Weekly Theme

Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

This one is just too obvious. I had to look through our previous discussions to make sure we hadn't done this one. I was pretty surprised to find out that we haven't touched it yet. I love time travel movies. It has the ability to be one of the most complicated thematic elements, but when done well, it can completely suck you in..

I think Primer is my favorite example of an intelligent film with a complex plot.

12 Monkeys is just one of the coolest flicks ever. I absolutely love the whole 'science is the newest religion' aspect.

I also thought The Jacket was pretty good.

That's about all I've got for now. I'm really more interested in getting some recomendations. So, let's hear it.

San Dimas High School Football RULES!!!!!!!!

Re:Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

Before I add any more I just want to say up front that if anyone is a fan of time travel movies and you haven't seen Timecrimes yet, try to do so as soon as possible.  I saw it at a cool theatre here in Chicago, but it's probably not playing anymore.  Hopefully it will be out on DVD soon for everyone.  Looks like there is a Hollywood remake in the works too.  It has the potential to be GREAT with a bigger budget and better actors, but it's also possible for Hollywood to really **** it up with unecessary Hollywood crap as well, so we'll see.

Re:Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

It launched the careers of Jake Gyllenhaal and Seth Rogan and revitalized Patrick Swayze's: Donnie Darko. I haven't crossed into crazy obsessed psycho fan territory yet, but I do think the film is pretty incredible.

Timecop is a guilty pleasure for many, not just fans of JCVD.

Click was just bad. The begin of Adam Sandler's decline.

Galaxy Quest wasn't really about time travel except for the Omega 13 device at the end of the film.

I really liked The Last Mimzy. Great Sci-Fi flick for the kiddies about a time traveling stuffed bunny rabbit.

Jubliee was a whole mess of crazy about Queen Elizabeth traveling into the future full of crazy punk girl roller skating gangs.

Does Groundhog Day count? Reliving the same day over and over through mysterious means is pretty time travel-ish.

Flight of the Navigator had that whole alternate future / time travel thing. But the real stars were Pee Wee as the voice of the ship and that cute little alien thing that I remember desperately begging my parents for as a kid.

The Lake House reunited Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves with its time traveling mailbox.

Re:Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

mercurial:

The Lake House reunited Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves with its time traveling mailbox.

Click was just bad. The begin of Adam Sandler's decline.

First, your Lake House should become the standard Lake House film summary in all TV guides!

Secondly, Adam Sandler's decline began with Click...as recently as 2006?! I guess I always took it for granted that The Wedding Singer was the end of his prime. (It was followed by The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Punch-Drunk Love [which was actually great], then Mr. Deeds, Anger Management, and The Longest Yard before getting to Click.)

Thirdly, a time travel movie I didn't enjoy very much was Ashton Kutcher's The Butterfly Effect.

I remember it mostly melodramatic, a typical "I'm in love" teensploitation flick.

The theme was kind of interesting, though: it's not just singular events that determine the path of one's life, but entire environments, and the daily grind of circumstances. So going back in time to change just one event doesn't always have the effect one would hope. Pretty thoughtful, in my opinion.

Re:Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

If Dr Gor were here he'd have already mentioned....

Back to the Future

Back to the Future II

Back to the Future III

I have enjoyed many of the films already mentioned, but I really need to pick up Timecrimes. One of my favorite books growing up was The Time Machine, which was made into a movie, but I've never seen it. Perhaps I will someday.

Re:Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

I haven't seen the other 2 films, but I sure loved The Jacket. Just goes to show that people can go back through time in a weird kind of way...

Re:Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

My first thoughts were Austin Powers, but those are movies that incorporate almost everything about movies into a jumble of shag jokes. I love them.

Donnie Darko is the greatest time travel movie I've ever seen, but that may be because it's one of my favorite and most frequently watched movies.

There was some horrible movie called Timeline that came out a few years ago...I remember feeling stupider after watching it.

Run Lola Run is semi-time traveling, because it's all about time and she gets re-do's, which, of course, require time travel.

Re:Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

mercurial:

Does Groundhog Day count?

Yes.  It does.

Re:Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

Risselada:

Before I add any more I just want to say up front that if anyone is a fan of time travel movies and you haven't seen Timecrimes yet, try to do so as soon as possible.  I saw it at a cool theatre here in Chicago, but it's probably not playing anymore.  Hopefully it will be out on DVD soon for everyone.  Looks like there is a Hollywood remake in the works too.  It has the potential to be GREAT with a bigger budget and better actors, but it's also possible for Hollywood to really **** it up with unecessary Hollywood crap as well, so we'll see.

For whatever reason I just couldn't get into Timecrimes. Throughout the entire film I was overly critical of the main character's motives for continuing to pursue the actions that it was clear he could avoid. For being a relatively low budget film it was shot and constructed incredibly well, but after watching the film and then watching the chronological version of the film included on the DVD, I still found that the main characters actions were just too ridiculous.

But apparently it's just me.

Re:Weekly Theme for March 9: Time Travel

mercurial:

Risselada:

Before I add any more I just want to say up front that if anyone is a fan of time travel movies and you haven't seen Timecrimes yet, try to do so as soon as possible.  I saw it at a cool theatre here in Chicago, but it's probably not playing anymore.  Hopefully it will be out on DVD soon for everyone.  Looks like there is a Hollywood remake in the works too.  It has the potential to be GREAT with a bigger budget and better actors, but it's also possible for Hollywood to really **** it up with unecessary Hollywood crap as well, so we'll see.

For whatever reason I just couldn't get into Timecrimes. Throughout the entire film I was overly critical of the main character's motives for continuing to pursue the actions that it was clear he could avoid. For being a relatively low budget film it was shot and constructed incredibly well, but after watching the film and then watching the chronological version of the film included on the DVD, I still found that the main characters actions were just too ridiculous.

But apparently it's just me.

He couldn't avoid the actions he had already taken.