My favorite time travel movies
by JurijFedorov | created - 24 Dec 2014 | updated - 04 Jan 2023 | PublicI have watched many more time travel movies, but these are the ones I can personally recommend to most regular viewers. If we go below a 7/10 rating I have just as many more movies I can recommend to some specific viewers, but that's for another list. They are mostly ranked by my rating, but also by the time travel quantity and quality in them.
I added in a few stand-alone TV show episodes at the end of the list because otherwise the list will be missing several unique time travel concepts not yet seen in any movie. But largely I avoid TV show episodes/short films.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Back to the Future (1985)
PG | 116 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover
Votes: 1,307,245 | Gross: $210.61M
Best movie ever? It's up there with The Godfather and Die Hard. Very rewatchable which is more rare than just high quality. Maybe the most rewatchable movie ever made because of all the cool plot details and fast pacing with clever time travel details.
Time travel: 10
2. Back to the Future Part II (1989)
PG | 108 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
After visiting 2015, Marty McFly must repeat his visit to 1955 to prevent disastrous changes to 1985...without interfering with his first trip.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Tom Wilson
Votes: 572,745 | Gross: $118.50M
Still great, but not quite as good as the first one because this future is unrealistic. The first one felt like a real time travel.
Time travel: 8
3. Paycheck (2003)
PG-13 | 119 min | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
What seemed like a breezy idea that would net an engineer millions of dollars ends up leaving him on the run for his life and trying to piece together why he's being chased.
Director: John Woo | Stars: Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart, Uma Thurman, Michael C. Hall
Votes: 113,288 | Gross: $53.79M
For me this was tons of fun to watch. But it's silly action movie fun and not deep philosophical stuff. Once you understand what the time travel implies you suddenly realize that this is the only realistic John Woo movie. The rest of his movies are as unrealistic, but without any explanation for the weirdness. Which somehow makes this a regular John Woo... but good. You have to get it to enjoy it.
Time travel: 8
4. Men in Black³ (2012)
PG-13 | 106 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Agent J travels in time to M.I.B.'s early days in 1969 to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history.
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld | Stars: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement
Votes: 387,132 | Gross: $179.02M
Many dislike it, many like it. I really love it. Great movie. So damn clever writing. Once you start thinking about the time travel and EXTRA time travel inside the time travel it becomes one of the time travel movies you can rewatch and think about again. It's also fun and light which is essential for a rewatchable movie.
Time travel: 9
5. Timecop (1994)
R | 99 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi
Max Walker, an officer for a security agency that regulates time travel, must fend for his life against a shady politician who's intent on changing the past to control the future.
Director: Peter Hyams | Stars: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mia Sara, Ron Silver, Bruce McGill
Votes: 64,203 | Gross: $44.85M
Super fun action movie. Nothing deep, so many will find it too silly - not me! I obviously like this kind of movie that's a deep concept without being pretentious. Instead it tries to be fun and entertaining only. And I adore good plot which all these action movies have as you know exactly who wants what.
Time travel: 8
6. 12:01 (1993 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 92 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A man likes a woman at work. He sees her get murdered. He gets drunk and zapped at 12:01AM. Next morning she's back and everything is exactly like the day before. The time loops gives him chances to save her.
Director: Jack Sholder | Stars: Helen Slater, Jonathan Silverman, Nicolas Surovy, Robin Bartlett
Votes: 5,515
Very good movie. As always with low-budget movies the ending makes zero sense. Writing an ending is hard. The time travel here is just great except the ending. It's based on a mini movie you can find on Youtube that's quite a fun watch too, but way more serious and moody.
Time travel: 7
7. 12 Monkeys (1995)
R | 129 min | Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.
Director: Terry Gilliam | Stars: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Joseph Melito
Votes: 646,823 | Gross: $57.14M
Moody movie, but has enough fun in it to be interesting for most people. These moody movies with a twist are not always made for fast consumption or many views but this one is a classic and pretty much one of the most recommended movies ever.
Time travel: 9
8. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
R | 99 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
A malfunctioning time machine at a ski resort takes a man back to 1986 with his two friends and nephew, where they must relive a fateful night and not change anything to make sure the nephew is born.
Director: Steve Pink | Stars: John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke
Votes: 186,533 | Gross: $50.29M
Super fun comedy. One of my favorite comedies. But the ending makes zero sense logic wise. Once you get time travel in movies you understand when basic ideas are just ignored by the characters. The ending is like the 12:01 (1993) ending where you don't understand why the writers suddenly got lazy with their own idea and how the characters suddenly forgot basic stuff.
Time travel: 6
9. Groundhog Day (1993)
PG | 101 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A narcissistic, self-centered weatherman finds himself in a time loop on Groundhog Day.
