Time Travel Movies: The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly > Likes and Comments
I might add the newest "Star Trek" film by J.J. Abrams (2009)to the list. It has an interesting time travel element in which the future spock comes back to help a young James Kirk defeat a Romulan baddie by the name of Nero. And who could forget "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (1986) in which the crew must bring two humpback whales back to the future.
Two more to add to the "good" column:"The Butterfly Effect" (2004)
"Frequency" (2000)
I know I posted this in one of the other threads of time travel movies, but I humbly offer up my website - Andy's Anachronisms - for a list of 139 movies (mostly time-travel with some alternate history/universe)which includes 53 reviewed films.http://www.timetravelreviews.com/movi...
I've even made up some handy-dandy PDF files with lists in case you need a reference.
I just checked out your list. Awesome. I'd forgotten about "The Jacket." Another one of my favs.
I would like to add the awesome gem of a movie in the Silly/Questionable listFrequenty Asked Questions About Time Travel
Hilarious, complicated and very clever. Tragically, not gained any popularity at all, I cannot think why, its almost a classic in my view.
I would also like to add "Primer", I've mentioned it on other threads, sorry. But it deserves to be in the Good film list.
All good choices above. I would like to add my favorite T.V. / "B" movie, Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (AKA Timescape) with Jeff Daniels. Rent it if you can.No love for George Pal's "The Time Machine" from 1960? I wasn't the biggest fan of the re-make.
I think "Time Bandits" also deserves to be on a list somewhere...
Great list Andy!To add to the Anachronisms, you might want It Happened Tomorrow (1944) on your list. I saw it on AMC awhile back.
Has anyone seen Source Code yet? That one's pretty decent too.
My all-time favorite is "Groundhog's Day." You definitely need that one!
Adam wrote: "Has anyone seen Source Code yet? That one's pretty decent too."I haven't seen it yet, but it is definitely on my "must" list for DVD rentals.
Source Code is currently in the mail to me via Netflix. I'll let you all know!
Oh Source Code was an awwesome film, rather like an extended twilight zone episode (but in a good way). The mysteries of the plot unravels beuatifully and you should try not to read any reviews etc on it as the film has plot turns that even the synopsis gives away.
I also want to recommend "Midnight in Paris." One of my favorite movies this year and probably one of Woody Allen's best.Maybe it's too new to add to the list, but check it out, for those who haven't seen it.
I just remembered another excellent smart time travel movie...Minority Report.Adam, I'm hearing good word on that new Woody Allen film, definitely will check it out :)
I finally watched Source Code last night, and I thought it was awesome. However, I am going to have to go back and listen to his explanation of Source Code again because I didn't quite get it the first time. I highly recommend this movie.
I still haven't managed to watch "Source Code". It's hard to find 2 consecutive hours in which to watch a movie these days. I was, however, reminded of one of one of my all-time favorite movies, though, "Idiocracy". I can't believe I forgot that one. Welcome to a future filled with what would happen if mainly the lowest of society procreated ... where sports drinks come out of drinking fountains and anyone literate is a genius. It definitely falls in the "Silly/Questionable" category, but I think I'll have to call it my favorite.
I'd like to add two films which I thought were a little headspinning but enjoyable when you got the hang of them;Triangle, 2009 and Los Cronocrímenes (Timecrimes), 2007.
I haven't heard of either of those, Simon. I will have to check them out when I get a chance. Thanks for adding to the list.
What about Crossworlds? Watching it on Netflix and it's okay
'Midnight in Paris' was great. How can you go wrong with Scott, Zelda, Ernie, Gert, Sal, and Pablo?
Great list so far! Here are a few that I think should be added:GOOD - The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) - VERY good movie!
GOOD - Deja Vu (2006) - Good movie!
GOOD - Millennium (1989) - Not the best movie around (due to some bad acting/special effects), but definitely worth watching! Good time travel plot.
GOOD - Planet of the Apes (1968) - A classic! Though the focus isn't on time travel, you can't beat the stunning ending. The remakes are ok I guess, but this classic (and the sequels) are excellent!
GOOD - Star Trek: First Contact (1996) - Good movie with time travel as a main part of the plot.
GOOD - Star Trek: Generations (1994) - Pretty good movie with some time travel elements.
SILLY/BAD??? - Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home (1986) - Picks up immediately after the events of Star Trek 3. Capt. Kirk and co. travel back in time to 1980's San Francisco to bring a humpback whale (extinct in Kirk's time) back to the future to sing to an invading alien ship. Plot is so bad, it's laughable... but a surprisingly entertaining movie in all its cheesiness.
