Sofia Coppola is the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, who directed the Godfather movies, but she has earned her own reputation as an outstanding writer and director many times through her own films.
She first stepped foot into Hollywood as a teenager when she starred in The Godfather Part III, directed by her father. After previously appearing in the original Godfather movie and The Outsiders as a child, this was her first serious acting role. While critics deemed her performance not very strong, the role seemed to have taught her a few things about the filmmaking process.
Coppola tends to focus on girlhood and womanhood in many of her films. Throughout her writing and directing career, she has won an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and many awards from film critic associations.
Coppola certainly has an outstanding filmography, but here are three films that particularly stand out.
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The Virgin Suicides is a movie about five teenage sisters told from the perspective of the neighborhood boys. Photo courtesy of Paramount PicturesThe Virgin Suicides (1999)Based on a novel written by Jeffrey Eugenides, The Virgin Suicides is a movie about five teenage sisters told from the perspective of the neighborhood boys.
This film was Coppola’s directorial debut, but one would not think so after watching it. It flawlessly depicts the male gaze through the eyes of the boys who are obsessed with the idea of the girls, rather than the girls themselves. It is here that Coppola first collaborated with Kirsten Dunst, who was not nearly as popular back then. Some would say this was her breakout role.
The film, set in 1970s middle America, heavily uses ’70s music and style to create a dreamy and somewhat eerie atmosphere.
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Marie Antoinette is based on the story of the young French monarch Marie Antoinette and her experiences during her period of rule alongside her husband, King Louis XVI. Photo courtesy of Columbia PicturesMarie Antoinette (2006)Marie Antoinette is based on the story of the young French monarch Marie Antoinette and her experiences during her period of rule alongside her husband, King Louis XVI.
Coppola takes a creative approach to the movie with her pastel color scheme, dreamy-sounding film score, and what many people now would deem coquette aesthetic.
She also takes a creative approach to the historical details of Antoinette’s life, with her version of Antoinette facing overwhelming loneliness and a pressure to please at a young age. Dunst again plays the lead role and she gives another a strong performance.
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Lost In Translation follows Bob Harris, a lonely, aging movie star, as he falls in love with a younger, newlywed woman while on a business trip. Photo courtesy of Focus FeaturesLost in Translation (2003)Lost In Translation follows Bob Harris, a lonely, aging movie star, as he falls in love with a younger, newlywed woman while on a business trip. The pair, both trapped by the feeling of what seems like neverending isolation, find comfort in each other and their shared experiences.
Coppola expertly uses the bustling crowds and futuristic style of the Tokyo setting to make viewers feel as isolated as the main characters. This helps viewers find sympathy within the characters’ situation and aids in immersing them in the setting further.
While watching this movie, viewers feel like they are the ones trying to find their way through the colorfully lit streets of Tokyo.
