Andy's Anachronisms
Time Travel Movies


NEW! Now you can download a copy of all time travel movies listed here to take with you next time you head to the video store or to print out and share with a friend. I've provided both a list with graphics (mainly movie posters or DVD covers) as well as one without graphics that is fewer pages.

Time Travel Movies List (Incl. Images) 34 pages (923 KB) (Updated: Jan 3/11)
Time Travel Movies List (No Images) 14 pages (58 KB) (Updated: Jan 3/11)

The following is a list of 139 time travel movies including some alternate universe related movies, all organized alpabetically by title. As of January 2011 there are 53 reviews or summaries.

I have identified the type of time travel used in the movies listed below with a simple lettering system. Some movies may have more than one element associated with them.

AU -- Alternate Universe
A story involving a multiple universes or multiple selves from parallel worlds. Examples: The One or in television Sliders

AH -- Alternate History
A "What if..." story involving a point of divergence where history evolves differently from our own reality. Example: Germany wins World War II

PAH -- Personal Alternate History
Similar to AH except involves personal or individual points of divergence. Examples include: Sliding Doors, It's A Wonderful Life, and Run Lola Run

TT -- Time Travel
Standard time travel where a person (or people) are transported into the future/past instantaneously. Examples include: The Time Machine, Back To the Future, and The Terminator.

RVW -- Rip Van Winkel
Time travel where a person frozen in time "awakes" to find themself in the future. Examples include: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Blast from the Past and Sleeper.

TP -- Temporal Phenomenom
Temporal anomolies such as time loops and other story telling devices that involve some manipulation of time. Examples include: Groundhog Day, Frequency, and Slaughterhouse Five.

PD -- Plot Device
Time travel exists only as a plot device and isn't the main theme of the movie. Examples include: Lost in Space, Sphere, and Galaxy Quest.

I have also tried to include some keywords with each film where possible. In addition to keywords such as the time periods visited in the movie there are a number of other keywords I have used repeatedly as shorthand see below:

  • Contemporary - A film where the setting is "modern day" while the time travelers are from another era.

  • Visitors from the Past - Time travelers are from the past relative to the era they are visiting.

  • Visitors from the Future - Time travelers are from the future relative to the era they are visiting.

  • Dinosaurs - Any prehistoric setting where dinosaurs are likely to appear.

  • Knights - Any vaguely medieval settings.

  • Cowboys - Any Mid-19th century American West settings.

