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The Best Time Travel Movies of the 1990s

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One of the most fascinating concepts a director can tackle in the realm of cinema is time travel, with some filmmakers being known for their work in such regards, such as Christopher Nolan. While he doesn't appear here, the films on this list were directed by the biggest names of the decade. And individually, most of the films boast incredible name value.

However, others may appear more unfamiliar. But rest assured, they're all of notable quality to one degree or another, with the list also running a surprising gamut of genre. Don't expect ten movies that are nothing but science fiction. All that said, these are the nine best time travel movies of the 1990s, ranked.

10 Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey

With Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves reprising their respective, titular roles, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) is among the more famous films on the list right off the bat. It's far from the best, but it's still a decent entry in a well-known franchise. And it's just the first of several comedies to be featured on the list.

For whatever reason, there are just as many comedies about time travel from the 1990s as there are science fiction films . The one at hand is funny enough, but at the same time, it's hard to place it any higher because, well, it attempts to spoof The Seventh Seal (1957). You can't make fun of Bergman. Despite the laughs and tandem name value it brings to the table, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey lands at the beginning of the list.

9 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

Utter absurdity from beginning to end is Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), with characters so ridiculous that they're humorous in nature. Just their names are hilarious. Heather Graham as Felicity Shagwell, Seth Green as Scott Evil, and Mindy Sterling as Frau Far. But that's hardly scratching the surface. There's also Robert Wagner as Number 2, Robe Lowe as Young Number 2, and of course, Mike Myers leads the bunch as Dr. Evil, Fat Bastard, and the titular Austin Powers all together.

For many fans, this is the definitive title in the series that of course pokes fun at James Bond and other famous spy films. International Man of Mystery (1997), the original film in the franchise at hand is perhaps more well-made from a filmmaking standpoint. But The Spy Who Shagged Me brings the most laughs, and for that it without a doubt deserves a spot among the ranks of great time travel movies from the nineties.

8 A Chinese Odyssey

A balancing act of genres, A Chinese Odyssey (1995) blends the realm of martial arts cinema with both fantasy and comedy, and it's told in two parts. The first release is subtitled Pandora's Box , while its sequel is called A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella . Neither are well-known in the States, which is to be somewhat expected. This is one of two titles from international countries to appear on the list.

But both parts of A Chinese Odyssey should go down as high-quality films that revolve around the concept at hand. The protagonist Joker stumbles upon Pandora's Box as its title may suggest, which doubles as a time portal. The second entry is just as fascinating in both premise and execution, and both should be added to your list of essential time travel movies from the nineties.

7 Army of Darkness

Several entries from famous franchises appear on the list, with Bill and Ted already being touched on in tandem with Austin Powers . Now, it's time for the undead. Written and directed by Sam Raimi, this is the third entry in his Evil Dead franchise of horror films. But now, Raimi brings a medieval twist as fan-favorite protagonist Ash Williams traverses time itself in Army of Darkness (1992).

This is among Raimi's most underrated features , and easily the most overlooked of its series. And of course, these aren't just horror films, as the Evil Dead series is among the most famous examples of a horror-comedy hybrid to ever exist. All three movies are essential: if you haven't seen them, start with Evil Dead (1981), work up to Army of Darkness , and laugh the whole way through.

6 Back to the Future Part III

Aside from perhaps the number one pick, this is the most famous franchise to ever feature time travel. And sure, Back to the Future Part III (1990) is often considered the weakest of the trilogy. But as Marty McFly traverses the wild west in 1885 while searching for a missing Doc Brown, fun times were had by all, and this fan-favorite franchise gave audiences a rare hybrid of genres: western and science fiction.

Related: Christopher Lloyd is Feeling Nostalgic for Back to the Future Part III: 'I Love 1885'

The DeLorean from the Back to the Future films isn't just the most famous use of a time machine in film, but also one of the most well-known cars in the medium's history, as well. And as its passengers Marty McFly and Doc Brown are also two of the most iconic characters to ever grace the silver screen, Back to the Future Part III becomes an undeniable pick for this spot at number six. If one of the earlier entries released in the nineties, it might place even higher.

5 Galaxy Quest

Perhaps the most star-studded cast on the list goes to Galaxy Quest (1999), with Tim Allen in the lead role as Jason Nesmith. He appears alongside Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman, with more supporting roles including performances from Tony Shalhoub, Daryl Mitchell, and Sam Rockwell. They all play members of the cast and crew of the fictional, titular science fiction show, Galaxy Quest .

For those unfamiliar: the film's plot truly kicks off when a legitimate race of aliens mistake the production for a documentary, and then initiate an intergalactic battle. A time warp is involved near the climax, with Galaxy Quest undoubtedly meeting the qualifications for the list. It's also one of the funniest films of the bunch, seeing critical acclaim upon release and building a tremendous legacy ever since. Considering stars of the original Star Trek series like Patrick Stewart and William Shatner sang its praises, you know it must be good.

4 Run Lola Run

The second of two international films on the list is Run Lola Run (1998), written and directed by Tom Tykwer. A German-language feature, it follows the titular protagonist Lola as she's given precisely twenty minutes to retrieve 100,000 Deutschmarks for her boyfriend. Otherwise, he'll be killed. An interesting premise, and there's a time-bending twist.

Related: The 21 Best Foreign Films of the 1990s

Anytime Lola (or her boyfriend Manni) is killed, or she fails the goal in general, events begin anew. Seeing this intriguing storyline into fruition is Franka Potente as Lola, with Twyker's well-written script providing excellent pacing and intriguing character dynamics. Run Lola Run is one of the best international films of the 1990s, and one of the best international thrillers ever made. It's also an essential piece about time travel that lands within the list's top five.

3 12 Monkeys

Starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, it's worth noting off the bat that the latter actor defines 12 Monkeys (1995) from his first featured frame until the fireworks of the film's finale. He plays Jeffrey Goines, the patient of a mental hospital and the secondary character to James Cole, played by Willis. The former proves prevalent to the plot later on in the film, while the latter is at its center the whole way through.

Directed by Terry Gilliam from a script by David and Janet Peoples, this entry features Cole as the time traveler, a prisoner from 2035 who is sent back to stop the onset of a deadly virus. With time travel at the heart of the story, 12 Monkeys is an essential pick for the list in premise alone. But considering the caliber of the film itself with one of the greatest performances of all time from Brad Pitt, this is easily top-three material.

2 Groundhog Day

The quintessential movie about time loops is Groundhog Day (1993), directed by Harold Ramis from a script he co-wrote alongside Danny Rubin. As weather forecaster Phil Conners covers the titular, annual event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, he awakens to find himself reliving the same day over and over. Perhaps not the most common premise for a comedy, but Groundhog Day is arguably the funniest movie ever made.

At least, it's the most uproarious movie of the nineties , with this being Bill Murray's definitive role. He was born to play Phil Connors, with other performers like Andie McDowell and Chris Elliott also providing memorable efforts. And as the longevity of Groundhog Day almost transcends the list itself, the film is a surefire pick for the penultimate spot.

1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Perhaps the greatest movie ever made to feature the element of time travel is Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), directed by James Cameron from a script he co-wrote with William Wisher. The film of course stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as a highly advanced killing machine who's sent back in time to assassinate John Conner, the future leader of a human resistance against artificial intelligence. A scary thought nowadays.

And across the board of criticism and viewership, Judgment Day was deemed a success. It accrued half a billion dollars at the worldwide box office, and it garnered rave reviews upon release. It's held in the highest regard even today, and justifiably so. It holds up perfectly, and it's without a doubt the best movie from the 1990s that revolves around time travel.

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The 25 Best Time Travel Movies of All Time, Ranked

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Time travel movies have been done to death, and many time travel movies suck because they rehash the same old predictable tropes and cliches. But there's still a lot of potential left to be mined in the genre!

Despite the vast number of lackluster time travel movies, there have also been many notable films that came out in the past few decades—and that's on top of the sci-fi classics that still hold up.

At the end of the day, all movies are meant to deliver an entertaining experience for the viewer. With that in mind, here are what I consider to be the best time travel movies of all time.

Warning: I hate spoilers as much as anyone, so I've taken care to exclude spoilers from all movie descriptions in this article. However, knowing that a movie involves time travel could itself be a spoiler! Read on at your own risk.

25. Project Almanac (2015)

Directed by Dean Israelite

Starring Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Virginia Gardner

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 46m)

6.3 on IMDb — 38% on RT

Project Almanac is an underrated time travel movie that probably flew under your radar. Don't let the fact that it seems like a teen drama deter you from checking it out.

A group of high schoolers find something strange in an old home video, which spurs them to investigate—and uncover secrets plans for a time machine. They build it, of course, and that's when the trouble starts.

24. ARQ (2016)

Directed by Tony Elliott

Starring Robbie Amell, Rachael Taylor, Shaun Benson

Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 28m)

6.3 on IMDb — 43% on RT

A strange energy-providing device causes a couple to be stuck in a time loop while being forced to defend the device against a group intent on stealing it. The setup is strange, the ending is stranger.

This low-budget film is really nothing more than a popcorn flick, but it's a fun ride as long as you don't think too deeply about it. Compared to other thought experiment-type time travel movies, this one's pretty good.

23. Click (2006)

Directed by Frank Coraci

Starring Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (1h 47m)

6.4 on IMDb — 34% on RT

Using a magical universal remote, a workaholic finds himself able to skip ahead or rewind back to various points in his life. During those skipped times, his body continues to live on autopilot.

Don't be turned away by the fact that this is an Adam Sandler movie. In one of his best performances ever, Sandler effectively carries this funny-but-heart-wrenching story on his back.

22. Time Lapse (2014)

Directed by Bradley King

Starring Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn

Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 44m)

6.5 on IMDb — 74% on RT

When three friends discover a machine that can take photos 24 hours in the future, things take a dark turn as each photo reveals more than they could've anticipated.

Smart writing makes up for the mediocre performances in Time Lapse . If you go into this indie film without much in the way of expectations, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

21. The Endless (2017)

Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

Starring Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Callie Hernandez

Drama, Fantasy, Horror (1h 51m)

6.5 on IMDb — 92% on RT

Sci-fi horror done well tends to be pretty rare, but The Endless is a shining example of when it goes right.

The film centers on two brothers who used to belong to an alleged UFO death cult when they were young. Years later, after they'd escaped, they both have different memories of what the cult was like—so they agree to return for one day to set the record straight.

What they find is that the supposed UFO death cult is nothing like how either of them imagined, and they end up embroiled in all kinds of mysterious happenings, including a time loop.

20. The Adam Project (2022)

Directed by Shawn Levy

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell, Mark Ruffalo

Action, Adventure, Comedy (1h 46m)

6.7 on IMDb — 67% on RT

The Adam Project stars Ryan Reynolds as Adam Reed, a man from the future who goes back in time to save his wife. He's injured and takes refuge in his childhood home, but is accidentally discovered by his younger self. They work together to complete Adam's mission of saving his wife.

It's a simple story with Ryan Reynolds basically playing Ryan Reynolds—which is great, if you're into that—but what sets The Adam Project apart is the deeply moving emotional threads that undergird the characters and weave together into a surprisingly cathartic climax.

19. Primer (2004)

Directed by Shane Carruth

Starring Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden

Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 17m)

6.8 on IMDb — 73% on RT

Four entrepreneurs accidentally invent a time travel machine, which ends up ruining their lives when they decide to give it a spin. Primer is the quintessential time travel film and a must-see movie for time travel fans who love poring over the tiniest details.

It's short (only 77-minute runtime) but insanely dense—the kind of movie you have to watch multiple times to really understand what actually happened, and even then you may not fully get it.

18. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Directed by Colin Trevorrow

Starring Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson

Adventure, Comedy, Drama (1h 26m)

6.9 on IMDb — 91% on RT

Safety Not Guaranteed is a comedy romance film centering on three magazine staffers who go out to interview a strange man who's looking for a partner for his upcoming time travel mission. They think it's all a joke, but the truth slowly shows itself to be something more.

While the actual act of time traveling doesn't play a huge role, Safety Not Guaranteed is a must-watch for anyone who's looking for a heartfelt drama that's well-written and infused with depth by a solid cast.

17. Triangle (2009)

Directed by Christopher Smith

Starring Melissa George, Joshua McIvor, Jack Taylor

Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 39m)

6.9 on IMDb — 80% on RT

In the wake of a yachting accident, a group of friends are rescued by what appears to be a mysteriously empty cruise ship. As they further explore the ship's interior, they encounter horrors unknown.

Again, well-done science fiction horror films are hard to come by, and Triangle stands out for its premise and execution, particularly in how time travel is revealed and incorporated. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but it's certainly interesting and memorable.

16. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

Directed by Robert Schwentke

Starring Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston

7.1 on IMDb — 39% on RT

In The Time Traveler's Wife , Henry is a man who has a genetic anomaly that causes him to time travel. The thing is, he can't control when or where he travels to, and thus struggles to keep his marriage alive.

Based on the novel by the same name, The Time Traveler's Wife may not be able to capture the full magic that made the book so great—there's just too much content to fit into one movie—but it's still a stirring romantic drama with several twists and moving moments.

15. Timecrimes (2007)

Directed by Nacho Vigalondo

Starring Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernández, Bárbara Goenaga

Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 32m)

7.1 on IMDb — 90% on RT

In the Spanish-language Timecrimes , an average man accidentally travels back in time one hour, unleashing a series of disastrous events. That's all you really want to know about this film before diving in.

More to the tune of mystery than action, Timecrimes is a flawless example of a "What actually happened?" narrative that asks you to puzzle things together as events unfold before you. The twists are plentiful here.

14. Palm Springs (2020)

Directed by Max Barbakow

Starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J. K. Simmons

Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery (1h 30m)

7.4 on IMDb — 94% on RT

Palm Springs takes place at a wedding in Palm Springs, California. Two guests inadvertently get stuck in a time loop, reliving the same exact wedding day over and over, and try to find a way to escape.

The premise may not seem like anything special, but the performances by Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti elevate this film to new heights. Infused with comedy, drama, and romance, Palm Springs makes full use of its time loop situation to tell an impactful story.

13. Predestination (2014)

Directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig

Starring Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor

Action, Drama, Sci-Fi (1h 37m)

7.4 on IMDb — 84% on RT

A time-traveling agent's final assignment is to track down the one criminal who he's never been able to capture. But the further down the rabbit hole he goes, the more mind-bending the truths become.

Predestination isn't just a time travel film. What sets this film apart from most sci-fi movies is how deftly it handles its deeper themes, how deep it's willing to go with its characters, and how expertly the narrative unfolds. It's truly one of the most complex time travel movies ever made.

12. The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Directed by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber

Starring Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Melora Walters

Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 53m)

7.6 on IMDb — 34% on RT

A man discovers he has the ability to change the present by traveling back into the mind of his younger self, but around every corner await unintended consequences.

You've heard of "the butterfly effect" before, and The Butterfly Effect effectively takes that concept and turns it into a dark thriller. Ashton Kutcher stars in this film against type and delivers a surprisingly great performance in this gripping film about regret and control.

11. About Time (2013)

Directed by Richard Curtis

Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (2h 3m)

7.8 on IMDb — 70% on RT

A man who can travel through time decides to use his power to woo the girl of his dreams, but things aren't as easy as they seem—and the limits of his power cause him to make a tough and important decision.

With Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams taking the lead, About Time ends up being a romantic comedy that's far better than it has any right to be, complete with a superbly moving ending that's completely earned.

10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Adventure, Family, Fantasy (2h 22m)

7.9 on IMDb — 90% on RT

It's Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts and this time Lord Voldemort isn't his main concern. Instead, Sirius Black—the one who was suspected as betraying his parents—has escaped from Azkaban Prison and rumor has it that he's coming to finish Harry off.

Often praised as the best film in the Harry Potter franchise—thanks to impeccable direction by Alfonso Cuaron— The Prisoner of Azkaban isn't just a standout for its time travel subplot but also for its cohesive narrative that combines numerous themes with stellar cinematography.

9. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Directed by Doug Liman

Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi (1h 53m)

7.9 on IMDb — 91% on RT

In the face of an alien invasion, a soldier somehow ends up reliving the same day over and over every time he dies. He must somehow use this to his advantage and defeat the invading aliens while also finding a way to escape the endless loop in which he's trapped.

As far as time loop movies go, Edge of Tomorrow is one of the better executed ones. Not only is the tight story well-paced, but stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt put in excellent performances that carry the narrative forward from start to finish.

8. The Man From Earth (2007)

Directed by Richard Schenkman

Starring David Lee Smith, Tony Todd, John Billingsley

Drama, Fantasy, Mystery (1h 27m)

7.8 on IMDb — 100% on RT

During a retirement party, an aging professor reveals that he's been alive longer than his colleagues can imagine.

The Man From Earth is best described as a "play caught on camera," delivering an engaging mystery that's built on the foundation of an interesting thought experiment.

Not many dialogue-only films are this riveting, which is why you should definitely give this one a watch.

7. Arrival (2016)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 56m)

7.9 on IMDb — 94% on RT

When aliens arrive on Earth, a linguist is brought to the frontlines to decipher their language and establish communications.

Easily one of the most cerebral science fiction movies ever made, Arrival takes things to the next level by exploring deep themes and ideas that few other films have dared to touch. You won't ever forget this one.

6. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt

Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller (2h 9m)

8.0 on IMDb — 88% on RT

In the year 2035, a convict is sent back in time to 1996 with one mission: to investigate the cause of a man-made virus that decimated the world. But his mission is sidetracked when he's sent back to the wrong time period and ends up in a mental hospital.

Featuring one of Bruce Willis's best performances, 12 Monkeys starts off slow but ends with a bang. There's a lot to love about this mind-bending movie if you can get through the slow but necessary setup.

5. Donnie Darko (2001)

Directed by Richard Kelly

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 53m)

8.0 on IMDb — 87% on RT

A high schooler begins to see visions of a man in a deranged bunny suit who warns him that the world is going to end in a few days—and convinces him to commit all sorts of crimes and unsavory deeds to prevent the oncoming apocalypse.

Donnie Darko is a strange film with time travel elements that aren't as overt as in other time travel films. But if you're itching for a uniquely surreal film experience, it doesn't get much weirder than Donnie Darko .

4. Groundhog Day (1993)

Directed by Harold Ramis

Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (1h 41m)

8.0 on IMDb — 94% on RT

An insufferable weatherman finds himself caught in a time loop, reliving the same mundane day over and over again with seemingly no way out of it—and after thousands of repeats, it starts to take its toll on him.

Groundhog Day is a hilarious comedy that's also surprisingly deep if you're willing to unpack it, acting as a lesson in what really brings about happiness and self-improvement. If you're a fan of Bill Murray and haven't seen this yet, what have you been waiting for?!

3. Your Name (2016)

Directed by Makoto Shinkai

Starring Michael Sinterniklaas, Stephanie Sheh, Kyle Hebert

Animation, Drama, Fantasy (1h 46m)

8.4 on IMDb — 98% on RT

One day, a high school boy in Tokyo and a high school girl in the countryside start swapping bodies, seemingly at random but only when they go to sleep. But then the swapping stops. The boy is compelled to find the girl, but investigating leads to a heartbreaking answer.

Your Name isn't just one of the best animated movies of all time, nor simply one of the best Japanese movies of all time, but one of the best, period. It's incredibly heartfelt with a climax that'll hit you in the gut.

2. Back to the Future (1985)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi (1h 56m)

8.5 on IMDb — 93% on RT

A teenage boy from 1985 accidentally goes back in time thirty years with his mad scientist friend. Not only does he need to find a way home, but he accidentally puts his own existence in danger and must make sure his future parents end up falling in love.

Back to the Future is a classic time travel movie and you owe it to yourself to make it the next movie you watch if you've never seen it. Look past the 1980s cheesiness and you'll see an engaging story beneath it all.

1. Interstellar (2014)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain

Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi (2h 49m)

8.7 on IMDb — 73% on RT

With Earth on the brink of extinction, a team of astronauts must travel through a wormhole to find a new planet for humans to colonize. But journeying through outer space comes with all kinds of complications, and finding a habitable planet isn't going to be so easy.

For all its flaws, Interstellar packs a thrilling story on top of dazzling visuals and one of the most moving soundtracks of any film, period. This is the kind of film that'll have you thinking long after the credits roll, and for many reasons beyond just time travel.

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The 23 best time travel movies of all time

From Back to the Future to Looper to Palm Springs, the time travel narrative traverses the film spectrum. Here are EW’s picks for 23 of the best. 

Despite time travel being considered more of a science fiction trope, there is something positively enchanting about the idea of being able to go back to another time or forward into the future, even if just for a moment. While this list deals with a mix of films, some of which consider the hazards of time travel (mostly through time loops), for the most part, these films see time travel as a net positive. Time travel is also a sphere that is mostly occupied by television, thanks to shows like Doctor Who , Quantum Leap , and Lost , even though the number of time travel movies has shot up over the past two decades or so.

Unfortunately, the earliest this list goes is 1962; while there are some time travel movies from the Old Hollywood days, they lack a lot of the imagination and thoughtfulness about the nature of time that the movies on this list bring. This list is a mix of straight dramas, killer action, rollicking comedies, and heartfelt romance — and sometimes, all of those elements exist in a single movie. This list is unranked, and mostly grouped together according to each movie's particular "genre" of time travel: conventional time machines, time loops, magical circumstances, and missions to save the past and the future at the same time. These are 23 of the best time travel movies of all time.

La Jetée (1962)

Kicking off an unranked list of time-travel movies chronologically seems like a good place to start, actually. La Jetée is also probably the most experimental of the films on this list. A French Left Bank short film set in a post-nuclear apocalypse future told through narration and photographs, this is not the first time-travel film by any means, but its impact on the time-travel movies that came after, like 1995's 12 Monkeys , cannot be understated.

A young prisoner (Davos Hanich) is forced to undergo torturous experiments to induce time travel by using impactful memories — and unlike those who came before him, he succeeds, but he ends up discovering a time loop in the process. This is an incredibly stylish telling of what is now a familiar type of story, but in 1962, it was absolutely revolutionary. Honestly, because of its unique technical and visual elements, it still is.

Watch La Jetée on Criterion Channel

Time After Time (1979)

Nicholas Meyer is behind not one, but two brilliant time-travel movies that made this list. For this particular film, he not only wrote the screenplay but also made his directorial debut. The tale of two 19th-century former friends, H.G. Wells ( Malcolm McDowell , unusually wide-eyed and adorable) and John Leslie Stevenson a.k.a. Jack the Ripper ( David Warner , never more menacing yet charming), as they chase each other through 1979 San Francisco thanks to Wells' time machine, Time After Time doesn't spend too much time on the science of time travel, and it's better for it.

This is, in essence, a romantic thriller, as Wells falls for quirky bank clerk Amy ( Mary Steenburgen , delightfully independent) while in search of his old friend turned enemy. It has chase scenes, interrogation sequences, gory murder (courtesy of Jack), and a delightful sense of humor as Wells learns to navigate the future. He thought it would be a utopia; instead, he finds a world in sore need of his idealism, kindness, and dedication to justice.

Where to rent or buy Time After Time

The Back to the Future trilogy (1985, 1989, 1990)

While it's true that the first Back to the Future movie is probably one of the greatest time-travel movies of all time, with its two sequels living in its shadows, all three are essential to understanding the character of Marty McFly ( Michael J. Fox ). The Back to the Future trilogy is an '80s version of a bildungsroman about a teenager who has to learn that there's much more to life than being, well, a teenager. The first film, confidently directed by Robert Zemeckis , is imbued with so much humor and heart, it's all too easy to get sucked into a plot that should be convoluted, but that works so awfully well.

Back to the Future Part II evokes a bit less feeling than the original, and it's significantly grittier, but it's still " another fantastic voyage " as EW's Ira Robbins wrote, flinging Marty and Doc Brown ( Christopher Lloyd ) into a slightly prescient future version of 2015. Back to the Future Part III , meanwhile, restores the heart, but its story is slighter as it wraps up Marty's saga, sending Doc off on a brand new adventure all his own. While the first Back to the Future movie is required viewing for any time travel enthusiast, stick around for the rest of the trilogy, too: Even if this franchise's view of time travel is riddled with potential paradoxes, they are entertaining paradoxes nonetheless.

Watch the Back to the Future trilogy on Tubi

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

"Be excellent to each other" is the reigning philosophy of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure , the adventurous, fun-loving, stoner time-travel comedy that spawned a franchise, including a third installment released in 2020. Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves absolutely triumph in the roles of lackadaisical teenagers Bill and Ted, respectively, as they journey through time to bring back legends in order to pass their history class.

If the film seems silly, that's because it is meant to be. Whereas the Back to the Future franchise intended to craft a legend, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure kicks off the journey with George Carlin as the duo's time travel guide and mentor, Rufus, who intends to enlighten the pair on their mission and destiny. In any other film, the two budding legends, with their free-wheeling ideals and misadventures, would bring down the fabric of time and space itself. However, Excellent Adventure is not a time-travel film that forces you to think too hard about its premise; instead, it invites you to just kick back and have a good time.

Watch Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure on Amazon Prime Video

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

Meet the Robinsons received mixed reviews when it first debuted, but of the 3-D animated movies that came out of Disney Animation in the 2000s, it's probably the most imaginative and outstanding of the bunch. Following a young orphan as he goes on a fantastic voyage into the future with another young boy who is a time traveler (kind of), Robinsons is stylish to a point and is filled with heart. It's probably also the most kid-friendly entry on this list, but its good-natured humor and complicated emotional palette will appeal to adults, too.

It also fits neatly into a more classic genre of time travel, with time machines, eccentric inventors, and kids looking to make an impact — not just on their time, but on the time they find themselves in, be it the near future or the distant past.

Watch Meet the Robinsons on Disney+

Run Lola Run (1998)

This is, in many ways, the time loop movie; debuting in 1998 to rave reviews, Run Lola Run , a German experimental thriller, is one you will not be able to shake, long after you've finished a viewing (or even a second, to catch what you missed the first time). The protagonist, Lola (Franka Potente, in a punishingly physical performance), is forced to relive a scenario, again and again, involving saving her boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) from certain death.

Potente's performance alone is worth the watch, and of the films on this list, Run Lola Run is actually one of the shorter ones, using its 80-minute runtime to its full advantage. The other time loop movies on this list are also worthy viewing experiences in a lot of ways, but for a pure shot of adrenaline, you can't miss the film EW deemed "a masterful pop piece, humming with raw romance, youth, and energy." If you're interested in more of director Tom Tykwer 's work, he also codirected 2012's Cloud Atlas with the Wachowskis , which, while not a pure time-travel movie, certainly plays with the intertwined nature of time and memory.

Where to rent or buy Run Lola Run

Source Code (2011)

Duncan Jones made a splash with his 2009 feature directorial debut Moon , a moody, philosophical insight into possible lunar labor practices in the future. He followed that thoughtful film up with Source Code , which, while not a movie that could always be described as "thoughtful," could certainly be described as moody. Hitchcockian in a sense, Source Code follows the misadventures of a U.S. Army pilot ( Jake Gyllenhaal ), as he attempts to stop a terrorist attack on a Chicago commuter train — repeatedly.

Source Code does have something to say about the commodification of bodies and minds in the service of the so-called "greater good"; while Gyllenhaal's Captain Stevens' services are no doubt helpful, are they necessary, the film asks. Is it really a good idea to force someone to relive an incredibly stressful idea, over and over again? The movie has its funny moments, even in the thick of all the intense chase scenes through the train; EW noted back in 2012, "The director finds moments of humor in unlikely corners of that train of fools." Indeed. If you enjoyed a film like The Commuter (2018), but thought it could use a time loop and the potential of alternate realities, Source Code is your next mandatory viewing.

Watch Source Code on Showtime

Looper (2012)

Before Rian Johnson introduced us to Benoit Blanc or journeyed to a galaxy far, far, away , he made the tangled time-travel film fittingly called Looper . Starring Bruce Willis , Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a younger Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt , Looper tells the tale of a contract killer sent after his next target: himself. This is a complicated film, and it is imperfect in a lot of ways, but its brutal appraisal of a possible dystopian future, and the efforts one man takes to prevent that future, are worth the amount of head-scratching you might find yourself doing throughout.

