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Predestination

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Rent Predestination on Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Fun genre fare with uncommon intelligence, Predestination serves as a better-than-average sci-fi adventure -- and offers a starmaking turn from Sarah Snook.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Michael Spierig

Peter Spierig

Ethan Hawke

Sarah Snook

Noah Taylor

Christopher Kirby

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Movie news & guides, this movie is featured in the following articles., critics reviews.

The 25 Best Time Travel Movies to Whisk You Away from Reality

Who wouldn't love a time machine right about now?

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Meet Cute (2022)

Kaley Cuoco and Pete Davidson co-star in Peacock's Meet Cute , a delightful and often dark rom-com based around time travel. Feeling suicidal, Sheila (Cuoco) finds a time machine in a nail salon and decides to go back in time 24 hours. While re-living her first date with Gary (Davidson) again and again, Sheila loses touch with reality and might have destroyed any chance she had with him.

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

High schooler Meg Murry travels through time and space in search of her missing astrophysicist father (Chris Pine). On her journey, Meg meets Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon), and Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling), as well as a whole host of dangerous beings.

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

Based on Audrey Niffenegger's 2003 novel of the same name, The Time Traveler's Wife tells the story of Henry (Eric Bana), a librarian who is able to randomly travel through time. After meeting Clare (Rachel McAdams) as a child, Henry later develops a romantic relationship with her. HBO's recent adaptation starring Theo James and Rose Leslie has reignited the debate regarding whether or not the story promotes grooming , or if it's a timeless romance.

Back to the Future (1985)

'80s classic Back to the Future has stood the test of time, and spawned two equally entertaining sequels. In the first film, Marty McFly is sent to the 1950s in his friend Doc Brown's time machine, a super cool DeLorean. Marty meets his parents as teenagers, and his presence risks changing history forever.

See You Yesterday (2019)

Netflix's See You Yesterday follows science prodigy C.J. (Eden Duncan-Smith), who invents time traveling backpacks. Along with her best friend Sebastian, C.J. uses her invention to go back in time to stop her brother from being murdered by a racist police officer. However, she's also forced to face up to the limitations and consequences of time travel.

About Time (2013)

Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) inherits the ability to time travel from his father, and decides to use the gift to find love. After a failed attempt at romance, Tim meets Mary (Rachel McAdams), but due to several time travel-related mishaps, romance isn't instantaneous for the pair. Written and directed by rom-com aficionado Richard Curtis.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

James Cameron's follow-up to 1984's The Terminator was a smash-hit that cemented the franchise's popularity. In the sequel, a killer T-1000 Terminator is sent back in time by Skynet to kill the future leader of the resistance, the son of Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), John (Edward Furlong). At the same time, the resistance sends a reprogrammed T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back to protect Connor.

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

Four miserable friends reunite after one of them nearly dies. To cheer themselves up, they decide to spend some time together at a ski resort. Unfortunately, the resort's hot tub isn't what it seems, and they accidentally end up traveling back to 1986. The four friends scramble to find a way back to present day. Starring John Cusack and Craig Robinson.

12 Monkeys (1995)

After a deadly virus destroys humanity in 1996, survivors are forced underground. Decades later, prisoner James (Bruce Willis) agrees to go back in time to find the original virus, so that scientists can work on a cure. However, he arrives too early in 1990, and is promptly institutionalized, where he meets Jeffrey (Brad Pitt), an anti-corporate environmentalist. From there, the mystery only gets more intriguing.

Looper (2012)

In the future, time travel is used by the mob to assassinate people, who are sent back in time and killed by assassins known as "loopers." Joe's (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) older self (Bruce Willis) is sent back to be eliminated, but manages to escape before he is killed. Thus begins a twisty time travel epic, that also stars Emily Blunt.

Tenet (2020)

The Protagonist ( John David Washington ), a former CIA agent, is tasked with stopping World War III. Learning to bend time, he attempts to prevent the destruction of the world. Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki co-star.

Last Night in Soho (2021)

Aspiring fashion designer Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) manages to travel back to the 1960s, where she meets singer "Sandie" ( Anya Taylor-Joy ). What starts as a glamorous encounter with the past soon becomings a horrifying nightmare. Co-starring Matt Smith.

Déjà Vu (2006)

A top secret organization has developed the ability to see four days into the past, in order to catch criminals. While hunting a terrorist, ATF agent Doug (Denzel Washington) realizes that this new technology might allow him to stop crimes from happening altogether.

Source Code (2011)

An unusual riff on the time travel movie, Source Code stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Army Captain Colter, who is trying to identify the person responsible for bombing a commuter train. Re-living an eight minute re-creation of the moments leading up to the explosion, Colter is stuck in a terrifying loop, until he can solve the mystery.

Mirai (2018)

A young boy called Kun runs away from home, as he feels neglected by his family after the arrival of his little sister, Mirai. Kun accidentally discovers a time travel portal in a magic garden, and is transported into the past, where he meets his mother as a child. Later, he travels to the future, where he finds his sister as an adult, and completely changes his outlook in the process.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Aubrey Plaza stars as an aspiring journalist whose latest assignment involves a mysterious classified ad about time travel. "You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED," the ad reads. Mark Duplass co-stars.

Groundhog Day (1993)

Although Groundhog Day is technically a "time loop" movie, it wouldn't feel right to leave it off the list. Phil (Bill Murray) is a disgruntled weatherman sent to cover the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. When he wakes up the next day, he realizes that he's re-living February 2, which happens again and again, until he figures out how to stop it.

Needle in a Timestack (2021)

The wonderful Cynthia Erivo stars alongside Orlando Bloom, Leslie Odom Jr., and Freida Pinto in this romantic sci-fi flick. In the future, the wealthy are able to partake in "time jaunting," but the ripples from these changes often cause timelines to warp and change. Needle in a Timestack focuses on a happily married couple whose relationship is jeopardized by an ex intent on changing history.

The Lake House (2006)

Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves star in this completely cheesy but endlessly loveable rom-com that defies time. Architect Alex (Reeves) and doctor Kate (Bullock) write letters to one another via a mailbox at a lake house where they both live at separate times. Despite the time difference, they're able to communicate with one another and forge a relationship via this magical postal system that transcends time.

Predestination (2015)

Ethan Hawke stars as an agent tasked with stopping a deadly attack before it happens, via time travel. Traveling back to 1975, he attempts to find and stop a bomber in New York, but his mission is far from simple. When he returns to the future, his life only gets more complicated.

Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper's BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness , and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.

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The 25 Best Time Travel Movies of All Time, Ranked

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Time travel movies have been done to death, and many time travel movies suck because they rehash the same old predictable tropes and cliches. But there's still a lot of potential left to be mined in the genre!

Despite the vast number of lackluster time travel movies, there have also been many notable films that came out in the past few decades—and that's on top of the sci-fi classics that still hold up.

At the end of the day, all movies are meant to deliver an entertaining experience for the viewer. With that in mind, here are what I consider to be the best time travel movies of all time.

Warning: I hate spoilers as much as anyone, so I've taken care to exclude spoilers from all movie descriptions in this article. However, knowing that a movie involves time travel could itself be a spoiler! Read on at your own risk.

25. Project Almanac (2015)

Directed by Dean Israelite

Starring Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Virginia Gardner

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 46m)

6.3 on IMDb — 38% on RT

Project Almanac is an underrated time travel movie that probably flew under your radar. Don't let the fact that it seems like a teen drama deter you from checking it out.

A group of high schoolers find something strange in an old home video, which spurs them to investigate—and uncover secrets plans for a time machine. They build it, of course, and that's when the trouble starts.

24. ARQ (2016)

Directed by Tony Elliott

Starring Robbie Amell, Rachael Taylor, Shaun Benson

Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 28m)

6.3 on IMDb — 43% on RT

A strange energy-providing device causes a couple to be stuck in a time loop while being forced to defend the device against a group intent on stealing it. The setup is strange, the ending is stranger.

This low-budget film is really nothing more than a popcorn flick, but it's a fun ride as long as you don't think too deeply about it. Compared to other thought experiment-type time travel movies, this one's pretty good.

23. Click (2006)

Directed by Frank Coraci

Starring Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (1h 47m)

6.4 on IMDb — 34% on RT

Using a magical universal remote, a workaholic finds himself able to skip ahead or rewind back to various points in his life. During those skipped times, his body continues to live on autopilot.

Don't be turned away by the fact that this is an Adam Sandler movie. In one of his best performances ever, Sandler effectively carries this funny-but-heart-wrenching story on his back.

22. Time Lapse (2014)

Directed by Bradley King

Starring Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn

Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 44m)

6.5 on IMDb — 74% on RT

When three friends discover a machine that can take photos 24 hours in the future, things take a dark turn as each photo reveals more than they could've anticipated.

Smart writing makes up for the mediocre performances in Time Lapse . If you go into this indie film without much in the way of expectations, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

21. The Endless (2017)

Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

Starring Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Callie Hernandez

Drama, Fantasy, Horror (1h 51m)

6.5 on IMDb — 92% on RT

Sci-fi horror done well tends to be pretty rare, but The Endless is a shining example of when it goes right.

The film centers on two brothers who used to belong to an alleged UFO death cult when they were young. Years later, after they'd escaped, they both have different memories of what the cult was like—so they agree to return for one day to set the record straight.

What they find is that the supposed UFO death cult is nothing like how either of them imagined, and they end up embroiled in all kinds of mysterious happenings, including a time loop.

20. The Adam Project (2022)

Directed by Shawn Levy

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell, Mark Ruffalo

Action, Adventure, Comedy (1h 46m)

6.7 on IMDb — 67% on RT

The Adam Project stars Ryan Reynolds as Adam Reed, a man from the future who goes back in time to save his wife. He's injured and takes refuge in his childhood home, but is accidentally discovered by his younger self. They work together to complete Adam's mission of saving his wife.

It's a simple story with Ryan Reynolds basically playing Ryan Reynolds—which is great, if you're into that—but what sets The Adam Project apart is the deeply moving emotional threads that undergird the characters and weave together into a surprisingly cathartic climax.

19. Primer (2004)

Directed by Shane Carruth

Starring Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden

Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 17m)

6.8 on IMDb — 73% on RT

Four entrepreneurs accidentally invent a time travel machine, which ends up ruining their lives when they decide to give it a spin. Primer is the quintessential time travel film and a must-see movie for time travel fans who love poring over the tiniest details.

It's short (only 77-minute runtime) but insanely dense—the kind of movie you have to watch multiple times to really understand what actually happened, and even then you may not fully get it.

18. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Directed by Colin Trevorrow

Starring Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson

Adventure, Comedy, Drama (1h 26m)

6.9 on IMDb — 91% on RT

Safety Not Guaranteed is a comedy romance film centering on three magazine staffers who go out to interview a strange man who's looking for a partner for his upcoming time travel mission. They think it's all a joke, but the truth slowly shows itself to be something more.

While the actual act of time traveling doesn't play a huge role, Safety Not Guaranteed is a must-watch for anyone who's looking for a heartfelt drama that's well-written and infused with depth by a solid cast.

17. Triangle (2009)

Directed by Christopher Smith

Starring Melissa George, Joshua McIvor, Jack Taylor

Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 39m)

6.9 on IMDb — 80% on RT

In the wake of a yachting accident, a group of friends are rescued by what appears to be a mysteriously empty cruise ship. As they further explore the ship's interior, they encounter horrors unknown.

Again, well-done science fiction horror films are hard to come by, and Triangle stands out for its premise and execution, particularly in how time travel is revealed and incorporated. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but it's certainly interesting and memorable.

16. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

Directed by Robert Schwentke

Starring Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston

7.1 on IMDb — 39% on RT

In The Time Traveler's Wife , Henry is a man who has a genetic anomaly that causes him to time travel. The thing is, he can't control when or where he travels to, and thus struggles to keep his marriage alive.