  • Future - Time Travellers are sent to futuristic time periods

1
  100 Million BC
2008 85 minutes [Dir. Griff Furst] TT Keywords: Dinosaurs
  12:01
1993 92 minutes [Dir. Jack Sholder] TP Keywords: Contemporary
  13 Going on 30
2004 98 minutes [Dir. Gary Winick] TP Keywords: Contemporary
A
  Army of Darkness
1992 77 minutes [Dir. Sam Rami] TT/PD Keywords: Knights
  Austin Powers: Goldmember
2002 95 minutes [Dir. Jay Roach] RVW Keywords: Contemporary
  Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
1997 94 minutes [Dir. Jay Roach] RVW/TT Keywords: 1960s
  Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
1999 95 minutes [Dir. Jay Roach] RVW/TT Keywords: 1970s
B
  Back to the Future
1985 111 minutes [Dir. Robert Zemeckis] TT/PAH Keywords: 1950s
  Back to the Future Part II
1989 108 minutes [Dir. Robert Zemeckis] TT/PAH Keywords: 1950s, 2010s
  Back to the Future Part III
1990 118 minutes [Dir. Robert Zemeckis] TT / PAH Keywords: Cowboys
  Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time
1991 107 minutes [Dir. Sylvio Tabet] TT Keywords: Contemporary
  Beyond the Time Barrier
1960 75 minutes [Dir. Edgar Ulmer] TT Keywords: Future
  Biggles: Adventures in Time
1986 92 minutes [Dir. John Hough] TT Keywords: World War I
  Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
1991 94 minutes [Dir. Peter Hewitt] TT Keywords: Contemporary
  Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
1988 90 minutes [Dir. Stephen Herek] TT Keywords: Multiple
  Black Knight
2001 95 minutes [Dir. Gil Junger] TT Keywords: Knights
  Blast from the Past
1999 106 minutes [Dir. Hugh Wilson] RVW Keywords: Contemporary
  Blue Flame
1993 88 minutes [Dir. Cassian Elwes] TP Keywords: Contemporary
  The Blue Yonder
1985 92 minutes [Dir. Mark Rosman] TT Keywords: 1920s, Aviation
  Brother Future
1991 103 minutes [Dir. Roy Campanella] TT Keywords: 1820s, Slavery
  The Butterfly Effect
2004 114 minutes [Dir. Eric/J. Mackie TP Keywords: Contemporary
C
  Click
2006 107 minutes [Dir. Frank Coraci] TP Keywords: Contemporary
  Conceiving Ada
1997 85 minutes [Dir. Lynn Hershman-Leeson] TP Keywords: 1850s
  Connecticut Yankee
1931 95 minutes [Dir. David Butler] TT Keywords: Knights
  Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
1949 106 minutes [Dir. Tay Garnett] TT Keywords: Knights
D
  Day Time Ended
1980 79 minutes [Dir. John Cardos] TT Keywords: Future
  Dead Aviators (Restless Spirits)
1999 96 minutes [Dir. David Wellington] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Past
  Déjà Vu
2006 128 minutes [Dir. Tony Scott] TT Keywords: Contemporary
  Donnie Darko
2001 113 minutes [Dir. Richard Kelly] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
E
  The Eliminators
1986 95 minutes [Dir. Peter Manoogian] PD Keywords: Roman Empire
  The Exotic Time Machine
1997 78 minutes [Dir. Felicia Sinclair] TT Keywords: Multiple
F
  The Family Man
2000 125 minutes [Dir. Brett Ratner] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
  Fetching Cody
2005 87 minutes [Dir. David Ray] TT Keywords: Contemporary
  The Final Countdown
1980 92 minutes [Dir. Don Taylor] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Past
  The Forbidden Kingdom (Gong fu zhi wang)
2008 113 minutes [Dir. Rob Minkoff] TP Keywords: China
  Frankenstein Unbound
1990 86 minutes [Dir. Roger Corman] TT Keywords: 1810s, Frankenstein
  Freejack
1992 110 minutes [Dir. Geoff Murphy] TT Keywords: 2000s
  Frequency
2000 117 minutes [Dir. Gregory Hoblit] TP Keywords: 1960s
  Future Zone
1990 88 minutes [Dir. David A. Prior] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
G
  Galaxy Quest
1999 102 minutes [Dir. Dean Parisot] PD / TT Keywords: Plot Device
  Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (Timescape)
1992 98 minutes [Dir. David N. Twohy] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Groundhog Day
1993 103 minutes [Dir. Harold Ramis] TP Keywords: Contemporary
H
  Happy Accidents
2000 110 minutes [Dir. Brad Anderson] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitor from the Future
  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2004 141 minutes [Dir. Alfonso Cuaron] TP Keywords:
  Hercules in New York
1970 93 minutes [Dir. David Seidleman] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitor from Ancient Times
  Hot Tub Time Machine
2010 101 minutes [Dir. Steve Pink] TT, PAH Keywords: Contemporary, 1980s
I
  Idaho Transfer
1973 90 minutes [Dir. Peter Fonda] TT Keywords: Future
  Idiocracy
2006 84 minutes [Dir. Mike Judge] RVW Keywords: Future
