Plot: In Japan, four people attempt to kill themselves with explosives in an online suicide club. But after the explosion, the four find themselves set back in time and experience the moments before the combustion over and over again.

KBZ’s Take: We’re not sure how to really classify this film. It does have a sci-fi foundation as the group of people try to figure out how to break the time loop they’re caught in. But it’s also much more of a drama-based film about overcoming events in your past that led to suicidal thoughts.

It’s still an interesting film but we would only recommend the film for completists of the subgenre.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3R1OFAS

Plot: Kevin writes jingles for a living, is divorced and a terrible dad. When he ruins Christmas Day by attacking Santa, Jesus and Mary, the universe takes revenge by forcing him to relive the same day over again until he learns to be a good person.

KBZ’s Take: If Groundhog Day (1993) was set during Christmas and featured Jay Mohr instead of Bill Murray in the lead role, you would have this film. We’re not saying it’s as good as Bill Murray’s classic subgenre film, but it does have some funny time loop moments.

Of all the Time Loop Films set during Christmas including Christmas Every Day (1996), 12 Dates of Christmas (2011), Christmas All Over Again (2016), Christmas… Again? (2021) and Lacy’s Christmas Do-Over (2021) we would recommend this film for some sci-fi-themed Christmas comedy the entire family can enjoy.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3swW80z

Plot: Akemi Yoshikawa discovers that her whole office is stuck in a time loop, repeating the same stressful work week over and over. Together with her colleagues she has to find out how to break the loop.

KBZ’s Take: We’ve mentioned on our lists before that World Cinema Comedy might be funny in its native culture but might not translate well outside of it. This is the case with Mondays: See You ‘This’ Week! While the film’s underlying theme is universal – don’t overwork yourself at the expense of missing life’s many other joys – some of the office comedy might be confusing for western viewers.

We would still advise watching the film as it does have its moments, but we can only recommend it for completists of the subgenre (or if you enjoy Japanese-specific comedies).

Where to Stream / Buy: N/A

Plot: Six high school students stuck in a murderous time loop must find the scattered remains of an unknown victim to break the curse and finally see another day.

KBZ’s Take: Re/Member is reminiscent of other Japanese teen horror films such as Battle Royale (2000), Black Rat (2010) and Lesson of the Evil (2012). All these films have extreme gore and violence layered over teen angst and melodrama. It’s a genre combination only the Japanese seem to excel at.

As for the film, the transitions between horror and drama can be jarring for some, but it’s a standard template for these types of films. While the teen melodrama segments do go on for too long and disrupt the flow of the film, it still has a rather unique plot within the subgenre and is a film subgenre fans should check out.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://www.netflix.com/title/81486809

Plot: Office employee Barry Thomas is caught in a time bounce caused by a glitch in the company’s secret project. Now the same day occurs again and again – and Barry’s the only one who can do anything about it, including saving the life of beautiful research assistant Lisa Fredericks.

KBZ’s Take: Most subgenre fans have likely seen this film as it was a TV Movie released about five months after the very successful Groundhog Day (1993). But though most Made-for-TV movies released in this timeframe usually replicate the plot of the theatrical film it’s ‘inspired by’, 12:01 is actually quite different and created some time loop tropes used by other future films in the subgenre.

12:01 is sometimes listed as a comedy but the light comedic moments take backseat to the film’s thrilling and intricate plot. If you’re a fan of the subgenre and still haven’t seen this film, we would recommend a watch – at the very least to see some of the subgenre’s tropes this film helped establish.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://youtu.be/zZPRJQuMH2Y

Plot: A teenager is stuck in a time loop that is not quite the same each time. She must uncover the truth but her actions have consequences for herself and others.

KBZ’s Take: Veterans of the subgenre will likely feel like they know the film’s outcome within the first act. However, this film does have quite a few twists and turns involving a time loop element that keeps you guessing until the very end.

It’s the first of two films on our list that combine time loops with the supernatural. It’s not the scariest film on our list, but it has a unique premise and one we recommend for fans of the subgenre.

Additional Lists: Top Films About Ghosts & Hauntings You Haven’t Seen – 2010 – 2014 #6

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3q30knS

Plot: A group of young friends make an incomprehensible discovery in an abandoned mine, but the more they try to change the future, the more they seal their fate.

KBZ’s Take: This is a film subgenre fans either love or hate. Yes, some of the characters are stereotypical and make ridiculous decisions but we’re a sucker for time loops that involve Alternate History scenarios. Plus, having seen every film in the subgenre, it’s better than its rating indicates. We can only assume the lower rating is for the subpar ending and that it’s much more of a cerebral sci-fi film than a typical Survival Horror film.

Though it’s not as good as the similar Triangle (2009), it’s still a film with one of the more unique plots of the subgenre.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3R2oFoP

Plot: The story of two teenagers trapped in an endless time loop who set out to find all the tiny things that make that one day perfect.

KBZ’s Take: It’s refreshing when a film comes along that reinvents a subgenre’s overused and stale film tropes and revitalizes the subgenre in the process. Along with some more recent time loop efforts such as Palm Springs (2020) and Boss Level (2021), the Map of Tiny Perfect Things shows that there’s still aspects of the Time Loop Film subgenre left to explore.

Like Palm Springs, this film features two people caught in the same time loop and the success of the film is dependent on the chemistry between the leads. And that’s where The Map of Tiny Perfect Things shines with the relationship between Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen. It’s one of the better relationships developed within a time loop where you develop an emotional connection with both characters.

It’s a great film with equal amounts of sci-fi and romance that makes it perfect for date night.

Additional Lists: Best Time Loop Films #16

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3ZOiaYp

Plot: A young man finds himself in a dangerous love triangle that soon takes a number of disturbing and grisly supernatural turns.

KBZ’s Take: One of our favorite joys at KBZ’s is when we come across lesser-known and unheralded films that turn out to be diamonds in the rough. And Blood Punch is one of those. This is a film that flew under our radar for years until we finally had a chance to see it while compiling this list. Needless to say, it quickly rose to the top of this list and we want to share that feeling of discovering a hidden gem with you.

To start, Blood Punch is a low budget offering that relies much more on its interesting premise. Like Haunter (2013), it’s a sci-fi/horror hybrid that involves a supernatural time loop. And while it’s a horror film, it’s much more reliant on thrilling and ever evolving situations between the three characters at the center of the story (and time loop).

We usually like to provide more insight into films we recommend, but for Blood Punch, it’s best to go in knowing little to nothing about the film. It was the top film on our Top Films About Ghosts & Hauntings You Haven’t Seen – 2010 – 2014 list and it’s also one of the best Time Loop Films you likely haven’t yet seen.

Additional Lists: Top Films About Ghosts & Hauntings You Haven’t Seen – 2010 – 2014 #1

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3DnWicC

Plot: A man commits an unethical act in an attempt to save his daughter’s life. Three years later, his actions return to haunt him.

KBZ’s Take: While almost every Time Loop Film has varying degrees of emotional elements, A Day is by far the most emotionally charged film of the subgenre. It takes a prominent theme of Time Travel Films centered around an individual’s attempt to save the life of a loved one and adds a unique time loop spin to it.

We want to say so much more about this film, but you can’t discuss the plot without ruining it for others. We can say it involves a father trying to repeatedly save the life of his daughter, involves multiple people caught within the time loop and centers around a tragic mystery that ends with an emotional blow.

This is one of our personal favorite films of the subgenre and, like Source Code (2011), has one of the best ‘Time Loop Puzzles’ that no subgenre fan should miss.

Additional Lists: Best Time Travel Films #15

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3EhkD4r