Three Thousand Years of Longing movie review (2022)


During a lecture Alithea faints after a hallucination. We are to ask, later, whether it was a hallucination or something ancient and real calling to her. Back in her hotel room, she tries to scrub off an ornamental bottle she picked up at an antique shop. And yes, she unleashes a genie, or djinn, and a giant one at that—the sight of his enormous foot opening her bathroom door is something unusual to be sure—who, upon learning some English, proffers Alithea the standard three wishes. As played by Idris Elba, the djinn is a figure grave, funny, absurd, and moving.

As for those wishes: not so fast. As a narratologist, Alithea knows that a djinn is one gift horse worth looking in the mouth. The wish-fulfillment narratives involving genies famously never work out—either due to the stupidity/venality of the wisher or, more pertinent to Alithea, the fact that genies are notorious tricksters. There’s a reason they end up trapped in bottles, after all. And so, rather than a wish-fulfillment journey, Alithea begins an interrogation.

The djinn’s first tale sets the tone and pace for the rest of the movie. He was a consort, or so he claims, and teacher to the famed Queen of Sheba (“She was not beautiful. She was beauty itself,” the Djinn avers, and in the form of actress Aamito Lagum, she indeed is), until that wily Solomon came along. Even the elaborate tableaux of Cecil B. DeMille aren’t sufficient preparation for the production design and CGI-driven phantasmagoria of this tale, which features, among other things, a kind of self-playing lyre, the better to augment the song of Solomon that seduces Sheba.

As it turns out, over the centuries, it’s always a woman who’s responsible for the djinn’s captivity, but this is not a nesting-doll tale of misogyny. (It is adapted, very loosely, from a novella by renowned British writer A.S. Byatt.) It’s more a chronicle of how love and hate can make one do funny things. And about the paradox of being human, our intrepid selves and our shadow selves. So much human achievement is depicted here, and so much human atrocity. As is observed near the end of the picture, “Despite all the whiz-bang, we remain befuddled.”

You can view the original article HERE.

Sydney Sweeney & Emily Ratajkowski Wear Matching Dresses For Modeling Shoot
Sydney Sweeney & Emily Ratajkowski Wear Matching Dresses For Modeling Shoot
Miley Cyrus Stuns in Mugler for “End of the World” Music Video
Miley Cyrus Stuns in Mugler for “End of the World” Music Video
‘Narcos’ Star Manuel Masalva in Coma After Contracting Infection, Friend Says
‘Narcos’ Star Manuel Masalva in Coma After Contracting Infection, Friend Says
Megan Thee Stallion Declares “Hot Girl Summer” is Loading with New Chicas Divertidas Campaign
Megan Thee Stallion Declares “Hot Girl Summer” is Loading with New Chicas Divertidas Campaign
13 Reviews by Roger Ebert for the 2025 Day4Empathy | Roger Ebert
13 Reviews by Roger Ebert for the 2025 Day4Empathy | Roger Ebert
Liam Neeson’s ‘The Naked Gun’ Trailer Slammed by David Zucker’s involvement With Porn Comparison
Liam Neeson’s ‘The Naked Gun’ Trailer Slammed by David Zucker’s involvement With Porn Comparison
Glen Campbell Biopic Director Explains the Casting & Story
Glen Campbell Biopic Director Explains the Casting & Story
“Hacks” Returns at the Peak of Its Comedic Powers | TV/Streaming
“Hacks” Returns at the Peak of Its Comedic Powers | TV/Streaming
Artists get paid when you actually buy CD or vinyl
Artists get paid when you actually buy CD or vinyl
Bill Burr told Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder “I hated your band” at ‘SNL50’
Bill Burr told Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder “I hated your band” at ‘SNL50’
Russell Brand responds to rape and sexual assault charges
Russell Brand responds to rape and sexual assault charges
JAY B 2025 ‘Tape: Re Load’ world tour: tickets, dates and more
JAY B 2025 ‘Tape: Re Load’ world tour: tickets, dates and more
Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Started with Slot Games Online Real Money
Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Started with Slot Games Online Real Money
Giannis records historic 35-15-20 stat line in win over 76ers
Giannis records historic 35-15-20 stat line in win over 76ers
Doncic owns ‘unacceptable’ showing in Lakers’ loss to Warriors
Doncic owns ‘unacceptable’ showing in Lakers’ loss to Warriors
Embiid to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery
Embiid to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery
Channing Tatum’s ‘Jupiter Ascending’ Isn’t as Bad as Everyone Said
Channing Tatum’s ‘Jupiter Ascending’ Isn’t as Bad as Everyone Said
Fire Country Season 3 Episode 16 is One of the Best Episodes, but One Main Character Vehemently Disagrees
Fire Country Season 3 Episode 16 is One of the Best Episodes, but One Main Character Vehemently Disagrees
Hugh Jackman’s ‘Logan’ Lands New Streaming Home This April
Hugh Jackman’s ‘Logan’ Lands New Streaming Home This April
‘Hell of a Summer’ Stars Discuss Bonding at Camp in Finn Wolfhard & Billy Bryk’s Slasher Comedy
‘Hell of a Summer’ Stars Discuss Bonding at Camp in Finn Wolfhard & Billy Bryk’s Slasher Comedy
Matthew Cancel Celebrates Cancel Communications’ Landmarks & The Big 3-0!
Matthew Cancel Celebrates Cancel Communications’ Landmarks & The Big 3-0!
Anna Wintour Reacts To Radhika Jones’ Exit, Chanel’s New Face!
Anna Wintour Reacts To Radhika Jones’ Exit, Chanel’s New Face!
Jenna Ortega Declared ‘Unrecognizable’ After Latest Appearance
Jenna Ortega Declared ‘Unrecognizable’ After Latest Appearance
BELLE I MODE’s Shannon Lunseth Kotze Is Ready For April Buying Week!
BELLE I MODE’s Shannon Lunseth Kotze Is Ready For April Buying Week!