That Johnson likes his narratives to be impenetrable Gordian knots that only his designated protagonist can solve can perhaps be frustrating to the audience. However, if there's one thing that the Knives Out franchise seems to have reinforced, it's that not trying to unpack the mysteries of his work might work to your advantage as a viewer, because Johnson will probably have someone explain what just happened by the end, anyway. Like most of his films, Looper has a social conscience lurking within it as well. As EW's Lisa Schwarzbaum noted , "It's time to wipe the drops from our eyes or else get stuck in a loop, an endless cycle, a rut" about Looper 's core tenet back in 2012. It's a worthy takeaway from a film obsessed with self-fulfilling prophecies people find themselves within.

Watch Looper on Freevee

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Time loop movies need some incredible editing in order to really succeed, and Doug Liman 's enthralling Edge of Tomorrow certainly does so on that point. While Tom Cruise is the lead as a cowardly lion–turned–near-super soldier, all eyes are on Emily Blunt as Rita Vrataski, who rules this movie as one of the few heroes this dystopian, post-alien invasion world actually has left. While the quest Cruise and Blunt go on may be a bit convoluted, the film is so incredibly entertaining because it's so sharply cut, keeping up the pace even as we see similar things over and over and over again.

A tip of the hat must, of course, go to the action, which is as compelling as you would expect from a mega-star who seems determined these days to do all of his own stunts. In an era of often depressing science fiction, Edge of Tomorrow , as EW's Chris Nashawaty mentioned , is a fun, "deliciously subversive kind of blockbuster" to immerse your senses in for two hours, if nothing else.

Watch Edge of Tomorrow on Max

Interstellar (2014)

While this film might technically be considered more of a space opera than a time-travel movie, there's no reason it can't be both. Christopher Nolan 's Interstellar is a dazzling portrait not just of space travel, but of the love between a father and daughter that stretches over the thin fabric of both time and space. Matthew McConaughey as the astronaut father has never been so serious, but acclaim needs to go to Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway as Nolan's strongest women characters to date.

Interstellar varies between being almost too tense to stand, and, at other points, utterly relaxed. As a cinematic experience, it feels all-encompassing, using every possible outstanding special effect to draw its viewers in before the script hits them with emotional truth. While Nolan can certainly be considered " cold and clinical " as EW noted, his space-journeying meditation on the intersection between love and time is anything but.

Watch Interstellar on Paramount+

Palm Springs (2020)

Releasing a time loop movie during a global pandemic where life felt increasingly repetitive and bizarre was certainly a strategy for Hulu and Neon with Palm Springs , but it paid off. While the film was certainly developed long before COVID-19, the scenario of two wedding guests trying to escape the situational loop they've found themselves definitely resonated at the time, and it still does. Palm Springs may seem serious from the above description, but it is actually a fun sci-fi-tinged tale that is largely driven by the comedic skills of leads Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti .

EW noted that the movie avoids " true discomfort comedy ," and honestly, it's all the better for it. If Palm Springs had been angrier, it wouldn't hit home so hard, and it also wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. Instead, it's an often sweet rom-com that doesn't take itself or its completely made-up time loop physics too seriously. It was a Sundance darling for a reason, never quite letting up on the wild ride it takes its characters or its viewers on over the course of its 90 minutes.

Watch Palm Springs on Hulu

Somewhere in Time (1980)

Somewhere in Time might employ one of the strangest methods of time travel of all the movies on this list: time travel by hypnosis, of all things. (And self-induced hypnosis, for that matter.) Time travel on such shaky ground can't possibly hold up, and it somewhat doesn't, in the end. Science fiction great Richard Matheson adapted his own novel into a lackadaisical screenplay for this film, starring Christopher Reeve in a perfectly tragic role as the young man who gives his all for a woman (Jane Seymour) he can never really have.

In many ways, Somewhere in Time feels like a curio of the era from which it came, serving as a time capsule of how stories were told in the late-'70s and early-'80s. That is actually not a mark against it; this is a film that is just a peak tragic romance in a lot of ways; special nods must also go to Christopher Plummer as the young woman's cynical mentor, who seems to possess a certain foresight about the impossibility of Reeve's character. If you want a time-travel movie that is beautifully romantic, from its iconic score to its grand cinematography, you shouldn't stray from Somewhere in Time .

Watch Somewhere in Time on Tubi

Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

The tale of a grown, about-to-be-divorced woman forced to relive her high school days and her courtship with a dorky-cool musician, Peggy Sue Got Married might be one of Francis Ford Coppola 's most small-scale movies, but it decidedly has the most soul of his catalog of mostly epics. Peggy Sue ( Kathleen Turner , in an Oscar-nominated performance) just wants to leave Charlie (Nicolas Cage) behind, but her time-traveling coma dream conspires against her to force her to reconsider. (It forces Charlie to become a better person, too.)

The film combines the cynicism of a rightfully embittered '80s housewife with the unbridled idealism of a '60s teenager to make one heck of a sincere cinematic concoction. That the film starts at a high school reunion could mean it becomes awkward very quickly, but instead, it's completely joyful. Whether Peggy Sue Got Married started a tradition of "person has some sort of crisis and subsequently ends up in another time" movies is unclear, but it does have a rather clear descendant in one of our next entries.

Where to rent or buy Peggy Sue Got Married

Kate & Leopold (2001)

Doesn't everyone want a young Hugh Jackman from the 19th century to fall out of the sky and into their lives? Leopold (Jackman) is a foppish and geeky, if not perfect, gentleman who quickly has Kate ( Meg Ryan ) falling for him despite her modern understanding of the world. That so many time-travel movies somehow end up in romantic territory is an interesting phenomenon, but one that does make sense. There is something appealing about falling for someone whose time is not your own.

Kate & Leopold is decidedly not a perfect film, although it is the first of director James Mangold 's and Jackman's collaborations (see 2017's Logan for the much grittier future fruits of their labor). It's fluffy, it's light, and it creates a paradox without even really acknowledging it. Someone looked at the Meg Ryan comedies of the '80s and '90s and asked, "But what if we made them science fiction?" It works in spite of itself, with Jackman's physical comedy as he plays " a doll of a boyfriend " and Ryan's sardonic tone carrying the day.

Watch Kate & Leopold on Paramount+

13 Going on 30 (2004)

When a 13-year-old girl is crushed after being tricked at her own birthday party, she makes a wish to be "30, flirty, and thriving," quickly waking up the next day to find herself just that, in the body of Jennifer Garner . Instead of traveling back to the past à la the protagonist of Peggy Sue Got Married , Jenna (Garner, Christa B. Allen) ends up in a potential future, where she is all the things she wished for, but definitely not as happy as she thought she would be.

The 2004 rom-com is a magical time travel tale — there's literally "magic wishing dust" — but that doesn't take away from the hilarity that comes with a 13-year-old trying to navigate an adult woman's life. Of course, in the end, Jenna learns her lesson — it's okay to just be young, for a little bit longer — but the journey she goes on as she discovers not just herself but also her true love ( Mark Ruffalo ) is worth all the silliness in the end.

Watch 13 Going on 30 on Max

Mirai (2018)

This lovely little gem directed by Japanese animation visionary Mamoru Hosoda tells the story of a little boy who unhappily gets a baby sister and ends up learning a lot of lessons about the past and the future. Kun (Moka Kamishiraishi) gets a chance to meet not only the grown, future version of his sister Mirai (Haru Kuroki) but also members of his family at different points in their lives. Mirai is a delightfully imaginative film with some gorgeous animation that contains some " mind-boggling visuals " as EW's Christian Holub pointed out.

It is also a genuinely heartwarming tearjerker; while all ends well for little Kun, the meditations this film offers on the nature of family bonds over the course of multiple generations might just leave you in a state of reflection on your own ties that bind. While many time-travel movies tell their stories from the perspective of youth, few unveil them through the eyes of a rambunctious preschooler, and gaining that perspective, in this case, allows for a truly precious journey.

Where to rent or buy Mirai

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

If you know anything about Star Trek , you know the fourth film is "the one with the whales," but if you don't know anything about the franchise, you probably also know that this one is "the one with the whales." Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home often gets acclaim as the funny Star Trek movie, but it brings a lot more than just comedy. The original crew of the Enterprise fling themselves back in time to save humpback whales in the past in order to save the future from a strange probe that threatens Earth...and will stop, but only if it hears some natural whalesong.

The crew finds themselves in 1986 San Francisco, so it's great that Time After Time's Nicholas Meyer returned to the franchise not as director (he helmed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ), but as a screenwriter. Watching these characters from a literal utopia navigate a world not designed for them creates not only dynamic humor but great tension as well. As they almost always do, the Enterprise team breaks all the rules in order to save the future as well as the whales. Or, as EW noted in a tribute to the film: "It has heart, and passion — Save the Whales! — and a tremendous sense of fun."

Watch Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home on Max

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Star Trek: First Contact doesn't particularly feel as much like a Star Trek movie as Voyage Home does, and EW, in fact, says it harnessed "a sleek, confident style fully independent of its predecessors." As a Trekkie, this may not be the most complimentary way of looking at it, but as a film fan, however, it might be the highest honor someone could bestow upon a movie within this franchise. Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) turns from a peace-loving diplomat to a Borg-slaying action star while the rest of his crew tries to get the inventor of the Warp Drive (the technology upon which the future relies) to stop drinking so much and actually invent the thing. James Cromwell, as the inventor, Zefram Cochrane, serves as the comedic relief for a remarkably serious and often scary film.

The Borg, '90s Star Trek 's biggest villain, are the main antagonists here, and they do provide some chilling action, even if the introduction that they can easily time travel would really wreck things for some future Trek series. Stewart manages the transition from his mild-mannered diplomat to traumatized warrior well, turning in one of his most ferocious performances. Star Trek: First Contact also gives us a look at a post-apocalyptic world in the midst of a recovery, and in that respect, it makes it both a thoughtful entry in the Trek canon and a time travel action-thriller with a brain.

Watch Star Trek: First Contact on Max

The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

What would a best time-travel films list be without including at least one of the Terminator movies? While an often brutal franchise with diminishing returns after James Cameron 's first two installments, the misadventures of an evil cyborg-turned-good (played to physical perfection by Arnold Schwarzenegger ) in a consistently dangerous world are always thrilling and entertaining.

Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, mother of the future's savior (and much, much more), is also due an acknowledgment; while the films are remembered for Schwarzenegger's portrayal of the T-800, Hamilton is the heart of this franchise a great deal of the time, as she refuses to die or let her son face the same fate, either. The first two Terminator films are so much more than "scary robots take over the world, everybody dies" – they're action-packed, bloody thrillers with startling narratives, pioneering visual effects, and, of course, time travel as the catalyst.

Watch The Terminator on Max

Where to rent or buy Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

"Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke...I have only done this once before. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED": This is part of the joke classified ad from which this movie was inspired. You might inspire a more risky movie from the tone of the ad, but what you get is a light comedy that served as the first leading film role for Aubrey Plaza . This Colin Trevorrow -directed film isn't so much about time travel as it is about the cultural assumptions that surround the concept, and those who think it might be possible.

In that sense, it's a meta-narrative on nearly every time travel story which has come before it, and quite possibly, that will come after it. EW called it " a fable of 'redemption' "; redemption, and the acts of salvaging something, anything, for the benefit of the future, is a regular time travel theme, from all those time machines to all those time loops. Safety Not Guaranteed manages to explore these themes with a lot of irony and a splash of heart.

Where to rent or buy Safety Not Guaranteed

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• The Terminator movies, ranked
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• Let's talk about the plot of Interstellar

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The 25 Greatest Time-Travel Movies Ever Made

It must say something, surely, about humans, how often time-travel movies are about returning to the past rather than jumping to the future. As Mark Duplass’s forlorn character says in Safety Not Guaranteed , “The mission has to do with regret.” With all the potential to explore the unknown world of the future, so often when our minds conspire to bend the rules of time it’s instead to rehash the old. It’s compelling to watch a character in a movie do what we cannot — right past wrongs or uncover the reason for or meaning behind the events in their lives, whether they be emotionally catastrophic or merely geopolitically motivated.

So absent is the future from the canon, in fact, that when it is involved, typically future dwellers are leaving their own time to come back to the present. Back to the Future Part II aside, it seems as if there’s something about going forward in time that just doesn’t track for humans. (Of course, you could argue that this is because the present-day concept of bidirectional time travel would infinitely multiply or change beyond recognition any future that may occur, but that’s a knot for another article.)

In any case, the time-travel stories deemed worthy of Hollywood budgets aren’t always straightforward in their mechanics. Some films on this list barely qualify as time-travel movies at all; others could hardly qualify as anything else. There are movies about trips through time but also ones about the bending and fracturing and muddying thereof; then there are those about, as Andy Samberg aptly puts it in Palm Springs , “one of those infinite time-loop situations you might have heard about.” There’s even a movie in which we get only 13 seconds’ worth of time travel, when it functions more like a joke whose punch line hits at the film’s climax.

What these films all do have in common is a fascination with changing the way time works. That being said, the list leaves out movies in larger, more extended franchises in which time meddling is a one-off dalliance thrown into a sequel with little by way of foreshadowing: think Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Avengers: Endgame , and Men in Black III . (It also leaves off perhaps the Ur-time-travel movie, Primer , and the quite good Midnight in Paris because their directors don’t deserve the column inches.) We’re looking at self-contained stories using time mechanics from the start, with preference given to those that involve themselves more intently with the ins and outs of time travel; that ask questions about time, aging, memory and so forth; and that try to succeed at it in new and interesting ways. So let’s get to it.

25. Galaxy Quest (1999)

Does Galaxy Quest really count as a time-travel movie? Some compelling reasons argue that it doesn’t: Time travel isn’t a major factor in the plot, and the time traveling that does occur is, yes, only a 13-second jump. But its use of time travel is meaningful insofar as the movie itself is a loving spoof of Star Trek , which makes use of time travel in three films ( one of which made this list ), not to mention dozens of episodes across its various TV iterations. Tacking on time travel as a deus ex machina for the actors in a Star Trek– like show pressed into service as an actual space crew by an endangered alien race is the exact right amount of ribbing in a movie that’s as on point as it is hilarious.

Galaxy Quest is available to rent on Amazon .

24. Happy Death Day (2017)

Pick away at the surface of a time-loop movie and you find a horror movie. Most of the entries on this list are covered in enough feel-good spin to land as comedies, but Happy Death Day stares the horror of the time-loop phenomenon right in the face. (It’s also quite funny.) Reliving the same day over and over is an unimaginably potent form of psychological torture, and adding murder to the equation does little to dull that edge. The film follows a college-age protagonist struggling to escape from a masked slasher hell-bent on killing her again and again while she tries to solve the mystery of how she got stuck in a time loop.

Happy Death Day is available to rent on Amazon .

23. Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Seriously, this may be the only good movie in which the film’s whole focus is using a time machine to travel into the future. The fact that it’s a sequel is telling — the characters already traveled into the past in the first movie , and the filmmakers decided to save “traveling even further into the past“ for the third film in the trilogy. Still, Back to the Future Part II is a fun time that makes great use of sight gags and references, recasting scenes from the first film in the distant future year of 2015 with all its hoverboards and self-lacing Nikes.

Back to the Future Part II is available to rent on Amazon .

22. See You Yesterday (2019)

It’s a dirty little secret of time-travel movies that they tend to be, well, pretty white. Tenet ’s Protagonist aside, if Hollywood’s sending someone through time, they’re almost certainly not a Black person, and for obvious reasons: Most of post-contact North American history is deeply unfriendly to people of color, and the problems a person running around out of time and place is going to encounter are deeply compounded if they’ll likely be the target of racist abuse or violence — which makes See You Yesterday all the more compelling. Produced by Spike Lee and featuring one of filmdom’s most famous time travelers in a cameo role, it follows a Black teenage science prodigy who uses a time machine to try to save her brother from being killed by a police officer.

See You Yesterday is streaming on Netflix .

21. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

No offense to the Back to the Future franchise, but time travel never looks more fun on film than it does in the first Bill & Ted movie. It’s a concept that feels distinctly of a different era, so pure is its zaniness, that it’s hard to imagine anyone concocting it today. The titular duo, Californian high-school students in the ’80s, travel through the past looking for historical figures in order to ace a history project, then bring them all back to the present. High jinks ensue! We get Genghis Khan in a sporting-goods store and Mozart on an electric keyboard. What more could you want?

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is streaming on HBO Max .

20. Source Code (2011)

Time-travel-film aficionados know this won’t be Jake Gyllenhaal’s only stop on this list, but no matter. Source Code finds him repeating the same eight minutes over and over as he struggles to find the culprit in a train bombing — with each replay ending in his own death by explosion. For some reason, a romantic subplot is shoehorned into this, along with a bunch of frankly unnecessary technical mumbo-jumbo, but the core idea is a compelling mix of the time-loop movie and the train whodunit that Gyllenhaal is a perfect fit for.

Source Code is available to rent on Amazon .

19. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Some sort of law of nature dictates that every genuinely good idea and/or piece of true art has to at some point be turned into a Hollywood movie. Thank God La Jetée was adapted into something that can stand on its own feet artistically. 12 Monkeys may not retain its source material’s black-and-white look or stripped-down, static-image presentation, but it is a rollicking good time nonetheless. That’s in no small part due to director Terry Gilliam getting the best out of Bruce Willis and a young Brad Pitt, and recasting World War III as a planet-decimating virus. Which, like at least one other movie on this list , “speaks to the present moment,” or whatever.

12 Monkeys is available to rent on Amazon .

18. Run Lola Run (1998)

Unlike almost all of the other films on this list, the terms time travel and time machine don’t show up anywhere in Run Lola Run . Rather, it’s a sort of de facto time-loop scenario in which the protagonist tries repeatedly to pay a ransom to save her boyfriend’s life. In fact, if not for a few key details, it could easily be characterized (and often has been) as an alternate-endings movie rather than a time-travel film. But the fact that Lola seems to be learning from her past attempts with each successive one suggests that she is, indeed, using knowledge gained from previous loops to bring a satisfactory end to this situation.

Run Lola Run is available to rent on Amazon .

17. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

One of the most striking things about Groundhog Day is the mutability and replicability of its core conceit. Perhaps the best case in point is Edge of Tomorrow , sometimes known as Live. Die. Repeat. after its original tagline. It’s the kind of physically grueling movie only an actor as genuinely unhinged as Tom Cruise could pull off. A noncombatant thrust into a war against invading aliens, Cruise’s character finds himself reliving day one of combat over and over, slowly but surely refining his techniques in order to survive the extraterrestrial onslaught. Like the central twosome in the much less violent Palm Springs , he winds up with a partner in (war) crime, teaming up with the similarly time-trapped Emily Blunt, and the explanation for the replay glitch here is actually pretty satisfying.

Edge of Tomorrow is streaming on Fubo TV .

16. Star Trek (2009)

If you could create some sort of an advanced stat to measure controversy generated per unit of interesting filmmaking decisions, J.J. Abrams would have to be near the top in terms of his ability to rig up movie drama from almost nothing. This is a guy whose filmography is like Godzilla rip-off, Spielberg homage, safe reboot of cherished IP, repeat. Star Trek may be his best film, though, a sure-footed reinvention of a dorky sci-fi franchise that made it, well, cool. Somehow, the beauty of Spock and Kirk’s bromance being woven through chance encounters with future selves kind of … works?

Star Trek is available to rent on Amazon .

15. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

There’s a relative dearth of time travel in animated film, which perhaps is a function simply of the fact that it’s less impressive to stage in a world that’s already unreal. If you can Looney Tunes your way through physics, what’s so special about grabbing the flow of time and tying it into a bow? Still, the original Girl Who Leapt Through Time deserves mention here. It’s a beautiful story that interlaces the complexity of time leaping with the intensity of teenage emotion and the thorny process of growing up where the opportunity to redo things leads, over time, to growth — a less shitty Groundhog Day , in a way.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is available to rent on Amazon .

14. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

She may not be the most famous, decorated, or emulated actress of her generation, but Aubrey Plaza is someone whose personality spoke to the irony-soaked 2010s in a way that simply could not be denied. Her character on Parks and Recreation , April Ludgate, was, by all accounts, created specifically to channel Plaza’s real-life personality to the screen, and she plays essentially the same character in Safety Not Guaranteed . Here, she’s a sarcastic intern at a magazine working on a story about a would-be time traveler and using her feminine wiles to slowly gain his trust. The chemistry between Plaza and Mark Duplass is probably the film’s high point; the subplot about the FBI feels like it was clipped out of a bad X-Files episode.

Safety Not Guaranteed is streaming on Tubi .

13. La Jetée (1962)

At only a 28-minute run time, La Jetée is arguably too short to merit inclusion on this list. However, what it lacks in content (and in, well, moving images; it’s almost exclusively a collection of static black-and-white shots set to voice-over), it more than makes up for in inventiveness and influence, and it would be a travesty to leave it out in favor of more recent by-the-book fare. Tracing the tale of a man held prisoner in post-WWIII Paris being used in time-travel experiments as his captors seek to remedy the postapocalyptic state of the world, he’s sent into both the future and the past and ends up unraveling a lifelong personal mystery while he’s at it.

La Jetée is streaming on the Criterion Channel .

12. Planet of the Apes (1968)

Unlike the worse but more straightforwardly time-traveling Tim Burton remake, the relationship between the original Planet of the Apes and time travel is inexact — technically, the astronaut crew that lands on the titular planet does travel forward 2,000 years, but it’s not done via a time machine. The travel isn’t instantaneous: It literally does take them 2,000 years to get there; they’re just unconscious and on life support. Still, the way the film’s ending handles the iconic reveal is exactly in line with the best of the time-travel canon, the telescoping, mise en abyme feeling of the world shifting in front of your very eyes without your moving an inch.

Planet of the Apes is available to rent on Amazon .

11. Groundhog Day (1993)

The famous Bill Murray vehicle essentially invented the infinite-time-loop genre (and it’s hardly a movie that succeeds on the strength of its concept alone), but the idea at its core is so steeped in the casual misogyny of late-’80s and early-’90s cinema that it’s hard to watch today without cringing. Murray’s character employing what amounts to PUA-style techniques over and over and over in a desperate bid to fuck his hapless co-worker just doesn’t hit the way it did back then. If the story arc didn’t present a guy detoxifying himself of the worst aspects of masculinity in order to be worthy of a woman’s love as the primary way for a 20th-century white man to achieve full personhood, this would be much higher on the list.

Groundhog Day is streaming on Starz .

10. Predestination (2014)

This is probably the most complicated film on the list. Following a “temporal agent” (played by Ethan Hawke) who’s trying to prevent a bombing in 1970s New York, it’s based on a Robert A. Heinlein short story and features Shiv Roy herself, Sarah Snook, in a star-making turn as someone with a complicated backstory and a secret. Like the best sci-fi, the film’s premise raises all kinds of fascinating questions about the titular concept and throws in some interesting musings on sex, gender, and the self in the process.

Predestination is streaming on Tubi .

9. Looper (2012)

Wes Anderson gets a lot of flak for his overwrought twee visuals, but Rian Johnson has a knack for making movies that feel and function like dioramas even if they don’t look it. Narratively speaking, everything here is constructed just so — and there’s a certain beauty in that — but who ever had a profound experience of art by looking at a diorama? Looper was probably Johnson’s least precious pre– Star Wars film, which is nice because the temptation to drastically overmaneuver the mechanics of a time-travel story can lead to disaster. The tech used to Bruce Willis–ify Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s face is distracting, and the third act’s retreat from the postapocalyptic city of the future to the postapocalyptic corn farm of the future is a brave choice that the film struggles to land. Still, Johnson’s vision of a future in which organized crime runs time travel is compelling and well worth a watch.

Looper is streaming on Netflix .

8. Donnie Darko (2001)

Donnie Darko is a bit of a genre mash-up. Part high-school movie, part sci-fi flick, part bleak meditation on the soullessness of late-’80s America, it’s nevertheless a weirdly successful piece of filmmaking that makes fantastic use of a young Jake Gyllenhaal, a great supporting cast (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Jena Malone, and Patrick Swayze among others), and an absolutely iconic haunting cover of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World.” Watching high schoolers navigate parallel universes, wormholes, and time travel is a dicey proposition, but director Richard Kelly makes it work, somehow.

Donnie Darko is streaming on HBO Max .

7. Back to the Future (1984)

While it’s clearly superior to the sequel (and leagues ahead of the final film in the trilogy), the original Back to the Future is a bit of a mess (John Mulaney was right , to be honest). Its racial and gender politics are cringey, and the incest subplot is weird (“It’s your cousin Marvin. Marvin Pornhub . You know that new plot element you’ve been looking for?”), but there’s a clear interest in time travel beyond its shimmering surface: the very real addressing of the “grandfather problem” in time travel via the slow disappearance of Marty from his family photo, the accidental invention of rock music, and a genuine curiosity about the nuts-and-bolts mechanics of time machines. Ahh, what the hell. It’s a romp.

Back to the Future is available to rent on Amazon .

6. Palm Springs (2020)

No offense to Gen-Xers and boomers, but the best time-loop movie of all time is Palm Springs . The film isn’t without its missteps, but it’s much more curious about life than Groundhog Day was through the eyes of Murray’s misanthrope. Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg‘s characters, stuck in the loop together, are a perfect comedic match, and their shared humanity makes for a beautiful arc. The film raises questions about what’s worth doing in life when nothing lasts and how to stay sane when every day is the same. Of course, as a sort of polar opposite of Tenet , it benefited from coming out during the pandemic by speaking, as it does, to the experience of lockdown.

Palm Springs is streaming on Hulu .

5. Tenet (2020)

Interstellar wasn’t enough for Chris Nolan, apparently. Tenet ’s legacy may end up being little more than that of the COVID action movie no one saw — a bloated thriller that Nolan fought to get into theaters and bar from home viewing reportedly to swell the size of his own pockets. It really did suffer from bad timing, though, because this is genuinely a quintessential big-screen popcorn movie whose absurdity is all the more palatable when it’s given the audiovisual bombast it deserves. Ambitious in scope as it traces a war on the past by the future (yes, you read that right), Tenet is as enamored of action tropes as it is in bucking them, and its investment in rendering visible the brain-bendingly knotty mechanics of moving through time is laudable, even when the movie itself remains opaque — as impenetrable as the future, as hazy as the past.

Tenet is streaming on HBO Max .

4. The Terminator (1984)

A partner to Blade Runner in the mid-’80s invention of sci-fi noir, The Terminator is a stunning film in many ways, despite the third act’s now-iffy visual effects. While it’s not James Cameron’s debut, and it would go on to be bested by its sequel , it functions as an incredible showcase for an emerging young director who would exclusively make big stories for the rest of his career. Arnold Schwarzenegger is perfectly cast as the relentless, unemotional killer cyborg sent back from the future to terminate the mother of the eventual resistance leader, and the film’s romantic subplot has just the perfect amount of time-travel-induced cheesiness for it to work.

The Terminator is streaming on Amazon Prime Video .

3. Interstellar (2014)

It’s not inaccurate to say Christopher Nolan is a director who’s more interested in scale and scope than in expressing the minutiae of the human experience in its purest form. But in Interstellar, a Nolan movie in its titular ambitions, there’s a core element of time travel wrought not as sci-fi fireworks but as a paean to the sheer force and will of the power of love. It both does and doesn’t work, depending on your capacity for cheese in space, but even besides that, Nolan’s use of time as story arc — the way Miller’s planet functions, in particular — is conceptually masterful in the best kind of time-travel-movie way.

Interstellar is streaming on Paramount+ .

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Whereas the franchise’s first movie spends more time on the question of time travel, in the second it takes a bit of a back seat to the action itself. It’s hard to fault director James Cameron for this decision; T2 remains one of the best action movies of the ’90s and — along with Jurassic Park and The Matrix — one of the decade’s best when for special effects. The groundbreaking T-1000 would honestly be enough to get this movie on the list; a tween John Connor grappling with questions of predestination and the fact that he is vicariously responsible for his own conception feel almost like icing on the time-travel cake. Much as in 12 Monkeys , time travel here is mistaken for delusion, as valiant Sarah Connor, in a Cassandra-esque nightmare, has to battle against the future only she knows is coming. Of course, Cassandra never had access to any firepower stored in underground desert arsenals.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is streaming on Netflix .