Based on the novel by the same name, The Time Traveler's Wife may not be able to capture the full magic that made the book so great—there's just too much content to fit into one movie—but it's still a stirring romantic drama with several twists and moving moments.

15. Timecrimes (2007)

Directed by Nacho Vigalondo

Starring Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernández, Bárbara Goenaga

Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 32m)

7.1 on IMDb — 90% on RT

In the Spanish-language Timecrimes , an average man accidentally travels back in time one hour, unleashing a series of disastrous events. That's all you really want to know about this film before diving in.

More to the tune of mystery than action, Timecrimes is a flawless example of a "What actually happened?" narrative that asks you to puzzle things together as events unfold before you. The twists are plentiful here.

14. Palm Springs (2020)

Directed by Max Barbakow

Starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J. K. Simmons

Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery (1h 30m)

7.4 on IMDb — 94% on RT

Palm Springs takes place at a wedding in Palm Springs, California. Two guests inadvertently get stuck in a time loop, reliving the same exact wedding day over and over, and try to find a way to escape.

The premise may not seem like anything special, but the performances by Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti elevate this film to new heights. Infused with comedy, drama, and romance, Palm Springs makes full use of its time loop situation to tell an impactful story.

13. Predestination (2014)

Directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig

Starring Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor

Action, Drama, Sci-Fi (1h 37m)

7.4 on IMDb — 84% on RT

A time-traveling agent's final assignment is to track down the one criminal who he's never been able to capture. But the further down the rabbit hole he goes, the more mind-bending the truths become.

Predestination isn't just a time travel film. What sets this film apart from most sci-fi movies is how deftly it handles its deeper themes, how deep it's willing to go with its characters, and how expertly the narrative unfolds. It's truly one of the most complex time travel movies ever made.

12. The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Directed by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber

Starring Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Melora Walters

Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 53m)

7.6 on IMDb — 34% on RT

A man discovers he has the ability to change the present by traveling back into the mind of his younger self, but around every corner await unintended consequences.

You've heard of "the butterfly effect" before, and The Butterfly Effect effectively takes that concept and turns it into a dark thriller. Ashton Kutcher stars in this film against type and delivers a surprisingly great performance in this gripping film about regret and control.

11. About Time (2013)

Directed by Richard Curtis

Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (2h 3m)

7.8 on IMDb — 70% on RT

A man who can travel through time decides to use his power to woo the girl of his dreams, but things aren't as easy as they seem—and the limits of his power cause him to make a tough and important decision.

With Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams taking the lead, About Time ends up being a romantic comedy that's far better than it has any right to be, complete with a superbly moving ending that's completely earned.

10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Adventure, Family, Fantasy (2h 22m)

7.9 on IMDb — 90% on RT

It's Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts and this time Lord Voldemort isn't his main concern. Instead, Sirius Black—the one who was suspected as betraying his parents—has escaped from Azkaban Prison and rumor has it that he's coming to finish Harry off.

Often praised as the best film in the Harry Potter franchise—thanks to impeccable direction by Alfonso Cuaron— The Prisoner of Azkaban isn't just a standout for its time travel subplot but also for its cohesive narrative that combines numerous themes with stellar cinematography.

9. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Directed by Doug Liman

Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi (1h 53m)

7.9 on IMDb — 91% on RT

In the face of an alien invasion, a soldier somehow ends up reliving the same day over and over every time he dies. He must somehow use this to his advantage and defeat the invading aliens while also finding a way to escape the endless loop in which he's trapped.

As far as time loop movies go, Edge of Tomorrow is one of the better executed ones. Not only is the tight story well-paced, but stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt put in excellent performances that carry the narrative forward from start to finish.

8. The Man From Earth (2007)

Directed by Richard Schenkman

Starring David Lee Smith, Tony Todd, John Billingsley

Drama, Fantasy, Mystery (1h 27m)

7.8 on IMDb — 100% on RT

During a retirement party, an aging professor reveals that he's been alive longer than his colleagues can imagine.

The Man From Earth is best described as a "play caught on camera," delivering an engaging mystery that's built on the foundation of an interesting thought experiment.

Not many dialogue-only films are this riveting, which is why you should definitely give this one a watch.

7. Arrival (2016)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 56m)

7.9 on IMDb — 94% on RT

When aliens arrive on Earth, a linguist is brought to the frontlines to decipher their language and establish communications.

Easily one of the most cerebral science fiction movies ever made, Arrival takes things to the next level by exploring deep themes and ideas that few other films have dared to touch. You won't ever forget this one.

6. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt

Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller (2h 9m)

8.0 on IMDb — 88% on RT

In the year 2035, a convict is sent back in time to 1996 with one mission: to investigate the cause of a man-made virus that decimated the world. But his mission is sidetracked when he's sent back to the wrong time period and ends up in a mental hospital.

Featuring one of Bruce Willis's best performances, 12 Monkeys starts off slow but ends with a bang. There's a lot to love about this mind-bending movie if you can get through the slow but necessary setup.

5. Donnie Darko (2001)

Directed by Richard Kelly

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 53m)

8.0 on IMDb — 87% on RT

A high schooler begins to see visions of a man in a deranged bunny suit who warns him that the world is going to end in a few days—and convinces him to commit all sorts of crimes and unsavory deeds to prevent the oncoming apocalypse.

Donnie Darko is a strange film with time travel elements that aren't as overt as in other time travel films. But if you're itching for a uniquely surreal film experience, it doesn't get much weirder than Donnie Darko .

4. Groundhog Day (1993)

Directed by Harold Ramis

Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (1h 41m)

8.0 on IMDb — 94% on RT

An insufferable weatherman finds himself caught in a time loop, reliving the same mundane day over and over again with seemingly no way out of it—and after thousands of repeats, it starts to take its toll on him.

Groundhog Day is a hilarious comedy that's also surprisingly deep if you're willing to unpack it, acting as a lesson in what really brings about happiness and self-improvement. If you're a fan of Bill Murray and haven't seen this yet, what have you been waiting for?!

3. Your Name (2016)

Directed by Makoto Shinkai

Starring Michael Sinterniklaas, Stephanie Sheh, Kyle Hebert

Animation, Drama, Fantasy (1h 46m)

8.4 on IMDb — 98% on RT

One day, a high school boy in Tokyo and a high school girl in the countryside start swapping bodies, seemingly at random but only when they go to sleep. But then the swapping stops. The boy is compelled to find the girl, but investigating leads to a heartbreaking answer.

Your Name isn't just one of the best animated movies of all time, nor simply one of the best Japanese movies of all time, but one of the best, period. It's incredibly heartfelt with a climax that'll hit you in the gut.

2. Back to the Future (1985)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi (1h 56m)

8.5 on IMDb — 93% on RT

A teenage boy from 1985 accidentally goes back in time thirty years with his mad scientist friend. Not only does he need to find a way home, but he accidentally puts his own existence in danger and must make sure his future parents end up falling in love.

Back to the Future is a classic time travel movie and you owe it to yourself to make it the next movie you watch if you've never seen it. Look past the 1980s cheesiness and you'll see an engaging story beneath it all.

1. Interstellar (2014)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain

Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi (2h 49m)

8.7 on IMDb — 73% on RT

With Earth on the brink of extinction, a team of astronauts must travel through a wormhole to find a new planet for humans to colonize. But journeying through outer space comes with all kinds of complications, and finding a habitable planet isn't going to be so easy.

For all its flaws, Interstellar packs a thrilling story on top of dazzling visuals and one of the most moving soundtracks of any film, period. This is the kind of film that'll have you thinking long after the credits roll, and for many reasons beyond just time travel.

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If You Love Time-Travel Movies, You’ll Love the Ethan Hawke–Starring Predestination

If you’re a twisty-time-travel-movie junkie like me, you’ll turn loop-de-loops over the Spierig Brothers’ Predestination , in which “temporal agent” Ethan Hawke jumps among different periods doing … something … It’s not clear until the last minute of the film, and “clear” in this context is still a trifle murky. But if time-travel is your thing, you learn to shrug off inconsistencies. You debate chicken-egg questions over drinks or dope and mull over all the permutations. You graph it. You wish like hell you had a time machine. You savor every discombobulating, ludicrous, thrilling second of Predestination .

Orienting you at all would constitute a spoiler, but it can be said that there’s a semi-coherent first scene in which Hawke shoots at someone or gets shot at by someone and appears to be partially incinerated in an explosion; that he undergoes futuristic plastic surgery; and that he wants to jump back in time — risking his sanity, which bends under the stress of too many temporal jumps — to capture a mad bomber dubbed “the Fizzler” before 1975, when he or she is destined to kill thousands of people. It can be said that he comes into contact with a mordant, rather pretty young man at a bar who tells him a long, long story (with flashbacks) involving an orphanage, a top-secret intelligence agency partly overseen by cryptic Noah Taylor, a broken heart, and a sex change. Hawke asks him if he has a purpose in life, and he says, “I’m workin’ on it.”

It can also be said that to solve the mystery of how these events all began would require a thorough understanding of Einstein, Hawking, and the Big Bang. I’m guessing even Robert Heinlein — whose story All You Zombies this is based on — had trouble grokking everything. Thank heaven he never let that stop him from writing a good yarn.

Hawke plays it low-key, solemn, enigmatic, his emotions kept in check for a Reason to Be Named Later. He throws the movie to his principal co-star, a mesmerizing, redheaded Aussie actress named Sarah Snook whom I didn’t know before but sure do now — and will know, I trust, until the end of time. She’s playing a thoroughly out-of-sync, alienated person. Her rhythms are slow, wobbly. She barely makes eye contact with her co-stars. Those eyes are in any case encased behind a pair of cheekbones that seem to be putting out a force field of grief. What’s eating her?

Don’t expect car chases or crowd scenes. The Spierigs — German boys, Michael and Peter (they made Daybreakers ) — keep things moody and intimate. This is a deeply solipsistic movie, but how deep is something you’ll need to find out for yourself.

• predestination
• movie review
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The 35 Best Time Travel Movies

Ready for 1.21 gigawatts of sci-fi greatness?

These are the 35 best sci-fi films that explore the fluidity of time.

🤯 You love mind-bending science. So do we. Let’s nerd out over it together.

35. Timecop

Jean-Claude Van Damme is a cop who polices time. Don’t need to say more, but I guess I will. In 1994, time travel becomes a favorite pastime of criminals, and timecops like Van Damme must catch any chronal abusers and bring them to justice. As is often the case, Van Damme’s own time-muckery with the past creates different and divergent timelines that not even Doc Brown’s chalkboard could work out. But Timecop isn’t exactly a film that’s going for narrative clarity here.

34. The Final Countdown / The Philadelphia Experiment

Although most people would file this film under “flop,” The Final Countdown contains such an amazing premise it has to be recognized. The crew of the U.S.S. Nimitz enters a storm vortex and is transported to Pearl Harbor in 1941, turning a favorite imaginary war-game scenario into real life. Although the actual film elements aren’t necessarily memorable, it does give us an incredibly good look at the Nimitz (the film was shot on the actual carrier).

We tossed in The Philadelphia Experiment at the same spot, since it’s essentially the reverse of The Final Countdown .

33. Men in Black 3

By the time director Barry Sonnenfeld directed Men in Black 3 in 2012, the franchise was 15 years removed from its fun and campy original, and Men in Black 2 had sucked out much of the charm. That’s why MiB 3 , despite its faults, is still a surprising underdog of a film.

Agent J (Will Smith) goes back in time to stop an alien from mucking up the past and killing Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones/Josh Brolin). The film recaptures much of the original’s fun, and Josh Brolin’s portrayal of a young Tommy Lee Jones playing Agent K is simply awe-inspiring. Honestly, that acting work alone earns this spot for MiB 3.

