The Francis Ford Coppola Hall of Fame and ‘Megalopolis’

'Megalopolis'the 40-year passion project, finally in theaters

Megalopolis 2024

Coppola self-financed this to the tune of a reported $120 million, selling off part of his wine business. Adam Driver plays architect Caesar Catalina, who can stop time and wants to rebuild New Rome with a wonder-material called Megalon. Both hosts respect the ambition and think the execution fails: Sean compares the all-digital artifice to 'The Phantom Menace,' and their bro-heavy IMAX screening, opened by a rambling live Coppola/De Niro/Spike Lee Q&A, tipped into open laughter. Only Adam Driver and, arguably, Shia LaBeouf and Aubrey Plaza seem to be in the movie it should have been.

The Francis Ford Coppola Hall of Famethe greens: eleven films (they cheated to eleven)

Patton 1970

The screenplay Oscar that bumped his quote and made him a Hollywood player. Eligible as a writing credit; the only one of his four to make the cut.

The Godfather 1972

An airport novel made grand and poetic. Sean's pick for the most fun of his films to watch.

The Conversation 1974

Gene Hackman as surveillance man Harry Caul; a prescient film about listening and being sure you know what you don't.

The Godfather Part II 1974

The twin peak. Amanda re-listened to the Rewatchables on it rather than rewatch; she and Bill Simmons still disagree about Kay.

Apocalypse Now 1979

The near-fatal jungle shoot that came out great anyway. Sean calls a 70mm screening 'church.'

One from the Heart 1982

The Las Vegas soundstage musical that bombed him into debt: $26M spent, $600K returned. Beautiful, and a clear ancestor of 'Megalopolis.' The Reprise recut trims about 15 minutes.

The Outsiders 1983

Inducted as a slash with 'Rumble Fish.' The S.E. Hinton adaptation with the young cast that got famous: Cruise, Swayze, Lowe, Dillon, Macchio.

Rumble Fish 1983

The arthouse companion to 'The Outsiders': black-and-white, German-expressionist, the one that's grown more celebrated.

Tucker: The Man and His Dream 1988

The most one-to-one 'I am Tucker' movie, and the clearest key to Coppola's belief in the visionary who sees the future first. Lucas helped get it made.

Bram Stoker's Dracula 1992

Sean's strong-arm pick. Uneven performances (sorry, Keanu), but Gary Oldman is 'wowzers good.'

Megalopolis 2024

In for calling his shot and as the summation of his life's project, despite both hosts agreeing it doesn't work.

Weighed but cutthe yellows and reds from the filmography walk

Dementia 13 1963

The Roger Corman-produced $3 horror starter. Better than expected; yellowed.

You're a Big Boy Now 1966

One of the few Coppola films Sean really doesn't like: dated, antic, Austin Powers-y in black and white.

Finian's Rainbow 1968

The Fred Astaire studio musical at the death of Old Hollywood. Stinks; red.

The Rain People 1969

His New Hollywood road movie with James Caan; the sensitive-woman's-picture of his career. A respectful 'marigold yellow.'

The Cotton Club 1984

Dull and artificial: men in suspenders arguing, then maybe shooting. Red.

Captain EO 1986

The 17-minute Michael Jackson 3-D attraction film for Disney parks. A yellow, as an experiment and a paycheck.

Peggy Sue Got Married 1986

Kathleen Turner and weird late-'80s Nic Cage (Coppola's nephew). Solidly good, but a fairly impersonal for-hire high-concept; not in.

Gardens of Stone 1987

A quiet, devastating drama made as his son Gio died in production. Maybe his most obscure film; red.

New York Stories 1989

His 'Life Without Zoe' segment, with daughter Sofia. Not going in.

The Godfather Part III 1990

A commercially successful misfire (and Pacino's hair). Red.

Jack 1996

Robin Williams as a boy aging four times as fast. Pilloried; 'I wanted to make it,' Coppola said. Red.

The Rainmaker 1997

The John Grisham adaptation with a pre-'Good Will Hunting' Matt Damon. An 'I'm glad it exists' canary yellow.

Youth Without Youth 2007

Tim Roth as a man thrown back 30 years; part of his 'studies' for 'Megalopolis.' The most successful of his late reflective trio; yellow.

Tetro 2009

Black-and-white Buenos Aires family drama with Vincent Gallo and Alden Ehrenreich. Good, not great; out.

Twixt 2011

Val Kilmer as an author probing small-town murders. Tonally the closest to 'Megalopolis'; out.

Also mentioned raised along the way

Films he wrote Is Paris BurningThis Property Is Condemned

Compared to 'Megalopolis' MetropolisThe Phantom MenaceCivil WarShowgirlsThe Room

In passing Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's ApocalypseAlice Doesn't Live Here AnymoreBack to the FutureBeetlejuiceThe Age of InnocenceReality BitesHeathersGood Will HuntingSaving Private RyanCourage Under Fire

Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads

TV Game of ThronesIndustryThe White Lotus

Podcasts The Ringer NFL ShowThe Rewatchables

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