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Time Changer

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Watch Time Changer with a subscription on Prime Video, rent on Fandango at Home, or buy on Fandango at Home.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Rich Christiano

D. David Morin

Russell Carlisle

Gavin MacLeod

Norris Anderson

Jennifer O'Neill

Michelle Bain

Paul Rodriguez

Eddie Martinez

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The Gospel According to Time Travel Movies

The possibility of time travel has captivated people for a long time. Ever since science-fiction master H. G. Wells popularized the concept with his 1895 novel, The Time Machine , storytellers have been further exploring the genre. Time travel narratives remain as popular today as ever. The latest time-travel movie, The Adam Project , is currently the #1 film on Netflix, following in the wake of other recent films like Tenet , The Tomorrow War , and Avengers: Endgame. There is something about travel stories that continues to intrigue and engage audiences.

Recently, I took a similar approach to another popular movie genre in The Gospel According to Disaster Movies . I did not plan for that article to launch a series or receive any follow-up. Yet, as I’ve thought about the time travel genre—another personal favorite of my mine—I’ve realized several ways that these movies can relate to and challenge Christian viewers. No, these Hollywood films are not Gospel presentations with an alter call instead of end credits, but below are three ways that the Christian Gospel echoes in the time travel genre.

In Time & Out of Time

There is no reality as unavoidable or fundamental to the human experience as time. We are quite literally under the influence of time all the time . The same might be said of something like gravity, and yet airplanes exist. Technology and brainiac science allow us to manipulate and transcend gravity. Even the simple act of jumping represents a small and transitory victory over gravity. There is no such victory over time (no, daylight savings doesn’t count!).

The inescapable reality of time is perhaps why fictional time travel stories are such a fun playground to experiment, explore, and mess around with time. What if we moved backwards through time? What would happen to us if we went back in time and killed our ancestors, as in the famous ‘grandfather paradox’ thought experiment? What unintended consequences would there be in the present if we altered the past in subtle ways?

Time is fundamental to our lives but there is a reality outside of time. God is not bound to time ( 2 Peter 3:8 ). God existed in the beginning ( Genesis 1:1, John 1:1 ). Notably, even this biblical language reflects the limitation of human understanding. God existed in the beginning, but what beginning? As an eternal being, God has no beginning. The “beginning” in these scripture verses refers to our beginning—the beginning of time itself.

While time travel will likely remain exclusive to the realm of imaginative science fiction, the Bible reveals that one day we will escape time. Christians experience time while on earth—the good and the bad—but we are ultimately destined for eternity ( John 3:16 ).

Past, Present, and Future

Time travel can go in two directions—backward or forward. Whether returning to the past or transporting into the distant future, a central theme in many time travel stories is the inseparable relationship between the past, present, and future. This idea is evident in movie titles such as Back to the Future or X-Men: Days of Future Past , and perhaps most famously depicted in the three ghosts of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Time travel allow characters to move between different points in time, but the moral quandaries and narrative tension is predicated on an understanding that decisions and actions can have a far-reaching impact, sending ripples throughout time.

The crucial relationship between past, present, and future is consistent with the Gospel. Christianity is both a backward-looking and forward-looking faith. The Gospel requires Christians to look back to the original sin in Eden and to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, a historical event some 2000 years in the past. At the same time, Christians also look longingly ahead to the second coming of Jesus and the glorious new creation ( Revelation 21 ). The Apostle Paul captures this beautiful union of past/future when he writes, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” ( Philippians 1:6) .

The Importance of Now

Despite being a genre about journeying into the past or future, the most interesting time travel stories are always fundamentally about the now . At its best, the imaginative ability to travel outside of time provides enlightening perspective and commentary on the present. Traveling to the past allows characters (and, by extension, audiences) to explore the decisions and events that led to our present-day circumstances. In a similar way, journeying into the future is a prophetic—and often sobering—forecast about what consequences await humanity if we do not make the necessary adjustments (“Artificial Intelligence is a really bad idea, guys. Trust me!” — every time traveler from the future).

As already noted, Christianity is both a forward and backward-looking faith. Nevertheless, the divine calling and responsibility of every Christian is to the present. Jesus commissions his disciples to be salt and light in the world and time in which they live. In many time travel stories there is a reverberation of the biblical wisdom, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Time is a part of God’s perfect design for His creation. Past, present, and future all matter, but must be kept in their proper place. As humans, we do not gain mastery of time by breaking out of it or manipulating it, but by embracing it as God intended.

This idea is captured in the famous question put to Queen Esther, “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” ( Esther 4:14) . The past prepares us, and our actions will have future consequences for good or evil, but what matters most is what we do in the present. Time is a fun concept to play around with, but ultimately Christians are called to live faithfully in such a time as this.

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DVD & Streaming

Time Changer

Drama , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

Gavin MacLeod as Dr. Norris Anderson; D. David Morin as Russell Carlisle; Hal Linden as The Dean; Jennifer O’Neill as Michelle Bain; Richard Riehle as Dr. Wiseman; Paul Rodriquez as Eddie Martinez

Home Release Date

Rich Christiano

Distributor

Five & Two Pictures

Movie Review

The year is 1890. Bible professor Russell Carlisle has just finished writing a scholarly work on morality. Before it goes to print, however, his publisher would like a written endorsement from the seminary where he teaches. To get it, the school’s governing body must vote unanimously. All board members are willing to approve the manuscript except Dr. Norris Anderson, who questions Carlisle’s premise that it’s okay to teach morality apart from Christ.

To drive home his point, Anderson invites Carlisle to come to his house (“There’s something I must show you”). Leading the bewildered professor to his barn and insisting that what he is about to see remain a secret, Anderson reveals that he owns (and has used) a time-travel machine. He begs Carlisle to journey into the future (our present time) to examine humanity’s moral freefall. Will Carlisle’s 5-day “road trip” solidify his resolve to release the book as written? Or will it convince him to produce a revision?