32. Flight of the Navigator

Sort of like E.T. , but with time travel. What Flight of the Navigator lacks in a substantial plot, it more than makes up for in charm.

David Scott Freeman falls into a ravine and is knocked unconscious—for eight years. Although he doesn’t age, everyone he knows does, and he soon finds he’s part of something much larger. It’s a fun film that will never outshine any Spielberg classics, but its campiness is too genuine to ignore.

31. Time After Time

H.G. Wells, Jack the Ripper, and time travel ... that’s it . Just click the arrow.

30. Timecrimes

A film with perhaps the lowest budget on this list, Timecrimes is a Spanish-language movie that follows a typical time travel trope (many copies of one person causing major problems) but creates 92 minutes of truly enjoyable cinema. The fun moments of Timecrimes are the reveal after reveal after reveal, which snowballs into a fascinating plot.

29. Source Code

Source Code is like Groundhog Day and Edge of Tomorrow with a twist. Instead of going back in time as himself, Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) enters the body of someone else as he tries to stop a mass murder attempt. What the film lacks in depth, it more than makes up for in pulse-pumping action, and the premise itself is a refreshing take on the usual time travel idea.

It will likely never be considered an example of high science fiction, but as far as time travel goes, it gets good grades.

28. Donnie Darko

Perfect amounts creepy and perplexing, Donnie Darko is another strange example of time travel, which is why it belongs on this list all the more. Darko (Gyllenhaal again) is a high school kid with a less-than-sunny disposition. But when he begins seeing frightening hallucinations of a deranged and grotesque rabbit, things slowly begin to unravel, going from bad to weird pretty quickly.

For such a small-budget film (that was almost released straight to home video!) it’s made an outsized impact on science fiction and indie filmmaking. It’s a great movie, but also a polarizing one.

27. Safety Not Guaranteed

Director Colin Trevorrow’s debut film Safety Not Guaranteed follows three journalists—well, one journalist and two interns—on a road trip to meet the eccentric Kenneth (Mark Duplass), who placed an ad in a local newspaper looking for a time-travel companion. Although at its heart a romantic comedy, the film explores human perception of time and the indelible regrets, traumas, and even fantasies that fill our memories. Although the idea of actual time travel plays a significant role in the film, it’s used mostly as a symbol to analyze the importance of being present and always looking with hope toward the future.

26. X-Men: Days of Future Past

Smashing together the old X-Men guard with the new is what makes X-Men: Days of Future Past one of the more successful cinematic outings for the mutant team.

In the film, Kitty Pryde sends Wolverine back through time to stop apocalyptic events from unfolding. Maybe that’s not the most original plot, but it’s one that’s too fun to resist (if only for the Quicksilver scene alone ).

25. Predestination

Based on Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi short story “All You Zombies,” Predestination is a head trip, like any proper time travel film should be. With a strong performance from Ethan Hawke and a script that will keep you guessing, the film is one of the more solid time travel entries in recent years and is a film that garners a rewatch so you can catch every detail.

24. Star Trek: First Contact

The Next Generation ’s big screen outings are a mixed bag, to put it nicely, but the best film by far is the time-bending Star Trek: First Contact . Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise-E travel to the past to prevent the cybernetic Borg from mucking with Earth’s history. It’s a good film all by itself, but even more excellent if you’re an invested Star Trek fan. We get to see huge, never-before-seen moments in the Star Trek universe, like humanity’s first encounter with the Vulcans, and the Borg are just an excellent adversary.

23. Army of Darkness

“Shop Smart. Shop, S-Mart.”

Depending on who you ask, Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness is either the best sequel to any film ever, or the worst—there isn’t much room in between. The chainsaw-toting Ashley “Ash” Williams is tossed back to medieval times where he must fight off a horde of undead monstrosities with only his ingenuity and his “boom stick.”

Even though it’s slapstick comedy with wonderfully B-movie action sequences, it remains an absolute joy to watch.

22. Doctor Strange

In this Marvel sleeper hit , Stephen Strange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) becomes the Sorcerer Supreme, and in typical Marvel fashion, is tasked with saving the world. Although the visuals alone are worthing giving this movie a shot, its manipulation of time as a superpower rather than a world-altering plot device is what sets it apart from the rest.

21. Sleeper

Although not technically time travel (long stretches of cryo-sleep instead), Sleeper is Woody Allen’s sci-fi comedy that’s absurd, hilarious, and strangely poignant. Miles Monroe is a jazz musician and health-food-store owner who wakes up in the 22nd century after a botched gall bladder operation. The world is, as you’d expect, quite different, and Monroe is a hilarious character to explore it with.

Tenet is an “A for effort” addition to this list. The film has all the trappings of a Christopher Nolan flick—stunning cinematography, a star-studded cast, head-scratching plot points, etc., etc. And Tenet does take time travel movies one step further with the introduction of time inversion, the idea that objects and people can travel into the past at the same temporal pace that they can travel into the future. Although a fascinating concept, it’s also a confusing one, which is why Nolan spends much of the film’s 150-minute runtime explaining what’s going on. Tenet is a fascinating time travel story though ultimately one a bit lost in its own exposition.

19. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

This 2006 award-winning anime is a coming-of-age time travel story that even rivals Back to the Future . After schoolgirl Mokoto Konno discovers a time travel device that gives her the power to leap through time, she uses her new gifts for mundane high school stuff, passing tests, avoiding awkward conversations, and to address her chronic lateness.

When she learns what her time traveling does to others around her, and as the seriousness of her time jumping becomes more apparent, the film blossoms into an important story about loss and friendship.

Crime noir meets science fiction in Rian Johnson’s Looper , and the match is magical. In a future where time travel is invented and immediately made illegal, crime syndicates use the technology for time-hopping assassinations. But to tie off some temporal inconsistencies, the assassin must eventually become the target—and that’s where things get interesting. This isn’t flawless sci-fi, but it’s certainly inventive.

17. Run Lola Run

On its surface, the German film Run Lola Run is about a blazingly red-headed woman running through the streets of Berlin in an attempt to save her boyfriend’s life. However, the twist is that once Lola reaches a dead-end (sometimes literally) in one of her runs, the film starts over from the beginning and Lola runs through Berlin once again, only this time small changes in her path create largely divergent outcomes by the film’s end. Although time is more of a thematic device than a strictly plot-driven one in Run Lola Run, its ruminations on time and the exploration of the Butterfly Effect , the idea that small incidents can have lasting repercussions, makes Run Lola Run one of the most unique films on this list.

16. Avengers: Endgame

What happens when the big purple monster man annihilates half the population? Time travel, baby. Tony Stark and gang concoct a convoluted plan that’ll save the universe from being cleaved in two, including some very inventive scenes that play with time travel. Like most time travel plots, Endgame creates more questions than it answers, but it’s best to just sit back and enjoy.

Darren lives in Portland, has a cat, and writes/edits about sci-fi and how our world works. You can find his previous stuff at Gizmodo and Paste if you look hard enough. 

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The 24 Best Time Travel Movies Ever

By Michael Rougeau on February 20, 2019 at 5:31PM PST

GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

It's a temporal week in entertainment.

Here at GameSpot, we love good sci-fi, especially of the time travel variety. That's what makes this week so exciting: Not only does Happy Death Day 2U , the sequel to the Groundhog Day-like slasher movie, hit theaters this Wednesday, February 13--Netflix's Umbrella Academy , about a quirky team of superheroes that includes a time traveling 15-year-old, releases on Friday, February 15. That's a lot of temporal displacement.

Happy Death Day 2U and Umbrella Academy succeed on the backs of a long history of time travel fiction on the big and small screens. To celebrate, we're going to look back at both-- click here for the best time travel shows , and read on for the greatest time travel movies of all, uh, time.

Note: These are presented in no particular order, because ranking them would just take too much time. ;)

1. Happy Death Day (2017)

Groundhog Day has had surprisingly few imitators in the grand scheme of things, possibly because it's not an easy thing to pull off. Happy Death Day is probably the most successful one, at least on an artistic level. The movie marries the core concept with a slasher flick, waking protagonist Tree (the fantastic Jessica Rothe) up over and over on the same morning in a stranger's dorm room bed, and tasking her with solving her own murder as it plays out again and again that night. The sequel--out today, February 13--reveals exactly how and why this occurs, but even taken simply on its own, Happy Death Day is a fun ride.

2. Timecrimes (2007)

Timecrimes--or, in its original Spanish, Los Cronocrímenes--is one of those movies that just perfectly captures the complexities of practical time travel in seemingly effortless fashion. Director Nacho Vigalondo creates a believable time loop in which one man unknowingly plays the roles of victim, aggressor, orchestrator, and pawn. The timeline keeps folding back on itself, but it's never hard to follow thanks to the movie's clever directing and clear vision.

3. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson, and Mark Duplass star in this unique time travel movie in which very little time travel actually takes place. Instead, Safety Not Guaranteed is a quirky comedy about a man who believes he's invented a time machine and seeks a partner to test it out with him. Sure, it involves training montages and a healthy dose of cute romance, but Safety Not Guaranteed has a darker edge too, and the writing is utterly convincing.

4. Terminator 2 (1991)

You could argue that the original Terminator didn't need a sequel. It was a tight, self-contained action movie. But if it had remained as only that, we never would have gotten the masterpiece of action cinema that is Terminator 2, including arguably Arnold Schwarzenegger's best ever performance as a time-traveling murder-bot with a heart of gold. Everything about this movie holds up today, so give it a watch if you haven't lately. Then, read more about one of the movie's most iconic scenes .

5. Groundhog Day (1993)

You can't blame early critics for not immediately recognizing Groundhog Day's total genius. After all, as Robert Ebert famously put it in his revisiting of the movie in 2005, "it unfolds so inevitably, is so entertaining, so apparently effortless, that you have to stand back and slap yourself before you see how good it really is." Bill Murray's Phil Connors relives the same day countless times--maybe hundreds, maybe thousands--until he learns to be less of a dick, and also to flawlessly play invigorating jazz piano. It's a perfect movie.

6. Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future has proven so influential that it's still one of the most-referenced movies today, more than 30 years after its original release. So much about this movie and its sequels, from the Delorean time machine to the totally radical hoverboards in number 2, has become part of pop culture legend. Even with that scene where Marty makes out with his mom, Back to the Future is an undeniable classic.

7. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

There are plenty of serious, scientific-ish time travel movies. And then there's Hot Tub Time Machine, in which John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, and Clark Duke accidentally travel back to the 1980s after an accident involving a hot tub and an illegal Russian energy drink known as Chernobly. Masterpiece cinema Hot Tub Time Machine is not, but it's definitely a fun romp that captures the lighter side of the genre.

8. Looper (2012)

Before he was either ruining or saving (depending who you ask) Star Wars with the divisive Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, director Rian Johnson crafted an extremely neat little time travel action movie called Looper. In the near future, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a time traveling hitman who comes into contact with Bruce Willis, who's supposed to be an older, more grizzled version of himself. Even though the two don't really look alike, the whole thing works really well, especially with its exceptionally satisfying conclusion.

9. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

One of the classics of time travel comedy, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure saw Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (an extremely young-seeming Keanu Reeves) cavorting through time in search of historical figures to help them with a school project. This wonderfully dumb concept gave rise to hijinks, comedy, and a cultural influence still felt today.

10. Primer (2004)

Primer is a love it or hate it kind of movie. Fans adore everything about it, from the dense writing and absurdly over-complicated timelines, to the understated, homespun performances of Shane Carruth and David Sullivan as two mediocre scientists who accidentally invent time travel in their garage and let it twist them into ruining their lives. It all came from the mind of Carruth, who wrote, produced, directed, edited, and scored the movie, in addition to starring in it--all on a shockingly low budget of only $7,000. But love it or hate it, Primer is a must-see for sci-fi fans (and a must-see-multiple-times if you hope to actually understand what's going on).

