For over 100 years, the possibility of time travel has evolved into a captivating aspect of our culture. The concept — attributed predominantly to the mind of H.G. Wells and his novel “The Time Machine” — has sparked our imagination in many different mediums, perhaps most notably in cinema. From Marty McFly’s hoverboard, to “Looper,” a time-traveling futuristic thriller, writers and directors have re-imagined the possibilities once more. It asks the questions like, “What would you do with a time machine?” “What year would you travel to?” “And would you change?”
In case you’re unable to come up with viable answers to these questions on your own, the following films will give you a crash course in space-time continuums, time-travel concerns and, of course, that dreaded butterfly effect.
‘Back To The Future’
“Back To The Future” is perhaps the most well-known depiction in the history of film. Through the introduction of fictional advances in technology, such as the Delorean Time Machine Flux Capacitor, the first film brought new life to the concept of time travel. While it was released nearly 30 years ago, the story’s imaginative feel has forever been etched in culture and is still quite popular today throughout the Internet and social media. In fact, some prankster recently posted a doctored screenshot showing the current day as the date that Marty McFly entered into the Delorean for his initial time escapade. Sadly, he has yet to show up on anyone’s doorstep looking for Doc.
‘Looper’
Since Hollywood invented time travel, at least for Bruce Willis, the concept keeps materializing in science-fiction thrillers. Joseph Gordon-Levitt offers a remarkable representation of a young Bruce Willis. Although, according to the Huffington Post, he had help with the use of contact lenses and facial prosthetics.
The “Looper” depiction of traveling time doesn’t show a new Deloren, or a young Michael J. Fox punching his dad’s antagonist. Instead, it displays a grizzly look at traveling put in the wrong hands. If you would like to judge the movie for yourself, it’s now available on DVD, and may also be found on channels like HBO and Showtime, which can be accessed through GetDirectTV.org.
‘Men In Black III’
After watching the first two installments, we should have expected to travel time in the third movie. There’s not much else to feature after tiny aliens and those erase memory devices. In the third film, after Agent J leaps off a skyscraper, what integrity that may have been lost by using a unrealistic form is quickly restored by Josh Brolin’s uncanny impersonation of a young Agent K. Without his performance, the whole thing would have seemed less realistic. Luckily, the film also added a more realistic effect to the possibility.
‘Hot Tub Time Machine’
From traveling back in time while running into your mom, to getting a good laugh at all the funny clothes and hairdos from the ’80s, “Hot Tub Time Machine” adds a slapstick view to the possibility. As fun as it would be to jump into a hot tub with a bunch of buddies and instantly be transferred back to the 80s, this film is definitely more for laughs than a serious reflection on the concept of time travel. It does, however, make you wonder if the guys ever ran into Marty McFly. If only all hot tubs really were time machines.
Photo by Flickr user JD Hancock