  It's A Wonderful Life
1947 132 minutes [Dir. Frank Capra] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
  Ivan the Terrible: Back to the Future (Ivan Vasilevich menyaet professiyu)
1973 93 minutes [Dir. Leonid Gaidai] TT Keywords: Russia, 1500s
J
  The Jacket
2005 106 minutes [Dir. John Maybury] TP Keywords: Contemporary
  Je t'aime, je t'aime
1968 91 minutes [Dir. Alain Resnais] TP Keywords: Contemporary
  La Jetee
1962 28 minutes [Dir. Chris Maker] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Future
  The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones
1987 100 minutes [Dir. Don Lusk] TT Keywords: Dinosaurs, Future
  Journey to the Center of the Time
1967 83 minutes [Dir. David L. Hewitt] TT Keywords: Dinosaurs, Future
  Jubilee
1977 100 minutes [Dir. Derek Jarman] TT Keywords: Future, Punks
  Just Visiting
2001 88 minutes [Dir. Jean-Marie Poire] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Past, Knights
K
  Kate and Leopold
2001 118 minutes [Dir. James Mangold] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitor from the Past
  A Kid in King Arthur's Court
1995 89 minutes [Dir. Michael Gottlieb] TT Keywords: Knights
  Disney's The Kid
2000 104 minutes [Dir. Jon Turteltaub] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
L
  Land of the Lost
2009 101 minutes [Dir. Brad Siberling] AU / TT Keywords: Alternate Universe, Dinosaurs
  The Last Mimzy
2007 96 minutes [Dir. Robert Shaye] TT Keywords:
  The Life Before This
1999 92 minutes [Dir. Jerry Ciccoritti] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
  Lords of Magick
1988 98 minutes [Dir. David Marsh] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Past
  Lost in Space
1998 130 minutes [Dir. Stephen Hopkins] PD Keywords: Future
M
  Me, Myself, and I
1999 104 minutes [Dir. Phillipa Karmel] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
  Meet the Robinsons
2007 95 minutes [Dir. Stephen J. Anderson] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Animated
  Melinda and Melinda
2004 100 minutes [Dir. Woody Allen] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
  Millennium
1989 108 minutes [Dir. Michael Anderson] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Morir (o no)
2000 112 minutes [Dir. Ventura Pons] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
  My Science Project
1985 minutes [Dir. Jonathan R. Betuel] TT Keywords: Dinosaurs
N
  Navigator - A Medieval Odyssey
1988 92 minutes [Dir. Vincent Ward] TT Keywords: Medieveal, Future
  Next One (The Time Traveller)
1984 105 minutes [Dir. Nico Mastorakis] TT Keywords:
  Norman's Awesome Experience (A Switch in Time)
1988 87 minutes [Dir. Paul Donovan] TT Keywords: Romans
O
  The One
2001 87 minutes [Dir. James Wong] TP Keywords: Alternate Universes
P
  Paycheck
2003 119 minutes [Dir. John Woo] TT Keywords: Near Future
  Peggy Sue Got Married
1986 103 minutes [Dir. Francis Ford Coppola] PAH Keywords: 1960s
  Peut-etre
1999 109 minutes [Dir. Cedric Klapisch] TP Keywords: Future
  The Philadelphia Experiment
1984 101 minutes [Dir. Stewart Raffill] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Vistors from the Past
  Planet of the Apes
1968 112 minutes [Dir. Franklin J. Schnaffner] TT / TP Keywords: Alternate Universe, Time Travel
  Planet of the Apes
2001 119 minutes [Dir. Tim Burton] TT / TP Keywords: Alternate Universe
  Primer
2004 77 minutes [Dir. Shane Carruth] TT Keywords: Contemporary
  Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
2010 116 minutes [Dir. Mike Newell] TP Keywords:
R
  Retroactive
1997 87 minutes [Dir. Louis Morneau] TT Keywords: Contemporary
  Roman Scandals
1933 91 minutes [Dir. Frank Tuttle] TT Keywords: Romans
  Run Lola Run
1998 81 minutes [Dir. Tom Tykwer] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
  Running Against Time
1990 93 minutes [Dir. Bruce Green] TT / AH Keywords: 1960s
S
  Scrooged
1988 100 minutes [Dir. Richard Donner] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
  Shrek: The Final Chapter
2010 93 minutes [Dir. Mike Mitchell] PAH Keywords: Personal Alternate History
  Six-String Samurai
1998 91 minutes [Dir. Lance Mungia] AH Keywords: Alternate Universe
  Slaughterhouse Five
1972 104 minutes [Dir. Roy Hill] TP Keywords: Contemporary
  Sliding Doors
1998 99 minutes [Dir. Peter Howitt] PAH Keywords: Contemporary
  Slipstream
2005 89 minutes [Dir. David van Eyssen] TT Keywords: Contemporary
  Smoking / No Smoking
1993 298 minutes [Dir. Alain Resnais] PAH Keywords: Alternate Universe
  Somewhere in Time