11. Donnie Darko (2001)

Another love it or hate it indie movie, Donnie Darko bombed at the box office but has achieved cult status since its 2001 release. It follows a young Jake Gyllenhaal in what might have been a typical coming-of-age high school dark comedy, were it not for the ethereal murder bunny Frank, the falling jet engine from nowhere, and the time vortex that appears above Donnie's house. Donnie Darko is depressing and charming in equal measure, so if that's your kind of thing, have at it.

12. Time Bandits (1981)

Monty Python's Terry Gilliam directed, produced, and co-wrote (with fellow Python Michael Palin) this zany kid's movie about an 11-year-old named Kevin who goes on adventures through time with a gang of thieving dwarves. It's definitely on the sillier side, but with Gilliam at the helm and a cast that included Palin, Sean Connery, John Cleese, Shelley Duvall, and many more talents of the time, Time Bandits is a guaranteed classic.

13. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Not to be confused with the Syfy show of the same name--which is pretty good in its own right--12 Monkeys is yet another Terry Gilliam classic on this list. This one stars Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis in a thriller that spans 1996 and 2035 and involves a viral outbreak that kills 99% of all humanity. Like any good thriller, it's packed with action, plots, and twists galore.

14. Army of Darkness (1992)

The adventures of Bruce Campbell's bullish antihero Ash Williams, who for decades has battled demons and the undead throughout the Evil Dead series, have probably gone on way longer than anyone could have predicted based only on the 1981 original. Army of Darkness sent Ash back in time to the middle ages, where he--surprise!--once again battles evil. With the series' distinct comedy ratcheted up higher than ever, Army of Darkness is no cinematic masterpiece, but it's earned a cult following for a reason.

15. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Edge of Tomorrow has the odd distinction of having been renamed as "Live. Die. Repeat" on its home release, which is a weird move if you want people who saw your movie to actually go out and buy it. But that's really just a footnote, since--whatever you call it--this movie is maybe the most solid, slick time travel action movie of all time. It has elements of Groundhog Day as Tom Cruise's Major William Cage relives the same day over and over while training to fight an invading alien race. It manages to be a solid popcorn flick and a competent time travel tale all at once, with possibly the most raw box office appeal of anything on this list.

16. The Endless (2017)

The Endless is yet another indie time travel movie, this one again concerning time loops a la Groundhog Day. The duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead produced, directed, edited, and starred in the movie, while Benson wrote it and Moorhead helmed the cinematography. They play brothers who return to a cult after years away, discovering phenomena they can't explain. It exists in a shared universe with their previous film, 2012's Resolution, marking Benson and Moorhead as a team to watch.

17. Your Name (2016)

This anime film concerns a city boy, Taki Tachibana, and a countryside girl, Mitsuha Miyamizu, both high school students, who find themselves inexplicably switching bodies and possibly falling in love in the process. It's rightfully been described as part part body swap and part time travel--with other sci-fi genres thrown in at various points--although it's not until the climax that all the pieces really come together. Nevertheless, Your Name is an emotional and original journey that everyone should see.

18. Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris is by no means a typical time travel movie. As successful screenwriter (but struggling novelist) Gil Pender, Owen Wilson travels back in time every night to 1920s Paris, a period of cultural and creative renaissance. Pender gets cozy with historical figures like Cole Porter, William Faulkner, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Picasso, and more, while coming to terms with his own nostalgic delusions and the realities of his failing relationship. It's a charming, beautiful film that will make you want to read classic 20th century literature while sipping espresso at a cafe in Paris, which is not a terrible goal to have.

19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Although it's not revealed until the movie's climax, time travel is essential to the third Harry Potter book adaptation, which also happens to be (arguably) the best of the films. This is where the series started to take on its own identity separate from the page, thanks largely to director Alfonso Cuarón's stylistic vision. And Hermione's use of time travel as a study aid is one of the most creative twists ever seen in the genre.

20. Project Almanac (2015)

The "found footage" thing has surely been done to death, but Project Almanac is one of the better examples. Told through the lenses of a bunch of teenagers' phones, Almanac follows high school senior David Raskin (Jonny Weston) as he and his friends build a time machine based on plans left behind by his deceased father. Predictably, they use the time machine just like real teenagers would--irresponsibly and with dire consequences, most notably to attend Lollapalooza in the timespan of a bathroom break during class.

21. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

Days of Future Past is somewhat messy, but that's bound to happen when you mash up the separate casts of two disparate incarnations of the same franchise, with time travel serving mostly as a hacked together excuse to have Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, and more all in one over the top X-Men movie together. Honestly, I'm not complaining.

22. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Star Trek IV has one of the weirdest plots of any movie on this list: Kirk and Spock must travel to the past and bring now-extinct humpback whales back to the future with them, so the whales can somehow communicate with an alien probe and prevent it from destroying Earth. Honestly, if you haven't seen it, that synopsis just won't make a lot of sense--but that's Star Trek for you.

23. Predestination (2014)

On first glance, Predestination seems to be a cookie-cutter time travel action movie in which temporal Agent John Doe (Ethan Hawke) embarks on a mission to prevent a bomb from killing thousands. But it's smarter than it sounds, and benefits from an excellent performance by Australian actress Sarah Snook.

24. Frequency (2000)

Frequency goes in depth on something all serious time travel movies have to address: the ripples that small changes in the past can cause in the present and future. John (Jim Caviezel) inexplicably reconnects with his decades-dead father through a mysterious ham radio, warning him of his impending death and thus changing the past--which, understandably, has consequences. It's a solid sci-fi movie that doesn't get the love it deserves today.

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12 Most Complex Time Travel Movies Executed Well

Hi, this is Barry, and welcome to my site. How a time travel movie is conceived and executed establishes how complicated it can become. Some filmmakers avoid the complexities, others attempt it and make a mess of the timeline(s), but a few embrace the convoluted nature of time travel and do a fantastic job with the execution. Before we go into the list, let me be clear on how I define a time travel movie. So long as there is one person experiencing time in a non-linear fashion, the film makes it into the category. Here is my list of the most complex time travel movies that are well-executed (in no particular order).

Hollywordle – Check out my new Hollywood Wordle game!

Where To Watch?

To find where to stream any movie or series based on your country, use This Is Barry’s Where To Watch .

Oh, and if this article doesn’t answer all of your questions, drop me a comment or an FB chat message, and I’ll get you the answer .  You can find other film explanations using the search option on top of the site.

For the complete list, do check the 50+ Best Time Travel Movies of all times.

Back To The Future: Part 2

I’m talking specifically about the second part. And why is that? Because a significant portion of the film’s events happens on the same date as the first movie. You see two of Martin and Doc Brown, and they have to make sure they achieve their objective without disturbing any of the events from the first film. This complexity does nothing to affect the film’s humour and quirky characters.

The timeline diagram that Doc Brown draws on the blackboard is iconic and is used by almost everyone to explain complicated time travel movies today. Watching many of the scenes from the first part in the backdrop of this sequel is what makes it extraordinary. Many other time travel movies have emulated this idea in their plots.

Oriol Paulo’s films are a pleasure to watch. He’s got a real talent for non-linear storytelling in the genre of murder mysteries. Mirage combines a crime-thriller with science fiction and time travel in one movie. This time travel movie follows a multi-timeline approach and keeps you on edge with multiple plot twists. A mysterious storm causes a TV to become a bridge across 25 years, enabling characters to communicate with the past. Information that is shared with the past results in different decisions and thereby creates an alternate timeline. Facts and events from each timeline are aggregated to solve the case of murder. It’s enjoyable to watch other subtle pieces of information getting unearthed due to the altered timeline and how they feed into the plot.

The ending of the film wraps up all the time-complications very well, leaving almost no plot holes. Placing a murder mystery within the container of time travel and the movie’s non-linear narrative really make Mirage quite unique.

You can find a detailed explanation with a timeline diagram here – Mirage Explained .

The Infinite Man

You have probably not heard of this low budget Australian film, but it’s a pretty wicked time travel movie. A man wants his girlfriend and himself to relive their anniversary of the previous year. When they do so, they end up encountering multiple versions of themselves travelling back various times into the past. You really need to not blink when you watch this film, as the same events are revisited time and over from different perspectives. The Infinite Man follows a single timeline model and handles the time-complexities superbly. Each character loops back a different number of times. The execution challenge then becomes how to let the who is who and what the reason was for travelling back in time. This complexity was handled excellently in the film.

Infinite Man really deserves more attention considering something this complicated was achieved in a tiny budget with three actors and no special effects. Oh, did I mention some scenes are damn funny too?

For a detailed breakdown of the film and a timeline diagram, read this – The Infinite Man Explained .

Avengers: Endgame

The fate of 20+ films was riding on Avengers: Endgame. We had already witnessed X-Men: Days Of Future Past, which was otherwise a good film, mess up the timeline so badly it erased the events of the original movies and left the fate of future films in the dark. Endgame needed to revisit multiple films of the MCU to temporarily borrow Infinity Stones. To achieve this, the multiple timeline approach was strategically adopted. Meaning travelling to the past of the prime MCU timeline cannot alter it, and all past events occur in alternate timelines. This ensured that all of the prior 20+ movies were preserved. It also provided a clear direction for future MCU films which will be set in the prime MCU timeline. Using this setup, they took the liberty to mess around with the events of previous movies to introduce repercussions of time travel. Examples of this are when we see two Caps fighting and Loki disappearing with the Tesseract.

The best part of this is if future directors choose, they can explore tinkering with plots set in any of the five alternate timelines created in Endgame. Considering the time travel movie wrapped up revisits to older movies in a smart way, learning from the small mistakes in Back To The Future, Endgame definitely deserves mention in this list.

For an extensive analysis of the time travel, plot and characters with a timeline video, go here – Avengers: Endgame Explained .

Primer is centred on two guys who discover time travel accidentally while experimenting with gravitational effects on objects. While the first couple of trips to the past make the film look easy, it soon escalates into a web of timelines folding onto themselves in an extremely convoluted manner. Primer also sports one of the most creative mechanics of time travel using the simple logic that you cannot travel back to before the time machine was switched on or  primed . The movie smartly uses this limitation to show how the characters need to come up with ingenious ideas to travel back multiple times. The fascinating bit is that the reason for time-travel comes from pure scientific curiosity and not to achieve a grand purpose. While there might appear to be a few loose ends, the film wraps it up nice and tight. Do pay close attention to everything in this film, and yeah, you’ll need to watch it twice.

No time travel movies’ list is complete without the mention of Primer. The film was produced within a teeny tiny budget of $7000 and yet presents one of the most complicated sets of timelines one can imagine.

Here’s a detailed timeline-wise explanation of this movie – Primer Explained .

12 Monkeys is too close to the COVID-19 virus epidemic for comfort. This time travel movie sees a dystopian future trying to identify the original strain of a virus that took out most of the living beings on the planet. The scientists of the future rely on time travel to identify the source of the infection. The film sports a single faultless timeline with every event tying up beautifully at the end. Small pieces of apparently isolated incidents begin connecting and come together as a whole to reveal the planned solution for the epidemic.

Wading through the misdirections, and the way Cole slowly narrows down and locates the source and how his actions affect the timeline (or rather don’t) makes this film an excellent piece of time travel thriller.

Here’s a detailed plot analysis and explanation of the film – 12 Monkeys Explained .

Predestination

Predestination is the mother of all time complexities that one can witness in a time travel movie. When you try to mentally visualize this single timeline’s flow of events, you will have a couple of nosebleeds. Based on the short story All You Zombies, Predestination extrapolates the book brilliantly. The character development, their interaction and how their stories merge into a larger scheme of events is intriguing and surprises you continually. Every time you think you are getting a hold on what’s happening, the film takes it up a notch and in the end, brings it all together and leaves you talking to yourself. 