1. Arrival (2016)

It’s fair to wonder whether Arrival really is, in fact, a time-travel movie. The Ted Chiang short story it’s based on isn’t about time travel per se; rather, it’s an exploration of alternate forms of temporal understanding. The linguist protagonist, played by Amy Adams, doesn’t travel through time so much as come to experience it differently. Still, the plot ends up hinging on foreknowledge that she is granted not via visions but by actually experiencing her future simultaneously with her present and past. For our purposes, though, that’s time fuckery enough to merit inclusion, and boy howdy does the film deliver in overall quality. Partly, that’s simply a question of the source material. Chiang is arguably the most talented (and possibly the most decorated) American sci-fi writer of his generation. But the source story is not especially Hollywood friendly, and director Denis Villeneuve has adopted it lovingly, borrowing a plot device from another of Chiang’s stories, the more straightforwardly time-travel-based “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate,” in order to add some third-act blockbuster flavor. The result is a beautiful meditation on love, choice, and courage that packs art-film ethos into a genuine sci-fi blockbuster.

Arrival is streaming on Hulu and Paramount+ .

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30 Movies About Time Travel Ranked Worst To Best

The notion of time travel is both inherently human (who wouldn't want the opportunity to see what the world will be like after they're gone, or to revisit the cherished memories of the past?) and intensely cinematic. So, it makes sense that it's a theme we see revisited in film time and time again. 

However, while time travel is rooted in science fiction, time travel movies embrace a variety of different genres. We're not limited to just sci-fi action-adventures (there are plenty of those, though, if that's your cup of tea.) Filmmakers have used time travel for romances, family dramas, stoner comedies, and even serial-killer thrillers. By using time travel, we can reckon with both our fixation on the past and our constant anxieties about the future. Besides, time travel is a whole lot of fun. If you're looking for a new time travel movie to watch, these are some of the best.

30. Army of Darkness

After making two gruesome cult horror movies about the undead rising to do unspeakable things to your beloved protagonist, your first instinct might not be to hurl him backward in time to medieval Europe — but that's exactly what Sam Raimi did with "Army of Darkness." By transporting Ash (Bruce Campbell) to the 1300s on a mission to recover the mysterious Book of the Dead, Raimi was effectively able to keep his burgeoning franchise fresh, while still delivering on the ghoulish horror that his devoted fans had come to anticipate. 

A knowing play on "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," which also sees its modern-day hero set back to the Middle Ages, Raimi brings his trademark sense of humor to the proceedings. Although we've seen a continuation of the "Evil Dead" franchise in recent years, this outing served as a perfect finale to the original trilogy, giving Campbell's chainsaw-wielding Ash an appropriate send-off.

29. Brigadoon

Although time travel usually belongs to the science fiction genre, "Brigadoon" offers up a musical fantasy interpretation of the trope. Two modern-day Americans (Gene Kelly and Van Johnson) go wandering through the Scottish highlands when they happen upon a strange little town, one that is cursed to awaken from its slumber for just one day every 100 years. As such, it's effectively stuck in the 1700s, protected from the changing world around it. 

The legend goes that if any of the villagers leave, the town will disappear forever, and anyone who wants to stay must be willing to completely abandon their former life in the outside world. When one of the Americans falls in love with a girl in this folksy Scottish utopia, he will have to choose a life for himself that involves being a man out of time — if he loves her enough to make that sacrifice, that is. With light, airy musical numbers and winning performances from Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly, "Brigadoon" is entirely charming (even if its faux Scottish whimsy can wear thin at times).

28. Flight of the Navigator

Although "Flight of the Navigator" is aimed squarely at kids, it features some pretty complex science (and science fiction) principles, namely the time travel that could occur as a byproduct of advanced space flight. David is an ordinary 12-year-old growing up in the 1970s when he suffers a blow to the head that momentarily knocks him unconscious. But when he wakes up, he discovers to his considerable surprise that eight years have passed, everyone has grown older except for him, and no one can explain what happened to him. 

"Flight of the Navigator" is at its best when it explores the ramifications of this time travel, especially as David struggles with the fact that all of his friends are full-grown adults now, and his little brother is now several years older than him. A rollicking family adventure through time and space, "Flight of the Navigator" may not hold a candle to its similarly alien-themed predecessor "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," but it has amassed a loyal fanbase all the same.

27. Last Night in Soho

A young aspiring fashion designer, Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie), travels to London to attend fashion school, determined to leave a mysterious and unwelcome gift behind her. But it follows her all the same in "Last Night in Soho." Each night, she travels in her dreams to the London of the swinging '60s, becoming obsessed with a beautiful woman she sees there, Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy). Slowly over the course of the film, the lines between Eloise and Sandie become blurred, until she can barely tell where one ends and the other begins. 

Hyper-stylized and dressed to the nines, "Last Night in Soho" luxuriates in the scenes set in the past, gleefully watching Eloise and Sandie ebb and flow into one another. But it isn't long before Eloise's dreams grow more malevolent and threatening, putting her very survival at risk. Although "Last Night in Soho" arguably has a slightly wobbly third act, the visual lyricism of the film more than makes up for any weaknesses that pop up later on.

26. Interstellar

If the Earth was dying, and you had a chance to save it, would you be willing to give up your entire world to do so? In "Interstellar," a team of astronauts is sent on a Hail Mary mission to find a new planet compatible with human life. But in order to do so, they'll have to travel in deep space through a wormhole, going so far away from home that they'll age at just a fraction of the speed of those left on Earth. For Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), that means leaving his two children to effectively grow up without him — their entire lives will go by in what feels like mere months for him. 

Blending philosophical quandaries with the type of stunning visual work that director Christopher Nolan is known for, "Interstellar" is a top-tier space drama that addresses the ramifications of time dilation, causal loops, and black holes in a way that somehow manages to be both exciting and emotionally evocative.

25. Happy Death Day

What if every day in "Groundhog Day" ended in a serial murder? That's basically the plot of "Happy Death Day," a time loop movie that sees sorority girl Tree (Jessica Rothe) forced to repeat the same day over and over again. But not just any ordinary day — this is the day that she is murdered. Tree discovers new and inventive ways to be killed, as she is repeatedly hunted down by an extremely unsettling, baby-faced murderer. If she can figure out a way to survive and unmask the killer, she might just be able to break the loop and finally see what comes next. 

Rothe owns every inch of the film, bringing charm and savvy to the lead role of Tree in what is an undeniable breakout performance. "Happy Death Day" has a mischievous sense of humor that allows it to join the top echelon of self-aware slashers, mixing comedy with inventive death sequences and a genuinely disturbing villain.

24. Edge of Tomorrow

If "die, rinse, repeat" is your kind of time loop, "Edge of Tomorrow" offers one of the finest examples in the genre. In a futuristic landscape of an Earth that has been beset by alien invaders, Tom Cruise stars as a soldier who is doomed to live out the same ultimately fatal battle ad nauseam. But just as Tree from "Happy Death Day" and Phil from "Groundhog Day" acquire new skills and perspectives with each new cycle, so too does Cruise's Bill Cage level up in his fighting abilities. 

In many ways, "Edge of Tomorrow" mimics a roguelike video game as much as it functions as a traditional feature film. With impressive special effects and an unexpectedly compelling dynamic between Cruise and co-star Emily Blunt, "Edge of Tomorrow" rises above many other similar science fiction blockbusters.  Variety praised both the writing and editing teams, emphasizing that they "tell their story in a breezy narrative shorthand (and at times, sleight-of-hand), transforming what must surely be an unbelievably tedious gauntlet for our hero into a deft, playful and continually involving viewing experience."

23. Frequency

To be fair, no one technically travels through time in "Frequency" — not physically, anyway. In the late 1990s, a grumpy, cynical NYC cop named John (Jim Caviezel) plays with a ham radio that once belonged to his father Frank, a firefighter who died on the job when John was a child. Imagine his amazement when a familiar voice begins speaking back to him — the voice of his long-dead father, traveling through space and time from the late 1960s. 

Of course, the impulse to save him from the fire that claimed his life proves difficult to resist, a decision that sets in motion an unexpectedly dangerous chain of events. Clever and inventive, "Frequency" delivers on the touching father-son relationship between John and Frank, and its use of the ham radio as a vessel for time travel makes it stand out within the genre. With a narrative that is perpetually evolving with the ripples of time manipulation, it's full of surprises.

22. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

When characters are given the ability to travel through time, sometimes they grasp the gravity of their situation immediately — and other times they use their gift carelessly, hopping casually back a few days or even hours to fix minor life problems. Makoto Konno in "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" falls decidedly into the latter category. After being thrown from her bike and nearly killed by an oncoming train, Konno discovers her ability to "time-leap," as she finds herself flung back to the moments before the accident. She quickly uses this ability to her advantage, without realizing the impact these leaps have on the people around her. 

Although there's a lightness to the storytelling (its far less apocalyptic than many other time travel films), "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" displays legitimate artistry, with  Village Voice  stating, "There's real craftsmanship for how [the film] sustains its sense of summer quietude and sun-soaked haziness through a few carefully reprised motifs: three-cornered games of catch, mountainous cloud formations, classroom still-lifes."

When we think of time travel movies, we generally think of science fiction, sprawling epics that by the nature of their genre tend to cost a lot of money to make. It's rare when we're treated to an indie time travel movie, especially one as well-made as "Primer." This low-budget psychological thriller is the brainchild of Shane Carruth, who is credited as its director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and star. With a technical background in engineering and mathematics, Carruth looked to make something different from the typical Hollywood time travel film. As he said in the film's press notes , watching "All the President's Men" taught him it would be possible for "Primer" to be "a compelling narrative without neon or special effects or smoke screens."

Instead, "Primer," which tells the story of a group of engineers who accidentally discover time travel while working on a project in their garage, deals with the logistical and philosophical implications of this discovery and wastes no time worrying if the audience will be able to follow along. The result is a bare-bones, but ultimately compelling, take on the genre.

20. When We First Met

Throughout movie and TV history, we've seen DeLoreans, phone booths, and police boxes turned into time machines, but "When We First Met" may be the very first time we've gotten a time-traveling photo booth. When Noah (Adam DeVine) goes into the photo booth at his favorite piano bar, he gets the opportunity to go back to the night when he first met Avery (Alexandra Daddario), the "girl of his dreams" who is engaged to another man. Whatever Noah does on that fateful day causes ripples, and when he wakes up, it's in a slightly different version of the present. 

So, naturally, Noah takes as many chances as he can to engineer a happily ever after between himself and Avery. But "When We First Met" challenges the notion of the "perfect" girl who's just out of reach, and offers a parable about the dangers of letting an idealized version of someone take root in your brain, no longer letting you see them for who they really are. If nothing else, "When We First Met" deserves heaps of credits for featuring Adam DeVine at his most endearing.

19. Your Name

In Makoto Shinkai's "Your Name," Mitsuha and Taki are two ordinary high school students who live separate lives in different parts of Japan. Then, one day, the two strangers begin to switch bodies. "Your Name" begins as a classic gender-bending comedy, where Mtsusha and Taki are forced to live through each others' daily lives, fumbling through classes, interpersonal relationships, and unfamiliar gender expectations. This body swapping happens intermittently, without warning, and over time the two learn how to communicate with each other by leaving messages on paper, their phones, even their skin. 

Then, "Your Name" raises the stakes by revealing that the teens aren't just from different towns — they're from entirely different time periods. Taki is living in a world three years older than Mitsuha's, and learns about a freak accident that caused untold devastation in her hometown. But can he warn everyone in time? "Your Name" is a gorgeously animated time-traveling romance that creates a genuine bond between its two central figures, who are bound together by a unique ability that ends up being their salvation.

18. Kate & Leopold

What happens when a hunky man from the 19th century ends up in modern-day New York? This is the important question that "Kate & Leopold" dares to ask. When Stuart (Liev Schreiber) discovers a time portal above the Brooklyn Bridge, he is eager to go back in time and explore. What he does not count on is Leopold, the 3rd Duke of Albany (played by an especially dreamy Hugh Jackman), following him back through the portal. 

After Stuart gets severely injured falling down an elevator shaft (if Leopold isn't around to invent elevators in the 1800s, they can hardly be expected to exist in the 2000s), his ex-girlfriend Kate (Meg Ryan) is stuck taking care of the anachronistic duke. Obviously, they fall in love — look, it's Hugh Jackman and Meg Ryan. Why would you even bother putting them in a movie together if they weren't going to become romantically involved? 

Anyway, "Kate & Leopold" is a very sweet rom-com, even if it is sort of depressing that Meg Ryan ends up going to live in a past where she has no rights. Oh well. Love conquers all, right?

17. Palm Springs

"Palm Springs" follows in the footsteps of "Groundhog Day," with Andy Samberg serving as a natural successor to fellow "Saturday Night Live" alum Bill Murray. Trapped in a never-ending time loop and forced to relive his friend's wedding day over and over, Nyles has long since given up any hope of escaping his own personal prison. But unlike Phil in "Groundhog Day," who suffers in isolation, Nyles is joined by Sarah (Cristin Milioti), who follows him into the mysterious cave at the heart of the time loop and gets herself stuck as well. 

"Palm Springs" offers us two perspectives: one from a veteran time-looper who has lived the same day for potentially hundreds of years, and the other from a fresh-faced newbie experiencing it all for the first time. What's interesting about "Palm Springs" is that it fully leans into the devastating ennui that's the natural result of this sort of situation. The time loop isn't just a set-up for a bunch of jokes, it's a reality where hopelessness is only briefly staved off by mindless distractions. That this movie would come out in 2020, a year when most of us were facing the monotony of life in quasi-quarantine, only adds to its emotional resonance.

16. Back to the Future Part III

Ah yes, the much maligned final chapter in the "Back to the Future" series. But you know what? This movie gets so much more hate than it deserves. No, it doesn't reach the dizzying heights of the first and second Back to the Future movies, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good film. 

After Doc Brown's DeLorean is struck by lightning and he ends up back in the old West of 1885, Marty discovers Doc's tombstone, which shows that he died just a few days after writing a letter to Marty asking not to be rescued. Obviously, Marty does just that. The romance between Doc and Miss Clara Clayton (Mary Steenburgen) is absolutely adorable, allowing the Back to the Future crew to explore a different side of Doc's character. And this outing is just as clever with its callbacks to jokes from the other two films, especially when Marty gets to have his classic Clint Eastwood moment. Plus, Michael J. Fox doing an Irish accent to play a McFly ancestor? Totally worth the price of admission.

15. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things

Structured much like "Groundhog Day," "The Map of Tiny Perfect Things" revolves around Mark (Kyle Allen), who has been living in a time loop for ages. He knows every single thing that's going to happen — that is, until he meets Margaret (Kathryn Newton), who has been stuck in the same time loop. Together, they set out to build a map of all the strange, beautiful moments that occur in their town, the kinds of things that you'd only notice if you had several lifetimes to catalog them all. 

"The Map of Tiny Perfect Things" is unique in its subtlety, and the way it brings out a time loop's smaller implications. For example, on this particular day, Mark's mother went into work early and did a double shift, which means that he hasn't seen more than a glimpse of her in years. Margaret's own relationship with her terminally ill mother means that she's hesitant to get out of the time loop and sever that connection. These tiny moments help "The Map of Tiny Perfect Things" stand out in the increasingly crowded time-loop genre.

14. 12 Monkeys

"12 Monkeys" is part traditional time travel story, part post-apocalyptic action thriller. Set initially in the 2030s, after a deadly plague has ravaged the planet, James Cole (Bruce Willis) is sent back in time to the '90s in order to prevent the devastating epidemic before it starts. 

Creatively directed by Terry Gilliam, the master of eccentric science fiction, "12 Monkeys" also has the honor of being one of the first films that would make people begin to take then-young heartthrob Brad Pitt seriously as an actor. His manic performance as Jeffrey Goines, the unstable leader of the eco-terrorist organization called the Army of the Twelve Monkeys, is one of the most memorable elements of the entire film. Performances aside, "12 Monkeys" also lays claim to a unique visual style that would influence several other science fiction films of the late '90s, and occupies a darker space than many other time travel films dare to enter.

13. Meet the Robinsons

Here, we take the opportunity to shout from the rooftops that "Meet the Robinsons" is perhaps the single most underrated Disney film of all time. Much like its lead character Lewis, a brilliant orphan whose inventions have a knack for getting him into trouble, "Meet the Robinsons" is tragically misunderstood. Lewis struggles to find an adoptive family, partially because his inventions often go haywire at the most inopportune times, but also because he's entirely focused on the past and, in particular, finding out the identity of his biological mother. 

When a kid named Wilbur Robinson turns up and takes Lewis 30 years or so into the future, not only does Lewis get to see how far humanity progresses, but he is exposed to an eccentric family that is loving, empathetic, and entirely devoted to one another. "Meet the Robinsons" is genuinely hilarious; more importantly, it's also a heart-warming tale about building a family of your own.

12. Peggy Sue Got Married

Probably the most common question asked of any adult staring down middle-age is, "If you could go back in time to relive your high school years, would you?" This hypothetical becomes a reality in "Peggy Sue Got Married," when Peggy Sue (Kathleen Turner), recently divorced and looking back on a life she thinks she's wasted, attends her 25th high school reunion. Her morose contemplation is interrupted, however, when she is suddenly thrust back in time to her senior year of high school in 1960. 

There, Peggy Sue faces certain choices. Given the opportunity to do it all over again, will she make the same decisions? Most notably, will she stick with Charlie (Nicolas Cage), her high-school sweetheart, even though she knows that their relationship is ultimately doomed? "Peggy Sue Got Married" is a bittersweet exploration of nostalgia, of growing older, and of looking back on your misspent youth with equal parts dissatisfaction and longing.

11. Somewhere in Time

Before we even get into the time travel elements of "Somewhere in Time," it's important to address the elephant in the room: Have there ever been two people on earth more preternaturally beautiful than Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve? Together, they star in this time travel romance, in which Reeve's playwright, Richard Collier, falls in love with a portrait of an actress (Seymour) nearly a century older, and learns how to use self-hypnosis to send himself back in time to 1912 so that they can be together. 

"Somewhere in Time" is a dreamy, fanciful production, with a gorgeously winsome score from John Barry. Reeve and Seymour have tremendous chemistry together, which makes their beautiful but ultimately doomed romance all the more compelling. Set against the backdrop of the historic Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, Michigan, "Somewhere in Time" is a charming, whimsical, and heartbreaking tale of love across the ages.

10. Time After Time

It's surprising, really, that HG Wells, the enormously imaginative science fiction writer who dreamt up "The Time Machine" (along with dozens of other sci-fi classics) has rarely featured in time travel stories himself. But he does star in "Time After Time," a pulpy thriller in which Wells (Malcolm McDowell) has his time machine stolen by Jack the Ripper (David Warner), who uses it to evade the police and travel to '70s San Francisco. 

Wells gives chase, and must track Jack down before he murders again (in the meantime, he falls in love with a bank teller played by Mary Steenburgen, as one does). This was remade recently as a fairly lackluster network drama that got pulled from the airwaves before it was halfway through its first season, but the original film is a lot of fun, featuring a battle of wits between these two famous historical figures.

9. La Jetée

"La Jetée" is a French short film directed by Chris Marker. It's approximately 28 minutes long, consisting mostly of still photography with voiceover narration. It is magnificent. 

"La Jetée" tells the story of a man imprisoned in the post-apocalyptic future, where scientists are working on devising methods of time travel to avert the calamity that has befallen humanity. He has a particularly strong memory from childhood of himself standing on a pier, witnessing a man being killed. This window to the past allows him to withstand the mental shock of time travel. 

Once safely in the past, the man meets a woman, whom he falls in love. But in the end, when he has finished his mission and is allowed to live out his days in the past, he realizes that the man he saw murdered was the adult version of himself. By utilizing still photography, Marker places tremendous importance on the power of images — in this case, visuals are so strong that they literally allow one to travel through time. But Marker also sends an unmistakably clear message: you cannot escape your destiny, and despite our fixations on the past and the future, you can only ever live in the present.

8. Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is not our most beloved national holiday, but it is the backdrop of a time-travel comedy classic. Acerbic weatherman Phil (Bill Murray) reluctantly travels to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover a local ceremony in which a groundhog decides whether we'll end up having a longer winter or not. He is not happy about this assignment (to be fair, he's not happy about much of anything). But it gets even worse when Phil is forced to relive the same day over and over and over again. 

"Groundhog Day" does an amazing job of showing how Phil's emotions progress as he adapts to his situation: first, he's bemusemed, then angry, then depressed, and then finally comes to accept it. Once his new reality sets in, and all the fun of being able to do whatever you want with absolutely zero repercussions fades away, Phil lives a terribly isolating experience. No one he knows grows or changes; he can't have a single conversation with someone that they'll remember in the morning. It's to the credit of "Groundhog Day" that the horror of Phil's life is apparent even as it's mined for humor, giving Phil a genuinely hilarious existential crisis.

7. The Terminator

In terms of awkward conversations with your buddies, telling your best friend that he needs to go back in time to seduce your mother so that she'll get pregnant and give birth to you has to be right up there. But that's pretty much the central conceit behind "The Terminator." The future is an apocalyptic hellscape controlled by sentient machines, and the Terminator (a super-buff Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor before she can have her son John, who will grow up to become the leader in the fight against the machines. 

Although it's set almost exclusively in the '80s, the time travel element is baked into "The Terminator" from the very beginning. It's also an unusually intelligent science fiction action film. It has plenty of violence, fight scenes, and gore to keep adrenaline junkies happy, but some thoughtful subtext lurks just beneath the surface. Also, Linda Hamilton is note-perfect as Sarah Connor, going from a perfectly ordinary waitress to a warrior who battles killer robots in a matter of minutes.

When Kun, a spoiled young boy used to being the center of attention, suddenly has to share his parents with his new baby sister Mirai, he's not a happy camper. But one day, Kun goes into his family's garden, and he is given the opportunity to meet not just the older version of his sister, but also his mother as a child, and his great-grandfather as a young man. 

This is the magic of "Mirai": It creates a separate metaphysical plane where Kun, a child whose worldview is entirely self-centered, is given access to all of the different branches of his family tree, giving him a greater understanding of the people he loves most by showing them at different points in their lives. It also teaches Kun that he's one small component of a much larger whole, a legacy that goes on unending forever. But although "Mirai" touches on philosophical themes, it is presented with a great sense of fun and whimsy; Kun's travels are adventures, not dry family history lessons.

5. Back to the Future Part II

"Back to the Future Part II" picks up right where the first film left off. Marty reunites with Jennifer (whose actress has mysteriously changed between films), then Doc Brown bursts on the scene, frantically warning them that they need to travel to the future to fix the lives of their children. 

A huge selling point of "Back to the Future Part II" are the scenes set in the future world of 2015, which are so detailed and imaginative that they still feel futuristic, even though the real 2015 passed us by long ago. The way Hill Valley changes from 1955 to 1985 to 2015 is beautiful, showing the transformation of the California suburb over the decades. But "Back to the Future II" also revisits all of the original film's greatest hits, especially when Marty ends up having to travel to the '50s again to avoid Biff's incredibly Trump-esque rise to power . Some may claim that a large portion of the film is just a rehash of the first, but hey, why mess with what isn't broken?

4. The Time Machine

The classic HG Wells science fiction novel "The Time Machine" has had a few live-action adaptations , the best of which is directed by George Pal and stars Rod Taylor. George, an inventor at the turn of the century, is feverishly working to complete his time machine, a steampunk contraption that will allow him to see the future. He makes a few stops in the 20th century, where he sees the devastation of the first and second World Wars as well as the ever-present fears of nuclear attacks that would destroy humanity as we know it, before being knocked unconscious and travelling many thousands of years into the future. 

By then, humanity has recovered from nuclear blasts, but has split into two subspecies: the gentle surface-dwelling Eloi, and their subterranean predators, the Morlocks. "The Time Machine" is a clever, thought-provoking adventure that highlights many of the anxieties of both 1960, the year that this film was made, and the 1890s, when HG Wells wrote the original book. What will become of humanity in the long-term? Will we ever be able to curb the violent instincts that will likely lead to our downfall? "The Time Machine" provides answers to both.

3. About Time

Time travel movies can make you feel a lot of things, but they don't usually make you cry ugly tears. Apparently "About Time" didn't get the memo. When Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) turns 21, his father (Bill Nighy) sits him down and tells him the family secret: all of the men in their family have the ability to travel back to any point in their own timeline. 

Initially, Tim uses this as an opportunity to have a second chance with a girl (Rachel McAdams) he struck out with. However, Tim's story takes on a much more poignant tone after his father unexpectedly dies. Suddenly, the moments they shared become unbelievably precious, especially when Tim realizes that there will come a point when he can't see his father without causing serious, permanent changes to the people he loves (after Tim's daughter is born, for example, any trip to the past could threaten her existence). "About Time" is billed as a romantic comedy, but it's so much more than that. It's a wonderful story about the love between a father and son, and a reminder to the viewer to embrace the beauty of every single day.

2. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure

It's hard to think of two more lovable airheads than Bill S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan, the stars of "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." They're on the verge of failing their high school history class, which is majorly bad news for the future, given that Bill and Ted need to stick together long enough to write the song that will lead humanity to a peaceful utopian society. So, Rufus (George Carlin) springs into action, bringing the kids a time machine in the form of a phone booth that they can use to travel to the past and complete their history presentation. 

What follows is a madcap adventure through time. Bill and Ted end up packing their phone booth full of historical figures like Billy the Kid, Socrates, Joan of Arc, and Genghis Khan. "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" is tremendously creative in its use of these famous people: having Napoleon get way too invested in an ice cream eating challenge, for example, might not be an obvious choice, but it makes perfect sense.

1. Back to the Future

"Back to the Future" is the gold standard when it comes to time travel films. When Marty ends up stuck in 1955 using his best friend Doc Brown's time machine, he has to fight to get back to his original time without causing too much disruption, an endeavor that is significantly complicated when Marty's mother starts to fall in love with him, jeopardizing his entire existence (also, he invents rock music? Marty is a busy kid). 

The dynamic between Marty and Doc Brown is probably the most endearing aspect of the film in both the 1985 and 1955 segments. But it's also incredibly fascinating to watch Marty see his own parents when they're teenagers themselves. Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson are perfectly cast as Marty's father and mother, somehow able to play the younger and older versions of their characters with equal dexterity. Also, the entire movie is so tightly written and expertly crafted that it's hard to think of a single thing to say against it. Is "Back to the Future" a perfect movie? It's certainly possible!

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The Best Time Travel Comedies, Ranked

The best time-travel comedies hold a special place in the hearts of movie enthusiasts, delivering captivating stories and hilarity in equal measure. These cinematic gems transport viewers through time, exploring the complicated nature of human relationships, life choices, and alternate realities, all while delivering a hearty dose of humor. As the popularity of this genre continues to grow, audiences can expect even more delightful and thought-provoking time travel comedy movies. 

The genius of comedy time-travel movies lies in their ability to delight audiences while simultaneously delving into the intricacies of human existence. Filmmakers have the exceptional ability to intertwine complex theories with relatable life experiences, resulting in comedy time-travel movies that examine the intricacies of married life, friendship, or personal growth. Ultimately, it is this expert combination of raw emotions and laughter that distinguishes these films within the world of cinema. 

Among the collection of best time-travel movies, a few stand out as quintessential examples. Back to the Future , for instance, has become a classic for its witty writing, memorable characters, and the unforgettable DeLorean time machine. Groundhog Day masterfully showcases the comedic genius of Bill Murray in a film that explores the existential implications of living the same day over and over again. Moreover, Back to the Future Part II ingeniously expands upon the original film's concept, offering an exhilarating glimpse into a futuristic world filled with hoverboards and self-tying shoes. 

These notable movies are just a fraction of the incredible lineup of comedy time-travel movies available to moviegoers.  From past to future, the legacy of the best time-travel comedy movies will persist, as they continue to enthrall viewers with delightful narratives and relatable themes. With their ability to provoke laughter, inspire deep reflections, and challenge preconceived notions of reality, these films have found their way into cinematic history. 