The controversy over Carlisle’s manuscript is simply a plot device to provide a cultural mirror for viewers to more closely examine our nation’s social and spiritual warts. By doing so, we realize (or hopefully so) just how much our nation has slipped in a little over a century, and how we’ve become accustomed to societal behaviors and attitudes that completely flabbergast the wide-eyed Carlisle (often humorously). But be forewarned—especially if you’re attempting to view this film with teenagers—that it takes a bit of patience to get through. There are long sequences of dialogue in which characters espouse their philosophic ideals. Things do pick up a bit when Carlisle is transported to the future, but even then, while he reacts strongly to spiritual change, he’s less perplexed than he ought to be by changes in technology (usually one of the most fun elements in a time travel movie).

positive elements/spiritual content: Upon being transported to the future, Carlisle immediatly begins checking the spiritual pulse of this brave new world. After exchanging his valuable 1890s coins for today’s currency and checking into a hotel, Carlisle corners Eddie, a Laundromat employee, to locate a “Bible believing church.” He’s dumbfounded that Eddie doesn’t worship regularly. He’s equally taken aback when he discovers his clothes-washing friend works on Sunday.

Thus begins a series of events that spiritually perplex Professor Carlisle. At church Carlisle finds a disinterested congregation. When he attends a movie with church members, he demands theater employees shut down the projector (“A man on the screen just blasphemed the Name of the Lord!” he shouts). When he’s asked to address students at a public school, he’s quickly escorted out of the classroom for telling the class that the Bible is the best science text. Furthermore, on church visitation night, he’s dismayed by poor attendance, a lack of prayer, and the fact that members promote their church by highlighting its sports programs and Six Flags trips. He’s also disconcerted by the news that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce and that secular media is at the root of many of today’s evils. Before being transported back to his home, he gets the opportunity to address Wednesday night church attendees, asking them to repent and make sure of their salvation. He makes a repeat visit to Eddie, witnesses to him and gives him a Spanish version of the Bible.

sexual content: A comical moment finds Carlisle making a request of a clothing store manager to more appropriately dress his mannequins so as to not “arouse impurity” among shoppers. It’s also implied that as he surfs his hotel’s television selections he’s bombarded with sexual material (he drops to his knees and repents on behalf of the culture).

violent content: Two men from the church Carlisle attends (a detective and his friend) believe Carlisle is up to no good and threaten to drag him out of the alley where he awaits transport back in time. Carlisle quickly brushes one of the man’s hands off his shoulder when he’s about to be grabbed. Incidentally, once Carlisle disappears, the detective exclaims, “I think we just missed the rapture.”

crude or profane language: A librarian says “gosh.”

drug and alcohol content: Carlisle confronts two teenage girls whom he overhears talking about getting drunk and how to hide it from parents (“Chill out!,” one responds).

conclusion: Time Changer is built on a foundation that some Christians (myself among them) will dispute. It links America’s spiritual decline directly to the teaching of morality apart from the authority of Jesus Christ. While it is certianly damaging to our culture for God’s Word to be removed from our schools, and for absolute truth to be replaced with a newly defined tolerance , there are other and perhaps more significant reasons for the decay we are experiencing. A steady departure from absolute truth (which began before 1890) has culminated in a climate in which God is banned from discussions of morality, and in that the movie gets it right. But does one overlay Carlisle’s 19th century quagmire on our present circumstance? (Something Time Changer seems to advocate.) Do we cease all moral instruction unless we are allowed to include Christ’s authority? Focus on the Family believes it is valuable to encourage teens to be abstinent even if God isn’t part of their education. Of course it’s preferable that they know Jesus and make their decisions for chastity based on a desire to please Him, but pure and wise sexual choices are worth celebrating no matter how they’re achieved. The same goes for teaching such values as honesty, fidelity, the sanctity of human life, etc.

Still, with all that said, I couldn’t wait for my 12- and 15-year-old children to see this movie. And that’s something of a rarity for me; I review very few films that I consider suitable—must less desirable—for my kids. Time Changer , however, tackles some thought-provoking themes and seemed worthy of our time. Among the questions raised: Can individuals and cultures be shaped by the media? Can Christians become desensitized to sin? Why has our nation slid morally? Has the church become more interested in sports and activities than in presenting the gospel? And although the movie doesn’t attempt to answer it, where is America heading if Christ’s return is delayed another century. I like Time Changer , not for splashy effects, A-list acting or even theological accuracy, but because it provided my family a unique opportunity to discuss several critical issues within a “movie night” framework.

Bob Waliszewski

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I n 1733, Samuel Madden wrote a book entitled Memoirs of the Twentieth Century . It was the story of an angel that brought back a document from 1998. Madden’s story launched the science fiction trend of blending time travel with utopian literature. H.G. Wells captured this concept in 1895 in his science fiction classic The Time Machine . Wells was not the first one to contemplate the idea of time travel, but he was the first to advance the idea by using a machine. His ideas received even more attention in 1905. Albert Einstein, just seven years later, proposed his Special Theory of Relativity. He stated that “time is not separate from space, but bound up with it, and flows at different speeds depending on how fast you’re moving” (this is the premise used for the upcoming film “Clockstoppers”).

There now exists a strong attraction between physics and fiction. I know that I enjoy the theme of time travel and it was Wells’ book that hooked me as an avid Sci-Fi fan. This theme has found its way through comic story lines and on to the big screen.

V.T. Hamlin’s character Alley Oop in 1933 traveled through time thanks to Doc Wonmug’s time machine. In 1949, Kurt Godel, a mathematician, using Einstein’s equations realized that a spinning universe does allow for the possibility of time travel. There are some scientist that have devoted their lives to Quantum Physics and declare that time travel is no longer a matter of “if” but “when”.

