Time travel movies

Rev. Powell · February 19, 2009, 08:28:42 PM

Time traveling movies tend to get bogged down in paradoxes:

"What if I traveled back in time and killed my grandfather? Then I would never have be born and I couldn't travel back in time to kill my grandfather... so then I would have been born... ouch, my head hurts thinking about it." Audiences can get badly confused, but these movies can be lots of fun if executed correctly.

I just saw the Spanish film TIMECRIMES, and although I didn't think it was a terrific movie, because the acting, cinematography, suspense factor were merely adequate, I thought the excellent script handled the time travel conundrum about as well as it could be handled.

The best film in this genere, in my opinion, is BACK TO THE FUTURE, because the plot was handled well and the humor and excitement were top-notch.

What other time travel movies are out there, and which ones do you like/hate?

Doggett · February 19, 2009, 08:54:54 PM

I love The Time Machine...both versions.

Please, as ever, don't hate me.

Mr. DS · February 19, 2009, 08:56:03 PM

Oh God Rev...you're bringing out the overthinking nerd in me. Time movies drive me nuts simply because of that reason but I love them. And yes...I know they're "just a movie" but I'm the constant questioner.

I'll start with Back To The Future. I'm cool with most of it but speaking only of the first one, there are some problems I have. I figure if George McFly helped alter the future by socking out Biff this creates two WTF issues with me.

Spoiler Warnings

1.) Marty was awfully shocked to see his world had changed after getting back to the future. The minute George laid a kiss on his mother at the dance, shouldn't the memories of growing up change in his head from bad to good? Hence there should be no shock when he wakes up that morning.

2.) I often wonder if George and Lorraine wondered why their third son looked like Calvin Klein.

Then theres the Terminator series I have burned thousands of brain cells on. I love them to death but there are huge issues at hand. I've covered them on this board before and I'm not bringing it up until I see the Bale movie.

Perhaps the best one for me is Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure when it comes to the logistics of time travel. Silly yet it makes sense. The present is now and "now" is always going no matter what part of history or future you're in. However they kind of screwed up that idea in the second one at the end.

Menaaard!!! · February 19, 2009, 09:59:16 PM

Retroactive

Interesting handling of the premise as the same roadtrip repeats itself, but with different consequences, as Kylie Travis keeps going back in time (10-20 minutes), quite accidentally too, and learning that knowledge of the future can be an even more dangerous thing in the past; even if you are trying to save people.

It's so much fun, and sexy, watching her kick Jim Belushi's ass.

Ash · February 19, 2009, 10:12:14 PM

I recently added "Time After Time" to my Netflix queue.
It's available on there in the Instant Watch category.
I remember watching it when I was a boy and loving it. Haven't seen it in at least 20 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD39rK1uSww

I also like that Christopher Reeve film "Somewhere In Time".
His method of time travel in that film was cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrEhKxYnKGs

meQal · February 19, 2009, 10:55:29 PM

I once wrote down a set of rules for time travel that I picked up from watching several time travel movies. If I remember what they were or where I have them, I might repost them for people.

Pilgermann · February 20, 2009, 02:21:43 AM

I love 12 Monkeys. I think it handles the idea in a fairly logical way. Back to the Future is wonderful of course, and Ash mentioned Somewhere In Time which I was surprised to enjoy myself.

RCMerchant · February 20, 2009, 06:25:03 AM

Edgar (the BLACK CAT-1934) Ulmer's 1960 BEYOND the TIME BARRIER.

the TIME TRAVELLERS (1964).....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXTs16fMYJc

...which was remade (kinda) by David Hewitt in 1967 as the BAD JOURNY TO THE CENTER of TIME (1967).

schmendrik · February 20, 2009, 09:10:20 AM

There's one I can't remember the title of, that I saw on the Saturday afternoon creature feature as a kid. The paradox that comes up is that the bad guy ends up killing himself while time traveling.

First, early in the movie while he's in the time machine he sees something coming at him and shoots it. Later (I think you can guess what's coming) he is in what might be a different time machine (which is why his earlier self thought it was an enemy) and approaching himself going the other way.

Anyway, I remember liking that movie and the paradox even though I can't recall any other details.

