The concept of time travel has fascinated people for ages. We can’t help but wonder about journeying to the past, altering events, or catching a glimpse of what lies ahead. Whether through fantastical devices or twists in the fabric of space-time, both comedies and dramas have brought time travel to life on screen. Here are 11 standout films that explore this theme:
1. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
This film stands out as one of the funniest takes on time travel ever. Alex Winter and a pre-Matrix Keanu Reeves play hopeless students on the verge of failing a history exam. They stumble upon a magical phone booth that lets them journey back in time to experience history firsthand—and they even bring some historical figures back to 1989. Turns out, Abe Lincoln was quite the party animal.
2. Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko messes with your head in the most brilliant way. Without giving too much away, it follows a troubled teenager named Donnie who uncovers a temporal anomaly in his town and must figure out how to manipulate time to avert disaster. Jake Gyllenhaal delivers an incredible performance, and this film is as bizarre as it is essential viewing.
3. Edge of Tomorrow
In Edge of Tomorrow, Tom Cruise plays a soldier fighting an alien invasion—but he’s trapped in a time loop, reliving the same day and dying in battle over and over. It’s a thrilling action movie that also provides a satisfying explanation for the time travel. Oddly enough, the film was retitled Live, Die Repeat after its release, so now both names are used. A sequel is reportedly in development, which is pretty exciting!
4. Interstellar
Interstellar is one of my all-time favorite films, and it gets better with each viewing because the plot is quite intricate. It weaves together space exploration, time travel, black holes, and deep human connections. This movie leaves you in awe of the universe.
5. X-Men: Days of Future Past
This installment asks: what if you could go back in time to change the past? What if you could alter your own actions and destiny? It’s a fantastic chapter in the X-Men series, showing just how good these movies can get.
6. The Time Machine
A true classic from 1960, this was one of the first films to delve into time travel’s possibilities. It tells the story of an inventor in 1899 who journeys to the far-off future.
7. 12 Monkeys
A highly inventive 1995 film starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt. A prisoner from 2035 is sent back to stop a deadly virus that wipes out Earth in 1996—but he accidentally ends up in 1990, where everyone thinks he’s insane.
8. The Terminator
This movie needs no introduction. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a cyborg from the future sent back to eliminate the leader of the human resistance by killing his future mother.
9. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2 is a rare sequel that matches the original’s brilliance. This time, Arnold’s character is the hero.
10. Back to the Future
The film that made the time-traveling DeLorean iconic is undeniably one of the greatest time travel movies ever created.
11. Hot Tub Time Machine
You know what? I’m including Hot Tub Time Machine. I absolutely love this film.
What’s your favorite time travel movie? Tweet me @erikaheidewald and let me know!