Predestination is perhaps the most flawless execution of an extremely complex time travel plot while establishing that everything about the movie is one giant paradox.

Here’s everything you need to understand and untangle this film’s plot (yes, there’s a timeline diagram) – Predestination Explained .

Déjà Vu is the classic tale of hunting down a bomber before he strikes again. The catch, however, is that the team uses a time device to follow the life of one of the victims to get the bomber. While the folks of science, who believe in paradoxes, believe that the victim’s fate is sealed, Agent Doug finds it impossible to ignore the obvious that apart from nabbing the bomber he can save the lives of many, but this requires messing with time and rewriting history as they know it.

Though the execution of the film does introduce mild plot holes, the timelines in the movie are wrapped up pretty convincingly at the end. The really innovative sequence is the car chase taking place between two vehicles in entirely different times.

Timecrimes is a fun Spanish time travel movie happening over the duration of one day and a single timeline. What’s unique about this film is that the lead character who travels through is an average Joe. Typically the person travelling through time intends it and is well versed with the science behind it. Not in Time Crimes though. Héctor fumbles his way through most of the plot, and it’s the nature of time that seems to iron things out automatically. The entire film is a giant series of accidents complicating matters for the central character as he gets through his extra-long day.

Multiple Hectors cluelessly running around and amplifying time complications provides for a good deal of humour. Timecrimes is well-executed, and the end of the film wraps up any loose ends and maintains the timeline integrity beautifully.

To read a detailed explanation of this movie, go here – Timecrimes Explained .

Butterfly Effect

Butterfly Effect toggles back and forth, repeatedly creating multiple futures based on small yet significant actions. The story is thought through well and lays out the prime timeline with strategically placed voids in the first half. The latter half revisits these pockets of missing memories, offering a choice to the protagonist to execute a different action.

The protagonist making a small change to a single event causes a cascading effect over years leading up to a drastic and unexpected change to the future. True to its name, Butterfly Effect plays off on Chaos Theory fantastically.

This is a low budget film showcasing an innovative angle to non-linear events via the means of a mystical camera that takes pictures of the future, of the next day. Time Lapse lacks quality characters but makes up for it by executing a single timeline well. At the beginning of the film, we are shown one picture weeks into the future, while the remaining photos are 24hrs into the future. The characters witnessing the pictures of their future creates a chain of events leading up to that final photograph. What’s more, is that the camera possibly takes photos as close as 12 hrs into the future. Regardless of the characters’ intentions and actions, they keep feeding into their fate which refuses to get altered. 

Despite a complicated chain of events, the film manages the timeline accurately. It leaves no room for flaws in the execution and hence Time Lapse finds its way into this list despite its poor character development.

Here’s a detailed plot analysis for the film with each of the pictures from the camera – Time Lapse Explained .

Triangle is not strictly a time travel movie. But as I mentioned before, as long as one character experiences time non-linearly, the film qualifies. The film contains time loops that have three versions of the lead at any given moment on a abandoned ship. The film is quite complicated and yet manages to deliver an airtight sequence of events looping on itself wonderfully.

Placed in the slasher genre, Triangle has brilliantly conceived time loops. The cherry on top really is the ending which discloses the reason why the loops have come into existence.

Here’s a complete numbered loop-wise detailed breakdown of the movie – Triangle Explained .

Barry is a technologist who helps start-ups build successful products. His love for movies and production has led him to write his well-received film explanation and analysis articles to help everyone appreciate the films better. He’s regularly available for a chat conversation on his website and consults on storyboarding from time to time. Click to browse all his film articles

12 Best Romance Movies That Incorporate Time Travel, Ranked

People will do anything for love.

Who would've thought that manipulating time would forge some of the great love stories? Whether it's found within the chivalry of the gentlemanly past or the future of civilization, cinema has shown that love has no bounds – even if it means traveling through time to get it. Where it may be a common trope for the sci-fi genre, romance flicks have also surprisingly used it to their advantage.

From classic rom-coms like 13 Going on 30 and The Lake House , to more hidden gems like If Only – these movies use the phenomenon of time travel to intertwine greater levels of fantasy and magic . Not only does this increase the overall cinematic experience, but these time travel romance movies also make the love stories incredibly epic.

12 '13 Going on 30' (2004)

Director: gary winick.

After being humiliated on her 13th birthday, Jenna Rink ( Christa B. Allen ) wishes to escape her life of pre-teen unpopularity and become a well-adjusted grownup in this time travel rom-com. She's shocked when she wakes up to find her wish has come true; somehow Jenna ( Jennifer Garner ) is now 30 and living in 2004. Soon she realizes how adulthood has its own set of struggles – one particularly being her love life.

As an iconic 2000s rom-com , 13 Going on 30 has warmed fans' hearts for decades. Largely driven by Garner's bubbly innocence, Jenna's connection with Matt (Mark Ruffalo) is undeniably pure and one of the great depictions of friends-to-lovers. This movie also uses time travel to put forth the message of how time is precious; by choosing to only look towards the future, one would never absorb the milestones of the present.

13 Going on 30

Watch on Netflix

11 'When We First Met' (2018)

Director: ari sandel.

Having been friend-zoned by the girl of his dreams after meeting her at a Halloween party, Noah ( Adam DeVine ) remains close to Avery ( Alexandra Daddario ). Three years later, she's now engaged to someone else. Suddenly, Noah stumbles on the opportunity to travel back in time to the moment they met, giving him the chance to alter his life, and get the girl.

In an almost Groundhog Day scenario (and it's worth noting that film is a benchmark for romantic time-travel movie), When We First Met is a humorous film that's filled with charm and charisma thanks to the talents of the cast , especially in the case of DeVine. Where the romantic connection is present between characters, it isn't with whom you'd naturally expect as this is a classic tale that teaches audiences that everything happens for a reason.

When We First Met

10 'kate & leopold' (2001), director: james mangold.

Kate ( Meg Ryan ) is a 21st-century woman who's determined to focus on her career. She thinks she doesn't need romance in her life at all, that is until she meets Leopold ( Hugh Jackman ), an English Duke from the 19th century who's accidentally brought to the future via a portal made by her ex-boyfriend, Stuart ( Liev Schreiber ).

Where Kate & Leopold may be cheesy at times with the classic fish-out-of-water tropes, this movie is an underrated feel-good romance that will easily keep one warm and cozy. Don't expect it to be anything groundbreaking, but it's perfect for a chill night that needs a film that's mildly entertaining. With the script's quick wit and fun character dynamics, this twisted modern-day fairytale shows how love doesn't always come to us in the most expected ways.

Rent on Apple TV

9 'The Lake House' (2006)

Director: alejandro agresti.

As lonely doctor, Kate Forster ( Sandra Bullock ), moves out of her beloved lake house, she begins to exchange letters with its newest resident, a frustrated architect named Alex Wyler ( Keanu Reeves ). The two instantly spark a connection and form a budding romance. The only problem – she's living in the year 2006, whereas he's in 2004.

An epic love story where two are separated by time, this romantic flick is special in the way that it portrays the simplicities of intimacy. With only the written word to connect, Kate and Alex's closeness is unlike any other in The Lake House . It's also refreshing to see Keanu Reeves in a non-action role , which he pulls off with ease. The two main characters need not rely on physical attraction or physical needs, they're brought together by a deeper connection – one built on stories, soul, and emotions.

The Lake House

8 'if only' (2004), director: gil junger.

Struck with grief after the sudden loss of his girlfriend Samantha ( Jennifer Love Hewitt ), Ian ( Paul Nicholls ) is given the opportunity to relive the day she died and rewrite his wrongdoings. The repetition of time allows him to become a better partner and fix things before the impending tragedy, but it also brings some unexpected pain as he relives the best and worst moments of his relationship.

Despite being an emotional and bittersweet tale, If Only is filled with hope and true love. It sends a message to viewers about how important it is to treasure every moment, every milestone, and to treat every day as if it were your last. It's not an innovative concept by any stretch, but with the palpable chemistry between Hewitt and Nicholls, fans will be moved by their devotion towards each other, even until the film's final bittersweet twist .

Watch on Peacock

7 'The Time Traveler's Wife' (2009)

Director: robert schwentke.

Henry Detamble ( Eric Bana ) is a librarian from Chicago who struggles with his rare genetic disorder that causes him to randomly travel through time, uncontrollably. His life becomes more complex when he meets and marries the love of his life, Claire ( Rachel McAdams ), as she must now learn to cope with her husband's condition.

An interesting spin on star-crossed lovers, The Time Traveler's Wife captures the struggles of fated love. Where Henry and Claire's story is romantic and tender, it's also incredibly bittersweet. With Henry's condition, fans (as well as Claire) are never sure of when he'll disappear. So when he does on occasions like their wedding, the heartbreak and tension are palpable. Their love story may be unconventional, but there's beauty to it.

The Time Traveler's Wife

6 'somewhere in time' (1980), director: jeannot szwarc.

Enamored and infatuated by a vintage portrait that hangs in a grand hotel, playwright Richard Collier ( Christopher Reeve ) finds a way to travel through time to 1912 to meet Elise McKenna ( Jane Seymour ), a stage actor. Where the two seem destined to be together, conflicts arise when Elise's obsessive manager, William ( Christopher Plummer ), tries to stop them.

A great movie that's severely slept on, Somewhere in Time tells the story of an unworldly and impossible love. With a brilliant concept and beautiful chemistry between Reeves and Seymour , this movie is one for the romantics and dreamers. It shows the sheer lengths someone is willing to go to find their soulmate – even if it means going through time itself.

Watch on Tubi

5 'Back to the Future Part III' (1990)

Director: robert zemeckis.

As the third and final chapter to their adventures, Marty McFly ( Michael J. Fox ) must travel back in time to 1885 to the Old West to save his friend, Doctor Emmett Brown ( Christopher Lloyd ), from his impending murder. Matters become more complicated when Marty realizes that Doc has fallen deeply in love with local school teacher, Clara Clayton ( Mary Steenburgen ).

Though not a typical romance movie, Back to the Future Part III , is a film spearheaded by the themes of love. Where there are romantic storylines in the previous installments, Doc and Clara's is a breath of fresh air – mostly because Doc is a character that's so determined to avoid the supposed banalities of love. And yet, here he is, willing to be stuck in a foreign time period for the sake of love, happiness, and true companionship.

4 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time' (2006)

Director: mamoru hosoda.

A popular anime movie for beginners , The Girl Who Leapt Through Time tells the story of Makoto Konno (voiced by Riisa Naka ), who learns that she has the ability to time travel. She soon uses her newfound power to fix the small things in her daily life, from schoolwork to friendships. When she meets another person who can time travel, the two develop an unconventional bond.

Chiaki Mamiya (voiced by Takuya Ishida ) helps the protagonist realize and fix the consequences of messing with time, but soon reveals something heartbreaking to her. Their romance is complicated by the fact that Chiaki isn't from Makoto's present day, and eventually has to leave. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time will have fans rooting for the time-traveling duo's success until the tear-jerking end.

3 'Midnight in Paris' (2011)

Director: woody allen.

Whilst on a holiday in Paris with his fiancé and her family, Gil Pender ( Owen Wilson ) – a screenwriter and aspiring author – develops a habit of touring the city alone. One night he finds himself swept back in time to the 1920s where he meets his favorite cultural and artistic icons. By experiencing life in the past, he is forced to confront his dissatisfactions with the present.

