Movies About Going Back In Time

From James Cameron, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick
Rated R

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, and Robert Patrick. The film is a sequel to the 1984 film The Terminator and the second installment in the Terminator film series. Ten years after Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) destroyed the original Terminator, a new model T-1000 (Robert Patrick) is sent back in time to assassinate John Connor (Edward Furlong), Sarah's son and the future leader of the human resistance against the machines. A reprogrammed Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is also sent back in time to protect John, and an epic battle for the future of humanity ensues. Terminator 2: Judgment Day features groundbreaking special effects and thrilling action sequences as the Terminator T-1000 is pitted against the reprogrammed Terminator in an epic battle for the future of humanity.

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover
Rated PG

Back to the Future is a 1985 science-fiction adventure comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Lea Thompson. The film follows the adventures of Marty McFly, a teenager who is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean created by the eccentric scientist Dr. Emmett Brown. Once there, Marty must make sure his teenage parents-to-be fall in love, or he will cease to exist. Along the way, he encounters a variety of obstacles, including his own parents when they were teenagers in 1955. With the help of Dr. Brown's eccentric inventions, Marty and his friends must battle against time to make sure the future is saved.

From Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky
Rated PG

Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Ramis and Danny Rubin. The film stars Bill Murray as Phil Connors, a cynical television weatherman who is sent to the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day event. Phil becomes trapped in a time loop, doomed to relive the same day repeatedly. As he lives through the same day again and again, Phil is given the opportunity to re-examine his life and priorities while searching for a way to break the cycle. The film was a critical and commercial success and has become a cult classic.

From James Cameron, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield
Rated R

The Terminator is a science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and released in 1984. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular cyborg, sent from the future to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), a woman whose unborn son will one day save humanity from an artificial intelligence system known as Skynet. Along the way, Sarah is protected by Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), a human soldier sent from the future to protect her. The Terminator is relentless in its pursuit, but Sarah and Kyle manage to outwit the cyborg and ultimately destroy it. The film concludes with Sarah being informed that the war against Skynet has been won and that she will be the mother of the leader of the resistance.

From Franklin J. Schaffner, starring Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans
Rated G

Planet of the Apes (1968) is a science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. The film is based on the novel by Pierre Boulle and stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, and Linda Harrison. The story follows an astronaut crew who crash-land on a planet in the distant future where intelligent apes are the dominant species. After being captured by the apes, the humans are enslaved and struggle to survive in their harsh new environment. As the humans rebel against their captors, a revolution is sparked that could lead to either the freedom of the humans or their destruction. The film is an exploration of themes of racism, slavery, identity, and the futility of war. Its iconic ending has been praised as one of the most memorable in cinema history.

From Richard Kelly, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne
Rated R

Donnie Darko is a psychological thriller directed by Richard Kelly and starring Jake Gyllenhaal in the titular role. The film follows Donnie, a troubled teenager living in a suburban town in 1988. After a bizarre incident involving a giant, demonic rabbit, Donnie begins to experience strange visions and events that propel him on a mission to fix the fate of the world. He must battle with his own inner demons, while trying to stop the destruction of the universe and ultimately save the lives of everyone he loves. Along the way, Donnie discovers the power of time travel and learns that his destiny is linked to a mysterious figure known as Frank, who may or may not be a figment of his imagination. The film is a unique blend of science fiction, horror and comedy that has gone on to become a cult classic.

From Terry Gilliam, starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Joseph Melito
Rated R

12 Monkeys is a 1995 science fiction film directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Bruce Willis as James Cole, a prisoner sent back in time from the year 2035 to the year 1996 to stop a deadly virus from destroying humanity. In the future, the virus has killed most of the population, leaving the world in ruins. Cole finds himself in a mental hospital where he meets Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe) and Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt), the son of a famous virologist. Together, they embark on a quest to find the source of the virus, which leads them to an anarchist group known as the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. Along the way, they discover secrets about the virus and the future of mankind, while struggling to stay one step ahead of the mysterious organization behind it all.

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Tom Wilson
Rated PG

Back to the Future Part II is a 1989 American science fiction comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis. It is the sequel to the 1985 film Back to the Future. The film stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson and Thomas F. Wilson. In the film, Marty McFly and Doc Brown travel to the year 2015 to save Marty's future son. However, their time-traveling DeLorean time machine is destroyed and they must find a way to return to 1985. They enlist the help of a future version of Marty and a scientist from the future to help them get back. Along the way, they face a variety of obstacles, from a criminal gang to an alternate version of the future. The film is an adventure comedy and was a box office success.

From Jonathan Frakes, starring Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton
Rated PG-13

Star Trek: First Contact (1996) is a science fiction movie directed by Jonathan Frakes. It is the eighth installment in the Star Trek film series, and the second film to feature the crew of the USS Enterprise-E. The plot follows the crew of the Enterprise-E as they travel back in time to the year 2063 to prevent the cybernetic Borg from changing the course of human history by preventing Earth's first contact with an alien species, the Vulcans. Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew battle against the Borg Queen and her minions as they attempt to assimilate Earth into the collective. The crew must work together to save the planet from the Borg before it's too late. Through their courage and determination, they are successful in stopping the Borg and preventing them from changing the future of humanity.

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Tom Wilson
Rated PG

From Gregory Hoblit, starring Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel, Shawn Doyle, Elizabeth Mitchell
Rated PG-13

From Leonard Nimoy, starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan
Rated PG

From Tony Scott, starring Denzel Washington, Paula Patton, Jim Caviezel, Val Kilmer
Rated PG-13

From Robert Schwentke, starring Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston, Michelle Nolden
Rated PG-13

From Nicholas Meyer, starring Malcolm McDowell, Mary Steenburgen, David Warner, Charles Cioffi
Rated PG

From Joe Johnston, starring Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst, Bonnie Hunt, Jonathan Hyde
Rated PG

From Stephen Herek, starring Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Terry Camilleri
Rated PG

From Randal Kleiser, starring Joey Cramer, Paul Reubens, Cliff De Young, Veronica Cartwright
Rated PG

From Hugh Wilson, starring Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, Christopher Walken, Sissy Spacek
Rated PG-13

From Marco Brambilla, starring Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne
Rated R

From Don Taylor, starring Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Katharine Ross, James Farentino
Rated PG

From Steve Pink, starring John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke
Rated R

From James Mangold, starring Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Breckin Meyer
Rated PG-13

From Frank Coraci, starring Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken, David Hasselhoff
Rated PG-13

From Don Taylor, starring Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Bradford Dillman, Natalie Trundy
Rated G