REVIEW: THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING

4/5

Idris In A Bottle. 

108 Mins. Starring: Tilda Swinton & Idris Elba. Director: George Miller. 

If you had a genie in the bottle like Christina Aguilera, what would you wish for? Right now, some women would wish to be with Idris Elba. Whilst many men would merely wish to be him. Film fans have even wished on this star being Bond for so long that the lamp is starting to lose its sheen. But at least the shine of your third wish has been taken and granted. Idris Elba is a genie. And no, he's not taking over from Will Smith's live-action 'Aladdin', like his sharp-shooting Bloodsport did Smith's Deadshot in James Gunn's 'The Suicide Squad'. Instead, he's granting what the great Tilda Swinton's heart desires in 'Mad Max: Fury Road' director George Miller's 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing', for one of the most offbeat and outstanding pictures of last year. Now making it big here in Japan after last year's six-minute standing ovation at Cannes. 

Long this 3000. Heimdall and The Ancient One fall in love for your multiverse variant marvel. Whilst we wait to 2024 for 'Furiosa' like another 'Doctor Strange' cameo, it's Miller time for a romantic fantasy drama from the '40,000 Years Of Dreaming' and 'Happy Feet' versatile director. And by George does he have it. Based on the sublime short story 'The Djinn In The Nightingale's Eye' by A.S. Byatt, this 'Longing' will make you believe in love again, no matter how many thousands of years you feel you have lived in this life. In an avalanche of white bathrobes more pure than the mountains between him and Kate Winslet, Idris is inspired as the 'Beasts Of No Nation' actor sports ears that look like he played someone else in 'Star Trek: Beyond', or is about to audition for the next Tolkien picture. Miller, proving like Guillermo del Toro's that he can bring even more power to strange new worlds like Hobbiton. 'The Dark Tower' storyteller takes us through 'A Thousand Years' and then some like a Sting 'I Still Love You' after a 'Brand New Day'. 

The 'Long Walk To Freedom' Mandela actor, bringing some serious soccer skill, is about to shoot and scorch screens of size and streaming, taking the tweed coat of his legendary 'Luther' like Vandross (who needs James?) back for 'The Fallen Sun' movie. But it's his charming chemistry with Swinton that's even more compelling than the chapters of his past and previous lives over the centuries. There are many players in all of George Miller's staged worlds here in this theatrical piece. Even the good 'Neighbours' of Anne Charlestown, or Madge Bishop as the amazing Aussie is better known as. But it's all about the Romeo and Julie like DiCaprio and Danes here in this star-crossed affair. And Tilda is terrific as a professor who's about to really learn something new about the life and world she lives in. The scholar hallucinates demons that look like F. Murray Abraham and faints whilst lecturing in Istanbul (prayers up for the beautiful nation). Then frees Elba's engrossing Djinn by washing the lamp and rubbing it with fingers and an electric toothbrush. They really do get to all sorts of places those things. 

Lover of the Queen of Sheba. Rival of King Solomon. Trickster? Over three tales, see and believe for yourself as Idris and Tilda hold you together like each other's hands in their grasp. All the way to modern day London, where this potent and profound parable shows us not just what we are missing and wishing for in love and life, but also what the modern machinations of strange transmissions are doing to us in a static that we can't quite shut out, like the heart and souls we almost let in. Up the white marble steps of a typical and traditional London town house, by the fire. Simply on the sofa, you can see just how quaint and quiet it can all get. Even in the Big Smoke. If only we just let it all breathe like the romance of a fine wine. 

Dearly devoted to Miller's mother Angela and producer Doug Mitchell's relative Rena Mitchell. Looking at the darkness of death through a poetic lens that comes back around like the sun in your eyes of a new rise, this is an epic for our classic cinematic existence. Rubbing shoulders with the love and lifetime likes of 'The Green Knight' director David Lowery's 'A Ghost Story' and even Tilda Swinton's undead love for Tom Hiddleston's vampire in 'Only Lovers Left Alive', this is lightning in the bottle. Twice over when it comes to 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing's' stars wished upon one. This may not be Disney, but when it comes to the moving message of meaning, like Sting and The Police singing out an SOS, we hope that someone gets this, we hope that someone gets this, Idris in a bottle. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Only Lovers Left Alive', 'A Ghost Story', 'Aladdin'.