As a romance movie, Midnight in Paris offers multiple romantic interests, each with its own qualities and individual purposes. From Inez's (McAdams) 21st-century realism, to Adriana's ( Marion Cotillard ) 1920s romanticized attitude to life, Gil is forced to reflect on what kind of love will give him true happiness. He'll even come to terms with the dangers of escapism. It's a severely underrated Owen Wilson movie , with the actor's performance being a delicate and moving one that anchors the entire story.

Midnight in Paris

While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.

2 'About Time' (2013)

Director: richard curtis.

Life changed forever when Tim Lake ( Domhnall Gleeson ) turned 21 as his father revealed an odd hereditary trait; all the men in their family have the ability to time travel. Though initially shocked, Tim decides to use his skill to alter his past to improve his future. His main goal – bolster his love life and win the heart of Mary (Rachel McAdams). He soon realizes that his power can have serious consequences if used incorrectly.

With a clever concept, a beautiful script, and a great cast, this poignant movie is one that masterfully tackles the topics of love, redemption, and loss. Where Gleeson and McAdams' chemistry is incredibly sweet, About Time is a movie about more than a simple romantic story . It uses time to talk about the importance of living in the moment and the consequences of one's choices. Viewers can expect its small-scale intimate story to move most to tears.

1 'Your Name' (2016)

Director: makoto shinkai.

Your Name is a massively popular and beloved anime film that blends fantasy, romance, and sci-fi together. It tells the story of two high school students – Taki Tachibana (voiced by Ryunosuke Kamiki ) and Mitsuha Miyamizu ( Mone Kamishiraishi ) – who inexplicably begin to swap bodies. The two characters have never met, but begin to improve each other's lives. Before they know it, they slowly fall in love in the process of learning about each other's realities.

It's impossible to talk about the time travel aspect of Your Name without completely spoiling the plot , but audiences who enjoy emotional animated films should consider this essential viewing for its notoriously tear-jerking twist. The gorgeous visuals and heartbreakingly romantic story easily make it the best film to show the potential of combining love and time travel in film.

Your Name (2016)

Watch on Criterion

NEXT: The Best Romantic Movies of All Time, Ranked

Screen Rant

Knuckles ending explained: knuckles’ journey & sonic 3 set-up.

The six episodes of the Knuckles spin-off show are now streaming on Paramount+, complete with an action-packed ending setting up Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Knuckles season 1.

• Knuckles' journey with Wade Whipple establishes Earth as a home for the Echidna warrior, finding a sense of belonging on the planet.
• Knuckles' villains, G.U.N. agents and The Buyer, set up a thrilling showdown that ends with Knuckles defeating them and finding peace.
• Wade Whipple's transformation into a braver character and ally hints at exciting developments for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, setting the stage for new adventures.

Knuckles is a spin-off of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 , with the six episodes on Paramount+ ending the show in an action-packed fashion. Since Sonic 2 's release in April 2022, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 's story has been highly anticipated. In order to make the wait for the third installment slightly easier, Paramount has crafted a spin-off TV show centered around Knuckles , telling a solo story about the Echidna warrior.

Knuckles ' voice cast sees Idris Elba return as the titular character, while Adam Pally leads the human cast as the returning Wade Whipple from the Sonic the Hedgehog movies. While many will question how much Sonic and Tails are in Knuckles , the show solidifies itself as a Knuckles-centric storyline. Journeying across the United States to train Wade in the ways of an Echidna warrior, Knuckles ' ending is suitably action-packed , expectedly hilarious, and even features some elements that set up the story of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 .

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will release in theaters on December 20, 2024.

Why Knuckles’ Journey With Wade Whipple Was Important

Knuckles' adventure with wade is a story about finding a home..

By the time of Knuckles ' ending, the titular Echidna and Wade Whipple had traveled to Reno, won a bowling tournament, and defeated the G.U.N. agents pursuing them. Concerning what the point of this journey was, it was to establish Earth as a home for Knuckles. After Sonic the Hedgehog 2 , it became clear that Tails and Sonic have acclimatized to Earth well. Knuckles quickly established that this was the opposite for him, with the warrior struggling to adapt to the more peaceful ways of everyday life on Earth.

Knuckles finally accepted Earth as somewhere he could live rather than begrudgingly stay to watch over the Master Emerald.

Similarly, a big part of Knuckles' story is that he is without a family after his tribe was destroyed. That said, through Knuckles' journey with Wade, he came to accept that Earth could be his home. Through his newfound friendship with Wade, his connection to Wade's family, the people he met, and the places he saw throughout the show's six episodes, Knuckles finally accepted Earth as somewhere he could live rather than begrudgingly stay to watch over the Master Emerald.

Knuckles Villains Explained: Who Are The G.U.N. Agents & The Buyer?

Knuckles' antagonists are connected to the echidna, sonic, and doctor robotnik..

The three villains of Knuckles were introduced earlier in the show; two of the villains are G.U.N. agents who wish to track Knuckles down and sell him to the other of the show's villains, The Buyer. The G.U.N. agents are called Agent Willoughby and Agent Mason and are played by Ellie Taylor and Scott Mescudi respectively, while The Buyer is played by Game of Thrones alum Rory McCann. Concerning the two agents, they are tasked with capturing Knuckles, driven by the money they will be paid for this but also their disillusionment with G.U.N.

Willoughby and Mason are annoyed that G.U.N. began allowing aliens like Knuckles, Sonic, and Tales to live on Earth after supposedly being an agency that prevents such instances from occurring. McCann's aptly named Buyer is the one who will be paying the agents to capture Knuckles in a bid to steal the latter's power. By the time of Knuckles ' ending, The Buyer is revealed as a former lackey of Jim Carrey's Doctor Robotnik, desiring Knuckles' power to exact revenge on the aliens that caused him to lose his position as a G.U.N. agent.

What Happened To The G.U.N. Agents In Knuckles' Ending?

Knuckles' ending sees the g.u.n. agents and the buyer face off with the warrior..

In Knuckles ' ending, the titular Echidna is cornered by the G.U.N. agents. This leads to a lengthy action sequence in a hotel penthouse in Reno, in which Knuckles faces off against his enemies while Wade Whipple saves his family. Eventually, Knuckles uses the power of two rings to defeat Willoughby and Mason , sending the two to an unknown location. The agents are not seen again by the time of Knuckles' ending, proving that the Echidna defeated them once and for all.

Knuckles uses a giant globe-like structure atop a nearby building to crush The Buyer and his suit, ending the threat to Knuckles' life and allowing Knuckles ' ending to be a happy one.

However, Knuckles ' ending then has The Buyer ambush Knuckles as the two battle on the streets of Reno. Sporting a massive exoskeleton that runs off Knuckles' power via GUN experiments , The Buyer quickly overpowers the hero. Wade Whipple then comes to Knuckles' aid, buying enough time for the Echidna to regain his strength, before he begins destroying The Buyer's robotic suit. After a battle, Knuckles uses a giant globe-like structure atop a nearby building to crush The Buyer and his suit, ending the threat to Knuckles' life and allowing Knuckles ' ending to be a happy one.

Wade Whipple Learned What It Means To Be An Echidna Warrior

Wade's journey is just as transformative as his alien friend's by the time of knuckles' ending..

Despite the show being named after Knuckles, Wade Whipple is arguably as important a character as the Echidna himself. Knuckles ' ending allows the warrior to come around to the ways of Earth, coming to call the planet his new home. Where Wade is concerned, the journey allowed him to become a much more confident, competent character as he learned the ways of an Echidna warrior from his new friend Knuckles. In Knuckles episode 4, Wade is shown fighting through his fears and becoming much braver.

Wade's arc then came to a head in Knuckles ' ending , where he came up against his father, who had abandoned him. Cary Elwes' "Pistol" Pete Whipple is cartoonishly evil as the show's bowling antagonist, but serves a purpose in that Wade confronts him for his mistakes. After proving his father was wrong to abandon Wade, his mother, and his sister, Wade beats Pete in a bowling competition. This, combined with Wade standing up to The Buyer after Knuckles was momentarily defeated, proves that Wade found his inner warrior by Knuckles ' ending.

How Knuckles' Ending Sets Up Sonic The Hedgehog 3

The next installment in the sonic the hedgehog franchise can include many knuckles elements..

Knuckles is admittedly more self-contained than many assumed it would be and has little in the way of explicit setup for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 . That said, several character changes, thematic elements, and small world-building aspects could be tied into the story of Sonic 3 when it releases in December 2024. Knuckles ' ending sets up Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with the Echidna now being more willing to protect Earth. While he swore a vow to protect the Master Emerald, his experiences with Wade could see Knuckles fight not just for that, but for Earth itself in the future.

The Buyer's mention of Doctor Robotnik also sets up Jim Carrey's return in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as Eggman.

Sonic 3 Has The Robotnik I've Been Waiting 4 Years For & It Makes Jim Carrey's Return So Much Better

Similarly, Wade's character change could see him be more of a direct ally in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 . Rather than just being a bumbling friend of Tom's, Wade could present his newfound bravery in a way that directly impacts the third film. Furthermore, The Buyer's Knuckles storyline indicates that G.U.N. has a lot of ways to harness the powers of creatures like Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 officially including Shadow the Hedgehog, it could be the case that the villain's powers are used to create a larger arsenal of G.U.N. weaponry.

Knuckles is a spin-off of the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise created for Paramount+. Idris Elba reprises his role as Knuckles the Echidna in the action-adventure series, and the show will follow him on a new adventure as he meets new allies and faces new foes.

• The Inventory

How a Time Traveler's 'Help Wanted' Ad Became a Surprisingly Touching Movie

When you heard that they were making an indie movie based on the famous 1997 time travel-themed "help wanted" ad , you probably expected a screwball comedy, or some kind of stoner slapstick extravaganza. Something akin to Hot Tub Time Machine , perhaps. So it's kind of a surprise when you see the movie Safety Not Guaranteed , and it's actually a lot sweeter and more personal.

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How did this come about? We talked to Safety Not Guaranteed director Colin Trevorrow, and he filled us in.

Trevorrow says he and writer Derek Connolly tracked down John Silveira, who wrote the original ad, and optioned it. "We own the ad," he says, noting that it's possibly the shortest original work ever to be optioned for a movie. "He did it as a lark, but there are elements of his personality in the ad. The fact that he says you should bring your own weapons is very John."

So why isn't this movie a straight-up comedy? Trevorrow says it started out as one. "The initial script was more of a comedy mystery road trip movie," says Trevorrow. But he and Connolly decided to flesh out the more personal aspects. "We started talking about, 'Okay, how can we take some of the emotional reasons we all have for needing a time machine and infuse them into the story, and make this a richer experience than just the comedy and mystery — which all stayed intact and which works, I think. I wanted to make sure we had another layer to it, and address some time-travel issues that maybe are ignored in favor of the actual practical time travel [in most stories.]"

And in fact, as Kenneth the putative time traveler says at one point during the film, this is a story all about regret — which is probably the most plausible motivation for someone to want to go back in time. And meanwhile, the reporter Jeff (Jake Johnson) is doing his own kind of time travel by finding his high-school sweetheart, whom he reconnects with on Facebook. "We've been talking a lot about how Facebook is our time machine now, and it's really the way you may never have seen again, and it's a new ability that we have now."

A big driving engine of Safety Not Guaranteed is the ambiguity of whether this guy really can travel in time. Trevorrow says they tried to push that as far as they could. "We wanted people to be focusing on the characters and what was going on with these people, and yet keeping an element of momentum and even emotional suspense, as we sort of plow through this story. And we wanted to leave that tension always hanging, even though there are points in the film where we just put the brakes on the plot and just spend time with the characters. We felt it would be important to have that science fiction question hanging out there."

And along with that ambiguity goes the balance between humor and darkness — as the film toys with the question of whether Kenneth can time-travel, or is just crazy, it also plays with some pretty dark themes. Trevorrow says that balance between humor and intensity was hard to strike.