Back to the Future

Marty McFly's life takes an unexpected turn when he accidentally activates his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown's latest creation - a DeLorean outfitted with a flux capacitor allowing for temporal displacement. As Marty races against time to correct the course of history, audiences are treated to a thrilling and hilarious ride through the intertwining timelines of 1985 and 1955, sparking a pop culture phenomenon that would endure for decades. The charming chemistry between Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, combined with Robert Zemeckis' masterful direction, makes this film an enduring classic in the realm of comedies.

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• # 2 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked

Groundhog Day

Phil Connors, a grumpy and self-absorbed weatherman played by Bill Murray, finds himself caught in an inexplicable time loop, forced to relive the same day - Groundhog Day - over and over again. This brilliantly constructed comedy, directed by Harold Ramis , explores the themes of personal growth and redemption as Phil gradually learns to appreciate the small moments in life and become a better person. Groundhog Day 's unique blend of humor, romance, and subtle philosophic undertones has consistently resonated with audiences since its release, earning it a place among the best comedies of all time .

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Back to the Future Part II

The second installment in the beloved trilogy picks up immediately where the first left off, with Marty McFly and Doc Brown embarking on an adventure to the distant future of 2015 to prevent a catastrophe involving Marty's future children. Director Robert Zemeckis deftly weaves together multiple timelines, exploring not only the future but also revisiting iconic moments from the original film to create a complex but highly entertaining narrative. With clever storytelling, memorable set pieces, and engaging performances by its leads, this sequel stands as a worthy continuation of the journey initiated in the first film.

• # 23 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
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Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

High school slackers Bill and Ted, played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves, receive a timely intervention from Rufus (George Carlin), a time-traveling guide from the future who sets them on a journey through history to collect notable figures for their final report. This comedic romp through time showcases the endearing friendship between the dimwitted duo as they face challenges that could alter the course of human existence. The film's blend of absurd humor, catchy catchphrases, and historical cameos has garnered a cult following, earning it a place in the annals of comedy history.

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• # 40 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
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When young Alan Parrish discovers a mysterious board game, he unwittingly unleashes a dangerous world filled with wild animals and treacherous traps that force him to navigate his way back to reality. Years later, two unsuspecting children come across the same game and inadvertently release Alan, now played by Robin Williams, from his jungle imprisonment. A perfect blend of humor, adventure, and heart-pounding action, this film's legacy has continued to endure, spawning sequels and inspiring new generations of viewers.

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Back to the Future Part III

In the final chapter of the iconic trilogy, Marty McFly finds himself once more traversing the fabric of time as he travels back to the Wild West of 1885 to rescue his imperiled friend Doc Brown. The film masterfully showcases the chemistry between its leads while blending humor, romance, and action through its exploration of the untamed frontier and the challenges of reconciling past, present, and future. This fitting conclusion to the series continues to delight fans and solidifies the trilogy's status as one of the greatest time-bending adventures in cinematic history.

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This biting satire delves into a dystopian future where simple-mindedness prevails, and societal decline is rampant, making for a both humorous and cautionary tale. Director Mike Judge tells the story of average Joe Bauers, played by Luke Wilson, who awakens from a suspended-animation experiment to find himself in an absurd world governed by idiocy, armed only with his moderate intelligence and the knowledge of a time long past. Among a sea of mindless entertainment, the film stands as a thought-provoking comedy that hits closer to home than one might expect.

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Hot Tub Time Machine

A drunken night in a ski resort hot tub sends four friends - played by John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, and Clark Duke - back in time to the glory days of their youth in the 1980s, where they are presented with an opportunity to correct past mistakes or completely rewrite history. Laden with raunchy humor, fun nods to '80s pop culture, and memorable performances from its ensemble cast, this irreverent comedy has earned its place among fan-favorite films that toy with the concept of altering one's own past.

• # 711 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
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Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

This modern take on the Jumanji story breathes new life into the franchise, swapping the original's board game for a video game that transports four teenagers into a dangerous jungle world where they must save the day as their chosen avatars. The film ingeniously capitalizes on the talents of its leading cast members, including Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan, who bring to life their roles with humor, heart, and no shortage of action-packed set pieces. The result is a highly entertaining romp that pays homage to its predecessor while forging a fresh path for the franchise.

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13 Going on 30

After wishing for adulthood, a young girl named Jenna Rink wakes up the next morning as her 30-year-old self, played by Jennifer Garner, with no recollection of the past 17 years. As Jenna navigates the foreign landscape of her adult life, she learns valuable lessons about friendship, love, and self-acceptance while grappling with the possibility of reversing the course of her life. Garner's endearing performance, coupled with charming comedic moments and a heartfelt message, makes this movie a delightful entry in the pantheon of age-altering comedies.

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Army of Darkness

Cult filmmaker Sam Raimi brings his unmistakable style to this third installment of the Evil Dead series, which sees protagonist Ash Williams, played by Bruce Campbell, transported back to the medieval era where he battles demonic forces in his quest to return to his own time. Campbell's wildly entertaining, over-the-top performance lends itself perfectly to the film's blend of horror, slapstick comedy, and action-adventure. Army of Darkness has become a beloved midnight movie favorite and a testament to the enduring appeal of B-movie schlock when handled with a deft touch.

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Galaxy Quest

This loving spoof of the science-fiction genre and its rabid fandom centers around the cast of a canceled TV show, who find themselves unwittingly recruited by real aliens to defend their species from a deadly foe. Boasting a superb ensemble cast that includes Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman, the film offers a hilarious and insightful look at the blurred lines between fantasy and reality, combining genuine laugh-out-loud moments with thrilling action sequences. Through its affectionate skewering of genre tropes and endearing celebration of fandom, Galaxy Quest remains a beloved cult classic among sci-fi comedy enthusiasts.

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In this modern retelling of Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol , Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a cynical and selfish television executive who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Director Richard Donner expertly blends sharp-witted humor with sentimental moments, creating a film that pays homage to its source material while carving out its unique niche in the holiday movie genre. Murray's impeccable comedic timing, combined with a supporting cast of eccentric characters, ensures that this film remains a crowd-pleasing favorite during the festive season.

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Men in Black 3

The third installment of the popular franchise sees Agent J, played by Will Smith, embark on a mission through time in order to prevent an alien assassination that would have dire consequences for Earth and his partner, Agent K, played by Tommy Lee Jones . Along the way, audiences are treated to unexpected twists, humorous encounters with historical figures, and a brilliant performance from Josh Brolin as the younger version of Agent K. The balance of heart, action, and comedy spliced with elements of time-manipulation make this a welcome addition to the beloved Men in Black series.

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Pleasantville

Two siblings, played by Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon, are transported into the black-and-white world of a 1950s television show, where their presence begins to challenge the idyllic yet repressed society's norms. By showcasing the stark contrast between nostalgic idealism and modern-day realities, writer-director Gary Ross crafts a captivating and thought-provoking tale that touches upon themes of racism, censorship, and self-discovery. Pleasantville 's ability to balance humor and heart while exploring complex societal issues cements it as a poignant and timeless classic.

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Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey

In this sequel to the cult classic Excellent Adventure , the titular duo is pitted against evil robot versions of themselves sent from the future in an attempt to thwart their destiny of creating a utopian society through their music. Along the way, Bill and Ted navigate the afterlife, compete with Death in a series of games, and form their band, Wyld Stallyns. The film's unique blend of surreal humor, zany characters, and philosophical undertones ensures it remains a fan favorite among the pantheon of time travel comedies.

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Time Bandits

In this fantastical adventure, a young boy named Kevin is swept away by a group of dwarves who traverse time and space in pursuit of treasure, guided by a magical map stolen from their former employer, the Supreme Being. Directed by Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam, Time Bandits expertly mixes whimsy with satire, resulting in a film that appeals to both children and adults alike. Its unique blend of humor, visual enchantment, and historical figures has earned it a special place in the hearts of fans of time-traveling adventures.

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The Muppet Christmas Carol

In this delightful adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic yuletide tale, the iconic Muppets take on the story of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, portrayed by Michael Caine, who learns the true meaning of Christmas through a series of ghostly visitations. The film expertly blends the charm and humor synonymous with the Muppets franchise with the heartfelt message of Dickens' timeless story. With its colorful cast of characters and unforgettable musical numbers, The Muppet Christmas Carol has become a beloved holiday classic for generations of viewers.

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This body-swapping comedy stars Zac Efron as a disillusioned adult who is mysteriously transformed back into his 17-year-old self to give him a second chance at reliving his youth and reshaping his destiny. With a heartfelt performance from Efron and solid comedic support from Thomas Lennon and Matthew Perry, the film tackles themes of redemption, regret, and rebirth with a light-hearted and feel-good touch. Maintaining an engaging blend of humor, drama, and nostalgia, 17 Again offers a fresh spin on the familiar trope of revisiting one's past to alter the course of one's life.

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The Family Man

When high-powered Wall Street executive Jack Campbell, played by Nicolas Cage, awakens one day to find himself living an alternate life as a family man, he is forced to reevaluate his priorities and reconsider the choices he made along the way. The film's portrayal of life's "what ifs" is brought to life through the engaging performances of Cage and his co-stars, Tea Leoni and Don Cheadle. While exploring themes of regret and the importance of appreciating what one has, The Family Man delivers heartwarming laughs and emotional depth, establishing it as a poignant modern-day fable.

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With the aid of a magical universal remote control that allows him to manipulate time, workaholic architect Michael Newman, played by Adam Sandler, discovers the bittersweet consequences of fast-forwarding through life's most significant moments. The film skillfully balances its comedic elements with a more somber look at the importance of cherishing the time spent with loved ones - a theme that resonates with viewers even after the credits roll. Click showcases Sandler's versatility as an actor while offering a thought-provoking take on the common desire to control aspects of one's life.

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Director Richard Curtis weaves a poignant and heartwarming tale of love, family, and the power of time as Tim, played by Domhnall Gleeson, discovers he has the ability to travel back in time and alter his life's course - a gift passed down through generations of men in his family. Alongside Rachel McAdams, who gives a captivating performance as Tim's love interest, the film explores the possibilities and pitfalls of manipulating time to achieve happiness while maintaining a balance of humor and sentimentality. About Time resonates with audiences for its tender storytelling and memorable performances, solidifying its place among cherished romantic comedies.

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Meet the Robinsons

This animated adventure follows young inventor Lewis as he embarks on a thrilling journey into the future, where he encounters the eccentric and lovable Robinson family. As Lewis unravels the mystery of his own destiny amid a backdrop of colorful characters and imaginative inventions, the film delivers a heartfelt message about family and the power of perseverance. With its inviting blend of humor, adventure, and emotional depth, Meet the Robinsons has become a beloved classic in the realm of animated time-travel tales.

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Kate & Leopold

In this charming romantic comedy, Hugh Jackman plays a 19th-century Duke who is accidentally transported to modern-day New York City, where he falls for a jaded marketing executive played by Meg Ryan. As the two navigate their vastly different worlds, they find that time may not be as much of an obstacle to love as they initially thought. The film's enchanting blend of humor, romance, and period-piece charm makes it a unique and engaging entry in the genre of time-traveling romances.

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Futurama: Bender's Big Score

In this feature-length continuation of the cult TV series , the Planet Express crew faces an evil alien conspiracy, which involves the use of time travel to alter history for nefarious purposes. The fan-favorite character, Bender the robot, is at the center of the story as he carries out a series of increasingly bizarre time-traveling missions. Combining the show's signature blend of biting satire, rapid-fire gags, and endearing character moments, Bender's Big Score provides fans with a satisfying and hilarious addition to the Futurama canon.

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Flight of the Navigator

In this thrilling family adventure, a young boy named David awakens after a mysterious disappearance to find himself eight years in the future, still the same age and with no memory of the time that has passed. As he forms a bond with an alien spaceship and its AI pilot, David embarks on a journey through space and time to unravel the mystery of his lost years. Blending humor, wonder, and engaging storytelling, Flight of the Navigator remains a cherished favorite among fans of family-friendly time-travel tales.

• # 147 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
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Midnight in Paris

Woody Allen's enchanting tale follows disillusioned writer Gil Pender, played by Owen Wilson, as he stumbles upon a magical portal that transports him to the golden age of 1920s Paris, where he meets and mingles with literary and artistic icons of the era. This captivating journey through time serves not only as a love letter to the City of Lights but also as a thoughtful reflection on nostalgia and the allure of the past. Beautifully shot, expertly written, and featuring a stellar ensemble cast, Midnight in Paris remains one of Allen's most beloved and critically acclaimed films.

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Peggy Sue Got Married

This quirky comedy-drama follows the life of Peggy Sue, played by Kathleen Turner, who faints during her high school reunion and wakes up in her teenage years with adult knowledge of her future life. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film combines a nostalgic affection for the 1960s with the heavy burden of regret and second chances. Turner's captivating performance, alongside a young Nicolas Cage, makes Peggy Sue Got Married a memorable and touching exploration of the human propensity to revisit the past.

• # 223 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
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A Kid in King Arthur's Court

When a baseball game turns into a fantastical adventure, modern-day teenager Calvin Fuller is transported back in time to Camelot, where he uses his 20th-century knowledge to help King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table save their kingdom. Amidst jousting tournaments and medieval misadventures, Calvin discovers his inner hero and learns valuable life lessons. A Kid in King Arthur's Court offers a whimsical and exciting twist on the classic fish-out-of-water story that has delighted audiences for decades.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel

In this comedic sci-fi adventure, three friends find themselves caught up in a wild and unpredictable chronicle of time-travel mishaps after a chance encounter with a mysterious woman at their local pub. As they navigate the perplexing series of events and try to restore order to their lives, the film cleverly explores the absurd and entertaining consequences of meddling with time. Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel offers a unique and irreverent take on the time-traveling genre that distinguishes itself through its blend of wit, intrigue, and camaraderie.

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Black Knight

When lowly theme park employee Jamal Walker, played by Martin Lawrence, is transported back in time to the Middle Ages, he finds himself mistaken for a messenger from God and becomes embroiled in the political intrigue of a royal court. Utilizing his street smarts and contemporary know-how, Jamal shakes up the medieval establishment with uproarious results. With its humorous premise and Lawrence's infectious energy, Black Knight offers an amusing and lighthearted spin on the classic fish-out-of-water tale.

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Bill & Ted Face the Music

In this long-awaited third installment of the popular franchise, the lovable duo - once again portrayed by Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter - have failed to live up to their prophesied destiny of uniting the world through their music, and are faced with a warning from the future that they must create an all-important song to save humanity. The film successfully evokes the spirit of the original movies, blending nostalgic charm with a fresh perspective that resonates with both devoted fans and newcomers alike. The return of Bill and Ted's unique friendship, hilarious antics, and endearing optimism solidifies this film as a worthy addition to the beloved series.

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Mr. Peabody & Sherman

This animated adventure brings the beloved characters of the classic 1960s television series to life, as genius dog Mr. Peabody and his adopted human son, Sherman, use their time-traveling WABAC machine to embark on a series of educational and entertaining historical escapades. Along the way, the duo encounters famous figures, rectifies past mistakes, and learns valuable lessons about family and friendship. With its charming animation, clever humor, and heartwarming storyline, Mr. Peabody & Sherman captures the essence of the original series while appealing to a new generation of audiences.

• # 310 of 455 on The 400+ Best Animated Kids Movies
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Slaughterhouse-Five

Adapted from Kurt Vonnegut's iconic novel, this darkly comedic film centers around Billy Pilgrim, a man who becomes "unstuck" in time and experiences his life out of order, from his mundane suburban existence to his harrowing experiences as a prisoner of war during the bombing of Dresden. Directed by George Roy Hill, the film expertly balances its portrayal of the absurdity of life with the inherent tragedy of war, creating a unique viewing experience that is both profound and engaging. Slaughterhouse-Five remains a thought-provoking and poignant exploration of human existence, fate, and the nature of time.

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Woody Allen stars as a hapless health food store owner who, after being cryogenically frozen, awakens two centuries later to find himself in a dystopian police state where he becomes an unlikely hero. This classic sci-fi comedy showcases Allen's trademark wit and physical humor as he lampoons futuristic technology, social norms, and the human propensity for self-destruction. Sleeper 's unique blend of slapstick, satire, and absurdist humor has made it a cult classic that continues to resonate with fans of Allen's distinct comedic style.

• # 142 of 167 on The 150+ Best Futuristic Dystopian Movies
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• # 496 of 636 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time

Safety Not Guaranteed

When a team of journalists investigates an eccentric man who claims to have built a time machine, they find themselves drawn into his peculiar world of conspiracy theories and outsider charm. The film, led by breakout performances from Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass, masterfully balances its comedic elements with genuine human emotion, resulting in an endearing and thought-provoking examination of trust, connection, and the allure of the unknown. Safety Not Guaranteed has earned its place among contemporary indie comedies as a heartfelt and memorable exploration of the human obsession with altering one's past.

• # 17 of 46 on 50+ Quirky Romance Movies With Unique Love Stories
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Hot Tub Time Machine 2

In this raucous sequel, the gang returns for another time-bending adventure when their friend Lou, played by Rob Corddry, is shot and left for dead, prompting them to use the titular hot tub to travel back in time and catch his assailant. The film ups the ante on its predecessor's irreverent humor and outrageous situations, with the ensemble cast once again embracing their roles and the absurdity of their predicament. Though not as well-received as the original, Hot Tub Time Machine 2 offers a dose of nostalgic escapism for fans of the first film who seek more of its unapologetically crude humor.

• # 64 of 93 on The 85+ Best Stoner Comedies Ever
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When We First Met

In this romantic comedy, Noah, played by Adam DeVine, gains the ability to travel back in time to the night he met the love of his life, only to repeatedly fail at winning her heart with each attempt at altering their history. As Noah desperately tries to rewrite the past, the film cleverly explores themes of love, destiny, and the consequences of meddling with time. With its engaging performances and sweet-natured humor, When We First Met offers a fresh and charming take on the concept of getting a second chance at love.

• # 61 of 65 on Great Movies About Male-Female Friendships
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Les Visiteurs

This French comedic gem follows a medieval knight and his loyal servant, played by Jean Reno and Christian Clavier, as they are accidentally transported to the 20th century and struggle to adapt to the foreign customs and technologies of the modern world. Through a series of hilarious mishaps and misunderstandings, the duo inadvertently wreaks havoc upon the lives of their descendants. With its memorable characters, clever dialogue, and fish-out-of-water premise, Les Visiteurs has become an enduring favorite among international comedies.

My Science Project

In this 1980s cult classic, high school student Michael Harlan discovers a strange alien device that inadvertently unleashes a temporal vortex, sending him and his friends hurtling through time. As they navigate their way through a chaotic landscape populated by historical figures and prehistoric creatures, the group must find a way to reverse the damage they've caused before it's too late. Blending teen comedy with science fiction adventure, My Science Project offers a nostalgia-infused romp through time that has delighted audiences for decades.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Adapted from Mark Twain's classic novel, this film stars Bing Crosby as a savvy mechanic who is transported back in time to the court of legendary King Arthur and uses his modern know-how to save the day. Showcasing Crosby's trademark crooning and charm, the film delivers an engaging blend of humor, romance, and adventure that captures the spirit of Twain's original story. With its timeless appeal and witty commentary on the clash between the past and the present, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a delightful addition to the canon of time-traveling comedies.

• # 76 of 87 on The 80+ Best Time Travel Movies
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• # 36 of 68 on The 65+ Best Movies of 1949

In this Japanese romantic drama, a high school student named Naho receives a mysterious letter from herself ten years in the future, urging her to prevent a tragedy involving her classmate Kakeru. As the film delicately interweaves its exploration of adolescence, love, and friendship with the intriguing premise of altering one's past, it offers a poignant and heartfelt viewing experience that resonates with audiences of diverse backgrounds. With its atmospheric visuals, engaging performances, and thoughtful storytelling, Orange stands out among time-traveling narratives as a moving and introspective meditation on the power of human connection.

In this campy horror-comedy, a group of friends stumbles upon a wax museum with a sinister secret: the exhibits are actually trapped souls waiting to be unleashed upon the world. As the friends are drawn into the alternate realities of each exhibit, they must battle the monsters of history and fiction to prevent a supernatural apocalypse. Blending tongue-in-cheek humor with elements of horror and adventure, Waxwork offers a fun and offbeat entry in the genre of time-traveling comedies.

Happy Accidents

This unique romantic comedy stars Marisa Tomei as Ruby, a woman who falls in love with Sam, played by Vincent D'Onofrio, a seemingly ordinary man who claims to be a time traveler from the year 2470 sent back to save her life. As Ruby grapples with the implications of Sam's extraordinary claim, the film deftly explores the boundaries of love, trust, and the mysterious nature of time. Offering an unconventional and thought-provoking take on the traditional romantic comedy, Happy Accidents has earned its place among the most memorable films to tackle the subject.

Waxwork II: Lost in Time

In this sequel to the cult classic Waxwork , the surviving characters from the original film embark on a time-hopping adventure through various dimensions in order to save the world from an ancient evil. Along the way, they encounter an array of historical figures and notorious villains, all while grappling with the challenges and consequences of time travel. Waxwork II: Lost in Time ups the ante on its predecessor's blend of campy humor and otherworldly adventure, delivering a wildly entertaining romp through the ages.

The Spirit of '76

Set in a grim dystopian future where the history of the United States has been lost, this sci-fi comedy follows three time travelers sent back to the year 1976 in an attempt to rediscover America's past - only to land in the wrong decade. As the trio becomes entangled in the pop culture of the groovy era, they learn more about themselves and the true spirit of America than they ever anticipated. Blending nostalgic humor, quirky characters, and an unapologetic love for the 1970s, The Spirit of '76 offers a light-hearted look at the era that forged a nation's identity.

Just Visiting

An American remake of the popular French comedy Les Visiteurs , this film stars Jean Reno and Christina Applegate as a medieval knight and his 21st-century descendant who must join forces to undo the consequences of a time travel spell gone awry. With its lively mix of slapstick humor, fish-out-of-water scenarios, and culture-clash comedy, Just Visiting continues the tradition of its predecessor while offering new twists and laughs for American audiences.

In this unconventional romantic comedy, a frustrated author discovers the characters she created are living out their lives in an alternate reality, resulting in a collision of worlds as they become aware of their fictional status. As the line between reality and fiction blurs, the characters must navigate the challenges of self-awareness, love, and the ability to rewrite their destinies. With its clever blend of humor, romance, and existential exploration, Meet Cute offers a fresh and imaginative take on the time-honored theme of second chances.

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55 Best Time Travel Movies Of All Time Ranked

One of the fun things about time travel movies (apart from, you know, the time travel part) is that they're not married to one particular genre. Hopping from one year to the next is a narrative device that benefits everything from romantic comedies to slasher films. If you have a preferred genre, there is a very good chance that there's a time travel film within it just waiting to blow your mind. On the other hand, if you're not picky about your watch habits and are just as keen to watch a Western as a psychological thriller, time travel films are a great way to experience a generous swath of genres while keeping one thematic element consistent: messing with the sanctity of the space-time continuum. 

Below you'll find 55 of the best time travel films that the sub-genre has at its disposal. Along the way, you'll notice a couple of recurring narrative trends. More than one pair of lovers find themselves separated by a decade (or a century). Time-traveling protagonists are forced to accept the messiness of the past after attempting to right the wrongs of history. There are also fish out of water comedies galore, from helicopter-piloting samurai to modern-day teenagers stranded in the Wild West. So with all that said, feel free to take notes, synchronize your watches, and settle in for a look at the best time travel films cinema has to offer ... at least in this timeline.

55. A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court

You may be familiar with that holiest of fish-out-of-water scenarios: "man from the present gets transported back to medieval times." The third installment in the "Evil Dead" franchise, which may or may not feature later on this list, is one example. The 2001 Martin Lawrence vehicle "Black Knight" is another. But there's something especially charming about Tay Garnett's 1949 film, "A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court," which adapts Mark Twain's 1889 novel of the same name. 

Inspired by Twain's text, the film follows a crooning mechanic (Bing Crosby) who is launched back to 6th-century England after receiving a blow to the head. There, he finds allies, lovers, and rivals as his modern ways inevitably clash with the antiquated traditions of a medieval court. "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" is an easy-breezy Saturday matinee flick that highlights Crosby's undeniable charm.

54. G.I. Samurai

Criminally underseen outside of Japan, Kōsei Saitō's 1979 film "G.I. Samurai" follows an elite squad of soldiers who accidentally slip through the cracks of time to an era when roving samurai clans warred in hopes of securing dominance over the country. Starring comedic legend Sonny Chiba (who, as ever, does most of his own stunts), the film is undoubtedly one of the strangest entries on this list. That said, don't let that stop you from checking out this violent genre mish-mash. "G.I. Samurai" (which also goes by the equally accurate name "Time Slip" and the utterly baffling "I Want To") is a charming if eccentric adventure through time.

53. The Visitors

Directed by Jean-Marie Poiré (who also helmed the 2001 English-language remake "Just Visiting"), "The Visitors" follows two poor medieval souls who accidentally stumble into modern times, landing in the early 1990s thanks to a bumbling, not-all-there magician. With his loyal servant (Christian Clavier) in tow, brazen knight Godefroy de Malfête (Jean Reno) must navigate such futuristic horrors as concrete roads, dentistry, and bowl cuts no longer being a fashion-forward haircut choice. Wacky to its core and endlessly over the top, "The Visitors" is a fish out of water time travel romp that's just about as goofy as they come.

52. The Butterfly Effect

While "The Butterfly Effect" wasn't particularly well-regarded when it first premiered in 2004 (as its low score on Rotten Tomatoes testifies), Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber's high-concept time travel film has since enjoyed a modern reevaluation, emerging as one of the more interesting sci-fi horror offerings of the early naughties. The film follows Evan (Ashton Kutcher, playing against type), a young man who struggles to remember his past, thanks to a history of harrowing abuse. By chance, Evan discovers that reading from his old journals allows him to literally embody his younger self, changing the most traumatic parts of his past by making different decisions. Unfortunately, as the film's title suggests, Evan's meddling in the past, however seemingly insignificant, produces a domino effect of tragic consequences for not just his own life, but the lives of those around him.

51. The Final Countdown

Plenty of films on this list have time machines. Heck, one of those time machines is even a DeLorean. But only one film has a time-traveling nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Released in 1980, "The Final Countdown" tells the story of a US military vessel that has the misfortune of traveling back in time to December 6th, 1941, the day before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Once the crew (which includes the talents of Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen) comes to terms with the moral implications of their situation, a "Twilight Zone"-like dilemma breaks out as to whether they ought to intervene and change the course of history, or allow a national tragedy to unfold. Part B-movie science fiction romp, part recruitment tool for the US Navy, "The Final Countdown" is utterly unlike any other time travel film on this list.

50. Somewhere in Time

Released in 1980 and starring three of the hottest people to ever exist (Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, and Christopher Plummer, respectively), "Somewhere in Time" follows a young playwright named Richard (Reeve) who has an uncanny experience on the opening night of his first stage play: An old woman, who he has never met before, begs Richard to come back to her. Obsessed by the mystery-laden encounter, Richard does what any self-respecting romantic would do and travels back in time to find her via self-hypnosis. Directed by French filmmaker Jeannot Szwarc (whose 1975 creature feature "Bug" gives William Castle a run for his B-movie money), "Somewhere in Time" is both charming and emotionally devastating. You've been warned!

49. 13 Going on 30

One of the more straightforward romantic comedies on this list, "13 Going on 30" follows a young dorky teen named Jenna who makes a wish on her thirteenth birthday to grow up faster (specifically, she wants to be, "30, flirty, and thriving"). And just like that, Jenna is catapulted into the future, waking up as a 30-year-old woman with 30-year-old problems (first and foremost, the naked man she finds in her new apartment, to her considerable disgust). While the thrills of independence and adulthood are exhilarating at first (what 13-year-old doesn't dream of disposable income?) Jenna soon finds that being older comes with its own set of challenges. A contagiously charming document of all the fashion crimes the early naughties had to offer, "13 Going on 30" is notable for highlighting the considerable talents of its main cast, especially Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, and the ever-delightful Judy Greer.