Director: Harold Ramis | Stars: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky
Votes: 685,255 | Gross: $70.91M
Great movie! You know it. The repetition time travel is my favorite and I added these movies to my list I do think it's traveling back in time. It's one of the most rewatchable movies ever.
Time travel: 10
10. Frequency (2000)
PG-13 | 118 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
An accidental cross-time radio link connects father and son across 30 years. The son tries to save his father's life, but then must fix the consequences.
Director: Gregory Hoblit | Stars: Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel, Shawn Doyle, Elizabeth Mitchell
Votes: 115,768 | Gross: $45.01M
The frantic shaky-cam in action scenes is horrible, but besides that it's really good and the plot is great. The time travel here is more emotional than in any other movie as a family connection is made. It will really make you feel for the characters.
Time travel: 9
11. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
PG-13 | 113 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A soldier fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies.
Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson
Votes: 737,163 | Gross: $100.21M
Repetition time travel concept. It's really fun. One of those action movies you can rewatch, but the concept is so simple that you won't be surprised a second time around.
Time travel: 9
12. Back to the Future Part III (1990)
PG | 118 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Stranded in 1955, Marty McFly learns about the death of Doc Brown in 1885 and must travel back in time to save him. With no fuel readily available for the DeLorean, the two must figure how to escape the Old West before Emmett is murdered.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Tom Wilson
Votes: 480,973 | Gross: $87.73M
Very much the worst in the series, but still a quality movie.
Time travel: 6
13. Mirage (2018)
TV-MA | 128 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Two storms separated by 25 years. A woman murdered. A daughter missed. Only 72 hours to discover the truth.
Director: Oriol Paulo | Stars: Adriana Ugarte, Chino Darín, Javier Gutiérrez, Álvaro Morte
Votes: 64,261
Very overlooked time travel movie. The ending is a bit weakish in this lower-budget movie, but the rest is really great. Go watch it right now. This is one of the best working directors we have. Everything he makes it worth a watch if you like twists and complicated plots. But this is where he used his mystery and plot brain to create a time travel story.
Time travel: 8
14. Pleasantville (1998)
PG-13 | 124 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves transported to a 1950s sitcom where their influence begins to profoundly change that colorless, complacent world.
Director: Gary Ross | Stars: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H. Macy
Votes: 136,338 | Gross: $40.57M
Zero time travel. But I think it fits because they do travel to another world in the past. It's a great movie that's kinda a classic of sorts.
Time travel: 6
15. Minority Report (2002)
PG-13 | 145 min | Action, Crime, Mystery
John works with the PreCrime police which stop crimes before they take place, with the help of three 'PreCogs' who can foresee crimes. Events ensue when John finds himself framed for a future murder.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Max von Sydow
Votes: 584,491 | Gross: $132.07M
Not time travel in person. But it's a great movie and one of those movies that pretty much became a classic of sorts right away.
Time travel: 6
16. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.
Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy
Votes: 745,340 | Gross: $233.92M
Not much time travel. But it's set in the past with modern heroes so I think it fits here.
Time travel: 6
17. Time Lapse (2014)
Not Rated | 104 min | Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Three friends discover a mysterious machine that takes pictures twenty-four hours into the future, and conspire to use it for personal gain, until disturbing and dangerous images begin to develop.
Director: Bradley King | Stars: Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn, John Rhys-Davies
Votes: 49,147
Low-budget movie, but it's a unique concept based on the "A Most Unusual Camera" (1960) The Twilight Zone episode. Go watch it for sure. It's one of the most underrated movies I have seen as I really didn't expect this much quality in such a small package. A remake with more and bigger sets and a complete ending would be great.
Time travel: 10
18. Synchronicity (IV) (2015)
R | 101 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
A physicist who invents a time machine must travel back to the past to uncover the truth about his creation and the woman who is trying to steal it.
Director: Jacob Gentry | Stars: Chad McKnight, Brianne Davis, AJ Bowen, Scott Poythress
Votes: 11,330 | Gross: $0.00M
5,5 rating on IMDb? Well, it's low-budget and few sets and actors, but it's spectacular acting from the lead and great tension filled time travel. Very much worth a watch. This is a unique movie for people who watch a lot of films.
Time travel: 8
19. Source Code (2011)
PG-13 | 93 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
A soldier wakes up in someone else's body and discovers he's part of an experimental government program to find the bomber of a commuter train within 8 minutes.
Director: Duncan Jones | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright
Votes: 549,889 | Gross: $54.71M
This is actually time travel, but not full time travel. It's a movie that works as a plot, but it does feel empty at times as it never tries to be a work of passion or a full blockbuster. It's a movie that keeps you entertained for sure. Can be rewatched because of the clear colors, light plot and an attractive lead actress.