It is fitting that Simon Wells, the great-grandson of H.G. Wells, is chosen to direct the remake of the 1960’s classic. This is Simon’s first live action feature. He is best known for his work in the area of animation. Mr. Wells directed “ Balto ” and co-directed “ The Prince of Egypt ,” “An American Tail: Fievel Goes West,” and “We’re Back!: A Dinosaur’s Story.” Gore Verbinski (“ Mousehunt ”) supplied the filming. John Logan (“Star Trek: Nemesis,” “ Gladiator ”) is the screenwriter. This team has joined together to bring a very compelling drama to the big screen.

Wells has added his revisionist spin on H.G.’s Eloi and Morlocks. The evolutionary split of the sociological ideas of “hunters” and “gatherers” may be unsettling to many. These ideas converge at the end just as the plot is rising to its climax.

Most of the ride is extremely tame for a PG-13 film, but this rating should be strongly observed. It well earns its rating during the final lap of the movie. I will not spoil it for you, but parents with young children you have been WARNED!

Simon’s work reminded me a lot of a blend between “ The Planet of the Apes ” (2001) and the TV series “Earth2”. There are many similarities in the special effects. Our story has been moved from London to New York. Here a professor named Alexander Hartdegen ( Guy Pearce ) tries to travel into the past in order to correct a tragedy. On the eve of Alex’s engagement, his fiancé is accidentally shot. Professor Hartdegen spends the next five years perfecting his ideas of time travel. No matter how many times he goes back, the love of his life still dies. He then decides the answers are not in the past, but in the future. Alex leaves the comfort of 1899 New York and ventures into the unknown. In the middle of the 21st century, Alex encounters an event similar to the original 1966 nuclear war catastrophe in the 1960 version.

We now fast-forward 80,000 years into the Polynesian world of two very pronounced species. Alex is helped by an Eloi woman named Mara (Samatha Mumba). It is not long before the pasty death-masked characters of the Morlocks from underground confront our hero. Jeremy Irons does turn in an outstanding performance as the leader of the Morlocks. Most Sci-Fi fans will be pleased with the trip.

There is very little language and no sex in this film. There are several scenes of Mara in revealing clothing. The violence in the end is intense and at times disturbing. (Once again parents—you’ve been warned!) These scenes outside the context of the story will be offensive to most Christians. I do recommend this film with the above cautions.

Decent movie with good special effects but the plot is kinda weak, much more could have been done with this movie. Violence is present in areas and I don’t recall much profanity, but there is not sex or nudity. …With how the two “species” of humans came about kind of eludes to evolution but how they come about is not explained at all. There is no intense violence and no blood or gore. though some of the special effects at the end when somebody dies could be a little disturbing to younger children. This is an OK movie. It is worth watching but not great. It is not too offensive as long as you can handle some violence. (only in two or three parts in the movie). My Ratings: [Average / 2½] Jon Zenor

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Time Changer

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Product Description

The year is 1890 and Bible Professor Russell Carlisle (D. David Morin) has written a new manuscript entitled The Changing Times. His book is about to receive an unanimous endorsement from the board members at Grace Bible Seminary when, surprisingly, Professor Carlisle's friend and colleague, Dr. Norris Anderson (Gavin MacLeod), dissents raising an objection. Dr. Anderson believes what Carlisle has written could greatly affect future generations. Using a secret time machine, Anderson sends Carlisle over 100 years into the future, offering him a glimpse of where his beliefs will lead.

Time Changer may be a little strident in its core message (i.e., ethics don't count unless they're backed by the force of Christ), but as an above-average feature for the Christian market, it's pretty agreeable. D. David Morin stars as a late-19th-century Bible professor named Carlisle, whose efforts to publish a book arguing that morals can be taught independent of Christ's teachings is denounced by one Dr. Anderson (Gavin Macleod), a board member at Carlisle's seminary. Anderson, who happens to be in possession of a time machine, sends Carlisle to the year 2001, where the latter quickly discovers the pitfalls of a secular world with relative morality and no absolute (i.e., Christian) standards. Time Changer 's seasoned supporting cast, including Paul Rodriguez, Jennifer O'Neill, and Hal Linden, bring a professional gloss to the film that helps counter its thematic single-mindedness, while director Rich Christiano serves up some passable science fiction to go with all the preaching. --Tom Keogh

About the Director

Rich Christiano has been writing and directing Christian movies since 1985. Some of his other feature films include: Play the Flute, The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry, Unidentified and A Matter of Faith.

Product details

Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.85:1
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.56 x 5.34 x 7.58 inches; 3.2 ounces
Item model number ‏ : ‎ 019097
Director ‏ : ‎ Rich Christiano
Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Anamorphic, Color, Widescreen, Multiple Formats
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 39 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ October 7, 2003
Actors ‏ : ‎ D. David Morin, Gavin MacLeod, Hal Linden, Jennifer O'Neill, Paul Rodriguez
Studio ‏ : ‎ ChristianMovies.com
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0000AZT2V
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
#20 in Faith & Spirituality (Movies & TV)
#188 in Science Fiction DVDs
#1,583 in Drama DVDs

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Aryn The Libraryan

Top 8 best christian time travel series for exciting adventures.

Aryn July 29, 2020 Christian Fiction , Young Adult (Age 12+) 20 Comments

Best Time Travel Series for Christian kids, teens and adults

Today’s topic, Christian Time Travel Series! I love books about time travel, especially when they have Christian values and messages woven throughout the story.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to find yourself in another time entirely? This has always fascinated me. (And NOT just because Captain Kirk and Spock made a habit of it… or because I watched “Seven Days” a bit too often)

Would you be able to maintain your faith? Would you be able to embrace the challenge of living in another time, and share Jesus Christ with those around you? Or maybe even meet Him yourself, in a grand new way?

The best time travel fiction gives us a chance to figure that out, on a small scale, so come along with me and explore some amazing time travel series, books that challenge you to live your faith boldly!

Please note that this post contains affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase through one of the links, I may make a small commission. I only recommend books and resources that I’ve enjoyed personally, or believe that you would like. You can read my full disclosure here . You will also find information on Scripture translations there.