48. Déjà Vu

Marking the reunion of director Tony Scott and actor Denzel Washington after 2004's "Man on Fire," "Déjà Vu" is a bombastic (pun intended) time-traveling romance that also dares to be a straight-laced crime thriller. The film follows Doug Carlin (Washington), a federal agent who is summoned to investigate a horrific bombing on the Mississippi River. When Carlin proves himself to be a competent ally, an experimental FBI team invites him to participate in a new, super-secret form of investigation: A device, dubbed "Snow White," that allows users to take brief glimpses back into the past. But as the investigation persists, Doug grows less interested in catching the perpetrator in the present day, instead looking to alter history to prevent the accident from ever happening. With Denzel Washington's engaging presence, "Déjà Vu" is thrilling and heart-wrenching in equal measure.

47. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

While there's certainly a debate to be had about whether or not being cryogenically frozen counts as time travel, around these parts we're liable to vote yes. As far as we're concerned, superspy Austin Powers (Mike Myers) going to sleep in the swinging '60s and thawing out in the 1990s absolutely makes the cut. And with his bald-headed nemesis Dr. Evil (also Mike Myers) equally de-thawed and back with a vengeance, it's up to the shagadelic international man of mystery to acclimatize to these modern times in order to save the day. The first (and best) entry in the "Austin Powers" series, Jay Roach's 1997 film is brimming with sly nods and genuinely insightful critiques of its source material (namely, the "James Bond" films). A hoot from start to finish, "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" stands tall in the genre of spy parodies.

46. Army of Darkness

The third entry in the flawless "Evil Dead" trilogy, "Army of Darkness" was director Sam Raimi's vision of a horror film set in the past. This tale of the medieval dead reunites us with the series' incredibly groovy hero Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell), who was sucked through a wormhole (book of the dead-hole?) at the end of "Evil Dead II" that transported him to the year 1300 A.D. Somehow goofier than its predecessor, "Army of Darkness" follows Ash as he wins over the hearts, minds, and women of a walled city besieged by nefarious deadites. As he attempts to woo his crush and banish evil from the land, our strong-jawed hero is preoccupied with figuring out how to return back to his own time. Bonkers to its core and unabashedly full of both Raimi and Campbell's love of physical comedy, "Army of Darkness" is a blast from the past in more ways than one.

45. Happy Death Day 2U

Yeah, we hear you: Everything was tied up in one neat little bow at the end of the original 2017 film, "Happy Death Day." How could there be a sequel? What could possibly be worse than getting trapped in a time loop where you are killed over and over again by a killer wearing a creepy baby-faced mask? Well, all of you who answered "getting stuck in a parallel dimension where you're stuck in a time loop again " deserve a pat on the back. Yes, Tree Glebman (Jessica Rothe) may have escaped the maddening time loop in  her dimension, but thanks to the science experiment of some neighboring dorks, she's lost all that hard-won narrative closure and must fight for her life (well, lives ) once again. Matching its predecessor in charm and creativity, "Happy Death Day 2U" is an arguably unnecessary yet still delightful sequel.

44. Slaughterhouse-Five

Based on Kurt Vonnegut's novel of the same name, "Slaughterhouse-Five" follows the time-tripping exploits of Billy Pilgrim (Michael Sacks), an aptly named man who is "unstuck in time" after becoming a prisoner of war in 1940s Germany. Slipping in and out of his past, present, and future, Billy trips in and out of decades and major life events (including being abducted by aliens). Directed with a dreamy, atmospheric competence by George Roy Hill (the man behind "The Sting" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"), even Vonnegut himself praised the movie as "a flawless translation ... I drool and cackle every time I watch that film." And if praise from the horse's mouth doesn't do it for you, the film just so happens to enjoy critical acclaim across the board.

If you know one thing about 2004's "Primer," it's that it's famously difficult to explain without sounding like you spent a lot of time in a glue factory. That said, let's have a go at it: "Primer" follows four tech bros who build a machine in their garage that does ... something. They're not sure what, exactly. But it's something . One of the bizarre effects of their creation is that time appears to work differently inside the machine, making it a kind of "time machine," if you will. After much discussion, the foursome decide to experiment with it, only to discover a strange side effect: Whatever passes through the machine creates a double. A puzzle of a film full of paradoxes, loopholes, and sequences of events that overlap, dovetail, and intersect, "Primer" is a feisty, wildly ambitious indie movie that holds its own amidst the bigger blockbusters of the genre.

42. Triangle

Packaged as a typical slasher movie, Christopher Smith's 2009 psychological horror film follows a group of shipwrecked survivors who seek refuge on a mysteriously deserted ocean liner. At first, they think they are alone. Then a shotgun-wielding masked killer emerges out of the woodwork to make an already terrifying situation even worse as they pick everyone off one by one. To say much more than that (or how any of this has to do with time travel) would give away the film's secrets. So we will say no more! Featuring an innovative mid-film plot twist, "Triangle" is an unexpected delight with a captivating lead performance from Melissa George as the mentally fragile Jess. An expectation-subverting watch, "Triangle" will unquestionably win over adventurous fans of the slasher genre.

41. Happy Death Day

Grounded by a charming and sardonic performance by Jessica Rothe, Christopher Landon's 2017 horror-comedy sticks the slasher and time-travel genres in a blender with hilarious results. "Happy Death Day" follows Tree (Rothe), a mean-spirited sorority girl with a tragic past who finds herself reliving the day of her murder over and over again. Some psycho wearing the very creepy mask of their college's mascot has it out for her. And somewhere between being stabbed and electrocuted, Tree starts to suspect that uncovering the identity (and motive) of her die-hard killer is the only way to get out of this cursed time loop. But when the effects of being murdered in a variety of brutal ways start catching up with her, Tree realizes that she doesn't have much time (ironically enough) to solve the mystery. "Happy Death Day" makes dying repeatedly look super fun, and if that isn't a stamp of approval, we don't know what is.

40. Trancers

We have a fair number of time travel methods on this list: cars, hypnosis, telephone booths, you name it. But "Trancers," in all of its 1980s wisdom, takes a different approach: time travel via drugs. Set in the far-flung future of 2247, our hero is the improbably named Jack Deth (Tim Thomerson), a bounty hunter hot on the heels of a psychic villain (Michael Stefani) capable of entrancing his victims with his mind. When Deth finally learns that his foe has traveled back to the 1980s to assassinate the ancestors of future City Council members, it's up to Deth to follow him to the past and stop the nefarious mesmerist from executing his violent scheme. With more laser special effects than you can shake a stick at, "Trancers" comes courtesy of the ingenious low-budget mastermind Charles Band. Ripoffs of "The Terminator" are a dime a dozen, but they're rarely this entertaining.

39. About Time

While you could certainly say that all of the films on this list are about time, only one film is really "About Time." The 2013 sci-fi rom-com follows a young man named Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) who learns that he's inherited the ability to travel in time and change the course of his life. Written and directed by Richard Curtis — a New Zealand-born filmmaker who readers may know from the likes of "Love Actually" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral" — "About Time" has charm to spare, with one of the most lovely onscreen father-son dynamics of the 2010s. A film that is the cinematic equivalent of a warm bowl of soup, "About Time" is a high watermark for one of the more persistent themes in time travel cinema: learning to accept things just as they are.

38. Back to the Future Part II

While admittedly falling short of the lighting in a bottle effect of its predecessor, "Back to the Future Part II" succeeds in being better than most sequels and most time-travel films. Directed once again by Robert Zemeckis, the 1989 film sees scrappy teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and his geriatric pal Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) journeying forward in time to the unthinkably futuristic landscape of 2015. The objective is to stop Marty's future son from making a mistake that will land him in the slammer. As you'd imagine, things don't go exactly according to plan, leaving the future (and the past) a little shaken in the wake of Doc and Marty's meddling. A solid if decidedly more chaotic sequel, "Back to the Future Part II" is full of charms of its own.

37. Frequency

Released in the year 2000 and directed by Gregory Hoblit (the man behind the Richard Gere vehicle "Primal Fear"), "Frequency" follows John Sullivan (Jim Caviezel), a New York City detective who accidentally stumbles on a way to communicate across time with his now-deceased father (Dennis Quaid) using a HAM radio. Overcome with joy at the possibility of saving his father's life, Gregory warns his father of his cause of death, triggering a series of events arguably more tragic than his dad's fiery demise. "Frequency" is a suspense-riddled character study that also makes for a solid (and probably weepy) Father's Day watch.

36. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Are all movie adaptations of Charles Dickens' cautionary ghost story time travel stories? In our estimation: yes. The story spends Christmas with Ebenezer Scrooge, a real jerk who begins his journey to becoming a better person after he is visited by three ghosts that show the miserly curmudgeon his past, present, and future to gain some much-needed perspective. While everyone has their own favorite "Christmas Carol" adaptation, we're going to make an executive decision here: The best "Christmas Carol" movie is 1992's "The Muppet Christmas Carol," the directorial debut of Brian Henson. Roll your eyes all you want at the presence of the titular Muppets, but this film features one of Michael Caine's finest performances as the cold-hearted Scrooge. Also, it's a musical. What more could you want?

35. The Time Machine

Based on H.G. Wells's novella of the same name, which was literally the work that popularized the concept of a "time machine" , George Pal's 1960 film follows a fancy and adventurous Victorian Englishman (Rod Taylor) who travels into the far-flung future only to find humanity divided into two warring factions: the child-like Eloi and the brutish Morlocks. While the inventor had hopes that the future would be a paradise of new, utopic developments, it would seem that the warring tendency in our species is bound to persist throughout the centuries unless we change our ways. Warmly received by critics , the 1960 adaptation of "The Time Machine" is campy in all the right places with plenty of charm to spare.

If you ask us, "Tenet" is less about the convoluted ins and outs of using time travel to prevent World War III than it is about the vibes (and the friendship between John David Washington and Robert Pattinson). Look, it's totally possible to enjoy a movie without having the faintest idea what it's about. Then again, director Christopher Nolan has always been interested in non-linear filmmaking, from the memory-loss of "Memento" to the languid dream logic of "Inception." "Tenet" is Nolan leaning fully into his love of temporal logistics and while it's disorienting, there can be no denying that it's a hell of a good time. Despite any flaws it may have, "Tenet" is what you get when you put James Bond and time travel in a blender (in the best possible way).

33. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Directed by Leonard Nimoy (yes, the same Leonard Nimoy who plays the pointy-eared Spock), the fourth feature film in the "Star Trek" franchise begins in a far-flung future on the edge of disaster. An alien probe is wreaking havoc on Earth's environment, drying up our oceans and polluting our atmosphere. (Are we sure it's an extraterrestrial threat? Sounds like plain old climate change to us.) In order to save humanity from the impending apocalypse, the swashbuckling Captain Kirk (WIlliam Shatner) and his intrepid crew voyage back in time to the year 1986, where they hope to locate a soon-to-be-extinct animal that can respond to the mysterious probe. Pivoting the series' sci-fi into more comedic waters, "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" leans hard on the chemistry of its cast to buoy the severity of its environmentalist message. If you're going to watch one of the older "Star Trek" films, this is the one to seek out.

32. Peggy Sue Got Married

There is no time machine, per se, in "Peggy Sue Got Married." Instead, the titular character (played by Kathleen Turner) travels back in her own memories. Or maybe it's an especially vivid daydream. Who's to say? When you faint at your high school reunion, anything can happen! In any case, middle-aged Peggy Sue unintentionally travels back to her teenage days in the early 1960s, where she plays with the idea of breaking off her marriage to her high school sweetheart before it even has the chance to start. With a stellar ensemble cast, including Nicolas Cage, Helen Hunt, and Jim Carrey, Francis Ford Coppola's 1986 film is a bittersweet gem.

31. Back to the Future Part III

Very few films as excellent as "Back to the Future" are succeeded by a sequel that doesn't disappoint. And it's even rarer for such a film to produce two excellent sequels. Enter: "Back to the Future Part III," which catapults spunky skateboarder Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and the white-haired Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) back to the 19th century. The pair find themselves stranded in the Wild West, contending with saloon brawls, rowdy dames, and deadly gunfights. As always, the time-hopping duo must lay low while attempting to find a way back to their own time. There are adorable frontier romances, villains with the faces of modern-day bullies, and plenty of adoring references to old cowboy films. Although it doesn't always get the credit it deserves , "Back to the Future Part III" is a sweet-natured love letter to the Western genre.

30. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

In the first of three films charting the time-traveling/dimension-hopping adventures of Bill S. Preston (Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (Keanu Reeves), our titular doofuses are tasked with a harrowing objective: passing history class. Unbeknownst to these two Southern Californian himbos, the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, because at some point in the future, Bill and Ted write a rock song so great it actually achieves world peace. But in order for the dynamic duo to rock out, they first need a passing grade. Armed with a time machine helpfully supplied by an ally from the future (George Carlin), the pair journey through the past to amass a gang of history's most prolific figures. Lighthearted and energetic, "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" is a profoundly silly journey through history with two of cinema's most radical dudes who have charm (and air guitar riffs) to spare.

29. The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey

A wildly strange film on a list full of kooky adventures, Vincent Ward's 1988 fish-out-of-water time travel jaunt is truly an under-discussed, one-of-a-kind experience. The surreal and atmospheric Australia/New Zealand co-production was selected in competition for  the highest prize at the Cannes film festival and received eleven awards from the Australian Film Institute . With a dream-like approach to storytelling, "The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey" follows a psychic nine-year-old named Griffin (Hamish McFarlane) who has trippy visions of an alternate reality that looks completely different from his 14th-century mining village. With the Black Plague at their door, the villagers heed Griffin's warnings and follow his directions to dig deep below the earth. On the other side, the medieval peasants emerge into a bold and bizarre new land: 20th century New Zealand. Full of fantasy and imagination that flies in the face of the film's modest budget , "The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey" is an underrated classic.

28. Jubilee

"Jubilee" boasts one of the wackiest concepts as far as time travel films are concerned. Get this: Queen Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen herself, travels forward in time with the help of occult magic to visit 1970s Britain. Instead of a futuristic new world full of utopian progress, Elizabeth (Jenny Runacre) finds a crumbling country riddled with anarchy, social unrest, and debauchery. Directed by Derek Jarman (who also helmed the evocative 1986 biopic "Caravaggio"), "Jubilee" vibrates with undeniable punk rock energy, both critical and celebratory. So, the next time you're living your best nihilistic teenage dream, think to yourself: what  would  Queen Elizabeth I think?

27. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Released in 2006, Mamoru Hosoda's animated feature film follows the teenage Makoto (voiced by Riisa Naka), a high school girl who acquires the ability to literally jump into the past after stumbling upon a mysterious device in the science lab. Being a teen, Makoto uses her new gift for trivial, self-serving adjustments, acing pop quizzes and side-stepping embarrassing situations with ease. But when Makoto begins to realize that her adjustments have consequences for others, she resolves to only use her powers for good, and begins uncovering the mystery behind these strange abilities in the process. A decidedly personal (and relatable) approach to sci-fi fantasy, "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" captures audiences' hearts.

26. Time After Time

This 1979 film may share a name with a melodramatic ballad, but don't be fooled! "Time After Time" is way kookier than anything Cyndi Lauper could dream up. Behold, the plot: "War of the Worlds" author H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) hunts down infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper (David Warner), who has traveled to the 20th century after stealing the writer's time machine. With little interest in its pseudo-science and a romantic subplot that often gets in the way of the suspenseful thrills, "Time After Time" is an odd duck that manages to charm in spite of its idiosyncrasies. Then again, when your lead actors are having this much fun with a premise this bananas, you're bound to conjure up a good degree of movie magic.

25. Timecrimes

Easily scampering away with the best title on this list, "Timecrimes" follows Héctor (Karra Elejalde), a middle-aged nobody whose lazy day is ruined when a blood-soaked madman chases him into a secret lab in the woods. Inside, he meets a suspiciously unfazed scientist (played by writer-director Nacho Vigalondo) who casually instructs Héctor to hide in a big vat of sci-fi liquid. Sure enough, Héctor is launched back in time by one hour, forced to navigate (and solve) a string of disasters perpetrated by different iterations of himself. Few films on this list have a protagonist this stupid. But that is, in effect, part of the charm of "Timecrimes:" Héctor is just some dude who winds up at the center of an increasingly complicated web of cause and effect. Inventive, moody, and effective for its smaller scope and scale, "Timecrimes" is a pure delight.

24. Je t'aime, je t'aime

One of the older films on this list, Alain Resnais' 1968 film blends time travel with romantic obsession. From the director of "Last Year at Marienbad," the film sees a depressed young man named Claude (Claude Rich) reeling after the end of his relationship with Catrine (Olga Georges-Picot). Claude agrees to participate in a human experiment with a time travel device that promises to send its user back in the past by one year, for one minute. But when the machine malfunctions, Claude finds himself stuck reliving his nightmarish past out of sequence. Navigating fluidly through time, memory, and trauma, "Je t'aime, je t'aime" is arguably the most heartbreaking film on this list, an emotionally draining experience that must be seen (and wept over) to be believed.

23. Time Bandits

From the demented, hyper-imaginative mind of director Terry Gilliam, 1981's "Time Bandits" follows a young history nerd named Kevin (Craig Warnock) who is whisked away by six time-hopping criminals on an adventure to steal treasures from different historical eras, thanks to some convenient holes in the fabric of space and time. With whimsy to spare and an approach towards fantasy that charms both kids and adults alike, "Time Bandits" is simultaneously silly as hell and bursting with technical prowess, it contains the absurdism and production design that distinguishes Gilliam's cinematic output.

22. Safety Not Guaranteed

A bizarre ad shows up in the classifieds section of a local Washington newspaper. Someone is looking for a partner to travel back in time with them. They stress that it isn't a joke, and that they have only traveled in time once before. Tasked with covering the ad as an amusing fluff piece, a group of reporters, including the listless college grad Darius (Aubrey Plaza), set off to find and meet this clearly unhinged individual (Mark Duplass).There's no way that this lunatic actually invented a time machine, right? Unapologetically quirky, this indie rom-com could not be more twee if it tried. But sometimes adorable awkward dorks finding happiness and love while trying to journey through the ages together is exactly what the doctor ordered.

21. Il Mare

This 2000 South Korean romantic comedy follows a love story that transcends time itself ... literally. When Eun-joo (Jun Ji-hyun) in "Il Mare" abandons her seaside home for the city, she leaves a card in the mailbox for the next owner so that they can forward her any mail. Two years earlier , a young man named Sung-hyun (Lee Jung-jae) receives Eun-joo's letter. The pair soon realize that the beach house's mailbox can traverse time and space, and begin a really long-distance relationship. Remade stateside six years later as the Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock romance "The Lake House," Lee Hyun-seung's original is a captivating love story that is worth seeking out.

20. Predestination

Based on Robert A. Heinlein's short story, "Predestination" follows a time-hopping government agent (Ethan Hawke) who is hot on the heels of a serial terrorist equally unstuck in time. In his quest to catch the notorious Fizzle Bomber, the agent allies with a mysterious individual (Sarah Snook) who writes under the pseudonym "The Unmarried Mother." It is difficult, if not impossible, to dig into the "chicken or egg" delights of "Predestination" without giving away key plot details, so you'll just have to seek this one out to see for yourself. It's ambitious, imaginative, and a must-watch for anyone who enjoys a head-scratcher (you may have to whip out a corkboard and some red string once the credits roll).

Did  you  know that Wong Kar-Wai, the acclaimed Hong Kong director behind "Chungking Express" and "Fallen Angels," made a time travel pseudo-sequel to "In the Mood For Love"? If not, you do now. Spanning multiple timelines, real and imagined, "2046" follows a sci-fi author named Chow Mo Wan (Tony Leung) as he writes about, and lives within, a hotel filled with memories. Like much of Wong Kar-Wai's work, "2046" is deeply interested in missed connections, the painful "what-ifs?" that haunt you long after they've come and gone. With aching melancholy, Chow Mo Wan recounts his experiences with the mysterious titular room and all the lost souls who pass through it. Many films can be summarized by the mournful thesis that "love is all a matter of timing," but few are able to tease out the visual poetry of such a statement quite like Wong Kar-Wai.

18. Source Code

Directed by Duncan Jones, who more than proved himself in the sci-fi genre with 2009's "Moon," "Source Code" tells of Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal), a soldier dropped into the body of an unknown man aboard a commuter train en route to Chicago. Soon enough, he realizes his mission: There's a bomb on board, and he's the only one who can prevent the catastrophe from taking place. Reliving the last eight minutes of his host's life again and again, Colter must piece the clues together to thwart further bombings. More action-heavy than many of the films on this list, "Source Code" is a kinetic take on the time loop format grounded by a brilliant and demanding lead performance by Gyllenhaal.

The third feature film from "Knives Out" director Rian Johnson, 2012's "Looper" takes place in a future where mob bosses use time travel to dispose of bodies. Joe Simmons (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is one such time-traveling hitman, raking in the big bucks with dreams of retiring to a quiet life in France. Then, one day during a hit, Joe is shocked to come face-to-face with his future self (Bruce WIllis). A game of cat and mouse ensues, with mob intrigue, paradoxes, and determinism galore. A thinking man's sci-fi time travel thriller, "Looper" will satisfy viewers who enjoy world-building, masterful plotting, and inventive takes on the noir genre.

16. 16. Midnight in Paris

One of the many entries in the "Rachel McAdams is romantically involved with a time traveler" cinematic universe, "Midnight in Paris" follows Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), an aspiring novelist with his head in the clouds who accidentally stumbles through time while vacationing in Paris with his fiancé (McAdams). Brushing shoulders with literary idols, infamous artists, and starry-eyed creatives, Gil soon finds that the draw of the past easily outweighs his obligations to the present. Featuring an all-star ensemble cast and an undeniably charming romantic attitude, "Midnight in Paris" is an enjoyable viewing experience (especially if you cover your eyes and ears when the director/writer credits flash on screen).

15. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

What's a "Harry Potter" film doing on a list of time travel movies? Well, if you'll recall, the third film in the franchise features a third-act plot device called a Time-Turner that allows our wizarding heroes to rewrite history, saving the father figure of hero Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) from a fate worse than death. Sure, the Time-Turner primarily features in the story as a way for bookworm Hermione (Emma Watson) to attend multiple overlapping classes. But, as we'll quickly learn, rules (and the space-time continuum) are meant to be broken. Directed by Mexican New Wave wunderkind Alfonso Cuarón, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" follows Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione as they contend with yet another life-threatening development: the escape of notorious convict Sirius Black (Gary Oldman).

14. Donnie Darko

A moody teen named Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) narrowly avoids being incinerated by a plane crashing into his bedroom when he is lured outside by a giant, demonic-looking bunny rabbit. You know. Typical teen stuff. The rabbit, Frank (James Duval), informs Donnie that the whole world is going to end in less than a month. As Frank continues to pull the strings of Donnie's life, the teen is nudged to commit mischief, arson, and yes, time travel. Famously confusing, with tangential universes and deterministic quandaries galore, "Donnie Darko" is the kind of film that will make your brain hurt ... hopefully in a good way. Featuring one of the greatest soundtracks of the 1990s (INXS and Tears for Fears? In this economy ?), Richard Kelly's "Donnie Darko" is one of the defining films of the early 2000s.

13. Arrival

While Ted Chiang's 1998 short story was long thought to be unfilmable, director Denis Villeneuve has a talent for bringing high concept stories to the screen (there's a reason he was drawn to "Dune"). In Villeneuve's 2016 film "Arrival," a renowned linguist named Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is summoned to assist with a bizarre development: Twelve mysterious, smooth-edged alien crafts have touched down across the world. It's up to Dr. Banks to devise a way to communicate with the beings inside the craft and determine if the extraterrestrial visitors are friends or foes. As Dr. Banks discovers, the key to cracking the code may lie in the aliens' nonlinear experience of time. A quiet masterpiece that benefits from repeated viewings, "Arrival" is an intelligent and hopeful slice of science fiction.

12. Palm Springs

Some time travel films see folks hurtling forward (or backward) in time. Others, like 2020's "Palm Springs," have time travelers moving in circles over and over again. One of the most inventive spins on the time loop sub-genre, Max Barbakow's feature film debut follows Nyles (Andy Samberg), a man who has been attending the same wedding over and over again in sunny Palm Springs. After Nyles is shot with an arrow during an impulsive hook-up with Sarah (Cristin Milioti), the depressed maid-of-honor joins the nihilistic Nyles in perpetually sun-drenched purgatory. Released during the beginning of the pandemic when every day really did feel the same, "Palm Springs" embraces the Sisyphean metaphor inherent in the time loop structure.

11. Planet of the Apes

Now, look. If this film's inclusion on this list has you scratching your head, that can only mean one of two things: You haven't seen the original "Planet of the Apes" film,  or you've been living under a pop-culture rock and have somehow avoided stumbling across the iconic twist ending of the 1968 sci-fi classic. Indeed, as we learn at the film's end, our resilient hero George Taylor (Charlton Heston) hasn't actually traveled through space at all ... just time. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, "Planet of the Apes" couches some genuine existential horror in the seemingly campy premise promised by its title. It's an oldie but a goodie that will reward the patient viewer with one of the greatest rug-pulls sci-fi filmmaking has to offer.

10. Interstellar

Are all movies set in space time travel movies? It's certainly a question worth asking. Aging in a relativistic biological space-time is one hell of a drug, after all. Without getting too deep into Albert Einstein's twin paradox , long story short: We age slower when we're zipping about in space. Christopher Nolan's 2014 sci-fi film "Interstellar" not only features some heartbreaking moments of time dilation, but a third act reveal that the power of love can bend the fabric of space and time itself. The film begins with an apocalyptic scenario: A global blight is turning Earth into a pile of ash and dust. A plan forms to find humanity a new home planet and a team, including former NASA test pilot Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), is sent out into the galaxy to scout the three potential candidates. Operatic, inventive, and brimming with intergalactic spectacle, "Interstellar" is an epic space saga of the highest quality.

9. 12 Monkeys

In the alarmingly not-too-distant future of 2035, mankind has been driven underground by a deadly viral pandemic. James Cole (Bruce Willis), a mild-mannered, soft-spoken convict, "volunteers" to act as a time-traveling guinea pig. His mission is to voyage back to 1996, the year of the outbreak, and discover its cause. However, when Cole is accidentally transported back too far into the past, his sweaty warnings about the impending disaster come across as the ravings of a lunatic, and he is promptly incarcerated in a mental health facility. There, he meets two individuals who will profoundly impact not only his life, but the future of the human race: a compassionate psychiatrist and a fellow mental patient who just so happens to be the son of a prominent virologist. Directed by the imaginative former Monty Python member Terry Gilliam, "12 Monkeys" balances its gritty surreal gait with an uncomfortable degree of plausibility.

8. Edge of Tomorrow

Arguably the greatest video game movie ever made (despite not being directly based on any one particular video game), "Edge of Tomorrow" (also known by its more plot-accurate title "Live, Die, Repeat") tells of a future in which mankind is engaged in an apocalyptic battle with an alien force that is giving humanity a real run for its money. Major Bill Cage (Tom Cruise), a smooth-talking PR man who's never held a gun (or piloted a mech-suit), finds himself on the frontlines of a naval landing meant to turn the tide. The catastrophic invasion quickly claims the life of the inexperienced Cage, who dies slathered in the corrosive blood of an especially large alien foe. Then Cage wakes up, startled to find that he is very much alive and apparently stuck in a time loop reliving the disastrous day of the invasion over and over again. With creative action set pieces and an inventive approach to the time-loop sub-genre, "Edge of Tomorrow" is a tremendous amount of fun.

7. Run Lola Run

On the face of it, "Run Lola Run" doesn't seem to be an obvious entry in science fiction cinema. The 1998 German film follows a young woman (the titular Lola, played by Franka Potente), whose forgetful boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreau) accidentally leaves a big chunk of change on a subway car that belongs to a dangerous criminal. It's up to Lola to rustle up the funds and rendezvous with Manni in 20 minutes to avoid disaster. Over the course of the film, we witness three different timelines of Lola's sprint, each deviating significantly thanks to the butterfly effect. Experimental, kinetic, and brimming with undeniable 1990s energy, "Run Lola Run" is a breezy, fast-paced meditation on chaos theory, determinism, and all the mind-breaking side effects time travel entails. "Run Lola Run" might not have a time machine, but its detailed, hyper-specific concern with the fallout of how small decisions shape our lives more than justifies its presence on this list.

