Sci-fi time travel movies are the best genre that can directly address the human condition. These types of movies are by far my favorite movie category. Who hasn’t, at least once in their lifetime, wished they could turn back the hands of time to do something in the past or to set something right that once went wrong?
Here are the top 10 best time travel movies of all that have a wide range of inventive ways to show something unique related to time travel. Many of these films use either a psychic ability, a mysterious device, or a time machine. Along with those some seem to have help from a higher control and sometimes the person just wakes up in a different era.
If you love or are a big fan of Sci-fi movies and TV shows then this top 10 list of best time travel movies is for you.
10 Best Time Travel Movies Of All Time
1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day(1991)
IMDB: 8.5/10
This 1991 sci-fi film was regarded as one of the best Sci-fi movies of the ’90s. Terminator 2, directed by James Cameron, is the ultimate action epic of all time. It was a groundbreaking movie in many ways.
It introduced everyone for the first time to the extreme fantasies and horrors of technology that may one day engulf us. It’s more than simply a movie, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nothing like it will ever be made again.
2. Interstellar (2014)
IMDB: 8.6/10
Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’ is a visual masterpiece. It’s not just the homages to classic sci-fi movies that make the movie stand out, it’s also the originality of the concept, as well as the remarkable yet well-executed approach to the time-traveling concept.
This is one of the best time travel movies ever filmed. This has just the right amount of character depth, emotion, adventure, and nostalgia. You must be patient with this movie because it is not a typical film, it never is with Christopher Nolan!
3. Source Code (2011)
IMDB: 7.5/10
‘Source Code,’ directed by Duncan Jones, is a science-fictional movie that leaves us more than confused at the end. Colter Stevens, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is a pilot who is part of a government covert program. He is granted the opportunity to relive the final moments of the life of another man who died in a railway explosion.
Stevens is required to learn the identity of the bomber, but when he accepts the task, he realizes that many things are at stake, the least of which is time. ‘Source Code’ takes a fresh look at the time travel movies we’re used to see, and it does so effectively.
4. Back to the Future(1985)
IMDB: 8.5/10
Is there anything else like the movie Back to the Future? The 1985 original by filmmaker Robert Zemeckis takes a universal idea, the reality that we’ll never truly know what our parents were like when they were our age, and adds his customary touch of outrageous ambition by playing it out as a time travel drama.
This is the type of movie that has stood the test of time and will continue to do so. The chemistry between Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd is incredible.
5. Edge of Tomorrow(2014)
IMDB: 7.9/10
Directed by Doug Liman Edge of Tomorrow is the perfect science-fiction twister. This movie combines Tom Cruise’s action, Emily Blunt’s strength, and writer Christopher McQuarrie’s unique concepts. Many have attempted and failed to replicate Groundhog Day’s “stuck in a loop” concept, but Edge of Tomorrow takes it and runs with it, making every single scene fresh even if we’re watching the same day play out over and over. Edge of Tomorrow is a truly one-of-a-kind and highly entertaining blockbuster.
6. Twelve Monkeys (1995)
IMDB: 8/10
The 1995 movie “12 Monkeys,” directed by Terry Gilliam and co-written by David Peoples, starred two Hollywood celebrities, Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt. The movie revolves around James Cole (Willis), a prisoner in the 2030s who is recruited for a mission and is transported back to the 1990s to acquire information about a deadly plague that has wiped off a big portion of the population. Through the concept of time travel, 12 Monkeys demonstrates the subjective nature of memories and their impact on views of reality.
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7. Primer (2004)
IMDB: 6.9/10
Shane Carruth’s ‘Primer’ is the most genuine time-travel movie ever made. There have been numerous study papers produced on the film, and many experts believe that the science depicted in the movie can theoretically be used as the foundation for time travel. How many time-travel movies can claim to be based on credible science?
The plot centers around two friends who inadvertently create a time machine, and as the movie progresses, we witness how time travel may irreversibly damage things. However, multiple watching is required to fully understand the movie. Even so, you may be left with some unanswered questions.
8. Planet of the Apes(1968)
IMDB: 8/10
Even though moviegoers who first saw the 1968 picture weren’t aware of it until the final, jaw-dropping climax, Planet of the Apes is really a time-travel movie. Taylor, played by Charlton Heston, has not only stumbled onto an ape-populated world but has also traveled into a future Earth where apes have completely taken over.
The movie is rife with sociopolitical explanations, which continue throughout the underappreciated series. But it’s the ending, which casts the remainder of the movie in a whole new light, that elevates it to classic status.
9. Groundhog Day(1993)
IMDB: 8/10
With a funny and brilliantly written screenplay, Harold Ramis’ 1993 Groundhog Day has a significant meaning behind it and gives a real insight of how life should be lived. It’s hilarious, including some of Murray’s best comedic bits, but it’s also heartbreaking.
The movie does not ignore the premise’s underlying loneliness of being locked in the same day over and over again. It travels to some rather dark places, but Murray’s humanity always comes through, and Andie MacDowell as his counterpoint delivers some fantastically quiet work.
10. Midnight in Paris (2011)
IMDB: 8/10
The movie, directed by Woody Allen, attempts to relate time travel and romance as closely as possible. The movie depicts two characters, Gil (Owen Wilson) and Inez (Rachel McAdams), who are in a relationship and about to marry, but they can’t believe they aren’t even quite similar.
Gil is a romantic who is fulfilled by delicate sentiments and lengthy night walks, but Inez is more materialistic and is drawn to affluent men and lavish items. Gil travels back in time to the era of Fitzgerald and Hemingway and becomes addicted to it. Meanwhile, Inez attends parties and socializes with other men.
Amelia Wilson is an independent film critic who has been writing about films for the past 8 years. She is also a writer, pet lover and a motivational speaker. She was previously writing about movies on her personal blog, now she is full-time reviewer and writer on LoudFact.