Time travel: 9
20. Interstellar (2014)
PG-13 | 169 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
When Earth becomes uninhabitable in the future, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper, is tasked to pilot a spacecraft, along with a team of researchers, to find a new planet for humans.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy
Votes: 2,101,076 | Gross: $188.02M
This is some of the most interesting time travel I've seen. There is not much time travel, but what we have is mind blowing. The ending makes no sense though, and is a lazy cop-out.
Time travel: 8
21. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
PG | 142 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.
Director: Alfonso Cuarón | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Richard Griffiths
Votes: 691,746 | Gross: $249.36M
The by far best Harry Potter movie also has time travel in it. Coincidence? Not fully. If you watch one Harry Potter movie pick this one.
Time travel: 8
22. Lost in Space (1998)
PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Family
The Robinson family was going into space to fight for a chance for humanity. Now they are fighting to live long enough to find a way home.
Director: Stephen Hopkins | Stars: Gary Oldman, William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, Mimi Rogers
Votes: 74,872 | Gross: $69.12M
Personally I really like fast paced action movies with cool characters. But many hate this one because it's not like the old TV show. So it may not be for you. The ending is weird as it sets up a universe and a sequel which we never got as the TV show fans got offended.
Time travel: 6
23. Army of Darkness (1992)
R | 81 min | Comedy, Horror
When Ash Williams is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead in order to return home.
Director: Sam Raimi | Stars: Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie
Votes: 194,399 | Gross: $11.50M
Not much time travel, but enough for me to add it here as it's a good movie. The best Evil Dead movie by far in my opinion. The rest are skippable.
Time travel: 6
24. Time Trap (2017)
Not Rated | 87 min | Action, Adventure, Mystery
A professor enters a cave and goes missing. Some of his students come looking for him and get trapped in the cave as well.
Directors: Mark Dennis, Ben Foster | Stars: Reiley McClendon, Cassidy Gifford, Brianne Howey, Olivia Draguicevich
Votes: 43,533
Very fun watch. Weak ending as it's not high budget or clever writing. But very much a ride. It's another one of those "leave you brain at the door" movies. But once you watch it you'll understand that a concept remake with better writers would be glorious.
Time travel: 8
25. Doctor Strange (2016)
PG-13 | 115 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
While on a journey of physical and spiritual healing, a brilliant neurosurgeon is drawn into the world of the mystic arts.
Director: Scott Derrickson | Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong
Votes: 805,237 | Gross: $232.64M
A bit time travel. But it's extremely cool so I had to add it. Some of the most memorable time travel used in a plot.
Time travel: 8
26. Next (2007)
PG-13 | 96 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A Las Vegas magician who can see into the future is pursued by FBI agents seeking to use his abilities to prevent a nuclear terrorist attack.
Director: Lee Tamahori | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel, Thomas Kretschmann
Votes: 166,441 | Gross: $18.21M
Very fun B action movie. If you like silly action and fast paced stories with lots of stuff happening this is for you. But it's not a high budget movie and Jessica Biel is in it trying to pretend she's an actress. These kind of new movies with non-grainy image quality are some of the easiest to watch and rewatch for random viewers. They feel like the real world and not some grainy analog universe.
Time travel: 8
27. Demolition Man (1993)
R | 115 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A police officer is brought out of suspended animation in prison to pursue an old ultra-violent nemesis who is loose in a non-violent future society.
Director: Marco Brambilla | Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne
Votes: 193,406 | Gross: $58.06M
Not really time travel just a movie set in the future. But it's really fun and kinda is time travel. It's a classic.
Time travel: 4
28. The Thirteenth Floor (1999)
R | 100 min | Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A computer scientist running a virtual reality simulation of 1937 becomes the primary suspect when his colleague and mentor is murdered.
Director: Josef Rusnak | Stars: Craig Bierko, Gretchen Mol, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Vincent D'Onofrio
Votes: 77,296 | Gross: $15.50M
Not much time travel, but just enough for it to feature on my list as it's a good movie. Very overlooked because the budget is not quite great enough to make it compete with blockbusters as it looks grainy and old at times.
Time travel: 5
29. Looper (2012)
R | 119 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.
Director: Rian Johnson | Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano
Votes: 603,071 | Gross: $66.49M
Creepy movie with tons of plot holes. But worth a watch for sure. It's probably the time travel movie with the most obvious plot holes but that's because it's very hard to use this idea and not have plot holes.