6. La Jetée

Directed by the prolific experimental filmmaker Chris Marker, this 1962 French-language film may be short, clocking in at just under 30 minutes, but its influence on science fiction cinema is vast. "La Jetée" follows an unnamed man (Davos Hanich), a prisoner of a future war that has driven all survivors below the surface to survive the post-apocalypse. Tapped as a reluctant test subject to be launched back in time (presumably to learn more about and ultimately prevent World War III), the man is hurtled backward and forward through the decades in search of a solution to humanity's "present" predicament. If this brief plot synopsis sounds familiar, that's because "La Jetée" served as the source material for the aforementioned "12 Monkeys." Still, the 1962 film stands on its own and is absolutely worth checking out, even if you're only familiar with Terry Gilliam's quasi-remake.

5. Groundhog Day

One of the best "time loop" films and one of the best romantic comedies of all time, 1993's "Groundhog Day" follows a grumpy, self-centered weatherman named Phil (Bill Murray) who is dispatched to a small town to cover the titular rodent-related holiday. To Phil's horror (and our amusement), the cranky newsman finds that he can't leave the humble borders of Punxsutawney even if there weren't a snowstorm. Trapped reliving the same day over and over again, Phil's anger and despair eventually transform into something far more endearing and productive. A comedy classic that makes full use of Murray's dual mastery of crankiness and charm, "Groundhog Day" is a cinematic gem worth revisiting again (and again and again).

4. The Terminator

The original 1984 "Terminator" film is the real deal. Straddling genres with mercurial ease (Is it a slasher? Science fiction tech-noir? All of the above?), "The Terminator" follows Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), who finds herself the target of a nightmarish foe: a machine wearing the flesh of a man, tasked to kill her. Unbeknownst to her, Sarah is going to give birth to the leader of the human resistance in an impending machine-led apocalypse. And while the titular muscle-bound hunk of junk (Arnold Schwarzenegger) aims to kill her son before he can be conceived, an agent of the resistance (Michael Biehn) has been tasked to protect her. Textured, brutal, and methodical, "The Terminator" is the slow-stalking progenitor of its much more bombastic follow-ups. Respect where respect is due, we say.

3. Your Name

Do you know what all of these films about time travel were missing? If you answered "romantic comedy body-swapping" you are correct . Directed by Makoto Shinkai (who readers may know from his 2019 film "Weathering with You"), "Your Name" follows the story of two 17-year-old high schoolers, Taki (Ryunosuke Kamiki) and Mitsuha (Mone Kamishiraishi) who repeatedly switch bodies at random. To say much more, or how the story relates to time travel, would give too much away. Suffice to say, "Your Name" was a runaway commercial success , surpassing the international box office of "Spirited Away" and garnering critical praise to match. If you like to cry, "Your Name" is the film for you — a heartbreaking and visually stunning story that features some of the most strikingly well-realized teenage characters in cinema, animated or otherwise.

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" holds a number of high-octane superlatives: it's one of the best time travel films of all time, one of the best sci-fi action films ever made, and one of the best sequels. Taking a decidedly punchier approach than its moodier horror-adjacent predecessor, "Terminator 2" sees John Connor, leader of the human resistance against the AI apocalypse, sending Arnold Schwarzenegger's unstoppable machine back in time to protect his younger self (Edward Furlong). After breaking John's survivalist mom Sarah (Linda Hamilton) out of a psychiatric institution, the trio set off to prevent doomsday before it can happen. Hot on their heels is the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), an advanced AI assassin capable of morphing its liquid-metal body to imitate anyone it pleases. Packing a genuinely emotional center into its back-to-back action sequences and time-defying special effects, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" deserves all the praise it receives.

1. Back to the Future

Spunky teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) joins his senior citizen pal, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) for a nighttime science experiment: a test drive of a time machine that also happens to be a DeLorean. But an unexpected run-in with a gang of terrorists sends Marty fleeing to the year 1955. Through no fault of his own, Marty accidentally threatens his own existence by forming a love triangle with his own parents that would make Freud spin in his grave like a wind turbine. It's up to Marty to make his own parents fall in love and reconnect with the younger version of Doc Brown to find a way back ... to the future. Full of crackerjack silliness and goofy plotting, the secret strength of "Back to the Future" is its simple message that your parents, believe it or not, are people too. Bouncy and full of the charm that makes director Robert Zemeckis a pillar of the 1980s, "Back to the Future" is pure candy-coated perfection.

Best time travel movies of all time

Journey through cinema and science fiction history as we run down the best time travel movies of all time, from simple trips to other eras to time loops.

Mankind has been fascinated by the possibility of travelling to a different age for over a century. This hypothetical activity, now widely recognized in philosophy and fiction, was popularized by H.G. Wells’ 1895 novel The Time Machine. But it was cinema that made it a recurring science fiction premise in mainstream works. Such movies have kept evolving and taking time travel in wildly different directions, so we have ventured across time and space to bring you our ranked list of the best time travel movies of all time.

A good time travel movie doesn’t need to try too hard to take the subject seriously, as the core concept itself and the mechanics surrounding it remain a mystery and purely hypothetical. Of course, there are stories that leave massive plot holes throughout, but even time travel movies which go for more “realistic” approaches have to make up their own sets of rules. As a result, our list covers both movies that are steeped in the science of the genre and those which simply use time travel as a vehicle for shenanigans. One-way trips through black holes ? Parallel timelines ? Mind-bending paradoxes? It’s got a bit of everything.

For other great sci-fi genres, check out our guides to the best alien invasion movies , the best zombie movies , the best disaster movies , and the best giant monster movies of all time. If you’re in the mood for hands-on time travel fun, our list of the best time travel video games you can play right now is a must-read too. 

15. The Time Traveler’s Wife 

• Release date: August 14, 2009
• Cast: Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston

The original marketing of The Time Traveler’s Wife, based on the novel of the same name, was billed as a sappy romance movie akin to anything from Nicholas Sparks. While it does have its romantic moments, the movie’s commitment to a deep, compelling story of a man who cannot control his own movements through time is a well thought out original take on the concept. Think of it more as a romantic sci-fi drama.

As Henry DeTamble (Bana) travels through time, he cannot control when or where he appears. Luckily, at least, he often is among the same people, specifically, his future/present wife, Clare Abshire (McAdams). Their relationship develops and is bruised by his time shifts, which creates strain as well as successes for both of them throughout the movie. 

The Time Traveler’s Wife takes its premise seriously. It allows for the concepts of paradoxes by only ensuring that he directly affects what would, in theory, already occur. Henry is more enacting a prescribed timeline, rather than trying to fight it. It works, and it’s great.

• Release date: October 8, 2004
• Cast: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden

Primer is the quintessential movie for any fan of time travel. With a low budget of only $7,000, it grossed over $800,000 at the box office, making it one of the most successful independent movies of all time. It deserves its success as well, as it brings hard science to audiences in a way that, at first, seems impenetrable, but worms its way into our minds and keeps us analyzing the movie long after it’s over. 

When two engineers accidentally create a time travel apparatus during their own experiments, they begin using it for personal gain. As their ideologies on the preservation of time begin to diverge, however, their relationship is pushed to its limits alongside the fraying timeline they alter. 

Primer demands multiple viewings, each one illuminating hidden moments throughout the movie that hint at its own finale. Audiences looking for a dense, no-frills look at what time travel would mean if given to an average (albeit genius) Joe, will find it in Primer.

• Rent or buy Primer on Amazon.

13. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

• Release date: February 17, 1989
• Cast: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin

The Bill and Ted franchise are considered family hits for a reason. With the charm of two goofy leads that bumble their way through major historical moments, the movies rely on the time travel conceit to build out and support their silly sense of humor. While the historical moments are considered overly cliché by some, and it’s true that they often misrepresent the moments they are based on, the point of the movie is not to relish in accuracy, but to parody those that try to stick to history all too closely. 

In order to ensure a future utopian society created by the titular characters, Rufus travels back in time to the 1980s to help Bill and Ted pass a history class. In order to understand the perspective of the historic figures they are supposed to be researching, the trio travel through time to meet each of them. 

Without going into spoilers, decisions made by the pair of heroes as well as Rufus would, if not for the movie completely ignoring them, destroy history as it is known. While this is frustrating for anyone looking for a movie that takes paradoxes seriously, that doesn’t keep Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure from being a fun, engaging flick that should be watched with brains mostly turned off.

12. Deadpool 2

• Release date: May 18, 2018
• Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin

While many movies are poorly received due to their failure to properly respect their own laws of time, Deadpool 2 was given generally positive reviews from critics for intentionally doing the same. In true fashion of the character, Deadpool 2 pokes fun at time travel clichés and tropes, finding ways to both incorporate as well as deride them. 

After Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool joins the X-Men they take a young mutant, Russell, under their care. However, his actions in the future lead the mutant cyborg Cable to travel back in time in order to kill Russell and prevent his own tragedy from occurring. 

Multiple fourth-wall breaking jokes are made about the villains striking similarities to a certain futuristic machine that is mentioned later in this list. And also similarly, the movie strikes a balance in approaching the anti-hero trope that is often associated with these androids from the future. We’re looking at you Dragon Ball Z.

11. Source Code

• Release date: April 1, 2011
• Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga

Source Code is an exciting sci-fi thriller which shows a lot of restraint despite the sheer audacity of its premise: Army Captain Colter Stevens finds himself in someone else’s body and quickly discovers he’s part of an experimental US government program that wants him to find the person behind the bombing of the train where he wakes up. The catch is that he can only be there for the last 8 minutes before the bomb goes off, being stuck in that loop until he can catch the bomber.

Director Duncan Jones had already wowed sci-fi aficionados with the remarkable Moon (2009), so expectations surrounding Source Code were quite high. While the final result might not be a masterpiece, it ranks easily among the most interesting time travel flicks in recent times. It’s also relatively easy to follow despite its kooky premise thanks to its limited scale.

10. 12 Monkeys

• Release date: January 5, 1996
• Cast: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt

Let’s be honest, if someone were to run up to you on the street and say they were from the future and had come back to stop a society-destroying virus, would you believe them? Well, at this point, we probably would too. But, that certainly wasn’t the case when 12 Monkeys came out in the 90s. 

When James Cole (Willis) is sent back in time from 2030 to stop a devastating virus from ever being spread, he is immediately captured and committed to an insane asylum, because that’s what would realistically probably happen. There he meets Brad Pitt’s Jeffery Goines, who is a staunch anti-corporate activist and an environmentalist. You can see where this is probably going.

With plenty of back and forth time travel for Cole, and a sincerely harrowing story about the dangers of trying to intervene in the development of a horrific future, 12 Monkeys creates a narrative that looks at the actual implications of time travel. It’s a must see for any action-thriller science-fiction fan.

9. Groundhog Day

• Release date: February 12, 1993
• Cast: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott

There’s always been discussion surrounding Groundhog Day and whether it’s really a time travel movie, but you know what? It doesn’t really matter. A simple time loop can be more interesting than a straight-up time-travelling odyssey. In fact, this movie is more of a fantasy comedy that poses the question of what would a regular person do if trapped inside a time loop they cannot explain nor fix.

It's an endearing movie that, despite many creative differences behind the scenes, ended up resonating with audiences thanks to its smaller scale and impeccable comedic timing, all built around a script which is undoubtedly clever, but lacks pretension. Many movies in this list are downbeat or serve as cautionary tales, so we thought it’d be great to inject a healthy dose of optimism.

8. Predestination

• Release date: August 28, 2014
• Cast: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor

Predestination might be one of the most overlooked sci-fi movies in recent years, mainly because it didn’t get a very wide international release following its global premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Fanatics of time travel movies and loopy sci-fi thrillers made sure as many people as possible heard about it though.

The movie is based on the 1959 short story “All You Zombies” by Robert A. Heinlen, and follows a temporal agent as he pursues one criminal that has eluded him throughout time. The chase quickly turns into a mind-bending exploration of love, fate, and identity that questions the very foundations of time travel as explained in-universe. This one’s a big head-scratcher that requires your full attention, but it’s also far from a slog due to its (mostly successful) action thriller ambitions.

7. Tenet 

• Release date: August 26, 2020
• Cast: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki

We’re still trying to wrap our heads around some of the wilder mechanics featured in Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller, so that alone gives Tenet some weight among the genre’s best. It’s true that some of the character arcs aren’t as fleshed out as they could’ve been, plus its spy-movie villain – played by Kenneth Branagh – can often be unintentionally funny, but it’s hard to find a bolder big-budget action thriller in recent times.

The story follows a former CIA agent who must learn to master “time inversion” and prevent a renegade Russian oligarch from starting World War III. The problem is the attack will come from the future. As the plot unfolds, weirder concepts come into play, and everything isn’t what it seems at first glance. This is a time travel movie unlike anything we had seen before, mainly because it takes a while to adjust to the mind-bending mechanics of its universe and how they play out in parallel to regular action.

6. Edge of Tomorrow 

• Release date: June 6, 2014
• Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton

Edge of Tomorrow was one of the biggest surprises of 2014 thanks to a tight, action-packed script which masterfully mixed the alien invasion subgenre with time-travel shenanigans, so you’re killing two birds with one stone if you choose to watch this banger for the first time.

Based on Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s novel All You Need Is Kill, Edge of Tomorrow presents a near future in which most of Europe has been taken over by a hostile and unstoppable alien species. Major William Cage, a PR officer, is forced to join an operation against the aliens, only to end up experiencing a time loop that could be the key to defeating the invaders if he can convince the right people. Edge of Tomorrow is both funny and dark, but above all, a true rollercoaster ride.

5. Interstellar

• Release date: November 7, 2014
• Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain

Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the man behind other “I lost my wife” movies such as Inception, The Prestige, and the more recent Tenet, Interstellar is a time travel movie that uses theoretical laws of physics to alter the perception of time for its protagonists. While Tenet may be a more direct time travel movie, Interstellar surpasses it in its writing, emotional character beats, and the spectacle of its space travel. 

After food sources on Earth have been depleted, Cooper (McConaughey) and a team of astronauts go out in search of a habitable planet beyond the solar system. During their journey, time shifts with them depending on the planets they are on, or how close they are to the black hole at the center of their travels. 

While none of the characters go back in time, they do experience time travel by how fast or slow their own perception of time is compared to the characters back home. And a particularly interesting point using the black hole does allow information and communication to be sent backwards, which we think totally counts.

• Release date: September 28, 2012
• Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt

Bruce Willis’ most recent foray into time travel, Looper is a mind-bending movie that attempts to tackle the grandfather paradox. Although it falls a bit short of this lofty goal, it still maintains a good narrative that builds to an intense climax that uses the universe’s rules against the main villain in unique ways. 

Time travel is ubiquitous in the world of Looper. Unfortunately, a crime syndicate has figured out a way to use this to “lose bodies” by sending their victims back in time to be killed by employees working in the past (or present, if you’re the employee). When Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is hired to kill his older self, played by Bruce Willis, he fails to do so, setting off an intense chase for JGL to correct his mistake.

Ultimately, the movie sets out its own rules for time travel. When young Joe gets a cut, a scar appears on old Joe. This concept progresses through the movie to an ending that may not be temporally possible, but that works to bring closure to the loop.

• Rent or buy Looper on Amazon.

3. Avengers: Endgame

• Release date: April 26, 2019
• Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo

As the culmination of a storyline spanning over 20 movies, Avengers: Endgame had a serious amount of great moments to look back on in its finale of the Avengers’ stories. After having gone through far-flung cosmic adventures, as well as into subatomic realms, there was only one novel place the Avengers could go: Back in time. 

After Thanos wipes out half of all life in the universe with the Snap (or the Blip) in Infinity War, he destroys the Infinity Stones before being killed by a vengeful Thor. With the stones destroyed, the remaining Avengers travel back in time to collect them from various points in the timeline, so that they may restore the universe to what it once was. 

During their travels, the Avengers are met with spectacular fight scenes, heart-wrenching deaths, and great callback moments that reward long-time fans of the series. While it can be viewed just alongside Infinity War as a sequel, it needs to be seen after having watched all of the MCU in order to appreciate just how far the Avengers have come.

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

• Release date: July 3, 1991
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong

When it comes to famous time travel action movies,  Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the best of them all. With cutting-edge effects for the time that still hold up today, James Cameron’s sequel took what made the original great and expanded on it in ways that only few other sequels have ever managed to do. 

When a new Terminator, the T-1000, is sent back in time to kill John Connor, the one person responsible for protecting humanity’s future, the futuristic resistance also sends back Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator to protect him. Now there’s a great premise.

Schwarzenegger was able to bring humanity and empathy to the cruel, menacing robot that he had characterized in the first movie. Plus, Robert Patrick’s T-1000 became a villain that, to this day, is synonymous with the idea of unrelenting pursuit. The movie is pure blockbuster thrills bookended by a time travel story that could change the future of all humankind.

• Watch Terminator 2: Judgment Day free on Pluto TV.

1. Back to the Future

• Release date: July 3, 1985
• Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

We gotta go back! Back to when time travel as a concept was still fresh in popular cinema. Back when it hadn’t yet become a TV and movie trope that is often used as a plot device when all other options have been exhausted. Back to when the concept was held with reverence as well as with glee. 

Robert Zemeckis’ 1985 classic follows Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) as he travels back in time to the 1950s in order to rescue his mentor, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). After Marty is accidentally rescued by his own mother in her teenage years, he has to work to ensure that not only can he make it back to the present, but that his parents get together so he’ll even exist. 

Back to the Future is full of time travel twists that wind their way into a viewer’s brain and beg to be dissected. This is a movie that’ll appeal to everyone – it has a nostalgic pull for older adults and it’s a great, fun way for a younger generation to connect to the sci-fi genre.

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10 Best Anime Movies For Children, Ranked

• Anime movies captivate children with vibrant animation, imaginative plots, and memorable characters.
• These movies entertain and impart valuable life lessons about friendship, courage, and perseverance.
• Some of the best anime movies for children include Mary and the Witch's Flower, Mirai, and Lu Over the Wall.

Anime movies offer a unique world of storytelling that captivates children's attention with vibrant animation, imaginative plots, and memorable characters. From the enchanting forests of My Neighbor Totoro to the magical adventures of Kiki's Delivery Service, these films open up a universe of wonder and excitement.

10 Best Whimsical Anime, Ranked

These movies entertain and impart valuable life lessons about friendship, courage, and perseverance with diverse themes, ranging from whimsical tales in fantastical settings to heartwarming stories. In this list of the best anime movies for children, we explore films that have won the hearts of young audiences worldwide and are well-known for their artistic merit and storytelling brilliance.

Mary And The Witch's Flower (2017)

My anime list (mal) score - 7.26, mary and the witch's flower.

Release Date 2017-06-08

Runtime 103 minutes

Genres Family, Animation, Adventure

Why Watch Mary And The Witch's Flower?

• Engaging a mix of fantasy and reality
• Promotes self-discovery and confidence

Mary and the Witch's Flower is a captivating children's anime movie about Mary Smith, a young girl who moves to the English countryside to live with her Great-Aunt Charlotte. Feeling bored and restless, Mary follows a mysterious cat into the forest, where she discovers a strange, glowing flower known as the Fly-by-Night, which only blooms once every seven years.

Upon touching the flower, Mary gains temporary magical powers and finds herself whisked away to Endor College, a school for witches in the sky. The film combines elements of magic, mystery, and self-discovery, creating a story that is not only engaging but also thrilling for children.

Mirai (2018)

My anime list (mal) score - 7.28.

Release Date 2018-07-20

Runtime 98 minutes

Genres Drama, Animation, Adventure

Why Watch Mirai?

• Time-travel adventure
• Teaches children about loving family

Mirai is a delightful and imaginative anime movie for children that revolves around Kun, a young boy who feels neglected by the arrival of his baby sister, Mirai. His life takes a magical turn when he discovers a mysterious garden in his house that serves as a gateway to time travel.

9 Best Time Travel Anime

Kun meets various family members at different points in their lives, including a teenage version of his sister Mirai, his mother as a little girl, and his great-grandfather as a young man. These encounters offer Kun new perspectives on his family. The film subtly teaches important life lessons about family and understanding others' perspectives, making it enjoyable and educational.

Lu Over The Wall (2017)

My anime list (mal) score - 7.39, lu over the wall.

Release Date 2017-05-19

Runtime 112 minutes

Genres Animation, Adventure, Fantasy

Why Watch Lu Over The Wall?

• Fun-filled experience for children
• Upbeat and catchy music

Lu Over the Wall is a vibrant and unconventional anime movie about Kai, a gloomy high school student, and Lu, a cheerful mermaid with a love for music. Kai's life changes when he joins a band with his classmates and discovers his passion for music. During a band practice session by the sea, the music attracts a peculiar and energetic Lu.

What makes this film particularly appealing to children is its colorful and dynamic animation style, which brings the underwater world and its quirky, playful characters to life. The music is another highlight, featuring catchy and upbeat tunes that kids can enjoy and sing along.

Okko's Inn (2018)

My anime list (mal) score - 7.50.

Release Date 2018-06-11

Runtime 94 minutes

Why Watch Okko's Inn?

• Imparts valuable life lessons
• Relatable character experiences

Okko's Inn is a heartwarming anime movie that centers around Okko, a young girl who goes to live with her grandmother at a traditional Japanese inn after a family tragedy. What makes this movie particularly appealing to children is its unique blend of real-life issues and supernatural elements.

Okko's encounters with friendly spirits who guide her in running the inn add an element of magical adventure. The bright and colorful animation captures the charm of traditional Japanese settings. The film teaches valuable life lessons about kindness, understanding, and overcoming challenges, making it a relatable and enjoyable experience for young audiences.

Penguin Highway (2018)

My anime list (mal) score - 7.55, penguin highway.

Release Date 2018-08-07

Runtime 117 minutes

Why Watch Penguin Highway?

• Playful penguins bring joy
• Educational and fun for children

Penguin Highway is a whimsical and imaginative anime movie for children. The story revolves around Aoyama, a bright and curious fourth-grader who investigates the sudden appearance of penguins in his suburban town. This unusual phenomenon will spark children's imagination as the penguins bring a touch of the Antarctic into a familiar, everyday setting.

This film is appealing to children because of its portrayal of the world through the eyes of a child scientist. Aoyama's methodical approach to solving the mystery is entertaining and educational, encouraging young viewers to question and explore their surroundings. The animation is colorful and lively, with the playful penguins providing comic relief and visual delight.

A Letter To Momo (2012)

My anime list (mal) score - 7.58, a letter to momo.

Release Date 2012-04-21

Runtime 120 minutes

Genres Animation, Comedy, Adventure

Why Watch A Letter To Momo?

• Heartwarming tale of coping with loss
• Mischievous goblins add playful charm

A Letter to Momo is a touching story about a young girl named Momo who is struggling to cope with her father's sudden death. After his passing, Momo finds an unfinished letter addressed to her, with only the words Dear Momo written on it. The story takes a magical turn when Momo and her mother move from Tokyo to a remote island.

What captivates children most are the three mischievous and comical goblins that Momo encounters on this island, bringing a blend of fun and whimsy to the story. These goblins, with their quirky personalities and humorous antics, provide laughter and lighten the film's more serious moments.

The Cat Returns (2002)

My anime list (mal) score - 7.72, the cat returns.

Release Date 2002-06-20

Runtime 75 minutes

Why Watch The Cat Returns?

• Whimsical magical kingdom of cats
• Charming and humorous characters

The Cat Returns starts as a fanciful tale with Haru, a high school student, who rescues a cat from an oncoming truck. Unbeknownst to her, the cat she saves is Prince Lune, the heir to the throne of the Cat Kingdom. As a token of gratitude, the cats shower Haru with gifts and then unexpectedly offer her Prince Lune's hand in marriage.

Haru's sudden engagement to a cat and her journey to the Cat Kingdom lead to a series of whimsical adventures. The movie is filled with adventure and light-hearted humor, keeping children engaged and entertained. The characters, especially the elegant and dapper cat Baron, are memorable and add to the film's charm.

The Secret World Of Arrietty (2010)

My anime list (mal) score - 7.89, the secret world of arrietty.

Release Date 2010-07-17

Why Watch The Secret World Of Arrietty?

• Enthralling miniature world
• Beautiful animation of lush, vibrant scenes

The Secret World of Arrietty by Studio Ghibli is a charming tale about a family of tiny people known as Borrowers. These Borrowers live secretly in the walls and floors of a human household. The story revolves around Arrietty, a spirited and adventurous young Borrower whose peaceful life changes when Arrietty is discovered by a human boy, Shawn.

The intricate details of how the Borrowers navigate and utilize everyday objects as part of their miniature lives will spark a child's curiosity and wonder. For instance, borrowers repurpose tissue paper for various needs, including bedding. Overall, The Secret World of Arrietty is a visually stunning film that offers a glimpse into a hidden world of wonder.

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

My anime list (mal) score - 8.22, kiki's delivery service.

Release Date 1989-07-29

Genres Family, Animation, Fantasy

Why Watch Kiki's Delivery Service?

• Inspiring tale of independence
• Picturesque European settings

Kiki's Delivery Service tells the adventures of Kiki, a young witch. Based on witch tradition, at the age of 13, Kiki must leave home for a year to live independently and hone her witchcraft. With her talking black cat, Jiji, Kiki flies to a far-off city on her broomstick. Settling in a beautiful seaside town , Kiki starts a flying delivery service, using her broomstick to deliver goods.

9 Best Witches in Anime

The film's bright and inviting animation portrays the picturesque seaside town and charming European-style settings. Kiki, as a young witch-in-training, is an inspiring character for children. Her journey is filled with challenges and triumphs, offering valuable lessons about perseverance and confidence.

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

My anime list (mal) score - 8.25, my neighbor totoro.

Release Date 1988-04-16

Runtime 86 minutes

Genres Family, Animation, Comedy

Why Watch My Neighbor Totoro?

• Enchanting to all ages
• Captures childhood wonder beautifully

My Neighbor Totoro is ranked #1 on the list because it's a timeless and beloved anime movie for children. The story follows Satsuki and Mei, two young girls who, along with their father, relocate to a rural area to be closer to their sick mother. The girls quickly adapt to their new surroundings, full of lush landscapes and intriguing wildlife.

In their explorations, they encounter Totoro, a large, friendly forest spirit who can only be seen by children. Totoro, with his large, cuddly appearance and playful nature, has quickly become a favorite among young viewers. Additionally, the movie captures the innocence and wonder of childhood, where the boundaries between reality and fantasy.

10 Best 90s Anime Movies

The 100 Best Movies of All Time: The Ultimate Must-Watch Films

These must-watch films are essentials.

• Best Romance Movies
• Best Comedies
• Best Classic Movies
• Best Scary Movies and Thrillers
• Best Drama Movies

The popcorn's been popped, the sweatpants are on, and the evening is your oyster. Your next challenge: Figuring out exactly which of the best movies available to you is the one you're going to watch tonight. No matter what you're looking for—a rom-com , a murder mystery , a sad film , a great musical movie —there are plenty of must-watch films in your chosen genre to settle in with for the first (but probably not the last) time.

We movie lovers at Marie Claire know how time-consuming picking a great movie can be, so we did the work for you. We combed through movie rankings, critical reviews, and award nominations, and spoke to fellow pop culture fans to bring you this list of crucial must-watch films. Of course, you can expect to see well-known classic films like Casablanca and The Sound of Music on this list, in addition to movies from iconic directors like Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, and Alfred Hitchcock. But modern masterpieces like Everything Everywhere All At Once and Get Out stand up just as well and are on this list, too.