Part of that balance is because we don't necessarily know what we're doing there. We're out there trying to find the truth in every moment, and have everything feel real, so we went with our instincts. And we didn't necessarily play by the tonal rules that we'd normally have to play by in the feature screenwriting business... And because we had that freedom, we followed our instincts, and created something that may feel more erratic tonally than a normal movie would. But we were excited by the challenge of still having that feel real, because I think life is pretty damn erratic tonally.

There's been a trend recently of indie movies that have a science fiction element in the background, like Brit Marling's Another Earth and The Sound of My Voice . Trevorrow says they weren't conscious about this emerging genre during the making of Safety Not Guaranteed . "I guess those movies had been at Sundance when we were making it." As to why this sub-genre is emerging now, Trevorrow says:

I think it's a natural progression that's just happening, because small independent films are able to have some effects that feel big and cinematic, and can exist on that larger plane. It allows for some bigger stories to be told. But I think the independent mindset will always focus on the human elements of those stories, which makes for a pretty cool hybrid, I think. Because science fiction is best served with a dose of humanity and emotion.

Safety Not Guaranteed is opening in several U.S. cities today, after a limited opening last week in Los Angeles and New York.

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Housing | How California fares in 20 national rankings,…

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Housing | cal poly humboldt closes campus for rest of semester over gaza protests, housing | how california fares in 20 national rankings, from housing to crypto to wellness, be aware that the creation of these grades is far more art than statistical science..

We live in a ranking age with lists of “best” and “worst” and “in-between” touching every slice of life, industry and geography.

Some of these scorecards are based on polling. Others are data-based, trying to decipher government or business stats. And some are simply opinions – individual or consensus.

Yes, these rankings can be discussion starters – whether for policy debate or just plain fun. Before the chats get too intense, be aware that the creation of these grades is far more art than statistical science.

I’m bemused at the wave of state-vs.-state rankings that flow into my inbox at work. Most of these scorecards are not created to advance societal conversations. Rather, they’re promoted in hopes of generating online attention for a company that likely paid somebody to create “best/worst state” buzz.

Not that these state grades themselves aren’t interesting. So, I waded through my inbox to find 20 rankings for California that might intrigue somebody.

20 scorecards

No. 1 spending per capita on clothing and footwear, according to shopping stats tracked for QR Code Generator.

No. 2 costliest housing gap – average wage for bachelor’s degree holders vs. median rent for a one-bedroom apartment – says U.S. Census Bureau figures tracked by Sparefoot.com.

• SHOPPING NEWS: What’s the big trend? Who’s buying what? CLICK HERE!

No. 2 lowest percentage of its population as young homeowners, from a review of census data for Agent Advice.

No. 3 largest average business borrowings, says an analysis of Small Business loans from 2020-2023 by CreditDonkey.

No. 3 biggest three-year jump in diabetes diagnoses to 2021, says a peek at government health stats by Diabetes Strong.

No. 3 most online searches per capita looking for ways to become self-employed, according to a study by QRFY.

No. 3 obsessed with cryptocurrency, according to CoinLedger that looked at online search volume for crypto-related terms.

• HOW NIMBY ARE YOU? Ponder common objections to new housing. TAKE OUR QUIZ!

No. 3 most desirable work/life balance, says ranking by Plus Docs tracking government jobs stats.

No. 4 best place to start a business, says a study of business applications by Schmidt & Clark.

No. 5 best for overall wellness, says a ranking by Gayfriendly comprising 14 health factors.

No. 5 top place to study as a marketer in college, according to a review of 18 different metrics by Ahrefs.

No. 5 best for women entrepreneurs, based on a peek at seven metrics by Lendio.

No. 6 worst in providing timely medical care, from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality data studied for Parrish Law.

No. 8 happiest families, as measured by weddings-to-divorces ratio, says Census analysis for Bedbible.

No. 8 lowest share of population reporting depression, says a look at Center for Disease Control stats for MentalHealthRehabs.com.

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No. 8 highest per capita searches for online courses per person, according to study for Freedom Bound Business.

No. 9 most likely place to get burglarized, according to grading of crime states for Suzuki Law.

No. 14 toughest to get a driving learner’s permit, says gradings done for Zanes Law.

No. 13 lowest risk of household mold, says a look at climate patterns for FDP Mold Remediation.

No. 16 highest share of population aged 25 years or over with at least a bachelor’s degree, from a look at government graduation data for Essayservice.com.

Bottom line

To be honest, let’s state a caveat: Who would send a journalist a pitch highlighting “California ranks 25th” in blah-blah-blah? Middle-of-the-pack rankings are boring. Thus, my inbox has a bias toward the cases where California is an outlier – good or bad.

So any conclusion, if one might draw anything meaningful from this rather random collection of stats, is that California is an expensive place with both good and troubling characteristics.

Did you need 20 scorecards to tell you that?

Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at [email protected]

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The 40 Best Time Travel Movies & Series

• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. Back to the Future (1985)

PG | 116 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox , Christopher Lloyd , Lea Thompson , Crispin Glover

Votes: 1,306,538 | Gross: $210.61M

2. Journeyman (2007)

45 min | Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi

A San Francisco journalist mysteriously travels to the past and alters the path of people's lives. When his travels reunite him with his long-lost fiancée Livia, life with his present-day wife gets very interesting.

Stars: Kevin McKidd , Gretchen Egolf , Moon Bloodgood , Reed Diamond

Votes: 9,618

3. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Henry DeTamble, a librarian, possesses a unique gene that lets him involuntarily travel through time. His wife, Claire Abshire, finds it difficult to cope with it.

Director: Robert Schwentke | Stars: Eric Bana , Rachel McAdams , Ron Livingston , Michelle Nolden

Votes: 157,900 | Gross: $63.41M

4. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

PG | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy, Music

Two rock-'n-rolling teens, on the verge of failing their class, set out on a quest to make the ultimate school history report after being presented with a time machine.

Director: Stephen Herek | Stars: Keanu Reeves , Alex Winter , George Carlin , Terry Camilleri

Votes: 141,638 | Gross: $40.49M

5. The Time Machine (1960)

G | 103 min | Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi

A man's vision for a utopian society is disillusioned when travelling forward into time reveals a dark and dangerous society.

Director: George Pal | Stars: Rod Taylor , Alan Young , Yvette Mimieux , Sebastian Cabot

Votes: 44,833

6. Doctor Who (1963–1989)

TV-PG | 25 min | Adventure, Drama, Family

The adventures in time and space of the Doctor, a Time Lord who changes appearance and personality by regenerating when near death, and is joined by companions in battles against aliens and other megalomaniacs.

Stars: William Hartnell , Patrick Troughton , Jon Pertwee , Tom Baker

Votes: 39,517

7. The Lake House (2006)

PG | 99 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance

A lonely doctor who once occupied an unusual lakeside house begins to exchange love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect. They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it's too late.

Director: Alejandro Agresti | Stars: Keanu Reeves , Sandra Bullock , Christopher Plummer , Ebon Moss-Bachrach

Votes: 157,642 | Gross: $52.33M

8. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

R | 99 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi

A malfunctioning time machine at a ski resort takes a man back to 1986 with his two friends and nephew, where they must relive a fateful night and not change anything to make sure the nephew is born.

Director: Steve Pink | Stars: John Cusack , Rob Corddry , Craig Robinson , Clark Duke

Votes: 186,448 | Gross: $50.29M

9. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

PG | 119 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

To save Earth from an alien probe, Admiral James T. Kirk and his fugitive crew go back in time to San Francisco in 1986 to retrieve the only beings who can communicate with it: humpback whales.

Director: Leonard Nimoy | Stars: William Shatner , Leonard Nimoy , DeForest Kelley , James Doohan

Votes: 91,468 | Gross: $109.71M

10. The Time Tunnel (1966–1967)

TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Two scientists with a secret time travel project find themselves trapped in the time stream and appearing in notable periods of history.

Stars: James Darren , Robert Colbert , Whit Bissell , John Zaremba

Votes: 4,231

11. Timeline (2003)

PG-13 | 116 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

A group of archaeologists get embroiled in an adventure where they must travel back in time to 14th Century France, to save their professor before the French battle the English at Castlegard. If they fail, they won't be able to return.

Director: Richard Donner | Stars: Paul Walker , Gerard Butler , Billy Connolly , Frances O'Connor

Votes: 65,879 | Gross: $19.48M

12. The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)

PG | 102 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

A United States Navy destroyer escort participates in a Navy "invisibility" experiment that inadvertently sends two sailors forty years into the future.

Director: Stewart Raffill | Stars: Michael Paré , Nancy Allen , Eric Christmas , Bobby Di Cicco

Votes: 16,753 | Gross: $8.10M

13. Kate & Leopold (2001)

PG-13 | 118 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

An English Duke from 1876 is inadvertently dragged to modern day New York where he falls for a plucky advertising executive.

Director: James Mangold | Stars: Meg Ryan , Hugh Jackman , Liev Schreiber , Breckin Meyer

Votes: 89,070 | Gross: $47.12M

14. Seven Days (1998–2001)

42 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi

An ex-CIA is the point man for a government organization dedicated to time traveling to correct errors that occurred in the previous week.

Stars: Jonathan LaPaglia , Don Franklin , Justina Vail , Nick Searcy

Votes: 3,951

15. The Butterfly Effect (2004)

R | 113 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Evan Treborn suffers blackouts during significant events of his life. As he grows up, he finds a way to remember these lost memories and a supernatural way to alter his life by reading his journal.

Directors: Eric Bress , J. Mackye Gruber | Stars: Ashton Kutcher , Amy Smart , Melora Walters , Elden Henson

Votes: 521,078 | Gross: $57.94M

16. Time After Time (1979)

PG | 112 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

H.G. Wells pursues Jack the Ripper to the 20th Century when the serial murderer uses the future writer's time machine to escape his time period.

Director: Nicholas Meyer | Stars: Malcolm McDowell , Mary Steenburgen , David Warner , Charles Cioffi

Votes: 20,634

17. Timetrip: The Curse of the Viking Witch (2009)

93 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Valdemar and Sille meets Benedict, a man who claims to have been cursed to eternal life by a Norse shaman in the viking age.

Director: Mogens Hagedorn | Stars: Jonas Wandschneider , Clara Maria Bahamondes , Jakob Cedergren , Stine Stengade

18. The Jacket (2005)

R | 103 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

A Gulf war veteran is wrongly sent to a mental institution for insane criminals, where he becomes the object of a doctor's experiments, and his life is completely affected by them.

Director: John Maybury | Stars: Adrien Brody , Keira Knightley , Daniel Craig , Kris Kristofferson

Votes: 119,268 | Gross: $6.30M

19. Premonition (I) (2007)

PG-13 | 96 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

A depressed woman learns that her husband was killed in a car accident the previous day, then awakens the next morning to find him alive and well at home; then awakens the day after that to find that he's dead.

Director: Mennan Yapo | Stars: Sandra Bullock , Julian McMahon , Amber Valletta , Shyann McClure

Votes: 81,712 | Gross: $47.85M

20. The Terminator (1984)

R | 107 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.

Director: James Cameron | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Linda Hamilton , Michael Biehn , Paul Winfield

Votes: 924,015 | Gross: $38.40M

21. Groundhog Day (1993)

PG | 101 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

A narcissistic, self-centered weatherman finds himself in a time loop on Groundhog Day.

Director: Harold Ramis | Stars: Bill Murray , Andie MacDowell , Chris Elliott , Stephen Tobolowsky

Votes: 684,973 | Gross: $70.91M

22. Quantum Leap (1989–1993)

TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

During an experiment into time travel, a scientist finds himself trapped in the past, "leaping" into the lives of different people, sorting out their problems and changing history in hopes of getting back to his own life in the present.