1980 103 minutes [Dir. Jeannot Swarc] TT / TP Keywords: 1910s
  A Sound of Thunder
2005 110 minutes [Dir. Peter Hyams] TT Keywords: Dinosaurs
  Spirit of '76
1991 82 minutes [Dir. Lucas Reiner] TT Keywords: 1970s
  Star Trek
2009 127 minutes [Dir. J.J. Abrams] TP Keywords: Alternate Universe
  Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1986 119 minutes [Dir. Leonard Nimoy] TT Keywords: 1980s
  Star Trek VIII: First Contact
1996 110 minutes [Dir. Jonathan Frakes] TT Keywords: 2060s
  The Sticky Fingers of Time
2001 82 minutes [Dir. Hilary Brougher] TP Keywords: 1950s, 1990s
T
  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3
1993 95 minutes [Dir. Stuart Gilard] TP Keywords: 1600s, Feudal Japan
  The Terminator
1984 107 minutes [Dir. James Cameron] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Terminator 2: Judgment Day
1991 152 minutes [Dir. James Cameron] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
2003 119 minutes [Dir. Jonathan Mostow] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Terminator: Salvation
2009 130 minutes [Dir. McG] TT Keywords: Contemporary
  Test Tube Teens from the Year 2000
1994 74 minutes [Dir. David DeCoteau] TT Keywords: 1980s, Visitors from the Future
  The Three Stooges Meet Hercules
1962 80 minutes [Dir. Edward L. Bernds] TT Keywords: Ancient Greece
  Time After Time
1979 112 minutes [Dir. Nicholas Meyer] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Past
  Time Bandits
1981 116 minutes [Dir. Terry Gilliam] TT Keywords: Multiple
  Time Chasers (Tangents)
1995 90 minutes [Dir. David Giancolo] TT Keywords: Future
  The Time Guardian
1987 89 minutes [Dir. Brian Hannat] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  The Time Machine
1960 103 minutes [Dir. Pal George] TT Keywords: Future
  The Time Machine
2001 96 minutes [Dir. Simon Wells] TT Keywords: Future
  Time Runner
1993 90 minutes [Dir. Michael Mazo] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  The Time Shifters (Thrill Seekers)
1999 88 minutes [Dir. Mario Azzopardi] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Time Trackers
1989 86 minutes [Dir. Howard R. Cohen] TT Keywords: Knights
  The Time Traveler's Wife
2009 107 minutes [Dir. Robert Schwentke] TP Keywords: Contemporary
  Timecop
1994 98 minutes [Dir. Peter Hyams] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Timecrimes (Los Cronocrímenes)
2007 88 minutes [Dir. Nacho Vigalondo] TP Keywords: Contemporary, Temporal Loop
  Timegate: Tales of the Saddle Tramps
1999 95 minutes [Dir. Sam Silver] TT Keywords: Cowboys
  Timeline
2003 115 minutes [Dir. Richard Donner] TT Keywords: Knights, France
  Timemaster
1995 100 minutes [Dir. James Glickenhaus] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Timerider
1983 93 minutes [Dir. William Dear] TT Keywords: Cowboys, 1880s
  Timestalkers
1987 100 minutes [Dir. Michael A. Schultz] TT Keywords: Visitors from the Future, Cowboys, 1880s
  Trancers (Future Cop)
1985 76 minutes [Dir. Charles Band] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Trancers 2: The Return of Jack Deth (Future Cop 2)
1991 85 minutes [Dir. Charles Band] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Trancers 3: Deth Lives (Future Cop 3)
1992 75 minutes [Dir. C. Courtney Joyner] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Trancers 4: Jack of Swords (Future Cop 4)
1994 83 minutes [Dir. David Nutter] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Trancers 5: Sudden Deth (Future Cop 5)
1994 73 minutes [Dir. David Nutter] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Twelve Monkeys (12 Monkeys)
1996 129 minutes [Dir. Terry Gilliam] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Twice Upon a Yesterday (The Man With Rain in His Shoes)
1999 91 minutes [Dir. Maria Ripoll] TP Keywords: Contemporary, Personal Alternate History
U
  Unidentified Flying Oddball (A Spaceman in King Arthur's Court)
1979 93 minutes [Dir. Russ Mayberry] TT Keywords: Knights
V
  The Visitors (Les Visiteurs)
1993 107 minutes [Dir. Jean-Marie Poire] TP Keywords: Knights, France
W
  Warlock
1991 103 minutes [Dir. Steve Miner] TT Keywords: Contemporary, Visitors from the Future
  Waxwork 2: Lost in Time
1992 104 minutes [Dir. Anthony Hickox] TT Keywords: Contemporary
  A Witch Without a Broom
1967 86 minutes [Dir. Joe Lacy] TP Keywords: Cavemen, Romans, Future
Y
  A Young Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
1995 93 minutes [Dir. R.L. Thomas] TP Keywords: Knights

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Page Updated: 2009-07-18