Time travel: 6
30. Tenet (2020)
PG-13 | 150 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Armed with only the word "Tenet," and fighting for the survival of the entire world, CIA operative, The Protagonist, journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a global mission that unfolds beyond real time.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Juhan Ulfsak
Votes: 592,912 | Gross: $58.46M
In this genre it's a must-watch because it tries a new time travel concept. It doesn't always work and feels a bit small with a lead who is not good enough for the project. But overall it's a recommended watch.
Time travel: 9
31. Predestination (I) (2014)
R | 97 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
As his last assignment, a temporal agent is tasked to travel back in time and prevent a bomb attack in New York in 1975. The hunt, however, turns out to be beyond the bounds of possibility.
Directors: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor, Madeleine West
Votes: 304,770 | Gross: $0.07M
Very weird movie with a single plot focus. But it's fun to watch it and it's high quality. Probably won't ever even consider rewatching this which is a minus.
Time travel: 6
32. Time Bandits (1981)
PG | 110 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
A young boy accidentally joins a band of time travelling dwarves, as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal.
Director: Terry Gilliam | Stars: Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, John Cleese, Katherine Helmond
Votes: 68,368 | Gross: $42.37M
Silly movie, but enough time travel to make it feature here. Terry Gilliam makes movies that are very weird and not always properly focused. But this is his second best movie after Twelve Monkeys (1995) - which also has time travel.
Time travel: 5
33. Happy Death Day (2017)
PG-13 | 96 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery
A college student must relive the day of her murder over and over again, in a loop that will end only when she discovers her killer's identity.
Director: Christopher Landon | Stars: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Charles Aitken
Votes: 162,847 | Gross: $55.68M
There are some weak scenes in it but overall it's a movie you'll love if you like fast pace and comedic timings. The sequel can be skipped unless you have watched everything on my list and seek 6/10 rated movies just to waste a few hours.
Time travel: 7
34. Jumper (2008)
PG-13 | 88 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A young man with teleportation abilities suddenly finds himself in the middle of an ancient war between those like him and their sworn annihilators.
Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson
Votes: 323,659 | Gross: $80.17M
Does it have time travel? It's one of those movies that's fun to watch, but nothing that feels like a work of passion as it kinda does the basics well, but nothing else. So it's silly light fun - sign me in!
Time travel: 3
35. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013 Video)
PG-13 | 75 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The Flash finds himself in a war torn alternate timeline and teams up with alternate versions of his fellow heroes to return home and restore the timeline.
Director: Jay Oliva | Stars: Justin Chambers, C. Thomas Howell, Michael B. Jordan, Kevin McKidd
Votes: 59,823
One of the better DC cartoons out there. If you only can watch one DC cartoon maybe pick this one. It's very acceptable. I do look forward to DC putting more money into their cartoons as I think they can reach a much higher level. They look very subpar compared to average cinema cartoons.
Time travel: 7
36. The One (2001)
PG-13 | 87 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A rogue Multiverse agent goes on a manhunt for alternate versions of himself, getting stronger with each kill. Only the last version of himself, an LASD cop, can stop his crusade before he becomes "The One".
Director: James Wong | Stars: Jet Li, Carla Gugino, Delroy Lindo, Jason Statham
Votes: 96,096 | Gross: $43.91M
Hmmm, time travel? I think so. Of sorts. I added it because it's one of those action movies everyone seems to enjoy even though we all know it's stupid.
Time travel: 4
37. Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2020)
70 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
A cafe owner discovers that the TV in his cafe suddenly shows images from the future, but only two minutes into the future.
Director: Junta Yamaguchi | Stars: Kazunari Tosa, Riko Fujitani, Gôta Ishida, Masashi Suwa
Votes: 8,079
Very smart mini movie about video chat time travel. Like Time Lapse (2014), but with video instead of a photo camera. Super smart. This likely was cheaper to make than even all the short movies on the list. They just used phone cameras. It looks quite fine and the acting is not terrible. It's basically a movie that presents the concept.
Time travel: 8
38. The Final Girls (2015)
PG-13 | 91 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
A young woman grieving the loss of her mother, a famous scream queen from the 1980s, finds herself pulled into the world of her mom's most famous movie. Reunited, the women must fight off the film's maniacal killer.
Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson | Stars: Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam Devine, Thomas Middleditch
Votes: 51,754
A bit lame at the end and you feel cheated because you were that invested in it, but the beginning and middle is fun and the concept is super fun.
Time travel: 6
39. Run Lola Run (1998)
R | 80 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
After a botched money delivery, Lola has 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 Deutschmarks.
Director: Tom Tykwer | Stars: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup, Nina Petri
Votes: 207,020 | Gross: $7.27M
B movie from Germany. Pretty fun to watch as the energy is high and the pace is great. Great actress too.
