Popularized by H. G. Wells’s 1895 novel The Time Machine, the concepts of time travel and "time machines" have been iterated hundreds, if not thousands, of times since in literature and, of course, on film. From classic examples like The Terminator (1984), Back to the Future (1985), and Groundhog Day (1993) to more contemporary examples like Looper (2012), Tenet (2020), and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2026), time travel has been used as a plot device by so many pieces of media, but in so many different ways. It can represent aspirations and fears for the future or reflection on the past, a past self, or even the present. While many of these movies are instant classics and blockbusters, many great and very insightful movies remain under the radar of general audiences. Here is a list of 5 must-watch time travel movies that you probably have never seen.
Run Lola Run (1998)
Directed by Tom Tykwer, Run Lola Run is an avant-garde thriller that follows titular character Lola who, to save her boyfriend, must rush across town and acquire 100,000 marks (equivalent to $60,000 USD today) within 20 minutes. While the premise is simple, it has an excellent twist: we get to watch the events play out 3 times with different strategies to the problem (think Groundhog Day but a lot more action). Seeing the alternate realities that can spring from Lola’s choices is fascinating, and near perfectly captures the frantic energy of being behind the 8-ball. The film's utility of mixed media and unique editing creates an atemporal experience unlike any other.(Stream on Hulu and YouTube)
Summer Time Machine Blues (2005)
Directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro and based on a play by Makoto Ueda, Summer Time Machine Blues is a quirky Japanese lice-of-life comedy that follows the members of a university science-fiction club who, after discovering a functional time machine, decide to travel back to the previous day to prevent their friend from accidentally breaking the air conditioning. The goal is not simple as it seems, however, and hijinks and complications quickly pile up. This movie is great for so many different reasons, but my favorite being how well it aesthetically captures a particular time, place, and feelings: The film really feels like a love letter both to time travel and university life. And, unlike many time travel narratives, Summer Time Machine Blues never gets too caught up in the idiosyncrasies and mechanics of time travel, remaining a humorous, character-driven story through and through.
Timecrimes (2007)
Released in Spain in 2007,Timecrimesis a sci-fi thrillerwritten and directed by NachoVigalondo. The film follows amiddle-agedman who, after getting caught ina string of catastrophic events, accidentally enters a time machine and is sent back in time by an hour. This strain of thriller bordering horror works so well alongside time travel, where characters are often forced into actions against their will to maintain the past. The plot of the film is extremely dense but completely airtight, a story where the most horrifying thing of all is the deterministic force of time. (Stream on Tubi, Pluto TV, and PLEX)
Donnie Darko (2001)
Written and directed by Richard Kelly, Donnie Darko is a psychological thriller/dark sci-fi movie that follows Donnie (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), a troubled teenager who, after avoiding a crashing engine jet falling on his bedroom by sleepwalking, is plagued by visions and coercions from a man in a rabbit suit. The story, while seemingly absurd, is a deeply terrifying plot about isolation, free will, and mental illness. We watch as Donnie, despite being a kind and well-meaning kid, is discounted and isolated from the world by his visions of the man in the rabbit suit. While a relatively complex time travel story, it is also a very sad and very human narrative. (Stream on Hulu and Prime Video)
Primer (2004)
Last but certainly not least, Primer is an independent psychological drama/sci-fi feature written, directed, and starring Shane Carruth. The story follows two engineers who stumble onto a form of time travel where, using enclosed boxes, they can pass time backwards. This discovery and how it should be used inevitably forms deep tears in the two’s friendship. Praised for a deeply technical storyline and a complete lack of handholding in its dialogue and editing, Primer can be alienating to viewers who want to have a narrative handed to them but is a hell of a ride for those who enjoy active media engagement and the scientific/psychological ramifications of time travel. (Available on VOD/Digital)