Time Travel Books for Kids, Building Faith and Exploring the Bible

Time Travel Books for Kids: Faith Building Time Travel Series

Written from a Christian perspective, the best books about time travel help readers explore the possibilities, and imagine how they might have handled similar circumstances.

I’ve recently found a couple of fun time travel series for my sons. I was so excited to find time travel books for kids!

Time Travel Kids Books: Time Travel In The Bible

The time travel kids books I found take modern kids back to Bible times. Both Time Travel series feature kids around 10 years old, and have them experience key moments of the Bible, and learn valuable lessons.

*Interesting article about Time travel in the Bible , if you’re curious…

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls

I just discovered the Secret of the Hidden Scrolls a few weeks ago, when browsing some of the awesome bargains over at BibleStore , and was hooked immediately.

A brother and sister duo get taken back to great Biblical events such as

David and Goliath
Daniel and the Lions
Jesus’ Birth
Miracles by the Sea

So far, I’ve read book 1, and half of book 3, and my son and I have enjoyed them immensely. The kids (and their dog) get to explore, and they write down what they learn. They get a specific length of time to discover what they are supposed to, and speak with an angel periodically. They interact with people (at least, after there are more than 2 of them), recognize when things aren’t right, and learn about God. After each trip, they go home, and talk with their uncle about their experience.

These time travel books for kids are a lot of fun, and make a great way to ‘explore’ the Bible, especially if you take the time to compare the Biblical account before, and or, after you read the story!

This is another interesting time travel series. Various 4th – 6th grade kids get pulled back to witness different great events.

The 10 Plagues
The Fall of Jericho
The Miracles of Jesus
The Tower Rising

I’ve read The Fall of Jericho, and David and Goliath. You can read my full reviews here . I found these to be intriguing, and maybe not as Biblically accurate as they could be. That said, for upper elementary, and middle schoolers, I think they’re fun, and they open up a few of the realities of spiritual warfare.

I think both of these kids time travel series are a perfect challenge to compare with the Bible and Know the Truth. Reading these stories and the corresponding scriptures together, and discussing the differences, is great practice for being able to discern accuracy in sermons, podcasts, books and other mediums all throughout their lives!

Best Time Travel Fiction: Teen Time Travel Books

If YA time travel books interest you at all, then these teen time travel books are fantastic! You can explore (well researched) history, and develop character alongside some awesome youth. Here are my picks for Best Time Travel Fiction for Teenagers!

Time Travel Series Set in Medieval Italy

Lisa T. Bergen’s River of Time Time travel series is a clean adventure, a story of learning and growing through adversity. The faith that these girls develop, both in God- thanks to an unusual (and unauthorized) priest, and in doing the right thing even when it is REALLY HARD, is inspiring.

It is also a set of rather romantic time travel books. Whatever your feelings on teen romance I think this is a good choice. Gabi is definitely head over heels for Marcello, but when your whole world is pulled out from under you, you’re likely to be fixated on your rescuer, especially if he’s attractive and athletic, and Honorable .

I found this time travel series to be focused on building character, more than being “Christian” or “Evangelical” specifically. But that is wonderful and appropriate, because many who would be unwilling to read a Christian book, will still enjoy this, and encounter faith along the way.

In Waterfall , two teenage sisters (15 and 17) are on an archeological dig with their mom, when they go exploring, and wind up in medieval Italy, during a battle (separated of course, to add to the drama and suspense). After days of searching for her sister, Gabi-17, persuades the noble Marcello to take her to Sienna to look there for Lia.

The girls are pulled into the tug of war over land between Firenze and Sienna, becoming pawns in a great takeover scheme. Their modern self-confidence and defense abilities make them stand out very dramatically, and get noticed, making them even more of a target.

The story Continues…

…with Cascade , Torrent , Bourne/Tributary , and Deluge .

Gabi and Lia’s journey-back and forth in time, and their day to day journey into their new futures, is so full of adventure, crises, and fun, that I couldn’t put it down. Watching Lia fight her fears, Gabi fight for what’s right, and learn more about herself and her God in the process, and solving the mystery of where different people’s true loyalties were, connected well with me.

Time travel series like this one may not be explicitly “Jesus-centric” but they live life and make choices based on their convictions, and that’s where faith gets its legs.

Bonus : Busy Mom’s Devotional

I am currently enjoying Lisa’s Busy Mom’s Devotional . There are 52 Devotionals in this book. She mentions her research trips to Italy a few times, which is cool! But that’s not why I like this Devotional. I like it because she uses the Message paraphrase, which is so plain and understandable, and since I’m not familiar with that translation, truth jumps out at me in fresh ways. Then she connects it personally with a life story that hits home to most mothers, and asks you to think, trust, and pray.

Young Adult Time Travel Books: 1800s California

I recently discovered that Lisa has written a second series of Christian Teen Time Travel books, set in California . I read this 2 book time travel series in 2 days (forgot a few chores along the way).

Zara’s lost all that matters to her, and she’s not quite 18. Trying to figure out her future, and what she wants to do next, she ends up on the shore about 150 years in the past. And while she wasn’t the best student of history, she knows enough to make a significant difference for one local Don.

This time travel series was just as good, and definitely points to the power of prayer. Though we might not see quite as spectacular an answer as someone pulled in from 150 years in the future to answer our prayers, it’s still capable of strengthening our faith, and helping us examine what we REALLY WANT.

Best Time Traveler Series – Not The End Of Wales?

Welcome to Sarah Woodbury’s After Cilmeri Series

Here is another of those time travel series I can’t put down. I actually preorder each book, paying full price, which is probably the ONLY books I’ve ever done that with. (no, wait- there is one other series . I almost forgot!) I also tend to go back and read through the whole time travel series about every 3rd release..

Again, This is Christian in morality, values, and certain conversations, especially in the later books where there is more interaction with The Church. It is mostly set in a time where Wales was excommunicated from The Church though, so there are no weekly services, etc. There is little doubt of the main characters’ faith, and values, so I’m more than satisfied.

