There’s an embarrassment of riches in movie theaters this rainy weekend. Let’s get right to them.
Megalopolis
Francis Ford Coppola, legendary director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, worked on the idea for an epic story inspired by the history of the Roman Empire, but set in New York City, since the 1980s. Frustrated by the conservatism of the Hollywood machine which couldn’t understand his vision, at age 80, he sold his wineries in Sonoma County, California, and spent $120 million of his own money to make it himself. An all-star cast flocked to his side to be a part of the great project: Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Talia Shire, Laurence Fishburne, Nathalie Emmanuel, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, and Aubrey Plaza, who plays a TV host named Wow Platinum. The people who have seen the film seem to either love it or hate it. Check out the spread of reviews on Google, which is like nothing I’ve ever seen:
I’ll let you know my opinion in next week’s issue. Meanwhile, here’s the trailer.
My Old Ass
Speaking of Aburey Plaza, she also co-stars in this very different film from writer/director Megan Park. It’s Elliot’s (Missy Stella) 18th birthday, and she’s ambivalent about leaving home for college. When her friends give her some psychedelic mushrooms, she sees her future self, played by Plaza, who tells her what it’s going to be like to be her for the next couple of decades — and also to avoid a guy named Chad (Percy Hynes White).
The Wild Robot
Dreamworks Animation’s latest is by Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon animator Chris Sanders. Lupita Nyong’o voices ROZZUM, a robot who washes up on a tropical island with no memory of how it got there. Sanders’ film is based on a beloved children’s book by author Peter Brown.
Paul McCartney and Wings: One Hand Clapping
In 1974, Band on the Run was the biggest album in the world. Filmmaker David Litchfield joined Paul McCartney and his band at Abby Road Studios for four days to shoot them rehearsing for their upcoming tour. The completed film failed to sell, and sat on a shelf for decades. Its 4K remaster finally saw the light of day, and now it’s getting rave reviews.