Stars: Scott Bakula , Dean Stockwell , Deborah Pratt , Dennis Wolfberg

Votes: 36,467

23. 12 Monkeys (1995)

R | 129 min | Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.

Director: Terry Gilliam | Stars: Bruce Willis , Madeleine Stowe , Brad Pitt , Joseph Melito

Votes: 646,615 | Gross: $57.14M

24. The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time (1998)

G | 118 min | Comedy, Fantasy

Knight Godefroy has to return to our time from 1023 to get back the sacred jewels that Jacquouille has taken to the 20th century.

Director: Jean-Marie Poiré | Stars: Christian Clavier , Jean Reno , Muriel Robin , Marie-Anne Chazel

Votes: 13,285 | Gross: $0.15M

25. Idiocracy (2006)

R | 84 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Corporal Joe Bauers, a decidedly average American, is selected for a top-secret hibernation program but is forgotten and left to awaken to a future so incredibly moronic that he's easily the most intelligent person alive.

Director: Mike Judge | Stars: Luke Wilson , Maya Rudolph , Dax Shepard , Terry Crews

Votes: 182,243 | Gross: $0.44M

26. Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (1991)

PG-13 | 99 min | Mystery, Sci-Fi

Before they can complete renovations on their new inn, Widower (Ben Wilson) and daughter (Hillary) are visited by a woman seeking immediate lodging for her strange group of travellers. Why ... See full summary  »

Director: David Twohy | Stars: Jeff Daniels , Ariana Richards , Emilia Crow , Jim Haynie

Votes: 3,101

27. A Sound of Thunder (2005)

PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Horror

A single mistake in the past, by a time travel company in the future, has devastating and unforeseen consequences.

Director: Peter Hyams | Stars: Edward Burns , Ben Kingsley , Catherine McCormack , Armin Rohde

Votes: 20,499 | Gross: $1.89M

28. Retroactive (1997)

R | 91 min | Action, Crime, Drama

A psychiatrist makes multiple trips through time to save a woman that was murdered by her brutal husband.

Director: Louis Morneau | Stars: Jim Belushi , Kylie Travis , Shannon Whirry , Frank Whaley

Votes: 6,702

29. Deja Vu (2006)

PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi

After a ferry is bombed in New Orleans, an A.T.F. agent joins a unique investigation using experimental surveillance technology to find the bomber, but soon finds himself becoming obsessed with one of the victims.

Director: Tony Scott | Stars: Denzel Washington , Paula Patton , Jim Caviezel , Val Kilmer

Votes: 327,587 | Gross: $64.04M

30. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

PG-13 | 116 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy

A young fugitive prince and princess must stop a villain who unknowingly threatens to destroy the world with a special dagger that enables the magic sand inside to reverse time.

Director: Mike Newell | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal , Gemma Arterton , Ben Kingsley , Alfred Molina

Votes: 303,890 | Gross: $90.76M

31. Flight of the Navigator (1986)

PG | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family

In 1978, a boy travels eight years into the future and has an adventure with an intelligent, wisecracking alien ship.

Director: Randal Kleiser | Stars: Joey Cramer , Paul Reubens , Cliff De Young , Veronica Cartwright

Votes: 51,687 | Gross: $18.56M

32. Frequency (2000)

PG-13 | 118 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

An accidental cross-time radio link connects father and son across 30 years. The son tries to save his father's life, but then must fix the consequences.

Director: Gregory Hoblit | Stars: Dennis Quaid , Jim Caviezel , Shawn Doyle , Elizabeth Mitchell

Votes: 115,728 | Gross: $45.01M

33. Black Knight (2001)

PG-13 | 95 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Martin Lawrence plays Jamal, an employee in Medieval World amusement park. After sustaining a blow to the head, he awakens to find himself in 14th century England.

Director: Gil Junger | Stars: Martin Lawrence , Marsha Thomason , Tom Wilkinson , Vincent Regan

Votes: 43,299 | Gross: $33.42M

34. The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations (2009)

R | 90 min | Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Sam Reide uses his power to time travel to solve the mystery of his girlfriend's death.

Director: Seth Grossman | Stars: Chris Carmack , Rachel Miner , Melissa Jones , Kevin Yon

Votes: 20,697

35. Second Life (2000)

100 min | Comedy, Fantasy

1982: World Soccer Cup: France against Germany.France looses the match and it's a national drama.Vincent , a 30 years old, is an immature man.When Laure asks him to build with her a family,... See full summary  »

Director: Patrick Braoudé | Stars: Maria de Medeiros , Isabelle Candelier , Patrick Braoudé , Daniel Russo

36. Time Bandits (1981)

PG | 110 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

A young boy accidentally joins a band of time travelling dwarves, as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal.

Director: Terry Gilliam | Stars: Sean Connery , Shelley Duvall , John Cleese , Katherine Helmond

Votes: 68,337 | Gross: $42.37M

37. Millennium (1989)

PG-13 | 108 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

An NTSB investigator seeking the cause of an airline disaster meets a warrior woman from 1000 years in the future.

Director: Michael Anderson | Stars: Kris Kristofferson , Cheryl Ladd , Daniel J. Travanti , Robert Joy

Votes: 6,961 | Gross: $5.78M

38. Unterwegs nach Atlantis (1982– )

25 min | Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi

Stars: Tomás Holý , Josef Horácek , Lucie Vojtechová , Benno Sterzenbach

39. Timecop (1994)

R | 99 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi

Max Walker, an officer for a security agency that regulates time travel, must fend for his life against a shady politician who's intent on changing the past to control the future.

Director: Peter Hyams | Stars: Jean-Claude Van Damme , Mia Sara , Ron Silver , Bruce McGill

Votes: 64,169 | Gross: $44.85M

40. I Want To (1979)

85 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

A squadron of Japanese Self-Defense Force soldiers find themselves transported through time to their country's warring states era, when rival samurai clans were battling to become the ... See full summary  »

Director: Kôsei Saitô | Stars: Shin'ichi Chiba , Jun Etô , Moeko Ezawa , Ryô Hayami

Votes: 1,120

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Could Trump Go to Prison? If He Does, the Secret Service Goes, Too

Officials have had preliminary discussions about how to protect the former president in the unlikely event that he is jailed for contempt during the trial.

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By William K. Rashbaum

The U.S. Secret Service is in the business of protecting the president, whether he’s inside the Oval Office or visiting a foreign war zone.

But protecting a former president in prison? The prospect is unprecedented. That would be the challenge if Donald J. Trump — whom the agency is required by law to protect around the clock — is convicted at his criminal trial in Manhattan and sentenced to serve time.

Even before the trial’s opening statements, the Secret Service was in some measure planning for the extraordinary possibility of a former president behind bars. Prosecutors had asked the judge in the case to remind Mr. Trump that attacks on witnesses and jurors could land him in jail even before a verdict is rendered.

(The judge, who held a hearing Tuesday morning to determine whether Mr. Trump should be held in contempt for violating a gag order, is far more likely to issue a warning or impose a fine before taking the extreme step of jailing the 77-year-old former president. It was not immediately clear when he would issue his ruling.)

Last week, as a result of the prosecution’s request, officials with federal, state and city agencies had an impromptu meeting about how to handle the situation, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

That behind-the-scenes conversation — involving officials from the Secret Service and other relevant law enforcement agencies — focused only on how to move and protect Mr. Trump if the judge were to order him briefly jailed for contempt in a courthouse holding cell, the people said.

The far more substantial challenge — how to safely incarcerate a former president if the jury convicts him and the judge sentences him to prison rather than home confinement or probation — has yet to be addressed directly, according to some of a dozen current and former city, state and federal officials interviewed for this article.

That’s at least in part because if Mr. Trump is ultimately convicted, a drawn-out and hard-fought series of appeals, possibly all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, is almost a certainty. That would most likely delay any sentence for months if not longer, said several of the people, who noted that a prison sentence was unlikely.

But the daunting challenge remains. And not just for Secret Service and prison officials, who would face the logistical nightmare of safely incarcerating Mr. Trump, who is also the presumptive Republican nominee for President.

“Obviously, it’s uncharted territory,” said Martin F. Horn, who has worked at the highest levels of New York’s and Pennsylvania’s state prison agencies and served as commissioner of New York City’s correction and probation departments. “Certainly no state prison system has had to deal with this before, and no federal prison has had to either.”

Steven Cheung, the communications director for Mr. Trump’s campaign, said the case against the former president was “so spurious and so weak” that other prosecutors had refused to bring it, and called it “an unprecedented partisan witch hunt.”

“That the Democrat fever dream of incarcerating the nominee of the Republican Party has reached this level exposes their Stalinist roots and displays their utter contempt for American democracy,” he said.

Protecting Mr. Trump in a prison environment would involve keeping him separate from other inmates, as well as screening his food and other personal items, officials said. If he were to be imprisoned, a detail of agents would work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, rotating in and out of the facility, several officials said. While firearms are obviously strictly prohibited in prisons, the agents would nonetheless be armed.

Former corrections officials said there were several New York state prisons and city jails that have been closed or partly closed, leaving wings or large sections of their facilities empty and available. One of those buildings could serve to incarcerate the former president and accommodate his Secret Service protective detail

Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman for the Secret Service in Washington, declined in a statement to discuss specific “protective operations.” But he said that federal law requires Secret Service agents to protect former presidents, adding that they use state-of-the-art technology, intelligence and tactics to do so.

Thomas J. Mailey, a spokesman for New York State’s prison agency, said his department couldn’t speculate about how it would treat someone who has not yet been sentenced, but that it has a system “to assess and provide for individuals’ medical, mental health and security needs.” Frank Dwyer, a spokesman for the New York City jails agency, said only that “the department would find appropriate housing” for the former president.

The trial in Manhattan, one of four criminal cases pending against Mr. Trump and possibly the only one that will go to a jury before the election, centers on accusations he falsified records to cover up a sex scandal involving a porn star. The former president is charged with 34 counts of felony falsifying business records. If convicted, the judge in the case, Juan M. Merchan, could sentence him to punishments ranging from probation to four years in state prison, though for a first-time offender of Mr. Trump’s age, such a term would be extreme.

If Mr. Trump is convicted, but elected president again, he could not pardon himself because the prosecution was brought by New York State.

Under normal circumstances, any sentence of one year or less, colloquially known as “city time,” would generally be served on New York City’s notorious Rikers Island, home to the Department of Correction’s seven jails. (That’s where Mr. Trump’s former chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg, 76, is currently serving his second five-month sentence for crimes related to his work for his former boss.)

Any sentence of more than a year, known as state time, would generally be served in one of the 44 prisons run by New York State’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

The former president could also be sentenced to a term of probation, raising the bizarre possibility of the former commander in chief reporting regularly to a civil servant at the city’s Probation Department.

He would have to follow the probation officer’s instructions and answer questions about his work and personal life until the term of probation ended. He would also be barred from associating with disreputable people, and if he committed any additional crimes, he could be jailed immediately.

Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.

William K. Rashbaum is a Times reporter covering municipal and political corruption, the courts and broader law enforcement topics in New York. More about William K. Rashbaum

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

The criminal trial of Trump featured vivid testimony about a plot to protect his first presidential campaign  and the beginnings  of a tough cross-examination  of the prosecution’s initial witness, David Pecker , former publisher of The National Enquirer. Here are the takeaways .

Dozens of protesters calling for the justice system to punish Trump  briefly blocked traffic on several streets near the Lower Manhattan courthouse where he is facing his first criminal trial.

Prosecutors accused Trump of violating a gag order four additional times , saying that he continues to defy the judge’s directions  not to attack witnesses , prosecutors and jurors in his hush-money trial.

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Could he go to prison ? And will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know , and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.