Time travel books: Daughter of Time Quote: "It was how a man treated his inferiors that was a true measure of him.

Daughter of Time was free on Kindle, so I checked it out, and was immediately hooked. Meg, American, of Welsh heritage, had married early, made a poor choice, and then lost him to disease. She and her 2 year old, Anna find themselves in 1268 approximately, in the company of the Last Prince of Wales. She remembers snippets of history, and enough of the language from her childhood, to get herself in and out of trouble, fought over by Prince Llwelyn and his rather obnoxious brother, and falling in love with the Prince.

Meg has a hard time adjusting to not just speaking her mind when she has something to contribute, and Llwelyn has a hard time understanding the world she comes from, though he does eventually believe her (partly because she showed up in a car!).

The Story Continues…

After rather abruptly returning to modern times, this time travel series continue with Footsteps in Time , when Meg’s children disappear on the anniversary of Cilmeri, where historically, Prince Llewlyn was betrayed and murdered, ending the independent royal line of Wales, and England gained complete control of that country.

However, Here is where we really start messing with Time, because, if the Prince survives, then everything going forward must be different as well. Meg herself returns to the past in Winds of Time , landing in Scotland, and has a challenging time getting to Wales to reunite with her family.

At this point, the influence of this family from the future really begins to impact the world. They fight for their country and create a haven for Jews, knowing they would soon be expelled from England. (and since, in real life those who bless God’s people are blessed, so why not extend that into fiction?)

History Re-imagined in this Time Travel Series

This is a dramatic history lesson because it pursues the “what if” of history. If only this was different, what then? That domino effect is something that has always fascinated me. How each choice and chance truly impacts the future.

Watching Anna’s courage build was hopeful to me. Watching the different versions of the King Arthur legend, from the different countries, all finding their home in one person was pretty cool too! And watching this family struggle to improve the education and living conditions for those around them, encouraged me so much.

In each book, someone ends up returning to the future, sometimes accidentally, sometimes out of a desperate hope that it’ll work ‘one more time’ and that’s not always safe or easy, as each jump moves a little more into the future, with the powers of government being just a little stronger and more aggressive in their hunt for the time travelers. Another Conservative look at where the future is headed, though that’s just a very minor point.

This time traveler series will always be among the best time travel series ever written!

Young Adult Time Travel Books: Reternity

Reternity is one of the young adult time travel books that are very memorable. A solid Christian youth headed off to college with a science major. Parents who’re concerned how he’ll keep his faith. A top-secret time travel project that complicates his life.

It was beautiful to watch real discussions of faith and science instead of blind defensiveness. And the ending? I can’t talk about that yet. It will leave you thinking, for sure. But it struck the right emotional chords, as I can still remember most of the story in vivid detail.

Related: Christian Futuristic Fiction

Synapse: Steven James new book, exploring the meaning of life
Revolutionary (Finding Hope and Freedom in the Future)

Time Travel Series: Evangelical and Slightly Romantic

Evangelical and Slightly Romantic Time Travel Books

This collection of time travel series are evangelical, and most of them serve as witnesses to the future. This first one, though, goes back. Back to Jerusalem in the ’60s. The 0060s, in case you were wondering!

City of God: Time Travel Series Set on Changing History

One time travel device. One Messianic Jewish Archaeologist tired of defending her faith. One Jewish Physicist who is definitely NOT ORTHODOX. One Physicist who seems to have no religious affiliation. Except, he blames the Apostle Paul for spreading Christianity, which allowed science to spread, which caused all kinds of problems… So it’s only logical to go back and kill Paul before it’s too late. Right?

Well, this time travel series blew me away. Someone found this post, and asked me if I’d ever heard of this particular time travel book series, and I hadn’t, but I immediately purchased book one , and fell in love. I’ve finished book 2 , and will read book 3 soon.

Rivka, as an archaeologist, is both living her dream, and living a nightmare. Watching her faith grow as she succeeds, and fails, at many things is pretty awesome. Seeing the early church through contemporary Jewish eyes, both believer and nonbeliever was so cool!

If the idea of brand new Top Christian Fiction books mailed right to your doorway appeals to you, you might be interested in the Truly Yours Book Box ! Including romance, mystery, suspense, and Amish fiction, you never know what you might get! Maybe sign up with a friend, and have a Christian book of the month club between you!

Time Awaits: Sail Through Time With Jack and Company

The best way to be a witness in the future, is to jump there with your very own time-ship. You can do this in Time Awaits , John M. Grier’s Time Travel book series.

In 3012: The Artifact , we start out a thousand years in the future, in a world that has incredible technology, plenty of complacency, no faith, and no children (they’re ‘removed’ before mom even realizes that she’s pregnant, and raised away from the general population).

This future has a very interesting political structure complete with pockets of resistance. We find Jack here, desperately searching for his lost time machine, so he can get home to the 21 st century. He acquires several friends, including Paul the archeologist and Suzi, a hologram built not too far into our future. Together, they wind up on quite an adventure, exploring time and romantic opportunities.

They discover the ‘last holdout’ of Christians in a time (also not TOO far into our future) where they’ve been nearly eradicated. Talk about Christian Time Travel! Watching Jack as he is teaching his 3012 friends Paul and Janet accurate history, and about normal families, and faith, is so cool! It makes me wonder how easily people can coast along with what’s NORMAL, until and unless they discover something they value enough to Fight For.

This is followed by 3012: The Uprising , where Jack goes back to 3012, and finds things are very different! He jumps through time to try to mend the timeline, and, on returning to the future again, quite a battle erupts.

The Prequel, which really can be read first or last, Time Awaits: The Beginning , shows just how Jack acquired his unusual sea-going time machine, and his first adventures with contemporary friends, visiting Savannah Georgia in the 1880s.

Overall, this time travel series is definitely Sci-Fi, Faith-Filled and Young Earth. The few elements of romance are definitely clean, as is the language (as in lack of foul language). If you are a conservative and tend to like Sci-Fi, you’ll likely enjoy this time travel series, and be inspired to stand up for your faith.