Time travel: 7
40. Triangle (2009)
R | 99 min | Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Five friends set sail and their yacht is overturned by a strange and sudden storm. A mysterious ship arrives to rescue them, and what happens next cannot be explained.
Director: Christopher Smith | Stars: Melissa George, Joshua McIvor, Jack Taylor, Michael Dorman
Votes: 129,847
It's lower-budget and tries to be "deep" as many starting out filmmakers try to be. But that doesn't ruin it. I just wish they had focused on plot instead of analogies but so be it. It makes the repetition stuff emotional as we understand what it means. It's a cult classic.
Time travel: 8
41. The Endless (I) (2017)
Not Rated | 111 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
As kids, they escaped a UFO death cult. Now, two adult brothers seek answers after an old videotape surfaces and brings them back to where they began.
Directors: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead | Stars: Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Callie Hernandez, Tate Ellington
Votes: 49,425 | Gross: $0.27M
It has some time travel concept that's really amazing. But overall it's not about time travel so maybe it doesn't belong on the list. The first one was more clearly time travel, but it's not nearly as good even though it's fun enough.
Time travel: 5
42. Click (2006)
PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A workaholic architect finds a universal remote that allows him to fast-forward and rewind to different parts of his life. Complications arise when the remote starts to overrule his choices.
Director: Frank Coraci | Stars: Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken, David Hasselhoff
Votes: 356,851 | Gross: $137.36M
A classic comedy. Silly and over the top, but the time travel is cool and makes it work overall. Just silly fun worth a watch.
Time travel: 7
43. ARQ (2016)
TV-MA | 88 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Trapped in a lab and stuck in a time loop, a disoriented couple fends off masked raiders while harboring a new energy source that could save humanity.
Director: Tony Elliott | Stars: Robbie Amell, Rachael Taylor, Shaun Benson, Gray Powell
Votes: 41,877
Second time I watched it I didn't enjoy it at all. But first time around I was glued to the screen as it was NEW time travel!
Time travel: 6
44. Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (2009)
PG-13 | 83 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
While drinking at their local pub, three social outcasts attempt to navigate a time-travel conundrum.
Director: Gareth Carrivick | Stars: Chris O'Dowd, Marc Wootton, Dean Lennox Kelly, Anna Faris
Votes: 36,576
It's fun to watch time travel. Low-budget and thud ending, but fun watch. It's overrated in the time travel movies genre because it has famous actors and simple but fun plot. There are much better movies out there but this is just a light one that many teens enjoy.
Time travel: 6
45. Mr. Nobody (2009)
R | 141 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
A boy stands on a station platform as a train is about to leave. Should he go with his mother or stay with his father? Infinite possibilities arise from this decision. As long as he doesn't choose, anything is possible.
Director: Jaco Van Dormael | Stars: Jared Leto, Sarah Polley, Diane Kruger, Linh-Dan Pham
Votes: 245,864 | Gross: $0.00M
This is a weird movie and weak on plot so it's not for all, but it's a fine single-watch movie because it keeps you guessing. I recommend it to people who want to experience a really weird movie, but it's not a simple watch for random viewers.
Time travel: 6
46. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)
PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Henry DeTamble, a librarian, possesses a unique gene that lets him involuntarily travel through time. His wife, Claire Abshire, finds it difficult to cope with it.
Director: Robert Schwentke | Stars: Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston, Michelle Nolden
Votes: 157,929 | Gross: $63.41M
Romance. It's fine, nothing spectacular. Must-watch for romance fans. Fine watch for everyone else but once you get it there is not much to it.
Time travel: 6
47. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
R | 137 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick
Votes: 1,174,405 | Gross: $204.84M
An amazing film havign a low ranking because the time travel is just one-time which doesn't really count unless something more is done with it. But there is enough thinking about the future events they can change that I think it can fit into such list, barely.
Time travel: 4
48. Stargate (1994)
PG-13 | 116 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
An interstellar teleportation device, found in Egypt, leads to a planet with humans resembling ancient Egyptians who worship the god Ra.
Director: Roland Emmerich | Stars: Kurt Russell, James Spader, Jaye Davidson, Viveca Lindfors
Votes: 205,142 | Gross: $71.57M
Basic time travel to the past/other planet. Barely time travel movie but should be on any such list.
Time travel: 4
49. The Infinite Man (2014)
Not Rated | 85 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
A man's attempt to construct the ultimate romantic weekend backfires when his quest for perfection traps his lover in an infinite loop.
