Plot: After an alien invasion threatens to annihilate the human race, a young Japanese girl, named Milly, travels back in time from 2084 to October 2002, and enlists the reluctant aid of skilled Tokyo gunman, named Miyamoto, to discover and prevent the start of the war.

KBZ’s Take: This is a film of three acts. While the first and second acts feature some of the most exciting and action-packed themes of the subgenre, the third act falls off a bit trying to incorporate too many other sci-fi themes into the film (i.e. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and The Matrix (1999)). However, it’s still one of the better films in the Time Travel Film subgenre and one of the best of the 2000’s. Definitely worth checking out if you haven’t seen it yet.

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

Plot: A latch-key kid (Miko Hughes) rescues an abused bear cub and brings it to a secret cave leading to a time vortex.

KBZ’s Take: For our lists, we often try to include at least one family-friendly film whenever possible. And there’s a good chance you haven’t seen this film yet – even if you’re fan or completist of the subgenre. While it’s very kid-focused, it does incorporate both Time Travel and Fish Out of Water comedy elements that families can enjoy.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3im8ROD

Plot: Four present-day Russian men dig for Nazi memorabilia at a WWII battlefield. A wormhole lake sends them back to a battle in 1942 USSR.

KBZ’s Take: We’ll start off by saying this film won’t be for everyone and we’re listing it more for completists of the subgenre. The Time Travel aspects of the film only happen during the beginning of the film (and for a very short time) and the film is much more of a World War II film than anything else. However, it does incorporate a theme of younger generations needing to appreciate older generations and the sacrifices they have made for the future. And that’s a theme present in quite a few films of the subgenre.

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

Plot: A group of friends in a science-fiction club use a time machine to save their summer days from unbearable heat by retrieving the remote control for their air conditioner.

KBZ’s Take: Of all the comedy-focused Time Travel films, this is one of the funniest. While the humor is more Quirky Comedy, it does delve into a unique theme – what would some Japanese teenagers do on a hot day if they stumbled upon a time machine and couldn’t find the remote to their air conditioner? Also present in the film are usual Time Travel paradoxes that also result in amusing outcomes.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://archive.org/details/summer-time-machine-blues-2005

Plot: When a hunter sent back to the prehistoric era runs off the path he must not leave, he causes a chain reaction that alters history in disastrous ways.

KBZ’s Take: For Time Travel fans and enthusiasts, this is the ‘film that got away’. Based on the 1952 short story by Ray Bradbury, it’s one of those stories everybody wanted to see get the cinematic treatment. However, the filmed version of the story was a box office flop and disaster mostly due to the horrible special effects. Unfortunately, the film had a troubled production and loss of financing that resulted in little to no money for the special effects in post-production. The Bomb Report has a good breakdown of the entire financing situation.

Taking all the production woes into consideration, we still think A Sound of Thunder is a good film – especially in how it portrays the “Butterfly Effect” as a result of Time Travel into the past. We’re not going to kid ourselves (or mislead you) into promoting it as a great film, but if you’re a fan of Bradbury’s story and how events in time (or even evolution) could change based on travel back to the past, then it’s worth giving the film a go on a rainy weekend.

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

Plot: Art, a drug-addicted dealer and hustler, arrives at his girlfriend Cody’s apartment to find that she has overdosed on heroin. He tries to fix things by traveling back in time in an attempt to prevent her death.

KBZ’s Take: There aren’t many Time Travel films that feature Dark and Black Comedy, but this is one of the best. Fetching Cody is a Canadian film with a minimal budget, but it incorporates some unique Time Travel themes into its narrative that are much darker than you would typically expect. The film also uses Time Travel in a way to show how drug addiction takes hold and manifests itself into other problems in someone’s life. Jay Baruchel is the lead in this film and it’s one of his best performances as the drug-addicted dealer. Highly recommended for fans and completists of the subgenre.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://tubitv.com/movies/548724/fetching-cody

Plot: A woman meets a man who claims he’s a time traveler from the year 2470.

KBZ’s Take: Though this is not a special effects driven Time Travel film, it’s a great film about Destiny. Vincent D’Onofrio and Marisa Tomei given exceptional performances in this romantic comedy film where you’re not sure if D’Onofrio’s character is actually from the future or just a mentally ill individual. A great film for ‘date night’ where the romantic and sci-fi themes are equally present for men and women to enjoy.

Additional Lists: Top Films About Fate & Destiny You Haven’t Seen #8

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3QkaU2r

Plot: A man accidentally travels back in time finding he has to stop a previous version of himself.

KBZ’s Take: This Spanish film is a perfect example of when the Time Loop microgenre integrates into a Time Travel film. Without saying too much about that (as it would ruin the film), Timecrimes is an amazing film done on the cheap and without big budget special effects.

Additional Lists: Top Time Loop Films You Haven’t Seen #8, Top Time Travel Films You Haven’t Seen #8

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

Plot: 2 friends discover time travel in their garage.

KBZ’s Take: Primer is a cerebral challenge with intricate details of physics as it relates to Time Travel and the unwavering attention to keep track of the plot (and multiple versions of each person). Like Timecrimes (2007), this film is about Time Travel (with Time Loop elements within) and is not only one of the best Time Travel films there is, but also one of the best Hard Sci-Fi films as well. Shot for only $7,000 USD, it’s another example of how smart Time Travel films don’t need excessive budget and special effects to be effective.

Additional Lists: Top Time Loop Films You Haven’t Seen #4

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Cqwvk1

Plot: A successful artist loses control of his life after his young daughter’s death. A chance for a new start appears, but all is not what it seems.

KBZ’s Take:  The Door has has flown under the radar as one of the more unique (and depressing) films about Time Travel. To talk too much about the plot would ruin the film, but we will say it does focus on the more philosophical themes of Time Travel and what you would do if you could change a tragedy in your past.

Mads Mikkelsen portrays the man who discovers he has gone into the past and he gives an outstanding performance as he increasingly wrestles with the new life he has created by changing the past. This is a film not often featured on lists for Time Travel films but it’s one of the best of the subgenre that should be more well-known. If you’re a fan of the subgenre and want to see different themes of Time Travel explored, this is a film you shouldn’t miss.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3ihNn5D