Where To Buy Good Christian Books

Answers In Genesis
AudioBooksNow
Barnes&Noble
BetterWorldBooks
BibleStore (Much More Than Bibles)
BooksAMillion
Bookshop.org
ChristianBook.com
Thriftbooks

One of the Best Time Travel Books: Volition

First, they stole her future, now they’re after her Volition . Accidentally abducted to the future, Andi must choose how to handle living her Christian faith out in very difficult circumstances. Choosing to stay in the future because of the consequences to others if she doesn’t, Andi learns so much about her faith and her convictions.

Putting another’s wellbeing ahead of her own, and dealing with all that comes with that is almost more than anyone bargained for.

As far as books about time travel go, it’s scary how plausible this storyline is!

Whether you like science fiction or not, you will probably like this story. The sci-fi aspect sets the stage, but the storyline is focused more on life situations than anything. While it starts out as anything BUT romantic time travel books, it earns its “Happily Ever After” status.

Books about time travel are one of my favorite subjects, and an unexpected treat coming from this author.

The social-political environment is a logical development, based on what we see around us. I could totally see people in the future “rescuing” people from the past/present. Shows them as benevolent and solves some of the ‘unexpected’ problems created by unbiblical policies.

I’m jealous of some of the more personally practical technological developments (If you’re a woman, you’re likely to be jealous also!).

Most importantly, I was challenged by Andi’s commitment to ‘considering others as more important than yourself’ {Philippians 2:3). If I were in her position, I would want to do what she did for her friend, but I don’t know if I could.

That’s why I love reading so much. I get a chance to practice making the right choice ahead of time. Thinking through the consequences of the good and the not so good decisions.

I received advance access to this time travel fiction from the author, and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

Almost a Time Travel Series

The Revisionary The Rogues are not technically a time travel series, but it still fits here. The Revisionary is responsible for making changes to the law of the ASU. In school as a Revisionary candidate, Portia Abernathy gets to go into simulations (kind of like the holodeck on Star Trek). The target for these simulations is the start of the previous (failed) civilization (the USA).

In each simulation, Portia witnesses various events and interacts with Our Founding Fathers (Washington, Jefferson, etc). She is inspired to make changes in her world, to fight for the right things.This gets her in major trouble with the faculty / government. These guys have fancy “correctives” they like to use on anyone who disagrees with them or tries to persuade others to.

God isn’t mentioned much, but the truth is there, and there are believers, its all in code for safety. Portia is discovering how hard this is going to be. She doesn’t encounter a Bible until book 2 but the words shared in the simulations stick with her.

This ‘nearly’ time travel series will stick with me for a long time. I hope to have Portia Abernathy’s courage! If you’re interested in book 2, click Here.

What Christian Books About Time Travel are Next for You?

In my opinion, the qualities of a good book are well researched/accuracy, entertainment, believability – within the context of the story, and thought-provoking. When you can find that in Christian Time Travel Series, I’m all in! I think these authors managed it very well, how about you?

I don’t know that I could pick out The Best Time Travel Fiction , but I sure had fun building a library of Christian books about time travel, and I have a few more in my TBR pile, and will keep you posted!

Until Next Time, Love God, Love Books, Shine The Light!!

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20 Comments on “Top 8 Best Christian Time Travel Series For Exciting Adventures”

I’ve always loved time travel adventures. How fun that there are now Christian books with time travel in them!

I know! The time travel / time paradox star trek episodes have always been my favorite!

Wow: That is something to truly think about! Thank you for bringing up something that I need to ponder on.

You’re most welcome, Keisha! It’s really amazing to think about the impact one faithful voice can have. It sometimes takes a dramatic scene change to realize that we need to speak up.

Reading these stories was both fun and enlightening for me 🙂

My son would love those time traveler books!!!

Yay! I know I do! And I look forward to my son being old enough to share them with!

These books sound great! I used to like time travel books in grade school, I’ll have to pick up one of these and see if I still like it:)

They look like some entertaining reads. Thorough book review appreciated. Thanks!

What a great place to start in reading something that will strengthen our faith and entertain!

Christian time travel seems interesting! Thank you for such a detailed and thorough review!

You’re welcome!

How fun! I enjoy reading all different genres. I”ll have to check these out.

I’ve read the waterfall series. It was pretty fun. Kind of made me feel like a young girl again. 🙂

Books are such a fun, creative way to learn about our faith! Thank you for these great reviews! I can’t wait to check them out and add them to my reading list!

They sure are!

What an interesting idea. Although I read very little fiction I do like dystopian fiction but I’ve never read one that had faith mentioned in it. Now I’m wondering what faith will look like in the future.

It’s so nice to see people who have Good Taste related to traveling. Thank you for sharing those fictions. Interested.

My favorite contemporary romance time travel series is called The Yesterday Series by Amanda Tru. 7 Short ish books chronicle the main character as she learns how to manage her time traveling skills and save herself and the rest of civilization. While of course falling in love haha. I really enjoyed it. Quite contemporary for the most part. Great if you like a lot of romance with your time travel 🙂

Oooh! Amanda Tru has a time travel series? Awesome!!! Off to check it out!

It is one of my favorites!

Finding Hidden Treasures

The Theology of Time Travel

Don’t you hate it when people bring up objections to the Gospel that seem high and intelligent just to catch you off-guard in your witness about Jesus? For instance, have you heard that silly challenge that asks, “Can God create something so heavy that even he cannot lift it?” Those types of questions are designed to stump the Christian and even make you and I look silly. (By the way, the answer is yes he can. Jesus collapsed under the weight of his cross).

The movie, “Looper” and popular science fiction shows have brought up another protest to the Gospel that seems just as silly. “If time travel is possible, doesn’t that mean that God is not in control of the world, or history?”

I confess that I enjoy thinking through issues like these. These issues stretch the imagination and can force us to go back to the scripture for answers to even the silliest or the hardest of issues. And yes, there is also an answer to this question in the scripture.

