The 215-minute, Oscar-tipped epic that could save Hollywood – if we let it

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The film has surprisingly taken the lead in the 2025 Oscar competition.

Corbet's a newcomer to directing, only three films into his career. However, he's also a throwback, sticking to traditional independent filmmaking, following in the footsteps of his idols. People say he's reminiscent of the pioneering directors of 1970s American cinema, some of whom are still alive and actively making films today.

He invites us to feel his pain as he navigates conflicts with his supporters, remains steadfast to his goal, and pushes the limits of his patient wife's understanding. “Promise me you won't let it consume you,” she asks anxiously.

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His less affluent cousin – it’s a lengthy, luxurious film about a forward-thinking architect (played this time by Adam Driver), who is determined to create his masterpiece and similarly has to contend with a corrupt East Coast establishment.

By contrast, the company shot itself in the foot with an advertising campaign that relied heavily on artificial, AI-created pull quotes, along with a five-star review on the film cataloging site Letterboxd from Coppola himself.

They genuinely believe the norm should be challenged and that the proof of beating the odds justifies the uniqueness of the other approach.

Corbet and Coppola, I suspect, nostalgically recall the era when the notion of the towering artist was still widely appreciated. Be it a zealous architect or a Hollywood filmmaker donning jodhpurs and a bullhorn.

The auteur theory reached its peak in the Sixties and Seventies and made iconic directors, including Coppola, legends in the process. Since then, it's been overshadowed by the changing entertainment landscape, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and technology like ChatGPT dominating the scene. Personal statements are no longer in fashion, mass entertainment has taken over, and if there's a superstar director left, they're more likely to be found in Silicon Valley than Hollywood. The emergence of generative AI could completely disrupt the industry, potentially making traditional human creativity seem outdated. Given this shift, the work of less conventional directors like Corbet and Coppola has become even more valuable and rare, much like endangered species. While these artists can be frustrating and arrogant at times, it's essential to preserve their unique talents because what the future holds may be even more detrimental.

"The Brutalist" is now playing in theaters starting January 24.

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