The must-watch movies below are modern classics, the best of the best, the essential films that millions of people are probably jealous that you're getting to see for the first time. They span multiple countries, languages, and decades. (A bonus: You’ll also find must-know facts and exactly why each film is considered the “best.”) And because pulling these movies was a hard enough task in itself, we've decided to leave this list unranked. Feel free to decide for yourself how your favorites stack up to the rest on this list, and if we've left a title off, don't yell at us too harshly. A list as subjective as this is meant to be debated, after all. Without further ado, in no particular order: The best movies of all time.

The Best Romance Movies of All Time

There are a few things you can (almost) always expect from a romance movie: a love story (duh!); attractive protagonists; and a happy ending—usually. Maybe you need to be reminded that true love is out there. Or maybe you need to show your partner what real romance looks like. Some of the movies on this list are funny, and some are the ultimate in sad romance films , but there’s one thing all of these romantic films have in common: They're sure to pull on your heartstrings and make you believe in love all over again.

Casablanca (1942)

Director: Michael Curtiz

Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%

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For fans of: black and white films and worldly settings

Set in the early years of World War II in Casablanca, Rick Blaine's (Humphrey Bogart) nightclub is an oasis for refugees despite the warnings he gets from local authorities. But things get rocky when an ex-lover and her boyfriend show up, bringing with them a challenge that Rick has to face. One of the most famous classic Hollywood romance films of all time, Casablanca is a love story you won't forget.

The Notebook (2004)

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Stars: Ryan Gosling , Rachel McAdams, James Marsden

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%

For fans of: unwavering love stories and steamy kisses

Ryan Gosling. Rachel McAdams. An on-screen kiss that's impossible to forget. The Notebook , based on Nicholas Sparks's 1996 novel, is a must-watch for all of the hopeless romantics out there who believe they'll eventually find their way back to their one true love. "It wasn't over. It still isn't over!"

Titanic (1997)

Director: James Cameron

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

For fans of: tragic love stories and real-world disasters

Need we say more? If you haven't watched Titanic yet (please don't admit this out loud), do yourself a favor and stream it on Netflix immediately.

A Star Is Born (2018)

Director: Bradley Cooper

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga , Sam Elliot

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

For fans of: musical movies and remakes

If you were alive in 2018, you most definitely heard about Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga 's on- and off-screen chemistry thanks to their roles in the hit adaptation of A Star Is Born . The movie centers on rockstar Jackson Maine (Cooper) and struggling artist Ally (Gaga) who fall in love while Maine pushes Ally into the spotlight and confronts his own demons. Make sure to have a pack of tissues handy.

Before Sunrise (1995)

Director: Richard Linklater

Stars: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Erni Mangold

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

For fans of: Europe and love at first sight

In this swooningly romantic movie from Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke play a pair of travelers—she French, he American—who have a chance meeting in Vienna and decide to spend the evening before his departing flight walking around the city and talking to one another. In 2005, the sequel Before Sunset continues the story, and then in 2015 the trilogy is wrapped up with Before Midnight . All of them are worth watching over and over.

You've Got Mail (1998)

Director: Nora Ephron

Stars: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%

For fans of: online dating and rivals

The Marie Claire team is *very* passionate about You've Got Mail. Starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, the 1998 drama/romance tells the story of two neighborhood bookstore rivals who absolutely hate each other in real life, then fall in love online, and well...we won't spoil the rest for you. (The good ol' AOL days.)

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Director: Kar-Wai Wong

Stars: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Kelly Lai Chen

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

For fans of: love never realized and beautiful costumes

The elaborate costumes, the stunning visuals, and the beautiful art direction are all key features of art house movie In the Mood for Love , by Chinese director Wong Kar-Wai. And though there's sparse dialogue, sit back and prepare to be enchanted by the slow but captivating scenes of two married neighbors falling in love.

Roman Holiday (1953)

Director: William Wyler

Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

For fans of: royals and European getaways

B reakfast at Tiffany's is terrific, of course, but Audrey Hepburn won the Academy Award for her turn as a princess who ditches her schedule (and her entourage) in favor of exploring Rome, only to fall asleep on a bench and get rescued by a hunky American reporter played by Gregory Peck.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

Director: Aditya Chopra

Stars: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri

For fans of: opposing families and Indian cultures

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the highest-grossing Indian film of 1995, is an absolute delight. The Bollywood rom-com about two young star-crossed lovers who fall in love despite their parents' critiques ended up winning 10 Filmfare Awards—India’s Academy Award equivalent—and changed the game forever.

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Director: Rob Reiner

Stars: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher

For fans of: fall and friends-to-lovers

If you haven't seen When Harry Met Sally , you probably know it from this famous "I'll have what she's having" scene. But it's worth seeing in full to relive Nora Ephron's groundbreaking screenwriting, plus the easy banter between America's sweetheart Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal (it kind of set the stage for modern rom-coms as we know them).

Love Jones (1997)

Director: Theodore Witcher

Stars: Larenz Tate, Nia Long, Isaiah Washington

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

For fans of: Chicago and dramedies

A photographer (Nia Long) and a poet (Larenz Tate) fall in love in one of the best romance movies of all time.

The Princess Bride (1987)

Stars: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin

For fans of: fairytales and adventures

There are so many things packed into The Princess Bride : historical fantasy, sweeping romance, laugh-out-loud comedy, subtle satire, Robin Wright and Mandy Patinkin! If you haven't seen yet, just think of every time you've heard, "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die," as little nudges to watch.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Director: David O. Russell

Stars: Jennifer Lawrence , Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

For fans of: football and dysfunctional relationships

What looks from the outset like a typical rom-com delves deeper into the motions of mental illness, as a bipolar man tries to reconnect with his estranged wife following his release from a psychiatric ward. He meets a recently widowed woman (Jennifer Lawrence) with her own problems, who convinces him to join a dance competition with her to help him win his wife back.

Like Water for Chocolate (1992)

Director : Alfonso Arau

Stars : Lumi Cavazos, Marco Leonardi, Regina Torné

Rotten Tomatoes Score : 87%

For fans of : magical cooking and family dynamics

This sumptuous story follows the life of a Mexican girl who's subjected to a family custom that demands she stays unmarried and take care of her mother through old age. She ends up pouring her lifetime of unfulfilled passion into her cooking, where her family literally feels her emotions while eating, thanks to a helping of magical realism.

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Director : Joe Wright

Stars : Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Rosamund Pike

For fans of : Jane Austen novels and the enemies-to-lovers trope

Sure, there have been plenty of Jane Austen adaptations over the years, but not all of them have Matthew Macfadyen dreamily walking across a field at sunrise in a billowing coat. This period piece takes the cake for its beautiful scenery and in-your-face chemistry between Macfadyen and Kiera Knightley.

Moulin Rouge (2001)

Director: Baz Luhrmann

Stars: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%

For fans of : over-the-top musicals and

A little bit quirky and a little bit extravagant, Baz Luhrmann creates a visual spectacle of a musical that's still so much fun to watch, despite a sad ending. Complete with a perfect soundtrack and fairytale romance, this is a musical you can watch again and again.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Director: Céline Sciamma

Stars : Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami

For fans of: Lesbian love stories and slow burns

Set in 18th-century France, a young painter named Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), the daughter of a French countess, only she must keep it in secret. By day, Marianne and Héloïse spend time together and eventually grow a mutual attraction, while Marianne attempts to paint Héloïse at night. Each shot of this rich period piece is like a painting itself, and the love story is so intimate to watch unfold.

Notting Hill (1999)

Director: Roger Michell

Stars: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

For fans of: London and star-crossed lovers

Julia Roberts is just a girl—a beret-wearing, world-famous movie star, to be exact—standing in front of a boy—Hugh Grant, as a decidedly non-famous travel bookstore owner—asking him to love her. His response, of course, comes with a supersized dose of that classic, bumblingly awkward Hugh Grant charm.

Past Lives (2023)

Director: Celine Song

Stars: Greta Lee , Teo Yoo, and John Magaro

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

For fans of: subverted love triangles and what-ifs

Nora (Lee) and Hae-sung (Yoo) were childhood sweethearts growing up in Seoul, South Korea, but after Nora's family immigrated to Canada, their lives went down different paths. Celine Song's directorial debut follows the pair as they reunite in NYC over two decades later, facing questions of lingering feelings, nostalgia, and in-yun, or the Korean concept of fate derived from Buddhism.

The Best Comedy Movies of All Time

Sometimes, we all need a little cheering up, and what better way to do that than with a feel-good movie that makes you laugh? These comedy films are guaranteed to bring a little levity to your evening, whether it be through jokes or characters in insane situations. With typically universally relatable stories, comedy movies remind us that it's okay to poke fun at ourselves once in a while.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Director: John Hughes

Stars: Mathew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%

For fans of: playing hooky and fourth wall breaks

Every kid in high school dreamed of having a day off like Ferris Bueller's and, frankly, we can't help but still aspire to have one like his as an adult. Come for each character's hilarious antics, and stay for the inevitable comparisons between Alan Ruck's character, Cameron Frye, and his recent portrayal of Connor Roy on Succession .

Mean Girls (2004)

Director: Mark Waters

Stars: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey

For fans of: teen comedies and high school clichés

No movie has ever spoofed high school culture as brilliantly as Mean Girls , whose hilarious script by Tina Fey has become iconic, bringing the phrases "so fetch," "I know, right?" and "cool mom" into our modern language. It lives on in countless memes and GIFs, even though the movie's more than 10 years old at this point.

Clueless (1995)

Director: Amy Heckerling

Stars: Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd

For fans of: Jane Austen adaptations and classic '90s movies

Cher Horowitz stole everyone's heart in the '90s as the well-intentioned Valley Girl with an enviable revolving closet who set out to prove she wasn't "just a ditz with a credit card." Inspired by Jane Austen's Emma , Clueless sees her trying to play matchmaker at school, until she gets caught up in her own love triangle.

His Girl Friday (1940)

Director: Howard Hawks

Stars: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy

For fans of: journalism and screwball comedy

Carey Grant and Rosalind Russell play a formerly married couple—he an editor, she an investigative reporter—who have to team up for one last assignment. Of course, the fact that he hired her only after finding out she was engaged to someone new might have something to do with it, but Russell is hilarious and their chemistry is bananas in this romance.

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Director: Billy Wilder

Stars: Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

For fans of: impersonations and comedic duos

If you don't know why Miss Marilyn Monroe was and is such a big deal, take a look at this one. The film shows off her vocal chops as the lead singer of an all-girl band who dreams of wooing a millionaire. As her band travels to sunny Florida, she makes friends with two new musicians in the group, who she doesn't realize are men in disguise and on the run.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Director: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones

Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

For fans of: silly humor and cult classics

You'll never think of coconuts the same way after watching this silly British slapstick comedy set in the time of King Arthur and the fabled Round Table. God sends a group of knights on a quest to find the Holy Grail, where they encounter several nonsensical obstacles along the way—a classic Monty Python premise.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Director: Gil Junger

Stars: Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 70%

For fans of: Shakespeare retellings and bad boys

Volumes could be written about the sheer brilliance of 10 Things I Hate About You . If you've never seen it, know that it's one of the best teen movies ever made, from the script to the acting (two words: Heath. Ledger.) to the speech-making and wooing. It feels like a modern Shakespearean comedy because it is. (Ever heard of Taming of the Shrew ?)

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse (2018)

Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Stars: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld

For fans of: stunning animation and relatable protagonists

If you love superhero movies, this Spider-Man standalone may become your favorite of them all. The Oscar-winning animated film follows Miles Morales' origin story with a multiverse twist that has multiple Spider-Mans (Spiders-Man? Spider-Men?) popping up in his world.

Legally Blonde (2001)

Director: Robert Luketic

Stars: Reese Witherspoon , Luke Wilson, Selma Blair

For fans of: female empowerment and chick flicks

Heard of the bend and snap? If you can believe Legally Blonde came into our lives more than two decades ago, it's time to give this classic feel-good movie a watch if you haven't already—even if just to witness the evolution of Reese Witherspoon and her incredible acting. What, like it's hard?

Coming to America (1988)

Director: John Landis

Stars: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%

For fans of: corny lines and snappy jokes

A hilarious comedy with a super-sweet love story, Coming to America is an essential watch for anyone who loves to smile. This film also cemented Eddie Murphy's place as comedy royalty, with him and Arsenio Hall cracking us up through multiple different characters.

Bridesmaids (2011)

Director: Paul Feig

Stars: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

For fans of: all-female casts and hilarious gags

Kristen Wiig wrote and stars in Bridesmaids , a film about a bridal party's hilarious activities leading up to the big day (which should be required viewing every wedding season).

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Stars: Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson

For fans of: unexpected friendships and teen makeovers

John Hughes's catalog of '80s films (with Molly Ringwald often playing the starring role) are all classics, though this story about unexpected friendship that blossoms in the middle of detention hall takes the cake for its iconic scenes, from coordinated dances to beauty makeovers.

Tangerine (2015)

Director: Sean Baker

Stars: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, and James Ransone

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

For fans of: innovative filmmaking and moving friendships

Sean Baker was one of the first filmmakers to shoot a feature entirely on an iPhone back in 2015. For the project, he utilized a microbudget, three iPhone 5Ss, and a cast of many untrained actors, finding his leads in two transgender women and real-life friends, Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor, whom he discovered outside of an LGBTQ+ center in L.A. The two play sex workers and close friends Sin-Dee Rella (Rodriguez) and Alexandra (Taylor), who set out to find Sin-Dee’s boyfriend and pimp when they find out he cheated on her when she was carrying out a recent prison sentence.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Director: David Frankel

Stars: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway , Emily Blunt

For fans of: fashion montages and Stanley Tucci

This movie is filled with iconic moments: There’s the infamous cerulean monologue, the perfect mid-aughts opening montage set to “Suddenly I See,” one of the most satisfying style transformations ever put on film, a grilled cheese sandwich containing $8 worth of Jarlsberg and, yes, the Chanel boots. What more could you ask for?

Barbie (2023)

Director: Greta Gerwig

Stars: Margot Robbie , Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

For fans of: dolls and powerful women

The summer of 2023 will forever be remembered for its spectacular displays of female power, between Beyoncé and Taylor Swift ’s sold-out world tours and, of course, the blockbuster release of Barbie . Come for the nostalgia, the perfectly choreographed dance scenes, and Ryan Gosling’s goofy turn as Ken, stay for the expert skewering of the patriarchy, a celebration of womanhood, and that America Ferrera monologue.

Step Brothers (2008)

Director: Adam McKay

Stars: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55%

For fans of: blended families and the Catalina Wine Mixer

Don’t let the Rotten Tomatoes score fool you: As any real cinephile can attest, this film is one of the all-time greats. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be inspired to form an entertainment company à la Prestige Worldwide with your rival-turned-best friend-slash-stepsibling and start churning out hit songs (“Boats ’N Hoes,” anyone?)—all the makings of a truly great movie.

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Director: Jonathan Lynn

Stars: Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, and Marisa Tomei

For fans of: courtroom comedies and scene-stealing women

Sure, a murder trial doesn't seem like it would be the best place for laughs, but proving that assumption wrong is just one of the surprises that catapulted this '90s comedy into the all-time must-watch category. After a pair of road-tripping New Yorkers are wrongly accused of killing a convenience store clerk, they enlist the help of Cousin Vinny (Pesci) and his fiancée Mona Lisa (Oscar winner Tomei) to prove their innocence.

Paddington 2 (2017)

Director: Paul King

Stars: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins

For fans of: family movies and lovable creatures

This movie about a talking teddy bear with a big heart shows a heartwarming lesson about empathy and community to both kids and adults alike, as Paddington and the people who love him band together to help when the polite bear is falsely imprisoned.

The Best Classic Movies of All Time

Less of a genre and more of a distinction, we define "classic movies" as the kind of film that changed their respective genres forever. Being familiar with the films on this list will set you apart from the casual pop culture fan and put you on the road to becoming a movie buff. For a film to be a classic in our book, it should have some years on it, be universally loved, and have a major cultural impact. The classic movies below, all released over 25 years ago, check those boxes.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Director: Nicholas Ray

Stars: James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

For fans of: teen angst and the 1950s

Two words for you: James! Dean! The old Hollywood icon's second to last film, as teenager Jim Stark, before his untimely death in 1955 ended up being one of his most celebrated. The unlikely bond shared on-screen between him, John "Plato" Crawford (Sal Mineo), and Judy (Natalie Wood) gave American youths at the time a movie where they could finally see themselves on the screen.

A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

Director: Daniel Petrie

Stars: Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil, Ruby Dee

For fans of: theatrical plays and social commentary

A Chicago family, the Youngers, are about to receive a windfall that will change their lives, but they have different ideas on how to use the money. An adaptation of the Lorraine Hansberry play made with the original cast, this film questions who is allowed the American Dream.

Carmen Jones (1954)

Director: Otto Preminger

Stars: Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Pearl Bailey

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%

For fans of: historic performances and musicals

This underrated musical set at an all-Black army camp follows Carmen (Dorothy Dandridge), who, despite being sought after by every man at the base, has her sights set on the super married Joe (Harry Belafonte). Dandridge's performance as Carmen Jones got her nominated for an Oscar, making history as the first African American actress in a leading role to be nominated.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Director: Robert Mulligan

Stars: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Robert Duvall

For fans of: historical stories and court cases

Scout Finch tells the story of how her father, Atticus, a small town lawyer in the rural South, defended a wrongfully accused black man in this adaptation of Harper Lee's beloved novel. Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch is how most people who've seen this movie think of the character, and you will too when you see it.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Director: George Roy Hill

Stars: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross

For fans of: Westerns and buddy comedies

Robert Redford! Paul Newman! Really strong facial hair game! What could go wrong? Well, actually, a train robbery does go wrong, leaving outlaws Butch Cassidy (Newman) and The Sundance Kid (Redford) on the run from a seriously dangerous posse as they try to leave rural Wyoming for Bolivia. It's a Western film you can't miss.

12 Angry Men (1957)

Director: Sidney Lumet

Stars: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley

For fans of: courtroom dramas and realistic thrillers

This classic film is ostensibly about a dozen white men on a jury arguing over whether a young Puerto Rican man actually killed his father (the class and race dynamics feel unfortunately familiar, 60-plus years later). But it's really about prejudice and stereotype and the assumptions we carry with us every day without realizing it. If you didn't get to watch this one in school, watch it now.

Rocky (1976)

Director: John G. Avildsen

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith

For fans of: sports movies and underdog stories

It’s the classic underdog story that made Sylvester Stallone a household name. The movie follows boxer Rocky Balboa on the road to fight heavyweight champion Apollo Creed in a match deemed “a somebody vs. nobody.” The film, written by Stallone, would go on to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 1977.

The Godfather (1972)

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Stars: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan

For fans of: mob dramas and gangster action

Yes, there are three parts to this trilogy that might require a night of bingeing. But there's really nothing like Francis Ford Coppola's depiction of the mob family of Don Vito Corleone. It's a chilling to the bone, action-packed story that's not one to miss.

Jaws (1975)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Stars: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss

For fans of: tension-building suspense and iconic theme songs

When Steven Spielberg made this movie, I’m unsure if he knew it would become the face of anti-shark propaganda, and make a whole generation scared to get in the water. Regardless, this movie about a sheriff, marine biologist, and fisherman hunting down a shark that’s terrorizing their beach town is a must-see.

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Director: Spike Lee

Stars: Danny Aiello, Giancarlo Esposito, Ossie Davis

For fans of: slice-of-life stories and driving messages

Spike Lee acts and directs in a film that marries comedy and drama perfectly. Roger Ebert's review is pretty spot-on, but to summarize: Lee builds a community in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, teeming with life and tension on the hottest day of the year. And then he rips it all apart. But it's so much more compelling than even that description. Lee handles all his characters with love, and there's no one who's truly evil, despite spot-on and heart-wrenching commentary about racism, classism, and poverty.

Back to the Future (1985)

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Crispin Glover

For fans of: Comedic sci-fis and '80s references

This sci-fi film sees Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, a time traveler who drives his flying Delorean back into the '50s after an experiment gone wrong. Fun fact: the sequel is set in the far-away future, a.k.a. 2015.

The Sound of Music (1965)

Director: Robert Wise

Stars: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

For fans of: sweet storylines and uplifting music

Julie Andrews plays an Austrian nun during World War II in the Academy Award-winning film. When she comes to the villa of retired naval officer Captain Georg von Trapp to be governess to his seven children, she begins to realize how much the family means to her. The latter part of the movie has an unexpected twist and displays the unfathomable truth of what it was like living in Nazi Germany.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Director: Milos Forman

Stars: Jake Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif

For fans of: memorable characters and tragic comedies

Jack Nicholson's at his best in this film about a habitual criminal who's sentenced to time in a mental hospital. There, he threatens the natural order under the watch of cruel Nurse Ratched and attempts to flee with his fellow patients. The film swept up five Academy Awards in its day, from Best Picture to Best Actor and Best Actress.

The Graduate (1967)

Director: Mike Nichols

Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross

For fans of: love triangles and a moving score

Between the Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack and the easy-on-the-eyes love triangle—Dustin Hoffman as a wandering college graduate, his married neighbor Mrs. Robinson, and her daughter—this film is hard to not immediately fall in love with.

Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Director: Jim Sharman

Stars: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick

For fans of: wild characters and over-the-top dance numbers

See for yourself where all the live versions of the cult favorite Rocky Horror Picture Show began with this over-the-top, perfectly cast musical (see: young Susan Sarandon).

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Director : Victor Fleming

Stars : Judy Garland, Jack Haley, Ray Bolger

Rotten Tomatoes Score : 98%

For fans of : fantasy and flawless vocals

A technical marvel at its time and one of the most influential films ever, this 1937 film is definitely worth a watch for movie buffs, even if you've seen countless iterations of L. Frank Baum's fairy tale.

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Director: George Cukor

Stars: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart

For fans of: screwball comedies and love triangles

Over 80 years after its release, this classic still deserves every bit of its perfect Rotten Tomatoes rating. Katharine Hepburn plays the headstrong socialite Tracy Lord, who spends the days leading up to her second wedding trading barbs with her ex-husband Dexter (Cary Grant) and James Stewart’s Mike, a journalist sent to cover the ceremony—leading her to reassess her decision to marry the social-climbing George Kittredge (John Howard). There’s still a wedding at the end of the movie, but we won’t spoil who ends up as the groom.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Director: Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen

Stars: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor

For fans of: musicals and Old Hollywood

Singin’ in the Rain is still considered by many to be the greatest musical film of all time, more than 70 years later. Rightfully so—the rom-com is full of catchy songs and impressive dance sequences to tell the story of Hollywood’s not-so-smooth transition from silent films to “talkies.”

Seven Samurai (1956)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Stars: Toshirô Mifune and Takashi Shimura

For fans of: action epics and long runtimes

If you're an action fan and haven't watched Seven Samurai , odds are you've already seen countless references to Kurosawa's 1954 film. This story of a motley crew of samurai gathered to protect a small village from a major threat has gone on to inspire generations of filmmakers, including several who appear on this very list. Just be sure to carve out enough time to immerse yourself in the three-plus hour runtime.

The Matrix (1999)

Director: Lana and Lilly Wachowski

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

For fans of: mind-bending effects and leather trenches

Many elements of The Matrix have escaped the screen to become mainstays in fashion and internet culture as a whole (for better or worse). Over 25 years after its release, Neo's (Reeves) escape from his simulated reality still has some of the best action scenes and visual effects ever put to film.

The Best Scary Movies and Thriller Movies of All Time

Horror and thriller films do something to us that no other genre of films do—they terrify us. Some people may think it’s crazy, but feeling a sense of fear, dread, and anticipation via movies is an adrenaline rush like no other. These classic horror movies and thrillers feature some of the most terrifying creatures, killers, and jump scares, not to mention some unforgettable psychological horror . You’re going to want to leave the lights on when you go to bed after watching these.

The Exorcist (1973)

Director: William Friedkin

Stars : Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow

Rotten Tomatoes Score : 84%

For fans of: demonology and good vs. evil stories

The film that prompted so many parodies and remakes (another one is coming in 2023!), nothing lights a candle to the original. Rightfully dubbed "one of the best horror films ever made" by many, The Exorcist goes above and beyond to make you terrified. The story about a girl possessed by a demon in need of an exorcism is unsettling, to say the least.

Parasite (2019)

Director: Bong Joon Ho

Stars: Song Kang-ho, Choi Woo-sik, Park So-dam

For fans of: gruesome twists and commentaries on social issues

An unemployed family of four slips into the lives of the crazy wealthy Park family. Then, there's an incident that can’t entirely be cleaned up in a cleaning shift. Long after the credits roll, you’ll be questioning the ending and mulling over the tough, important themes.

The Shining (1980)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Stars: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%

For fans of: Stephen King and eerie settings

Jack Nicholson is on this list a few times, but this classic horror movie is probably his most well-known role. The Torrance family—husband Jack, wife Wendy, and son Danny—are staying in the Overlook Hotel during the winter. Then, the hotel begins to come alive with a terrible, terrifying evil. Stephen King famously hated this adaptation, because Stanley Kubrick takes out all the empathy from the patriarch (Nicholson, playing crazy like he was born to do it). But it makes the story even more powerful. Viewed through today's lens, it's also a haunting look at the effects of domestic violence.

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Director: Emerald Fennell

Stars: Carey Mulligan, Laverne Cox, Bo Burnham

For fans of: feminism and twisted revenge

This very dark comedy juxtaposes one woman's insatiable quest to avenge her best friend's tragic assault in front of a backdrop of all things frilly, pink, and sweet. That stark contrast only makes the movie's incredibly intense climax that much more shocking. Promising Young Woman was nominated for five Oscars in 2021, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Carey Mulligan, and a history-making Best Director nod for Emerald Fennell.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Stars: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester

For fans of: creepy villains and outer space

This movie is trippy and a bit hard to follow, but it's absolutely required viewing. Stanley Kubrick takes us from the dawn of the human species to the dawn of a totally new species in just a few hours, and his view of space and space travel set the standard for a thousand sci-fi films to come. More importantly, it's compelling and totally, totally terrifying. It's aged really well, despite being made over 50 years ago.

Rear Window (1954)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Stars: Grace Kelly, James Stewart, Wendell Corey

For fans of: taut suspense and chilling endings

This early Hitchcock movie boasts an impressive 98% percent Rotten Tomatoes score, and it's still considered one of the best of its time. Starring Princess Grace Kelly and James Stewart, the film revolves around a man confined to his wheelchair whose pastime involves spying on his neighbors (through the rear window— get it?). Things take a turn for the worst when he believes he's witnessed a murder.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Stars: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum

For fans of: monster movies and amusement parks

It's a little hard to believe that the Schindler's List director also came up with this dino adventure movie, but what's even more impressive is that the two films came out mere months apart. This could not be more different, but if you're looking for a film about these prehistoric creatures, stick to the classic. There's so much loving attention paid to the dinosaurs' look—there isn't a ton of CGI, with a greater reliance on practical effects—but more importantly, the human characters are just as interesting. Samuel L. Jackson, in the best cameo of all time.

Heathers (1988)

Director: Michael Lehmann

Stars: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty

For fans of: twisted high school movies and campiness

Winona Ryder's always in her element in off-beat dark comedies, and this one sets her in the middle of a high school where her character Veronica gets invited to a join a popular clique of "Heathers" (literally three girls whose names are Heather) until they betray her. Veronica and her partner-in-crime J.D. Dean (Christian Slater) set out to right all the wrongs made against her, in cruel and unusual ways.

Train to Busan (2016)

Director: Yeon Sang-ho

Stars: Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Choi Woo-sik

For fans of: zombie horrors and Korean films

In this legendary Korean thriller , a group of travelers on a bullet train have to fight off a car full of zombies as a mysterious infection ravages the country. The pulse-pounding film has a stellar cast and a secret heart, with the characters making touch choices to help their families survive.

Psycho (1960)

Stars: Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles

For fans of: slasher films and horror in the mundane

One of the first slasher films (that launched many copycats to come) is Alfred Hitchcock's creepy story of Norman Bates and his hotel on the hill.

Carrie (1976)

Director: Brian De Palma

Stars: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, William Katt

For fans of: supernatural horror and revenge stories

Sissy Spacek is the one true Carrie—a bullied young woman who develops telekinetic abilities just in time for a prank prom invite to turn into a full-fledged bloodbath. I know we shouldn't condone violence, but it's hard not to root for poor Carrie after her classmates dump pigs blood on her in her prom dress, right?

