Top 5 Timeless Romances on Screen

Kolkata during Durga Puja, that too after 15 years, is travelling back in time. On top of that, meeting old friends is perhaps the most uplifting feeling one can have. Since I am in a great mood, today I am going to write about a few movies that show how love and life transcend time and age. I have watched most, but some are in my watchlist.

1. The Age of Adeline:  This 2015 movie stars Blake Lively as Adeline, a woman who wouldn't age, and runs from one place to another to escape the death of her near and dear ones. She is scared of getting attached and getting hurt. This movie is about her extraordinary story and what happens when she meets her boyfriend's father. 

It's a beautiful film, the scenes almost read like poetry. The dialogues, Adelaine's repeated attempts to avoid facing reality, and ultimately her brief conversation with her boyfriend Elis's father, William Jones (Harrison Ford), change the entire sad tone of the movie into something beautiful: the realisation that one has to accept life. The movie is directed by Lee Toland Krieger.

2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Benjamin Button ( Brad Pitt) is a miracle child who ages in reverse. His birth is associated with a click that ticks reverse. Benjamin's incredible life is filled with heartbreak, surprises, and rekindled relationships as he ages in reverse.

Love plays an important role in Benjamin's life, as he repeatedly endures pain and returns to love throughout his mysterious life. His mother dies, his father abandons him, his love interest ditches him, but in the end, his soul finds solace in dying in the lap of the person he loved the most. The film also stars Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton. Directed by David Fincher, this 2008 film is a beautiful and lasting experience for viewers.

3. The Time Traveller's Wife: Eric Bana and Rachael McAdams star as the lead pair in this fantasy drama, where a librarian, Henry de Tamble (Bana), has a unique ability to travel in time. 

While his ongoing journey of travelling to the past and future leads him to encounter his wife at various ages and in different timelines, their romance blossoms into a wonderful, unique journey. Directed by Robert Schwentke, this 2009 film is on my watchlist.

4. Forever Young: I watched this film a few weeks back. It is a cute and light-hearted film about a test pilot, Daniel (Mel Gibson), who becomes the subject of chronic freezing and is found 53 years later by a 10-year-old, Nat (Lijah Wood). Nat takes Daniel to his home, but when his mother, Claire (Jamie Lee Curtis), discovers Daniel, a lot of chaos ensues.

Over time, Daniel, with the help of Nat and Claire, returns to his love, Helen. In the course of his search for Helen, Daniel ages and when he meets her, he proposes to the now-elderly Helen. Directed by Steve Miner, this 1992 film is a fun watch.

5. Mr Nobody: It's really strange how I had never heard about this 2009 film. But when I did, I had to watch, and it turned out to be such an intriguing story. The film, directed by Jaco Van Dormael, is about a futuristic world where everyone has attained immortality. The only mortal being who is sickened by age, has forgotten everything, and is being hypnotised to regain his memory. While he remembers his name as Nemo, he reveals multiple versions of his past when questioned by a journalist. 

The plot can be quite confusing, as Nemo's version of his life story fluctuates over time. One version is where he leaves with his mother on a train to the city; another is where he stays behind with his ailing father to care for him. These various versions actually indicate what would have happened if he had taken different decisions. A final version shows Nemo not taking either of his parents' sides and instead running into the woods, and later near the river to meet his girlfriend, Anna. 

An interesting science fiction film where love once again becomes an integral part, showing how a person's decision based on love can change the course of his life. Jared Leto and Diane Kruger play the lead roles.