Director: Hugh Sullivan | Stars: Josh McConville, Hannah Marshall, Alex Dimitriades
Votes: 2,037
Overlooked low-budget movie. Worth a watch if you like this sort of movie, but nothing big and the ending is a thud too like with nearly all low-budget movies. With a stronger ending I'd probably recommend it directly. But as of now it's a fun watch if you like these sort of super low-budget clever movies with very complicated but clever plots. Probably the most difficult script to write on my list alongside Primer.
Time travel: 8
50. Timecrimes (2007)
R | 92 min | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A man accidentally gets into a time machine and travels back in time nearly an hour. Finding himself will be the first of a series of disasters of unforeseeable consequences.
Director: Nacho Vigalondo | Stars: Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernández, Bárbara Goenaga, Nacho Vigalondo
Votes: 68,800 | Gross: $0.04M
Very low-budget movie with a crappy ending. But the road there is fairly interesting. This is a letdown overall because of the ending. It feels incomplete as it's a low-budget idea without a full plot concept. So it's a big let-down if you expect a 3 act structure with an ending.
Time travel: 6
51. Infinity Chamber (2016)
103 min | Sci-Fi, Thriller
A man trapped in an automated prison must outsmart a computer in order to escape.
Director: Travis Milloy | Stars: Christopher Soren Kelly, Cassandra Clark, Cajardo Lindsey, Jesse D. Arrow
Votes: 11,742
Lower-budget movie with weakish ending. But fun to watch. It's a very simple movie with few actors so unless you love time travel and complicated mystery movies skip these low-budget movies from my list.
Time travel: 5
52. The Tomorrow War (2021)
PG-13 | 138 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A family man is drafted to fight in a future war where the fate of humanity relies on his ability to confront the past.
Director: Chris McKay | Stars: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin
Votes: 227,883
The movie is fun. But it's incredibly stupid. It's fairly good until the ending where it jumps the shark and just stops making any sense which ruins it overall. They wanted the team to solve all problems alone so they forced a plotline. But, fun is fun...
Time travel: 6
53. Idiocracy (2006)
R | 84 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Corporal Joe Bauers, a decidedly average American, is selected for a top-secret hibernation program but is forgotten and left to awaken to a future so incredibly moronic that he's easily the most intelligent person alive.
Director: Mike Judge | Stars: Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, Dax Shepard, Terry Crews
Votes: 182,445 | Gross: $0.44M
Barely time travel so I'll have it low on the list. It's a cool concept. Bit like Lego Movie which is also fun.
Time travel: 3
54. Boss Level (2020)
TV-MA | 100 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Trapped in a time loop that constantly repeats the day of his murder, a former special forces agent must unlock the mystery behind his untimely demise.
Director: Joe Carnahan | Stars: Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson, Naomi Watts, Michelle Yeoh
Votes: 79,208
Groundhog Day time travel, but it's an action movie. Unfortunately it has a lot of really boring family scenes that drag on forever. And the story feels incomplete at the end. Besides this it's mindless action. Kinda needed just a bit more to be truly great, but it's fun for sure.
Time travel: 7
55. Land of the Lost (2009)
PG-13 | 102 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A space-time vortex sucks scientist Rick Marshall, his assistant Holly and a survivalist Will into a world populated by dinosaurs and painfully slow creatures called Sleestaks.
Director: Brad Silberling | Stars: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel, Jorma Taccone
Votes: 75,306 | Gross: $49.44M
Super silly comedy. It's never serious which makes it suck some of the time, but with just a few serious scenes it gets by as the comedy is good too. Shame it's not more serious because it's very close to being a great movie if they didn't try to make it so childish. The fans of the TV show really hate it for making fun of their beloved show. But to me the show looks super outdated and does need a remake like this one - but as a non-comedy.
Time travel: 2
56. Primer (2004)
PG-13 | 77 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Four friends/fledgling entrepreneurs, knowing that there's something bigger and more innovative than the different error-checking devices they've built, wrestle over their new invention.
Director: Shane Carruth | Stars: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden, Anand Upadhyaya
Votes: 114,196 | Gross: $0.42M
Mediocre movie but the concept is really cool. Probably very skippable unless you like super complicated movies. Only added it because it's time travel and interesting enough to watch, but with a budget of $7000 and somewhat flat characters it never really shines overall as it leaves you hanging.
Time travel: 9
57. Assassin 33 A.D. (2020)
PG-13 | 109 min | Sci-Fi
While doing research, a group of young geniuses accidentally stumbles upon a secret terrorist plot to create a time machine to go back in time and change history.
Director: Jim Carroll | Stars: Morgan Roberts, Ilsa Levine, Donny Boaz, Heidi Montag
Votes: 2,406
This is added as a joke. I still very much recommend it. Seriously go watch it you will be completely confused about why and how it was made plus you will be one of the few people who have watched it, join our cult. It actually has an acceptable budget and some of the writing is quite fine. Overall the movie feels cheap. But it's extremely unique.