I'll also vote for both Time Machine movies even though the bad science in the remake irritated the heck out of me. (a) A few nukes on the moon are not going to cause it to blow up. It gets far more blast energy than that in meteor collisions, year in and year out. (b) You can learn to speak fluent English by reading the inscriptions on a wall or two?

As a kid, I was a huge fan of the time travel TV show Time Tunnel.

jimmybob · February 20, 2009, 08:41:56 PM

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and it's superior sequel are notable.

-Jimmybob

Allhallowsday · February 20, 2009, 10:08:49 PM

TIME BANDITS (1981)

schmendrik · February 20, 2009, 10:23:46 PM

Silly as they are, I like the Back to the Future movies. #2 isn't so hot, but it has it's moments.

Andrew · February 20, 2009, 10:31:18 PM

Quote from: Menaaard!!! on February 19, 2009, 09:59:16 PM
Retroactive

Interesting handling of the premise as the same roadtrip repeats itself, but with different consequences, as Kylie Travis keeps going back in time (10-20 minutes), quite accidentally too, and learning that knowledge of the future can be an even more dangerous thing in the past; even if you are trying to save people.

Watched "Retroactive" on cable one night years ago. It was like "Groundhog Day," but with meaner results when what she tried didn't work out. And it has Shannon Whirry as the abused woman. Granted, it's not a sexy part like she usually plays in films, but I still like seeing Whirry, and she wasn't bad in such a part that is out of her norm.

Quote from: doggett on February 19, 2009, 08:54:54 PM
I love The Time Machine...both versions.

Please, as ever, don't hate me.

I love the original, both for the elegant engineering of the time machine and the human interactions. It was easy to tell why Rod Taylor's character wanted to travel in time. Nothing was anchoring him to the present.

There was one part of the 2002 remake that I liked, which was the computer hologram (Orlando Jones) seeing Alexander after all those years and going, "You!" However, I don't know if I can forgive the remake for the awful time bomb plot device/pun.

Menaaard!!! · February 20, 2009, 11:34:41 PM

Quote from: Andrew on February 20, 2009, 10:31:18 PM
Quote from: Menaaard!!! on February 19, 2009, 09:59:16 PM
Retroactive

Interesting handling of the premise as the same roadtrip repeats itself, but with different consequences, as Kylie Travis keeps going back in time (10-20 minutes), quite accidentally too, and learning that knowledge of the future can be an even more dangerous thing in the past; even if you are trying to save people.

Watched "Retroactive" on cable one night years ago. It was like "Groundhog Day," but with meaner results when what she tried didn't work out. And it has Shannon Whirry as the abused woman. Granted, it's not a sexy part like she usually plays in films, but I still like seeing Whirry, and she wasn't bad in such a part that is out of her norm.

I originally caught the movie on cable as well. I recalled having thought it was entertaining, but didn't give it too much thought beyond that, except that it stuck with me till a few years later when I came across it and bought it. I really came to like it on subsequent viewings.

I think Shannon Whirry is at her tops in her role. A good bit of what holds the story together is her character and trying to save her. She certainly makes the character worthwhile to save.

Interesting that the movie moves along at a pace, introducing additional elements to the story as it unfolds, but, IMO, doesn't lose the viewer, as seems so common in time travel movies.

Of course, not to forget, this is a guy movie with a hot babe, bullets flying, cars racing, and lots of things blowing up (the same thing multiple times...but in different ways).

A difference from the Groundhog Day premise in this is the catharsis Travis' character has, though not directly stated (rather played out through the movie), that unlike Murray's character who does contribute to the events in positive ways, her presence, as she comes to realize, is the catalyst for what happens, and when she removes herself from the equation the objective plays out.

AndyC · February 21, 2009, 01:21:01 AM

Always had a soft spot for The Final Countdown, probably because I saw it at the right age. Same with The Philadelphia Experiment.

My wife always gets really frustrated with time travel stories. She can't wrap her head around some of the things I just take for granted. We can be watching an episode of Doctor Who, and we'll have to stop while I clarify how the Doctor can meet woman from the future, who knows him even though he's never met her, then go on to have a relationship with her after she dies at the end of the episode. Had to draw a diagram for that one.

I like the stories that take the Doctor Who approach, where the rules of time travel are vague and not discussed in much detail. Time travel follows just enough rules to serve the story, which is the important thing.