, hoping to turn it into an against-all-odds success. Whether 'Megalopolis' will be remembered as a career-capping triumph or a financial folly remains to be seen.