Get Out (2017)

Director: Jordan Peele

Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener

For fans of: psychological thrillers and comedic relief

It's not often that a movie so perfectly taps into the spirit of the times, but in a year where Trump's presidency sparked tense discussions about police brutality, race, and false liberalism, this was the breakout movie that did the job—in the horror genre, no less. Director Jordan Peele turns the typical horror script on its head with this blend of cultural criticism and horror tropes.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director : Jonathan Demme

Stars : Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Lawrence A. Bonney

Rotten Tomatoes Score : 95%

For fans of : Psychological thrillers and charming cannibals

Anthony Hopkins' performance in this film made Hannibal Lecter the creepiest villain of the past few decades, who isn't even the actual villain of this film. Lecter's influence is felt in many horror baddies who have come after, but there's nothing like hearing the original say "fava beans and a nice Chianti."

The Dark Knight (2008)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine

For fans of: crime thrillers and sinister villains

For many (myself included), Christopher Nolan's second installment in his superhero trilogy is the best Batman there is. Equal parts action blockbuster and crime thriller, Nolan is able to expertly combine aspects of both genres into a modern superhero film for the ages. Heath Ledger's go at the Joker is so massive and brilliant, so far no other actor has been able to top it.

Seven (1995)

Director: David Fincher

Stars: Brad Pitt , Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow

Rotten Tomatoes Score : 82%

For fans of: detective stories and plot twist finales

One of the best crime thrillers of all time has to be David Fincher's Seven . With Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman at the helm, two detectives investigate a number of grisly murders inspired by the seven deadly sins, and boy, do things get dark . There's plenty of symbolism along the way for you to connect the dots, but still bet you'll be shocked by the now-memeable ending.

Black Swan (2010)

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Stars: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel

For fans of: ballet and jumpscares

Who says ballet can’t be scary? Natalie Portman plays Nina, a professional ballerina who increasingly loses her grip on reality as she’s forced to compete with Mila Kunis’ Lily for the lead role in a production of Swan Lake . This psychological thriller explores the (very) dark side of devotion to one’s art, and it won Portman the Best Actress award at the 2011 Oscars.

The Best Drama Movies of All Time

Movies that fall under the drama genre are exactly what the name suggests: dramatic. The list of films that can be considered a drama is long and varied. Anything from period pieces, teen dramas, war movies, movies for girls' night, biopics, etc, fall under the drama category, but what they all have in common is emotionally driven characters and plenty of conflict.

Life is Beautiful (1997)

Director: Roberto Benigni

Stars: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini

For fans of: World War II stories and bittersweet humor

While this Italian film is about the horrors of the Holocaust, it has plenty of comic moments as well—and it works . Roberto Benigni gives a breathtaking performance as a family man who, as a Jew, is sent with his family to a concentration camp in northern Italy, but uses his imaginative powers to convince his young son that it's all a game.

Erin Brockovich (2001)

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Stars: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart

For fans of: legal dramas and uncovering corruption

This inspiring drama stars Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich, a single mom who uncovers an environmental crime and goes after the huge corporation involved.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

Director: Peter Weir

Stars: Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke

For fans of: inspirational stories

Set at a New England private school in 1959, this movie follows an English teacher, played by Robin Williams, and his relationship with his students as he teaches them to live a little more through poetry. The movie gave Williams his second Oscar nominee, and Ethan Hawke said that working on this movie inspired him to continue to be an actor.

Schindler's List (1993)

Stars: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes

For fans of: chilling historical periods and brutal atmospheres

A movie about the Holocaust is almost guaranteed to be poignant, but under Stephen Spielberg's expert direction, this one surprises with its restraint. That's deliberate—the sadness and symbolism build throughout the film so that you have a full sense of what happened, who did it, and why it matters so, so much. The movie's in black and white, with the smallest pop of color to offer a moment of hope and then (devastatingly) all possible heartbreak in one unforgettable image.

The Farewell (2019)

Director: Lulu Wang

Stars: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin

For fans of: complicated family dynamics and cultural traditions

In her Golden Globe-winning role, Awkwafina plays Billi, a woman on a trip to China for a "family wedding" that's actually a final goodbye to her grandmother. While there, Billi struggles to find a deeper connection to the country and tries to understand her family's decision to keep her grandmother's sickness a secret from her.

Lady Bird (2017)

Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Timothée Chalamet

For fans of: coming-of-age stories and mother-daughter drama

Greta Gerwig dives into the tricky dynamics of mother-daughter relationships in this coming-of-age story. Saoirse Ronan plays the titular Lady Bird, a teen navigating her last year at her Catholic high school. Gerwig paints a portrait of adolescence that's poignant, genuine, and hilarious.

The Truman Show (1998)

Stars: Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich

For fans of: reality TV and cautionary tales

If you've ever wondered whether your life is just one big sitcom, The Truman Show illustrates what happens when one man, played by Jim Carrey, realizes that his entire life is scripted for television. While that premise seems pretty straightforward, there's a lot of deeper messaging about narcissism, surveillance, media, and what it means to have free will.

Moonlight (2016)

Director: Barry Jenkins

Stars: Mahershala Ali, Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders

For fans of: Lgbtq+ themes and forbidden love

Yes, you've heard the buzz about this movie. But if you haven't seen it yet, make room in your schedule. Moonlight is a beautifully filmed coming-of-age story of a gay black boy growing up in a housing project in Miami. The many-layered film sheds light on aspects of Black identity that are rarely spotlighted on film.

Daughters of the Dust (1991)

Director: Julie Dash

Stars: Kaycee Moore, Cora Lee Day, Barbara O.

For fans of: multi-generational families and African culture

Quick history lesson: Daughters of the Dust was the first feature film directed by a Black woman distributed in theaters in the U.S. It tells the story of three generations of Gullah women in pre-Civil War times living on Saint Helena Island who are stuck on deciding whether to stay or migrate north for a better life. The film's scenery is stunning, but the real beauty of the film is its complex characters.

Director: Spike Jonze

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson

For fans of: unexpected love and sci-fi twists

Joaquin Phoenix delivers as the sensitive Theodore, a man who writes personal letters for others. After a bitter divorce, he soon develops a friendly (and later romantic) relationship with an intuitive operating system. It may be an unusual relationship, but the film shows that love comes in many forms.

Little Women (2019)

Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Timothée Chalamet

For fans of: female leads and double endings

Gerwig's adaption of Louisa May Alcott's novel is nothing short of stunning. Each March sister is determined to live their own lives and it's fascinating to see how they each carve their own path. Gerwig's autumnal color palette and New England scenery will make you want to curl up on the couch and get cozy while shedding a tear a two.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Director: Ang Lee

Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Linda Cardellini

For fans of: doomed love and tearjerkers

Set in 1963 Wyoming, cowboys Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis (Heath Ledger) discover deep feelings for each other while on a sheep herding job on Brokeback Mountain. Over the course of 20 years, the two maintain a secret affair while marrying women and struggle to come to terms with their sexuality. It's a story for the ages that deals with toxic masculinity and homophobia set in a stunning landscape.

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Director: Gus Van Sant

Stars: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck

For fans of:

Matt Damon stars as Will, a janitor with a hidden genius-level IQ, who runs into trouble and is forced to get treatment from a therapist (Robin Williams). Damon and Ben Affleck's friendship chemistry is a must-watch, but it's Williams' Oscar-winning performance that's the real draw here.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Director: Frank Darabont

Stars: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton

For fans of: moving stories and satisfying endings

There's a reason why some critics claim The Shawshank Redemption is the best drama film of all time. The moving story follows Andy (Tim Robbins), a man sentenced to serve two life terms at the high-security prison Shawshank for murdering his wife and her lover. There he meets friends and enemies and learns a new way of life incarcerated.

West Side Story (1961)

Director: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise

Stars: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno

For fans of: rivalries and impeccable dancing

If you liked the Steven Spielberg remake, be sure to also check out the original film adaptation of this Romeo-and-Juliet inspired musical, starring Rita Moreno and Natalie Wood.

The Big Sick (2017)

Director: Michael Showalter

Stars: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter

For fans of: real-life love stories and cross-cultural issues

Kumail Nanjiani wrote and stars in The Big Sick , the real-life story of how Nanjiani met and fell in love with his wife, Emily. The film feels familiar in its sincerity but brings a twist to the rom-com with clashing cultures.

Roma (2018)

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Stars: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Marco Graf

For fans of: hyperrealism and family life

This gorgeous black-and-white Mexican film follows an indigenous domestic worker who has to deal with unexpected changes in her own life and that of the family she works for, based on director Alfonso Cuarón's memories of his own nanny from childhood.

Spirited Away (2001)

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Stars: Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan

For fans of: breathtaking visuals and fantastical adventures

This celebrated Studio Ghibli film about a young girl traveling through a spirit world is one of the best-animated movies of all time. While it may not exactly fall under the category of drama, it does feel like a fairy tale full of eerie spirits.

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Director: Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Stars: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan

For fans of: the multiverse and emotional family moments

This irreverent action comedy movie will have you both laughing at Michelle Yeoh's multiverse adventures and crying at its poignant, universal theme. (Trust me, it's best to go in blind and be pleasantly surprised.)

Trainspotting (1996)

Director: Danny Boyle

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller

For fans of: dark comedies and controversial subject matters

Considered one of the best British films of all time, Trainspotting follows a group of heroin addicts in Edinburgh, Scotland who try and fail to integrate themselves into "normal" society. It's dark, sure, but it's also an ode to youth and economic insecurity that you won't be able to stop thinking about.

Forrest Gump (1991)

Director : Robert Zemeckis

Stars: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

For fans of : sentimental stories and underdogs

Whether you love it or hate it, you can't deny Forrest Gump pulls at your heartstrings. Tom Hanks stars as the titular Gump, a slow-witted man waiting on a bench for the bus that will reunite him with his childhood sweetheart. During his wait, he tells his life story to willing strangers, which includes meeting the president (twice), serving in the Vietnam War, and becoming a millionaire. It's a film full of memorable lines and charming anecdotes.

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Director: Ryan Coogler

Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz

Rotten Tomatoes Score : 94%

For fans of: true stories and tragic endings

Directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan, this heart-wrenching film follows the last day of Oscar Grant, a man who was killed by police at a BART station on New Year's Eve 2009.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Stars : John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman

For fans of: interwoven storylines and dark humor

Quentin Tarantino's second feature film holds up as one of the best films of the '90s and for good reason. With storylines between two hitmen, gangsters, a mob wife, a boxer, and a pair of nervous robbers, Pulp Fiction is a rollercoaster of a film, in the best way possible.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Stars: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Matt Damon

For fans of: war movies and history

Saving Private Ryan opens with an extremely visceral and violent image: the Allied invasion of Normandy Beach, AKA D-Day. Thus sets the tone for Spielberg's epic war film and sets the standard for the genre moving forward. It tells the story of Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and his team of men who go behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan and return him home.

Aftersun (2022)

Director: Charlotte Wells

Stars: Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio, Celia Rowlson-Hall

For fans of: childhood vacations and father-daughter relationships

You’ll never hear Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure” the same way again after watching Aftersun , in which a woman sifts through her memories of the last vacation she took with her enigmatic father when she was 11 and he was 30. It’s bittersweet, charming and subtly devastating—honestly, a recipe for a perfect movie.

Remember the Titans (2000)

Director: Boaz Yakin

Stars: Denzel Washington and Will Patton

For fans of: sports movies and heartwarming true stories

Set in the 1970s and based on a true story of a Southern HS football team's integration, Remember the Titans is (unfortunately) still a relevant story over two decades later. Come for the inspiring tale of teamwork, and stay for the cast of future stars who populate the cast (hi young Ryan Gosling!).

The Social Network (2010)

Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake

For fans of: origin stories and being extremely online

As the founder of the tech empire now known as Meta, Mark Zuckerberg coined the phrase “move fast and break things,” which soon became a rallying cry for the impossible-to-sustain growth mindset of Silicon Valley startup culture in the aughts and 2010s. That mantra is on stark display in The Social Network , which charts the meteoric rise of Facebook from Zuckerberg’s Harvard dorm room to billions of devices around the world—and the relationships that broke down along the way.

Quinci is a Contributing Culture Editor who writes pieces and helps to strategize editorial content across TV, movies, music, theater, and pop culture. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar , where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost , The A.V. Club , Elle , Vulture , Salon , Teen Vogue , and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama , recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.

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The 90+ Best Time Travel Movies

1. The Tomorrow War

2. Palm Springs

3. Terminator: Dark Fate

4. Happy Death Day

5. When We First Met

6. How to Time Travel

7. Terminator Genisys

8. Project Almanac

9. Predestination

10. X-Men: Days of Future Past

11. Interstellar

12. Edge of Tomorrow

13. About Time

15. Safety Not Guaranteed

16. Men in Black³

17. Source Code

18. Enter Nowhere

19. Midnight in Paris

20. Hot Tub Time Machine

21. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

22. Triangle

23. A Christmas Carol

24. The Time Traveler's Wife

25. Star Trek

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This Netflix Sci-Fi Movie Takes You on a Bold, Rough-and-Tumble Adventure Through Space

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The Big Picture

• Space Sweepers challenges traditional hero narratives, focusing on unlikely heroes facing the realities of an unequal capitalist society.
• The film paints a grim but realistic picture of space travel, featuring relatable characters grappling with debt and past mistakes.
• Space Sweepers is a diverse and thought-provoking sci-fi film, highlighting humanity's resilience despite the darker sides of capitalism.

People have always looked to the stars for adventure, inspired to create enduring and enthralling stories. The sci-fi genre has exemplified this instinct, culminating in myriad films that populate the far reaches of outer space with some of the memorable characters in fiction. Films like Star Wars and Dune follow the messianic journeys of chosen heroes, destined to save the galaxy from imperial reign, while others like Star Trek display a near-utopian outlook on the future of humanity, ascending to new heights under inspired leadership . However, the galaxy is an enormous place and not all people are inherently destined for greatness.

Space Sweepers , a 2021 South Korean film released on Netflix , dares to spotlight the discarded and dismissed, the unlikeliest of heroes, to tell one of the most exciting space adventures in recent years. Considered to be the first South Korean space blockbuster, Space Sweepers is not only a visually distinct and dynamic outer space romp, but a strikingly poignant criticism of capitalism , exploring how human greed has made a thorough mess of society. However, despite the bleak outlook on mankind's vices, the film also affirms the boundless resilience of humanity's spirit, reassuring audiences that there's always hope for cleaning the mess up, and of becoming better tomorrow than you are today.

Space Sweepers

Set in the year 2092 and follows the crew of a space junk collector ship called The Victory. When they discover a humanoid robot named Dorothy that's known to be a weapon of mass destruction, they get involved in a risky business deal.

'Space Sweepers' Crew is Full of Colorful and Eccentric Characters

Set near the end of the 21st century, the Earth has become irreversibly polluted and inhospitable, leaving the UTS corporation to look to the stars for humanity's new home. The lucky (and wealthy) few are chosen to live on artificial planetoids created by the powerful company, leaving much of the population to struggle, both on the planet and in orbit. The film follows a crew of space sweepers, outer space scavengers tasked with cleaning debris from Earth's orbit. Led by Captain Jang ( Kim Tae-ri ), the crew of the Victory compete with other sweepers for profits in desperate attempts to chip away at their debts and live an unencumbered life.

This '70s Sci-Fi Gem Was Eerily Ahead of Its Time

The Bruce Dern-led feature also laid the blueprint for several iconic sci-fi franchises.

Each member of the crew is burdened by constantly rising debt and past lives that continue to haunt their present moments. Captain Jang, for instance, was a former military officer who defected in protest against an order to attack Earth refugees seeking life in outer space. Outraged and disillusioned, she began working with pirate crews before eventually taking charge of the Victory. Kim Tae-ho ( Song Joong-ki ) is another military defector and the current ace pilot of his crew. After his adopted daughter was flung into orbit in an accident, Tae-ho committed his life to earning the funds necessary to hire a rescue crew to search for her. Tiger Park ( Jin Seon-kyu ) was a former drug kingpin on Earth who fled to space to avoid his execution, becoming the trusted engineer of his new crew. And finally, Bubs ( Yoo Hae-jin ), a robot saving up funds in order to buy a skin graft in order to look like a human woman. While working, the crew discover Kot-nim ( Park Ye-rin ), a child robot capable of controlling nanobots rumored to have a weapon of mass destruction built inside her. After word gets out that a terrorist organization known as the Black Foxes is willing to pay an enormous sum in exchange for the girl, the crew are forced to seriously consider whether this is their means of escaping their poverty, or if the price is just too high.

'Space Sweepers' Paints a Grim but Realistic Picture of Space Travel

Space Sweepers is immediately distinct from other sci-fi films because of the lens through which it explores outer space. The movie is grittier and dirtier than other space films, and not just on the dust covered Earth. The space sweeper ships are essentially the garbage trucks of outer space, bulky and obtrusive compared to the sleek starships of other franchises. But it's not just in aesthetics alone that Space Sweepers differentiates itself, as the cast of characters are framed in a unique and relatable way.

The Victory's crew aren't destined to be heroes, they're poor, indebted misfits discarded from society — a society that's ruthlessly cutthroat to its "lesser" citizens. There is a clear distinction between the "haves" and the "have-nots" that is prevalent throughout the film, spurred by UTS corporation CEO James Sullivan ( Richard Armitage ) who facilitated the class division with his selective choosing of who is welcome in his plans to terraform Mars for humanity's new home. Being one of the select UTS citizens meant security and safety, but anyone else was effectively worthless. Even Tae-ho, a former high ranking military officer, had his benefits revoked after leaving the position, forcing him into increasingly desperate situations. Without his UTS citizenship, the cost of saving his daughter is increased exponentially — an impossibly inhumane situation considering the technology and resources for rescue are readily available from UTS, but restricted by insurmountable costs.

'Space Sweepers' Is a Striking Indictment of Capitalism

The film perfectly highlights how capitalism not only vilifies the poor, but weaponizes their poverty against them. At one point, Tae-ho literally sells the shoes off his feet and, throughout the rest of the movie, replaces them with an old pair of sneakers held together by superglue and willpower. The only reason he even considers exchanging Kot-nim, despite the danger she poses, is because of how much he needs the money to save his daughter. It's a lose-lose situation wherein money is both the biggest problem and the only solution. It's in this forced desperation of impossible debt and restrictive laws that the darker sides of humanity are shown, driven by bourgeois greed.

James Sullivan, despite being hailed as humanity's savior, is a misanthropic magnate who detests most humankind and seeks to create a new society in his image. Though Armitage teeters between comical and threatening in his performance, Sullivan is still incredibly unnerving. In one of the more unsettling scenes in the entire film, he offers a journalist a chance to become a UTS citizen and escape Earth if he kills a captured member of the Black Foxes. After the desperate man kills the helpless victim, Sullivan gloats about how despicable the journalist is and kills him anyway. Parroting capitalist rhetoric, Sullivan blames the poor for the choices they make in desperation, despite being the one who forced them to take such drastic measures.

'Space Sweepers' Showcases Realistic and Diverse Representation

Though the future painted by Space Sweepers looks bleak and dire, the film itself is an exciting step forward in diversity and representation in media. Though the main crew are all Korean, the rest of the space sweepers and other residents of outer space come from a variety of backgrounds and countries , each freely speaking their own languages. It seems that on an apocalyptic Earth, country borders mean a lot less than they do in the present day. Notably, one of the standard characters from the film is Bubs, whose narrative arc and characterization garnered positive acclaim from the trans community. Voiced by a male actor, Bubs was coded to have a more masculine appearance, but expressed a desire to buy skin grafts in order to present as a human woman. As with the financial struggles of the other characters, Bubs' difficulty securing the funds for her procedure reflects the obstructive challenges around medical transitions.

Untethered from any major franchises, Space Sweepers is able to tell an outer space story that is utterly distinct from other movies, yet powerfully grounded in the human experience. From its exceptional diversity and striking criticisms of capitalism , Space Sweepers is as relatable as it is otherwordly, and as hopeful as it is cautionary.

Space Sweepers is currently streaming on Netflix in the U.S.

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Boeing starliner astronauts stuck at international space station as engineers on earth race against time to fix multiple problems.

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Boeing, we have a problem .

The return trip to Earth for two NASA astronauts who rode to orbit on the trouble-plagued company’s Starliner has been delayed for a third time as of Saturday — with Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams cooling their heels at the International Space Station (ISS) while engineers on the ground race against time to fix numerous issues with the spacecraft.

They have a reported 45-day window to bring them back, according to officials.

The return module of the Starliner spacecraft is docked to the ISS’s Harmony module, but Harmony has limited fuel leaving the window for a safe return flight increasingly narrow, officials said.

Wilmore and Williams were supposed to come home June 13 after a week on the ISS.

But because of problems that include five helium leaks on the Starliner, they’re still up there.

The issues with the Starliner included five thrusters that abruptly stopped working during flight and a series of helium leaks, CNN reported.

Posters on X went to town on Boeing, calling on Elon Musk to rescue the astronauts with one of his Space X Dragon spacecraft.

“How terribly dangerous is Boeing’s Starliner? May need Space X to rescue its astronauts from ISS,” wrote someone with the X handle @NONbiasedly.

“Boeing Starliner literally falling apart in space right now,” wrote Captain Coronado.

“Deathtrap nearly killed the two astronauts during takeoff and trip to the ISS. Mismanagement at Boeing proving extremely dangerous!!”

Others felt the situation was not as serious as it seemed.

Space expert Jonathan McDowell told The Post the situation may not seem as perilous as some believe.

“You can lose a few thrusters and still be OK because there are many of them but still this is the propulsion system and you want to understand everything that’s going on,” he said.

“They want to be sure these smaller issues aren’t masking bigger ones.”

McDowell said in a worst case scenario, the astronauts will have to wait until Musk’s Dragon spacecraft makes its scheduled trip up to ISS in August.

After years of delays and being halted once at the last minute , Boeing’s Starliner capsule finally blasted off its first manned flight from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on June 5.

During the 25-hour flight, however, engineers found hardware issues including five separate  helium leaks  involving the crafts’ thrusters that are part of the Starliner’s propulsion system and five thruster failures in its reaction-control system.

“We’ve learned that our helium system is not performing as designed,” Mark Nappi, Boeing’s Starliner program manager, said Tuesday.

“Albeit manageable, it’s still not working like we designed it. So we’ve got to go figure that out.”

Engineers are not sure what caused the problems.

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New travel must-have: a straw that filters out the bad stuff in water.

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The new LifeStraw sip removes 99.9% of parasites, bacteria and microplastics.

“The design of this product was not the challenge. The technology was the challenge, and technology is an essential part of the product,” explained Jean-Luc Madier, the director of engineering for LifeStraw . He’s referring to the company’s latest product, the Sip , a portable personal straw that filters 99.9% of the bacteria, parasites and microplastics in water. It lasts up to 1,000 liters (which they estimate is over a year of daily use), comes in cool colors, and costs $34.95 – a relatively small price to pay for peace of mind while on the road, or at home.

The LifeStraw Sip comes in seven colors, each with a coordinating carrying case.

While the Sip looks simple, it took seven years to nail down the integration of technology, engineering and design. “That was extremely long,” admits Madier. “We did a lot of different trials in our labs, where we can manipulate chemicals, bacteria, heavy metals and PFASs, but then we also sent the product for testing at external certified labs.” (Said data is available on LifeStraw’s website).

No batteries or electrical outlets required; simply sip through the straw, and the filter works its ... [+] magic.

In the end, the Sip had to filter water to the company’s specifications, and look like a straw. The resulting design – made of BPA-free, FDA-approved, premium stainless steel and silicone - is ten inches, a bit longer than what many may be used to, but the length was necessary to achieve the 99.9% level of filtration. “We could have made it bigger in diameter and shorter in length, but then it wouldn’t look like a straw,” noted Madier. “That was the compromise.”

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LifeStraw, for the uninitiated, is a Climate Neutral Certified B Corp. borne of a partnership that its parent company, Vestergaard, forged with The Carter Center (a not-for-profit NGO founded by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalyn) to eradicate Guinea worm disease. In the thirty years of their partnership, LifeStraw provided over 39 million Guinea worm-specific filters to those in affected areas to support eradication. The results speak for themselves: incidences of Guinea worm disease have been reduced from an estimated 3.5 million in 1986 to 14 in 2023, and the disease has been eliminated in 17 countries

The original LifeStraw Personal Water Filter was a similarly humanitarian pursuit: a straw that allowed users to safely drink from a pond or watering hole. That was twenty years ago. For about a decade afterwards, the company continued serving developing countries with various water filtering solutions and humanitarian efforts, including supporting the construction of a maternity ward at a health center in rural Kenya.

The original LifeStraw Personal – one that allowed users to safely drink from a pond or watering ... [+] hole — was introduced for humanitarian purposes in developing countries almost twenty years ago.

When LifeStraw finally made the personal straws available for the consumer market, they quickly became a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts, prompting a range of designs targeting that market, including a collapsible squeeze bottle .

LifeStraw quickly caught on with outdoor enthusiasts.

Launching a water bottle with that same filtering technology was a natural next step. LifeStraw Go, a refillable water bottle that incorporated the same technology as their straw, debuted just over ten years ago; an updated version was released last year. Today it is available in BPA-free plastic and stainless steel models in various sizes.

LifeStraw Go Series - a BPA free bottle with a microfilter that protects against Bacteria (including ... [+] E.coli + Salmonella), Parasites (including Giardia and Cryptosporidium), Microplastics, sand, dirt, and cloudiness

When the company made a foray into the home space, it was with a pitcher , billed as “the only water filter pitcher that removes bacteria and parasites, in addition to microplastics.” It debuted to great fanfare, winning the prestigious International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) GOLD Award as well as a Red Dot design award and Architectural Digest’s Great Design award.

LifeStraw Home is a water pitcher - in glass or BPA-free plastic - that removes bacteria, parasites, ... [+] and microplastics Reduces lead, mercury, and chemicals including PFAS (“forever chemicals”), chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, dirt, sand, and cloudiness.

“We’ve tried to keep a Danish design approach for all our products,” noted Madier. “Minimalistic, sleek, designed for purpose without a lot of gadgety stuff.” Most LifeStraw were designed by Soren Rose, a multi-disciplinary design firm based in Copenhagen (the Sip, however, was designed in-house).

But the company’s most impactful design has nothing to do with a product. It’s their give-back program : the purchase of any one LifeStraw product provides a year of safe water to a child in need. Over 9.6 million children in seven countries (Bangladesh, Mexico, Haiti, Venezuela, Kenya and Ghana) have benefited from this program so far, and over 3,400 schools have received water purifiers as well as on-site education and training. A win-win for all.

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511 Travel Info

News releases

June 21, 2024

Latest news releases

Heavy rains cause road closures across south central and the southwest corner of Minnesota

Several roads are closed due to flooding, and the situation continues to change. Officials warn that roads may be closed or restricted without warning as flash flooding is difficult to predict. MnDOT advises motorists to drive with caution.

As of 8 a.m. on June 21, the following highways are closed or have traffic restrictions:

• Westbound Interstate 90 from Worthington to Luverne. Closed.
• Eastbound Interstate 90 from Luverne to Adrian. Closed.
• Highway 13, south of Waseca. Closed, temporary detour.
• Highway 86 (two miles south of I-90). One lane is closed.
• Highway 91, north of Adrian. Closed, temporary detour.
• Highway 75, Luverne to the Iowa border. One lane is closed.
• Highway 19 east of Henderson. Closed, temporary detour.

MnDOT crews will continue to monitor flooded highways and will open them as soon as it is safe to do so. Highways and bridges impacted by floods need to be inspected for damage and safety prior to opening.

When a road is closed it is illegal to travel in that area. Motorists can be fined up to $1,000 and/or 90 days in jail. In addition, if travelers need to be rescued from a closed road, other expenses and penalties will apply.

Important: Road conditions shown on 511mn.org only reflect state highway conditions. Please check with your county, city, and township for their road conditions and travel guidance.