SILLY - Click (2006)
??? - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - Not really a time travel movie, per say... but a cool time travel premise in there. Good movie.
Renegade wrote: "Great list so far! Here are a few that I think should be added:GOOD - Deja Vu (2006) - Good movie!..."
I had completely forgotten about this one. It is one of my all time favorites. I would agree that it belongs in the "good" category.
Ah yes, Planet of the Apes. The original is still good even today.Deja Vu was good too, although the bit where he drove a car in real time/past time at the same time was a bit out there.
And, of course, The Lake House. Love that one.
I love GroundHog Day. It is so hilarious when he keeps killing himself yet he fails. Like when he drives the car off the cliff. Back to the Future are my favorite time travel movies. I don't think we'll ever discover time travel. You wanna know why? Cus if we did some one would have came back and told us.
There is an awesome Chinese film I want to include in the "Good" section but I have a problem. If I mention it, I am effectively giving away one of the plot twists! But if I dont mention it, I doubt anyone of you would know abour or seek it out anyway. Its a very sweet movie laced with beautiful piano music.I'll name the movie. Its worth seeking out. Its called Secret. Stars Jay Chou who wrote/directed and composed the music. And his piano playing is breathtaking.
Jay Chou is in the Green Hornet too lol
Indeed he is but he is a very talented fella (singer, composer, musician of several instruments, actor, writer and director).I just remembered 2 more foreign time travelling movies! First one is a Japanese animated film. Its called "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" . Title pretty much explains itself but it is most enjoyable and for the all ages to watch. I say that because I know that many Japanese animated films can be rather perverted. Not this, wholesome fun time travelling adventure and would class under the Good category.
The other movie is one of the funniest but quite messy Chinese epic fantasy which is split into 2 parts. "A Chinese Odyssey". I love this movie (both parts) and it really is also worth seeking out. The star of the movie is Stephen Chow of Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle fame. The time travel element is great fun, though in the second part it is rather convoluted. Although this is a great epic movie, being a crazy fantasy comedy involving a Monkey King and witches, I would class this under Silly ;)
Oh and list this under Bad Movie: Lost in Space Though I admit, I did like this film when I first saw it in the cinema, on second viewing, I realise what a lot rubbish this was. The time travel element was neat in its concept but very badly implemented on screen. Very crude.
Agree. Lost in Space is definately one for the bad time-travel movies category. Could have been awesome if done right though. The basic idea was a good one.
Simon wrote: "I'd like to add two films which I thought were a little headspinning but enjoyable when you got the hang of them;Triangle, 2009 and Los Cronocrímenes (Timecrimes), 2007."
Definitely check out "Triangle" for a real head-spinner. And don't read too much about it for fear of spoilers! It was on Netflix Streaming for awhile, not sure if it is anymore.
Did anyone mention A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court? Not a great time travel film, but fun for a rainy Sunday afternoon. And Bing Crosby sings! I'm sure that's what Mark Twain had in mind when he wrote the novel.And I almost forgot Chris MArker's La jetée . Brilliant short film composed almost entirely of still images.
I rented and watched Meet the Robinsons last night. A sweet and charming Disney CGI animated film. The time travel plot is actually very entertertaining but very loose in the rules. Seems like its mixing all sorts of rules that doesnt blend together. When the film jumps to the furture, there is a bit too much craziness and gets a bit tiring but not enough. Nevertheless, I would put this in the "Good" category as its still a lot of fun. I rate this 7.5/10.
Amy wrote: "Lists of Time Travel Movies:*Wikipedia's List
*Andy's Anachronisms Time Travel Movies
*Total Film's 50 Best Time Travel Movies
I'll add to this list as more are mentioned specifically as being g..."
John D. MacDonald was used for both TV & Movies, the Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything.
I watched The Girl Who leapt Through Time (a Japanese Anime) again and I find it even more beautiful than the first time I saw it. Its up there with my top favourite Time travel movies. The reason I watched it again is that I had its sequel/prequel ready to watch called Time Traveller:The Girl Who Leapt Through Time but done as a live action film. I have now watched that too and again, its a sweet natured time travel film but not as good as the first anime. Its very charming but I felt a little unsatisfied at the end.Both movies however deserve to be in the "Good" list if we are still maintaining it. But the anime version is a must if you have to make a choice.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808506/
I've got a list of time travel stories on my site (books as well as films) and the link is here: http://andyconway.net/articles/timetr...
