The Sophia Coppola Challenge: A Plea

Having recently seen Sophia Coppola's newest directorial pursuit, Marie Antoinette, I must make a request of anyone willing to help, please tell me why she is a good director. After viewing the film, my flatmates and I walked out in a awkward silence, not sure of each others' opinions. Finally, I asked warily, "So...what did you think?" To which one hastily and forthrightly replied, "It was absolute rubbish!" Tension gone. The four of us spent the next hour and a half bashing Coppola, which may have transpired into discussing the general lunacy of her entire family. Towards the end of the night, though, we decided that there must be a reason why some audiences like her films, something that we just do not see or do not get. Whenever I spend a long time ranting about some artists inadequacies, I get a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach that tells me to shut up because this shit always comes back to bite you in the ass. This is generally coupled with the fear that the artist is really a genius and I am just far to simple minded and stupid to comprehend their mastery. So, I started to breath a little and think more specifically about what I did and did not like.

Likes:

• Technically and aesthetically captivating cinematography
• General aesthetic appeal of the mise-en-scene
• Especially, use of innovative color schemes throughout the film reflected throughout the mise-en-scene (production design, costume, and makeup)
• Languid editing pace gave an appearance of an objective camera which allowed the viewers to engage in the entirety of the shot (characters and setting) with an open feeling

Dislikes:

• NOTHING HAPPENED!! The film did not leave me questioning anything but the point of making it in the film medium. I felt that it would have been so much better suited to an issue of Vogue.
  
• The characters were shallow and completely alienated from the audience.
• The "Likes" I had of the film had nothing to do with Sophia Coppola's directing or writing abilities, except that she has the privilege of working with some very talented production heads.
• The overtly American label on a foreign subject is incredibly overdone and pretty insulting to the integrity of the actual events/people involved.
• On that note, neither the characters nor the story at all engage any of the issues facing Marie Antoinette on a constructive humanist level. Instead, it fully accepts her dualistic attitudes of self-centered spoiled brat and emotional caretaker as simple facts without anything beyond a vapid outward expression of conflict.
• I felt that the film was more of an product of Coppola's own egotistical attempt to justify her own life of privilege, wealth and prosperity (not to mention the career handed to her on a silver platter) and portray her guilt for not helping the less fortunate as a burden of her status (her "cage"). Which is really just an exercise in how to evade that nagging feeling of inadequacy.
  

But, other than that, I harbor no hard feelings against her. She is just a shallow person and is trying to learn how to deal with it.

Uh-hem.

Well, I didn't mean to rant quite that much but I still do want to know if anyone wants to take up her defense. Please, if I am missing the big picture or something explain to me. I don't want to be an ignorant fool and would much rather feel stupid now than later. Enlighten me, if you will. I beg you.