Time travel is one of those classic themes that never gets old. Who wouldn’t want the chance to fix a past mistake or sneak a peek at what the future holds?
If you are ready to have your mind blown and maybe shed a tear or two, you have come to the right place! Bob has curated a list of movies about time travel that will take you from the apocalyptic future of The Terminator to the heartwarming romance of About Time!
So, grab your popcorn and get comfortable in your pod, let’s dive into these cinematic masterpieces that prove time is nothing but a wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey ball of fun!
Also Read: 7 Slice-of-Life Movies for the Weary Heart
Best Movies about Time Travel
Interstellar
Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is a visual masterpiece that blends hard science with a heartbreaking story of love and sacrifice.
Set in a future where Earth is failing, former pilot Cooper leaves his family behind to lead a mission through a wormhole to find a new home for humanity. The time travel here is uniquely terrifying because it relies on relativity: spending just a few hours on a planet near a black hole means decades pass back on Earth, causing Cooper to miss his children growing up!
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain, this 2-hour and 49-minute epic is available to stream on Netflix, HBO Max, and Apple TV. Just a heads-up: bring a box of tissues to your pod, because this one hits harder than a black hole’s gravity!
About Time
If you prefer romance and life lessons over black holes and quantum physics, About Time is the perfect palate cleanser!
The story follows Tim, who discovers on his 21st birthday that the men in his family can travel back in time to moments within their own lives. Instead of changing history or seeking fortune, Tim uses this power for a much more relatable goal: to get a girlfriend.
Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, and the legendary Bill Nighy, this film is a beautiful, tear-jerking reminder that the most extraordinary part of life is often just the ordinary day-to-day. Running for about 2 hours and 3 minutes, you can catch this heartwarming gem on Netflix or Apple TV.
Trust Bob, this is the ultimate comfort movie for a cozy night in!
The Butterfly Effect
Things take a darker, psychological turn with The Butterfly Effect. This mind-bending thriller follows Evan Treborn, played by Ashton Kutcher in a surprisingly gritty role, who discovers he can travel back into his childhood body to alter past events!
Driven to fix the traumatic lives of his friends and his childhood sweetheart, Kayleigh (Amy Smart), Evan soon realizes that changing even the smallest detail creates a ripple effect that makes the present increasingly disastrous. Clocking in at 1 hour and 53 minutes, the film explores the terrifying side of chaos theory, where “fixing” things might just break them further.
You can typically stream this cult classic on Netflix or Prime Video. It is a gripping watch that will definitely make you think twice before wishing you could hit the “undo” button on your past mistakes!
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Arrival
Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival offers a uniquely cerebral take on the genre, proving you don’t need a DeLorean to traverse time. Sometimes, you just need the right vocabulary!
The story centers on linguistics professor Louise Banks, portrayed by the incredible Amy Adams, who leads a team investigating mysterious spacecraft that have touched down across the globe. As she deciphers the aliens’ complex language, she begins to perceive time non-linearly, experiencing “memories” of the future that hold the key to saving humanity.
Also starring Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker, this 1-hour and 56-minute film is a stunning visual and intellectual treat! You can currently stream it on Netflix or rent it via Prime Video. If you love a movie that twists your brain and tugs at your heartstrings simultaneously, this masterpiece is an absolute must-watch!
Back to the Future
No list of movies about time travel is complete without the ultimate 80s classic, Back to the Future!
The story follows Marty McFly, played by the iconic Michael J. Fox, who accidentally travels from 1985 back to 1955 in a plutonium-powered DeLorean built by the eccentric genius Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). Stranded in the past, Marty has a massive problem: he has to play matchmaker for his own parents to ensure he isn’t erased from existence, all while figuring out how to generate 1.21 gigawatts to get home!
Running for 1 hour and 56 minutes, this pop-culture staple is available to stream on Netflix or rent via Apple TV. It is the gold standard for sci-fi adventures. If you haven’t seen this one yet, you are seriously missing out, Bob’s Besties!
The Terminator
Before “I’ll be back” became one of the most famous lines in history, James Cameron gave us The Terminator, the sci-fi action flick that defined a generation!
The high-stakes plot kicks off when Skynet, an artificial intelligence from a dystopian 2029, sends a cyborg assassin, the T-800, back to 1984 to terminate Sarah Connor. Her crime? She is destined to give birth to the future leader of the human resistance. It is up to a lone soldier, Kyle Reese, to protect her in a relentless chase across Los Angeles.
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in his career-defining role alongside Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn, this 1-hour and 47-minute thrill ride is pure adrenaline! You can currently stream it on Prime Video, Apple TV, or Netflix. Just make sure you lock your pod door tight; you definitely don’t want a T-800 looking for you tonight!
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Time After Time
Closing our list is a hidden gem that pits two historical figures against each other in a battle across centuries: Time After Time!
Imagine if H.G. Wells didn’t just write The Time Machine but actually built one! In this inventive thriller, the famous author (played by a charming Malcolm McDowell) must pursue none other than the infamous Jack the Ripper (David Warner) after the serial killer uses the machine to escape 1893 London for modern-day San Francisco. It is a fantastic mix of fish-out-of-water romance-comedy featuring Mary Steenburgen, and suspense as the polite Victorian gentleman tries to stop a monster in a strange new world!
Running for 1 hour and 52 minutes, you can typically stream this classic on Apple TV or Netflix. It’s the perfect quirky throwback to end your marathon!
Create Your Own Cinema Experience at Bobopod!
Photo: Bobobox Internal Asset
Inspired to watch these time-travel masterpieces but want an experience better than just your laptop screen? Bobopod has the perfect solution to upgrade your movie marathon!
With our signature comfortable pods and adjustable mood lighting, you can set the perfect ambiance for every scene from the warm glow for About Time or a cool, futuristic hue for Arrival.
For the ultimate viewing party, book your stay at Bobopod Alun-Alun Bandung or Bobopod Alun-Alun Malang. These specific branches offer a special Mini Projector facility that transforms your pod into a private mini-cinema! Imagine sprawling out on a king-size bed, dimming the lights, and projecting Interstellar right onto your pod wall for an immersive cosmic journey. It’s the cozy, private theater experience you never knew you needed!
Ready to travel through time from the comfort of your bed? Tap in the Bobobox app for booking your pod today!
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Writer: Ratna Asih
Featured photo: Kevin Woblick via Unsplash