I'd like to add The Lake House and Time After Time to the list of good TT movies.
I will leave it up to Amy to make the additions since the list is in her post, which I am not able to edit.
I forgot to mention I watched Triangle, the other day from the recommendation of Simon and Adam on this thread. Thought I give a little review of it.This film certainly grips you with its high concept plot but half way through, I felt the characters were forced to go against natural instincts for the sake of making the plot piece together. The plot is clever but at the expense of plausibility in the character actions which for me makes for a disappointing viewing experience. You know where the film is going from here on although there are still a couple of plot twists. There are also, frustratingly, major mysteries that remain unsolved.
However, if you can accept the character motives and actions, you may enjoy the intricacies of the plot and its twists.
This is definitely hardcore time travel in the form of a slasher movie. Though I am personally dissatisfied with it, I am glad to have seen it and its definitely worth a rental for us time travel fans.
I watched Midnight in Paris today on Blu Ray. Agreed with placing it in the "good" category. I give it a 7/10 though. Problem for me was that Luke's Woody Allen persona became too tiring for me. He was great in the role but I didn't warm to that sort of character.The story was lovely though. However, it isnt a unique story as some critics claim. Some of you may have noticed I posted in the TV series thread about a 90s British TV time travel comedy series called, Goodnight Sweetheart, which has almost the same storyline.
Just watched a Spanish time travel film called Timecrimes. Excellent TT movie! To be honest, as the first half rolled I thought to myself, this is going to be so damn predictable but I stuck with it and about the half way point, the fun well and truly begins. Juicy complex time travel stuff going on here and for once I find no plot holes. Seek this one out guys. Its also a relatively short film clocking 1.5hrs.
I'd have to go with Groundhog Day as my favorite. The short it was based on, 12:01 PM, is also excellent.I hated the ending of Timecop, w/Van Damme. (view spoiler)
Looks like the New Men in Black III has a time travel element to it, should be interesting!
I finally got around to seeing The Lake House with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Its a lovely time travel romantic story and lots of nice time travel connectivities are sprinkled around that creates a neat wrap. I think the very end might look at first implausible but after watching the end again, I think I realise why the ending could be plausible which I will talk about in the following spoiler:(view spoiler)
I have to admit the acting by the 2 stars were a little stilted at the beginning when they are reading their letters. I like the 2 stars though and they always have a great screen presence even if Keanu's range is limited but he is always likeable. As the film progressed, the letter reading began to flow better as the film makers wisely made it sound like the time crossed lovers are conversing with each other in real time.
On for the good Category please :)
Another one for the good category is Men in Black 3 which I already posted about in its dedicated thread :)
I just watched another foreign time travel movie, this time made in South Korea.Its called Heaven's Soldier
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470711/
Its an inventive storyline that uses time travel to make a commentary of national unity. The plot involved north and South Korean soldiers at conflict over the handing over a stolen nuke which was supposed to be surrendered to America as a peace gesture. However, they along with the nuke are caught in a time wave shift caused by a passing comet thats travelling at super speeds. The shift transplants them into 16th century Korea which was a united country at the time. The soldiers find they have to reluctantly unite as a team to get out of their predicament whilst ensuring history isnt altered, especially when meeting a famous general that is supposed to have fended off a Japanese invasion. Problem is this general doesnt seem anything like the legend that he is supposed to have become and they wonder if they have to make him into that legend...
The performances are very likeable, very good action scenes (warning, later on its get quite bloody and vicious), and lots of humour make this a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable film.
It also compels me to learn more about this fascinating part of Korean history similar to that of the Spartans where this famous General Lee fended off a Japanese invasion and won battles with small armies against large ones.
The time travel mechanics is simple, probably a bit silly in its concept but it serves its purpose in serving the main storyline.
I'd place this in the good category, rating 7/10.
I discovered another time travel movie amongst a 10 film Tyrone Powell collection which I had to bought from as an US import. Amongst the film collections is a film called 'I'll Never Forget You' aka 'The House in the Square'. Naturally, this was the first film of the collection I put into my player.Made in 1951, this is a gorgeous, charming, old fashioned time travel romance about a modern day reclusive atomic scientist who travels back in time to 1784 London. The time travel plot is neat but uncomplicated, the main emphasis is on the romance which has a touch of theatricality, typical of the 50s style period films (think Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton) but has a spiritual dynamic and charm to it. There is also much fun in the time traveller trying to fit in with the social surroundings. The Old London and its upper/middle/lower class social environments is well done and filmed in technicolor, whereas all the scenes in modern day is in B&W. There is much in common with this film and Somewhere in Time. It is just as good but has even more charm.
