There is no such thing as too long when it comes to hit blockbuster films these days.
Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is about three hours, while Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has a run time of almost two hours and 30 minutes.
However, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer leaves these films behind with its three-hour runtime. It joins a prestigious group of films that are both epic in length and successful with audiences.
Here are nine other three-hour features that have been well-received by fans and critics.
1. Gone with the Wind (1939)
Directed by Victor Fleming, Gone with the Wind is considered one of the first Hollywood epics.
Running for a little less than four hours and based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell, the film is set in the American south and follows the torrid relationship between the fiery Scarlett O'Hara, the daughter of a plantation owner, and businessman Rhett Butler.
Despite its length, Gone with the Wind broke US box office when it was released.
With figures adjusted for inflation, it is now viewed as one of the biggest hit films of all time, with an estimated total gross of $4 billion.
2. Ben-Hur (1959)
A supersized remake of the 1925 silent film about a Jewish prince enslaved by the Romans, Ben Hur’s $15 million production made it the most expensive Hollywood film of its time.
That hefty war chest was used to recreate epic battle sequences, cities of ancient Rome and more than 8,000 costumes.
With so much going on, the three hours and 32 minutes fly by.
3. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Clocking at three hours and 42 minutes, the Academy Award-winning film is based on TE Lawrence’s writings about his experiences as a British Army Officer in the Middle East during the First World War.
Joining the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire, the film has been praised for its astonishing cinematography and pacing.
4. The Godfather Part II (1974)
After redefining the gangster genre with 1972’s The Godfather, director Francis Ford Coppola returned with a bigger film in scale and length.
But nothing is squandered in the three hour 22-minute runtime as viewers go on a deep dive into the origins of the Corleone family, from its roots in rural Sicily to becoming one of the most lucrative crime syndicates in the US.
5. Schindler’s List (1993)
Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved scores of Polish-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust, Schindler's List is unsparing and a towering technical achievement.
Running for three hours and 15 minutes and shot mostly in black and white, director Steven Spielberg’s documentary-like approach to subject matter has been hailed by critics and fellow filmmakers.
Schindler’s List went on to win seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.
6. Titanic (1997)
Writer and director James Cameron teamed up with stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet for a sweeping love story set on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic.
The attention to detail in the 194-minute film is breathtaking, from recreating the majestic vessel to its tragic destruction upon hitting an iceberg.
7. The Green Mile (1999)
What's impressive about The Green Mile is that it doesn't feel like a film with a runtime of more than three hours.
Such is the great casting of Tom Hanks and the late Michael Clarke Duncan in this touching drama, which is about a mysterious convict accused of an unspeakable crime.
8. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
At three hours, The Wolf of Wall Street is a shocking look at Wall Street’s stockbroking culture of the 1980s.
Based on Jordan Belfort's memoir and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, the film was a box office success despite its controversial content and was nominated for five Academy Awards.
9. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame has all the action and drama fans expect from the Marvel Universe and concludes a series of more than a dozen films featuring the superheroes who make up The Avengers.
The three-hour film was a major success at the box office and raked in more than $2.5 billion, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of all time.
IF YOU GO
The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895.
The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info
Where to stay: Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
Major matches on Manic Monday
Andy Murray (GBR) v Benoit Paire (FRA)
Grigor Dimitrov (BGR) v Roger Federer (SUI)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Gilles Muller (LUX)
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.