Three Thousand Years of Longing

"Alithea" (Tilda Swinton) is a solitary scholar who travels to Istanbul to address a conference on the relative merits of myth v science. At the seminar, she starts to hallucinate and the seed is sown that perhaps the mystical is not so far-fetched as we might think! A visit to the Grand Bazaar sees her acquire a small blue bottle that, when attacked rather unceremoniously with an electric toothbrush, spills it's contents into her hotel room. A giant, hairy-legged Djinn (Idris Elba). In keeping with tradition, he offers her three wishes - but she is sceptical. Easy come, easy goes thinks she - and as the couple chat, she discovers just how he became incarcerated in this, his third, bottle. His are tales of love, lust, greed, power and sadne...

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"Three Thousand Years of Longing is one of the most ambitious films of the year.

Relying on the genuinely charming, mesmerizing performances of Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton, George Miller approaches a famous cautionary tale through a distinctive form of storytelling, focusing on flashbacks narrated by the male protagonist. The multiple stories of the past aren't always fascinating, partially due to the chosen narrative method, which becomes repetitive despite enriching some of the core themes.

The immersive, atmospheric visuals elevate the overall piece with significant impact, making this a cinematic experience to leave any viewer contemplating life, desire, loneliness, and happiness."

Rating: B+

I did not have many expectations for Three Thousand Years of Longing, but after leaving the theater it left me longing for more. I do not think any individual part of this film was inherently bad. The performances by Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton were captivating and their on-screen chemistry was amazing. The flash backs to the characters' lives were very fascinating. I really enjoyed exploring the lives of ancient civilizations in the eyes of George Miller. The overarching plot was decent, nothing spectacular. But the collection of all these different elements together just felt like a jumbled mess. The movie never gets in a groove and always feels like it is stumbling its way to the finish line. I felt the opening sequence was incredibly...