Definitely one for the Good category. My rating 8/10
I am just looking at the whole list of films in the first post and its just struck me that we have all forgotten to mention the sweet 80s family film 'Flight of the Navigator'!. I'm sure many of you have seen it, no? This was perhaps my second favourite time travel movie as a kid, second to BTTF :)
And there is also 'Forbidden Kingdom', an American/Chinese fantasy time travel movie. Very silly though. Jackie Chan provides some fun but definitely one for the SILLY category.
I've stumbled across yet another film, I have not heard of or seen on any time travel movie list. Browsing through Netflix, last night, I found a 1980 film starring Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen called The Final Countdown. Naturally I watched it, I mean come on, Kirk Douglas? Martin Sheen? Time travel movie? Cool!Turns out to be quite enjoyable, its not a great cinematic blockbuster, its no oscar winner, it has no directorial flair but it has that guilty pleasure view-ability about it. The main characters are likeable, (Kirk is in a very relaxed mode here) there is a cute Lassie looking dog to care about, lots of aeronatical action and more importantly, the time travel storyline is pretty cool and neatly done and very straight forward..or straight backward, whatever. Kirk plays the captain of a modern day US Navy aircraft carrier ship that gets caught in a time warp storm that throws them back in time to the day of the Pearl Harbour attack in 1941. The captain and his crew faces the patriotic conundrum of deciding whether this is their chance to change history or not, having the advantage of ambushing the Japanese fleet before they attack Pearl Harbour. There is also a little side time travel plot involving historical politicians and a tiny love story thrown in for good measure.
I liked it but I dont know how to class this one. I give it a rating of 6.5. Is it that good enough for the Good category? Otherwise put in the Silly/questionable category.
I remember that movie. Saw it when it first came out. As I recall, it was a really good movie. I would say it should go in the "good" category.
What about Happy Accidents
Good movie.
Here is a little description.
Ruby Weaver has man trouble: she tries to fix them, so she's stuck herself with a string of losers. Her current lover, Sam Deed, seems different: he's sweet, tender, just in from Dubuque. But, as Ruby tells her therapist about Sam, in flashbacks we see someone not quite of this world. In fact, Sam informs Ruby that he's from the future, 2470 to be exact, traveling back in time to avoid prosecution for his sister's death, and to find Ruby, whose photo he saw back home. Ruby's sure he's delusional, but most of the time she wants to keep him - and maybe fix him. Although he seems sane, maybe Sam hasn't told her the real story: what's he up to, and who is Chrystie Delancey?
Sounds good, Jonsnow. Cool, its on our UK Netflix (our Netflix has very small content compared to US but if its on the UK one, its bound to be on the US one too), so I shall watch that hopefully sometime this week.
I watched It Happened Tomorrow last night which is already on Amy's first post list in the Good category and that's where it firmly belongs. Its a delightfully breezy 1944 comedy starring the charismatic Dick Powell and the ever beautiful and voluptuous, Linda Darnell. A news reporter gets handed a tomorrow's newspaper and so knows exactly what will happen. The film cleverly weaves a wonderful narrative on the virtues and disadvantages of knowing your near future with lots of humour and a playful energy. Its not a thriller in any way, as the film opens up with a prologue set 50 years after the event so we know the main protagonists fates but the journey is highly entertaining. I remember a twilight zone episode in which a camera takes photos depicting an image that will happen in the near future, I reckon this film might have been its inspiration.