Time travel: 11 or something
58.
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)
Episode:
Cause and Effect
(1992)
TV-PG | 46 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The Enterprise gets caught in a time loop which always has one result: total destruction of the ship, itself.
Director: Jonathan Frakes | Stars: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn
Votes: 4,761
Single story TV episode.
The best Star Trek episode ever made? A crew sits around and play cards. Suddenly something is off about the cards, but no one understands why that is. The reaction to this weirdness is calm and collected and if you are tired of endless fake screaming and crying in scenes where it makes zero sense then this is a must-watch.
Time travel: 10
59.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
A Most Unusual Camera
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
When three unintelligent crooks get ahold of a camera that takes pictures of the future, they set out to make a quick fortune with their new toy.
Director: John Rich | Stars: Fred Clark, Jean Carson, Adam Williams, Marcel Hillaire
Votes: 3,106
Single story TV episode.
You'll notice that a movie on my list is based on this episode. This is The Twilight Zone at its best without losing focus on the plot as many episodes tend to do. It's why people love the show.
Time travel: 10
60.
The Outer Limits (1995–2002)
Episode:
Tribunal
(1999)
TV-PG | 44 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Aaron Zgierski, a lawyer and the son of Holocaust survivors, is investigating the Nazi war criminal who murdered members of his family. He gets help from a mysterious time traveler who is able to procure evidence from Auschwitz in 1944.
Director: Mario Azzopardi | Stars: Saul Rubinek, Alex Diakun, Alex Zahara, Peter Boretski
Votes: 452
Single story TV episode.
Very memorable. Honestly had to be on my list because it's very unique and there is nothing similar to it in any movie. So without it my list would feel empty. Very emotional!
Time travel: 9
61.
The Outer Limits (1995–2002)
Episode:
A Stitch in Time
(1996)
TV-PG | 45 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
At least 17 men have been executed in the last two decades without a clear motive, with the same gun. FBI Special Agent Jamie Pratt has to find how some of those murders were carried out when the gun had not yet been made.
Director: Mario Azzopardi | Stars: Amanda Plummer, Andrew Airlie, Michelle Forbes, Brian Arnold
Votes: 725
Single story TV episode.
The Outer Limits is the only show that has even comparable level quality to the godfather of these shows, The Twilight Zone. But even though the budget is ridiculously low, and most episodes don't work because of it, this episode is still a unique experience in the time travel genre. There is nothing like it and as the budget is very low and the acting is wooden the writing is all it has to. This just shows how good the writing is for me to overlook all that negative stuff.
Time travel: 8
62.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999)
Episode:
Little Green Men
(1995)
TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Quark and Rom take Nog to Earth and Starfleet Academy, but a malfunction with the ship takes the crew back in time, to Roswell, New Mexico in 1947.
Director: James L. Conway | Stars: Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Michael Dorn, Terry Farrell
Votes: 2,738
Single story TV episode.
One of the best newer Star Trek episodes ever made in my opinion. But it's Star Trek so it's silly fun and seldom looks new and flashy.
Time travel: 7
63.
South Park (1997– )
Episode:
Go God Go XII
(2006)
TV-MA | 22 min | Animation, Comedy
Cartman is stuck in the future, in the middle of an international civil war between rival Atheist factions. And he STILL can't play Nintendo Wii.
Director: Trey Parker | Stars: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Jonathan Kimmel, Mona Marshall
Votes: 3,228
Single story TV episode.
The best 2 South Park episodes? Probably. Which is why I added them though they are not full time travel.
Time travel: 3
64.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
A Quality of Mercy
(1961)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Hot-shot new Lieutenant Katell tries to make his mark on the last day of World War II in the Pacific and gets a unique perspective on his actions.
Director: Buzz Kulik | Stars: Dean Stockwell, Albert Salmi, Rayford Barnes, Ralph Votrian
Votes: 2,370
Single story TV episode.
Emotionally deep The Twilight Zone episode. It's smart and deep, but I feel like it thinks it's way smarter than it is. The emotional punch is still very strong though.
Time travel: 8
65.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
The Last Flight
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A World War I British fighter pilot lands at an American air base in 1959 France.
Director: William F. Claxton | Stars: Kenneth Haigh, Alexander Scourby, Simon Scott, Robert Warwick
Votes: 4,067
Single story TV episode.
The Twilight Zone episodes are hit and miss, but when they work it's some of the best low-budget fun out there. This one is too simple, but because it's so old you get an extra aspect to it of it actually looking like the 1960's instead of being a glossy recreation of our past.