Is Time Travel Possible?

Before you accuse me of having too much time on my hands to engage is this silliness, keep in mind that questions like these have actually led some people to be shipwrecked in their faith. If popular science keeps presenting theoretical ways that such things might be, then surely this lends evidence to the idea that God does not exist or perhaps is not in control of things the way the Bible presents. But we should not be afraid of questions like this—even highly speculative ones.

So, let me put the cookies on the counter where they are easily reached. Is time travel possible? The answer to this question is no. Now, I’m not going to argue from science or scientific theory about the possibility of time travel. That is not my area of expertise. Much has been written from that perspective. Nor am I going to try and answer philosophical musings about time travel such as the grandfather paradox. Rather, I’d like to answer this challenge strictly from a biblical or theological view. I’d like to back up my answer with explanations from four areas of theology:

• The argument from God’s unchangeable nature

• The argument from Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection

• The argument from God’s decretive will

• The argument from prophecy

For each area I’d will state the ascertain why time travel is not possible, then I will present an argument from scripture and accepted theology. So let’s begin.

The Argument From God’s Unchangeable Nature

Time travel, by implication, would necessitate a change in God’s nature, specifically, his eternality.

How would time travel change God’s nature? Because God has already experienced the past in the manner in which it has unfolded. To go back in time and do things differently would necessitate a change in God’s actions or reactions to those past events, thus changing God’s unchangeable nature. This is impossible. God is immutable.

The scripture states numerously and clearly that God is an unchangeable being (Numbers 23:19; I Samuel 15:29; Isaiah 46:10; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 1:12; 6:18; 13:8; James 1:17). This means that all that God does and decrees is born from within his unchangeable nature. God’s character and decisions are set. For God to change his mind would necessitate a change in his nature. Yet, he already declares that his nature is unchangeable. He is unchangeable because he is eternal.

To be eternal does not mean that God is unchangeable from moment to moment. Created things experience time as a succession of moments one after another. However, God is apart from and is outside of time. He does not experience a succession of moments as we do. All points in time are the same to God. Because God experiences life in this way any decision made is made in his eternal nature. It is made once and does not need to be made again, his decisions are eternal. Doing so would necessitate a change in his eternality.

The Argument From Jesus’ Life, Death, and Resurrection

Time travel would imply that the life of Jesus would not be fixed and thus man would have the power to thwart God’s plan for Jesus and for our salvation.

To use a popular concept from science fiction, the conception, birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are “fixed” events in history that cannot be changed. In fact, all events in history are fixed and cannot be changed since there was a succession of events from creation until Jesus that were necessary to take place resulting in the coming of Jesus. Remember Jesus words to the Father in Matthew 26:42. He specifically asked God for the cup of suffering to pass from him. In other words, if there is another way to redeem man, then let it be. God’s answer to Jesus was that there was not another way. Why? Because God had fixed it as his will from his eternal counsel long before the foundation of the earth (Psalm 33:9-11; I Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8).

The Argument From God’s Decretive Will

Time travel would imply that God is not in control of events that he has determined will take place.

What is God’s decretive will? This is a term theologians use to identify those things of God’s will that will come to pass no matter what. These are God’s decrees. For instance, it is God’s decretive will that life exists. Sure, we may kill each other, but life itself is a necessary component of God’s plan and therefore living things must exist. Nothing that we can do will thwart God’s will in this matter. The work of creation is another example of God’s decretive will. He decided that the cosmos would come into existence and it did. Nothing thwarts God’s decretive will.

Though the concept is controversial to some, God has decided from eternity past those who would know him. We might say that the salvation we experience is God’s decretive will. Nothing we can do will separate us from the love of Jesus and the salvation we have from him. God has decreed it and it will happen. End of story. We find this concept in Matthew 25:34; Romans 8:29, 9:13-23; Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8.)

How is this related to the theory of time travel? To put it simply, God has decreed that certain things in history will take place, past, present, and future. Throughout the Old Testament we see God creating a people for himself that will one day give rise to the Savior. In order for Jesus to be born certain events preceding Jesus’ birth had to take place according to God’s eternal plan. Time travel essentially leaves open the possibility that those events can be changed by a traveler just like any other event. But if the past is immutable, so then is the future, as we shall see.

The Argument from Prophecy

Time travel implies that God’s purposes and working out of history can be altered and thus the scripture can be broken. Jesus said that scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). Let us look at this truth not only from the past that we look back to, but to the future, specifically, in scripture like the Old Testament book of Daniel, Matthew 24, I Corinthians 15, and the book of Revelation.

In each case there are specific prophesies made about nations, people, and events that at the time of their writing were unfulfilled. Gabriel makes it clear to Daniel that the events he revealed would take place in the future. He gave no option such as things “might” happen. Rather, he communicated to Daniel in clear certainty that they would happen and at specific times in history. We might say that these prophesied events are fixed. Just like Matthew 24 and Revelation, these events are promised and are indicated to take place at specific times. For that to happen certain events must take place in world history to lead to the fulfillment of those prophesies. They are guaranteed. They are fixed. There is no changing them. God has decreed they will take place.

A Counterpoint

It might be argued that the men who received this knowledge or view into future events effectively were time travelers. That is, God took them out of one time frame and placed them in another time frame to witness these events. I don’t think this is a persuasive argument. Most prophesies given would seem to be a foretelling. That is, the prophet spoke or wrote about what he was told, but did not actually see the events themselves, except in specifically revealed cases. God is outside of time and sees all time instantly from his perspective. Time travel is unnecessary to him.

It might also be argued that the Apostle John time traveled since he saw the events about which he wrote. I don’t think this is persuasive argument either. We are simply told about things that John saw, but the scripture does not indicate he was present for the events themselves. He also witnessed things in Revelation that are clear types or pictures meant to illustrate the truths he was seeing, but these were pictures, not the events themselves, such as the dragon and the beast and the woman fleeing to a prepared place (Revelation 12 & 13).