Linda posted the following in the tv thread accidentally but unfortunately I cant move the post, so have to copy and paste it (seems like one for the good category): Linda said:
"I watched, "The Happy Accident" on tv last night. After some research I found several movies with this title! I would rate this time travel movie 4 stars only because she went on & on because she could not beleive in time travel-then again-who wouldn't!: copied & pasted from answers.com:"
Plot
Is Ruby Weaver's Mr. Right really an emissary from the year 2,470, or is he just a complete loon ball? This question is at the heart of Brad Anderson's whimsical romantic comedy. The story opens with Ruby (Marisa Tomei) lamenting over her boyfriend Sam (Vincent D'Onofrio) to her shrink (Holland Taylor). In a series of flashbacks, the film quickly sketches Ruby as a neurotic with an unhappy track record concerning men and Sam as an oddball who is afraid of small dogs and has a barcode tattooed to his arm. But he's nuts over Ruby, and at least initially, that is enough for her. Slowly, Sam begins to reveal his "past." He tells her that he is from the Dubuque of the future and that he hails from a rare "anachronistic" family who believe that reproduction should occur the old-fashioned, fun way as opposed to the more popular cloning method. At first, Ruby is amused, until she realizes that he's not kidding. After a series of arguments, he agrees to visit Ruby's analyst, which yields unexpected results. This film premiered at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi Cast
Marisa Tomei as Ruby Weaver
Vincent D'Onofrio as Sam Deed "
*Wikipedia's List
*Andy's Anachronisms Time Travel Movies
*Total Film's 50 Best Time Travel Movies
*Time Travel Stories (Books & Films)
I'll add to this list as more are mentioned specifically as being good, bad, or questionable (although, I'm afraid we may not all agree on the category):
Good Time Travel Movies
*Destiny (1921)
*It Happened Tomorrow (1944)
*Portrait of Jennie (1948)
*A Connecticut Yankee in King Author's Court (1949)
*I'll Never Forget You (1951)
*Beyond the Time Barrier (1960)
*The Time Machine (1960)
*La Jetée (1962)
*Planet of the Apes (1968)
*Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
*Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
*Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)
*Genesis II (1973)
*Planet Earth (1974)
*Time After Time (1979)
*The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan (1979)
*Somewhere in Time (1980)
*The Final Countdown (1980)
*Trancers (1984)
*Terminator (1984)
*The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)
*The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)
*Back to the Future trilogy (1985-1990)
*"Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (1986)
*Flight of the Navigator (1986)
*Timestalkers (1987 tv movie)
*Millennium (1989)
*Millennium (1989)
*Timescape a.k.a. Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (1992)
*Army of Darkness(1992)
*Deomolition Man (1993)
*Groundhog Day (1993)
*12:01 (1993)
*Sankofa (1993)
*12 Monkeys (1995)
*Crossworlds (1996)
*Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
*Twice Upon a Yesterday (1998)
*Frequency (2000)
*Happy Accidents (2000)
*Donnie Darko (2001)
*Kate & Leopold (2001)
*The Time Machine (2002)
*Minority Report (2002)
*The Butterfly Effect (2004)
*Primer (2004)
*Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
*The Jacket (2005)
*Fetching Cody (2005)
*Summer Time Machine Blues (2005)
*Heaven's Soldier
*Crusade in Jeans a.k.a. Crusade-A March Through Time (2006)
*Deja Vu (2006)
*No Time for Nuts (2006 video)
*Crusade in Jeans (2006)
*Lake House (2006)
*The Girl Who Lept Through Time (2006)
*Cinderella II: A Twist in Time (2007)
*Meet the Robinsons (2007)
*Secret (2007)
*Project Makeover (2007)
*Time and Again (a.k.a. Cheating Fate) (2007)
*Star Trek (2009)
*Woochi (2009)
*Woochi (2009)
*The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations (2009)
*Triangle (2009)
*The Time Travelers Wife (2009)
*Predestination (2010)
*Coherence (2010)
*Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
*Repeaters (2010)
*The Time Traveller (2010-Japan)
*Shuffle (2011)
*Sound of My Voice (2011)
*The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
*Steins Gate (2011)
*Lunopolis (2011 video)
*Source Code (2011)
*Midnight in Paris (2011)
*Looper (2012)
*Men In Black III (2012)
*The Philadelphia Experiment-remake (2012)
*Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
*Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox (2013)
*About Time (2013)
*Time Trap (2013 short)
*I'll Follow You Down (2013)
*Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
*Lucy (2014)
*X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
*Project Almanac (2015)
*Synchronity (2015)
*Timeless (2016)
Doctor Strange (coming November 2016)
Silly/Questionable Time Travel Movies
*Tomorrow I'll Wake Up And Scald Myself With Tea (1977)
*Time Bandits (1981)
*Kin-dza-dza! (1986)
*Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
*Les Visiteurs (1993)
*A Chinese Odyssey (1994) - (I'd vote "bad" on this one)
*Idiocracy (2006)
*Click (2006)
*Timecrimes (2007)
*Frequenty Asked Questions About Time Travel(2009)
*Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
*Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
Bad Time Travel Movies
*Idaho Transfer (1973)
*Star Trek IV- The Voyage Home (1986)
*Freejack (1992)
*Timecop (1994)
*Black Knight (2001)
*Lost in Space (date?)
*Timeline (2003)
*The Wedding Wish (a.k.a. How I Married My High School Crush) (2007 TV movie)
*Flashback (a.k.a. TimeLord) (2011)
*John Dies in the End (2012)