One movie subgenre that has more movies than you may realize is time-travel films. It’s even tough to pick the best ones, especially because as the years go by, filmmakers come up with new stories featuring more creative and bold theories about how time travel works. A lot of these have become true classics, like the Back to the Future trilogy; some have changed the way we think about the concept, like Donnie Darko; and others stood out because they fit the concept into the story so well, making the impact even stronger, like Avengers: Endgame. But with so many movies on this subgenre, some have slipped audience’s minds and really deserve more attention.
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Time travel is a pretty specific sci-fi idea, but it can also work in so many other genres. With that in mind, here’s a list of some of the best films that have just been underrated over the years and definitely deserve more love when it comes to going back in time or seeing the future.
Synchronic
Anthony Mackie has just made his solo debut as Captain America, but the actor also has a very intriguing time-travel film on his resume. Synchronic is a thriller directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Marvel’s Moon Knight) that follows Steve (Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan), two paramedics from New Orleans who start responding to a series of strange cases and mysterious deaths linked to a new synthetic drug called “Synchronic.”
As they dig deeper, they discover that the drug has supernatural effects, altering users’ perception of time and allowing them to experience different temporal realities. The situation becomes even more personal when Dennis’ daughter disappears after taking the drug, leading Steve to risk his own life and sanity to uncover the truth behind the mystery and try to rescue her. This film is one of the most underrated gems on the subject, especially for those who enjoy exploring complex and thought-provoking concepts.
Synchronic is available to stream on Netflix.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
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Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is the perfect comedy for anyone looking for a good laugh with a time travel twist. Directed by Stephen Herek, it’s one of those movies that’s super fun to watch but hasn’t gotten the love it deserves. The story follows the iconic Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves), two teenagers whose dream is to make it big with their rock band. But they’re about to fail their history class, which threatens their plans, especially since Ted’s dad is set to send him to military school if he doesn’t pass. To avoid this, they get some help from Rufus (George Carlin), a time traveler from the future, who gives them a time machine that looks like a telephone booth.
This is where things get really fun. Bill and Ted end up traveling through different historical periods, meeting figures like Socrates, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joan of Arc, and Abraham Lincoln, all to bring them to the present and put together a killer history presentation to pass. It’s a super light and funny movie with a totally upbeat vibe. Of course the film was followed by two sequels that offer even more unique exploration in the time travel concept.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is available to stream on Max.
Midnight in Paris
Woody Allen’s projects tend to have a more niche audience, but Midnight in Paris definitely deserved more praise. In this film, time travel is used as a romantic comedy element. The story follows Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), a screenwriter and aspiring novelist who visits Paris with his fiancée, Inez (Rachel McAdams), and her parents. Unhappy with his life and career, he ends up mysteriously traveling back to 1920s Paris during his late-night walks.
In this magical setting, Gil meets iconic figures like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Salvador Dalí. However, he falls in love with Adriana (Marion Cotillard), a muse from the time, which sparks a journey of self-discovery and confronts the tension between illusions and idealizations. It’s the kind of film that explores dissatisfaction with the present, the romanticizing of the past, and the quest for something more meaningful.
Midnight in Paris is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Arrival
This isn’t exactly a movie that’s been completely forgotten, especially since it’s one of Denis Villeneuve’s most interesting works. But Arrival is definitely not talked about as much as it should be. Based on Ted Chiang’s Story of Your Life, Arrival is one of those projects that showcases how brilliant the director of the Dune franchise is in the sci-fi genre. The film follows Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams), a skilled linguist who is recruited by the U.S. army after twelve alien ships mysteriously appear around the world. Teaming up with physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), she works to communicate with the alien visitors, known as Heptapods, in order to figure out why they’ve come to Earth.
As she decodes their complex language, Louise begins to have strange, almost prophetic visions about her own life and events that have yet to come. The film takes a unique approach to time, focusing more on its non-linear nature and how human perception shapes our understanding of it. Rather than the usual time travel story, it’s a deep, introspective narrative that challenges our concepts of time and existence.
Arrival is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Project Almanac
For indie film fans, Project Almanac is a perfect pick. Directed by Dean Israelite, the story follows David Raskin (Jonny Weston), a smart student who, while going through his late father’s belongings, finds instructions for building a time machine. Along with his sister Christina (Virginia Gardner) and his friends Quinn (Sam Lerner) and Adam (Allen Evangelista), they build the device and start using it to fix small mistakes from the past and gain personal benefits, like winning the lottery and improving their grades.
But, as we know, messing with time has its consequences. By altering past events, they begin to trigger unexpected and even disastrous situations in both the present and future. While the movie doesn’t stray too far from the usual time travel rules, it’s still a fun watch, especially for those who enjoy seeing the unpredictable results of tampering with the past.
Project Almanac is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Déjà Vu
Denzel Washington is one of today’s most talented and celebrated actors, but not all of his genre films get the attention they deserve – Déjà Vu being one of them. Directed by Tony Scott, the story follows Doug Carlin (Washington), an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), who investigates an explosion on a ferry in New Orleans during Mardi Gras that kills hundreds of people. During the investigation, he’s brought into a special unit that uses experimental surveillance technology, which allows them to observe past events in real time. This is how Carlin ends up traveling back in time.
He immediately attempts to stop the attack and save Claire Kuchever (Paula Patton), a woman connected to the case. But as Carlin tries to alter the past to save lives, he faces moral dilemmas, and the film delves into the tension between predestination and free will.
Déjà Vu is available to stream on Disney+.
Mr. Nobody
The title Mr. Nobody may not be that unfamiliar to some sci-fi fans, but it’s definitely another underrated gem and clearly a cult classic at this point. Directed by Jaco Van Dormael, the film leans into romantic drama in addition to its sci-fi roots. The story follows Nemo Nobody (Jared Leto), a 118-year-old man and the last mortal in a world where humanity has achieved immortality. As his life nears its end, he starts recalling different versions of his existence, exploring how small decisions can lead to completely different paths.
This is another film that doesn’t follow the traditional rules of time travel. Instead, it uses the concept to explore different possibilities of life, focusing on the idea of the multiverse and how every decision Nemo makes creates new realities.
Mr. Nobody is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
