Megalopolis

"Megalopolis is a film by Francis Ford Coppola that is as ambitious in its themes and vision as it is flawed in its execution (both in terms of script and visual effects). Designed as a fable to draw parallels between the corruption of ancient Rome and contemporary United States, the story is set in "New Rome," an alternative and retro-futuristic version of New York where an ambitious architect, Caesar Catilina (Adam Driver), tries to build a better future for society in the face of the corruption of conservative Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito). Coppola aims to present an epic struggle of forces where art plays a fundamental role in expanding society's imagination, allowing it to oppose political and economic interests and conceive something better for itself. However, the film gets somewhat tangled in its allegories with ancient Rome, a multiplicity of subplots, and visual effects that are, frankly, kind of uncomfortable to watch. Nevertheless, beneath those layers, it is Coppola's vision of art and cinema that deserves a chance (even if the director indulges in giving himself too much importance)."