Give Francis Ford Coppola a Razzie for His Razzie Reaction

“I am thrilled to accept the Razzie award in so many important categories for @megalopolisfilm, and for the distinctive honor of being nominated as the worst director, worst screenplay, and worst picture at a time when so few have the courage to go against the prevailing trends of contemporary moviemaking!” the director wrote on Instagram. OK, drama.

“In this wreck of a world today, where ART is given scores as if it were professional wrestling, I chose to NOT follow the gutless rules laid down by an industry so terrified of risk that despite the enormous pool of young talent at its disposal, may not create pictures that will be relevant and alive 50 years from now.”

Now, while I agree somewhat with the previous quotes, here’s where Coppola falters: “My sincere thanks to all my brilliant colleagues who joined me to make our work of art, MEGALOPOLIS, and let us remind ourselves us that box-office is only about money, and like war, stupidity and politics has no true place in our future.”

He almost had me with the whole box office being about money, and no room for war and stupidity in the future stuff but…politics will sadly always have a place in our future. And isn’t some of the best cinema a moving reflection or impactful criticism of it? Frankly, Coppola just seems mad that Megalopolis never quite resonated with audiences the way he hoped it would. Critics, notably, called it a “work of absolute madness” and “an epic fail.” And I mean, let us remember this dialogue.

I guess a Razzie is the price one pays for going out of their way to cast “canceled” actors…