Time travel: 8
66.
The Outer Limits (1995–2002)
Episode:
Vanishing Act
(1996)
TV-PG | 45 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Trevor McPhee wants to celebrate New Year's in style. On his way back from the store with the champagne, he has an accident. When he wakes, he hitches a ride home and finds his wife thinks that he abandoned her - ten years ago.
Director: Jonathan Glassner | Stars: Jon Cryer, Dean McDermott, Richard Ian Cox, Jessica Lundy
Votes: 489
Single story TV episode.
Great concept, but it's super lame that they don't do more with it at the end. A big let-down ending, but most of it is still so creative and new that it's a fun watch. It's very unique time travel.
Time travel: 5
67.
Star Trek (1966–1969)
Episode:
The City on the Edge of Forever
(1967)
TV-PG | 50 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
When a temporarily insane Dr. McCoy accidentally changes history and destroys his time, Kirk and Spock follow him to prevent the disaster, but the price to do so is high.
Director: Joseph Pevney | Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Joan Collins, DeForest Kelley
Votes: 6,579
Single story TV episode.
Worst single episode on my list, but interesting enough. Too low-budget to feel realistic. I may add quite a few more time travel movies if this is acceptable quality for my list.
Time travel: 6
68.
Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007)
Episode:
Window of Opportunity
(2000)
TV-PG | 44 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Col. O'Neill and Teal'c realize they and their friends are trapped in a time loop.
Director: Peter DeLuise | Stars: Richard Dean Anderson, Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge
Votes: 2,820
Single story TV episode.
Day repeat time travel done well. Nothing amazing. Nothing terrible. It's a perfectly acceptable episode that's very much fun from start till finish and you will be glad you watched it. But I feel like more could have been done with the romance and character development.
Time travel: 6
69.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Back There
(1961)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
At a prominent club in Washington, D.C., a socialite argues about whether it would be possible to change history by traveling back in time. When he leaves the club he finds himself in 1865, on the night that President Lincoln will be shot.
Director: David Orrick McDearmon | Stars: Russell Johnson, Paul Hartman, Bartlett Robinson, John Lasell
Votes: 2,836
Single story TV episode.
The original The Twilight Zone went one step extra intellectually than anything else we had or have so you know this will be an intellectual journey. The questions and answers in this episode are about the fundamentals of time travel and determinism. Of course this show seldom focused much on plot so you may feel like it could have done more with the overall story. Some episodes are just an idea with no plot and therefore boring as heck. This one has a bit plot.
Time travel: 8
70. One-Minute Time Machine (2014)
6 min | Short, Comedy, Romance
James is all too eager to put his one-minute time machine to use in winning the heart of Regina, until he discovers the unexpected consequences of his actions.
Director: Devon Avery | Stars: Brian Dietzen, Erinn Hayes
Votes: 3,392
Short film.
Had to include it because the plot is amazing. I could probably add 5 more short films to my list, but they don't belong here unless they do something no movie has done.
Time travel: 10
71. Lazy Boy (2015)
12 min | Short, Comedy, Drama
Ray discovers his La-Z-Boy recliner is a one-minute time machine. Will he learn from his mistakes or is he destined to repeat them forever?
Director: Dave Redman | Stars: Bobby Bright, Steven Carroll, Steph Evison Williams, Ava Redman
Votes: 279
Short film.
Short film with a fast pace. Recommended little film.
Time travel: 8
72. Stealing Time (2011)
18 min | Short, Comedy, Sci-Fi
When a down-on-his-luck inventor builds a time machine to change the past, he unwittingly sets off a disastrous chain of events.
Director: Alex Calleros | Stars: Mikie Beatty, Dan Beckner, Adele Watkin, Joel Kelley Dauten
Votes: 442
Short film.
Some short films work enough on the idea to make it work quite well. This is one of the rare short films that is not awfully boring or pointless. It's silly fun, but the time travel is very smart.
Time travel: 8
73. Future Hero (2014)
7 min | Short, Action, Comedy
A short film about a dad, a son, and a time-traveling killer android.
Director: Ramin Serry | Stars: Ryan Woodle, Lucas Kavner, Kathy Searle, Trevor E. Dickerson
Votes: 54
Short film.
Extremely silly but still fun. Why the low IMDB rating? Short films are nearly never fantastic as such.
Time travel: 3
74. Stalled (III) (2022)
20 min | Short, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Late for the most important meeting of his life, a toxic executive finds himself trapped in a time paradox within a public restroom.
Director: Matt Black | Stars: Jacob Daniels, Larry Woods, Jeremy Ottens
Votes: 946
Tell Your Friends