There is one aspect where seeing future events, or learning of future events affects the past. By learning of future events like we have learned in Ezekiel, Zechariah, Matthew 24, Daniel, and Revelation we can, and many do, reorganize our lives in keeping with God has revealed. A simple example of this happened in Genesis 19 when Lot was told the future—Sodom was to be destroyed. At the behest of the angels he took this future knowledge and tried to persuade his sons-in-law to escape with him. He then took his family and fled the city as the angels had directed him. Clearly, if Lot had been given no warning about the future then his life would have gone on none the wiser until the rocks started falling from the sky.

In this sense we can say that while time travel is not possible, warnings about the future can come to the past (or present) from God so that we might be saved from what is to come, or to be ready to endure it and not give up the hope of our faith in Christ. Only in this way does the future change the past. Yet because it takes an act of God to reveal the future there is no literal time travel involved, simply a revealing of what God knows from his eternal perspective.

We can divide what we know about God’s nature, his plan from eternity, and his revelation, that time travel is not possible in the universe in which we live. Hebrews 9:27 says “It is appointed for man to die once, then the judgment.” By this we can infer that it is also appointed for us to live once. There are no do overs. Therefore, knowing what the future holds we should pattern our lives after Christ to ensure that when our times comes before the judgment seat of God, our faith and cleansing in Christ will give us full confidence that we may stand before God clean.

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Tom Terry is head of Global Broadcast Strategy for JESUS Film Project and serves as General Manager of The Better FM, an online radio station for Asia. Tom is also the author of several books, including Bible studies and "Like An Eagle," his biography about living in Mongolia for ten years.

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How to face your future with faith, you may also like, how can i replace intrusive thoughts with godly ones, how introverts can save the church, why does god let satan have so much power, how to begin meaningful conversations, what are the questions jesus asks you.

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Movie Review: Time traveling to save Jesus, or shoot him? “Assassin 33 A.D.”

Faith-based films, as a general rule, are big on emotion and message but lack risk and edge. They “preach to the choir” and play it safe, serving up comfort food for the faithful.

But boy, “Assassin 33 A.D.” doesn’t lack for ambition. By turns prophetic and pious, pistol-packing and profane, it is the nuttiest “Jesus movie” since “Life of Brian.”

And remember, I reviewed the “gay Jesus” satire from Brazil, “The First Temptation of Christ.”

It’s about time travel, commandos armed to the teeth going back to “prove” Jesus wasn’t God, and maybe mow-down a bunch of Roman soldiers and disciples in the process.

It’s nuts.

All the gunplay and bloodshed? Oh yeah, it was filmed in Texas by the writer-director of “Evil Behind You.” Very Texas.

And then one of the scientists ( Lamar Usher ) who goes back to STOP the commandos runs into Jesus ( Jason Castro ) in the Garden of Gesthemene. Simon the scientist may be an Ivy League physicist, but he still speaks in the street-slang that screams “urban stereotype” to generations of white screenwriters.

Simon wants to warn Jesus, who being the Son of God, picks up on English 1100 years before it exists.

“I’m from the future. And I’ve seen your movie. Got it on bootleg . Didn’t finish it, though.”

Dramatic pause.

“They mess you up pretty bad …But don’t get bummed out!”

Jesus isn’t bummed, and he doesn’t want this not-the-Apostle-Simon to worry.

“I know what is going to happen.”

“And if you’d finished my movie, you’d know, too!”

Eric Idle couldn’t have written a better crucifixion joke. And he tried. With Our Lord John Cleese as my witness, if I hear a funnier exchange in a movie this year I’ll be tickled indeed.

“Assassin 33 A.D.” has moments of camp like that, and a lot of just bad writing and middling acting to go with its decent production values, heaping helpings of Islamophobia and obscene levels of violence.

Morgan Roberts plays Ram Goldstein, who leads a research team that includes Simon, Amy ( Isla Levine ) and Felix ( Cesar D’ La Torre ). They’re scrambling to invent “matter transference.” They want to build the first “Star Trek” transporter for their Arabic boss ( Gerardo Davila ).

But what does Ahmed want this for? Ram stumbles across the answer, and that runs him afoul of Ahmed’s new ex-military head of security. We’ve seen Brandt ( Donny Boaz ) survive a car wreck and curse (Ok, not literally “curse”) God for “taking my family from me!” Heidi Montag plays his wife.

Brandt is all too quick to help Ahmed torture Ram when he discovers what they’ve actually invented is a time machine, which Ram wants to keep out of the hands of Ahmed and his terrorist minions.

The film’s first hilarious lines are Brandt assuring everyone that “no one has to get hurt” AFTER we’ve seen him beating the Hell out of Ram.

Ahmed barks, “Keep him comfortable until I return,” again — AFTER the beating — and after we’ve seen Ram’s parents gunned down in front of him as part of “being persuasive.”

Yeah it’s a fiercely stupid movie. They should have stuck to comedy, but that’s a hard sell to the devoted American Christian film audience, especially with Easter coming up.

The bad guys go to the past to mess up the Arrest, Crucifixion and Resurrection, “correcting the greatest deception of All Time — dismantling Christianity!”

Ahmed hates those “Christian scum.” He does. But when he grabs fruit off a vendor’s table in The Holy Land, he’s made his biggest mistake.

“It’s a tomato! So what?”

So, tomatoes wouldn’t be imported to the Old World until 1500+ years later, you ahistorical scum!

There’s a little biting banter between the atheist scientist Ram and his devoutly Christian colleague/girlfriend Amy.

“Please stop them from killing JESUS!”

“If Jesus is God, he can take care of himself!”

Writer-director Jim Carroll tries to wrap this in “faith-being-tested” and “non-believers converted” homilies. Characters also struggle, as such characters do, to explain the twisty, turny time-lines of time-travel.

But none of that’s as easy as just throwing in another shootout, messing up the timeline further as all these dead people are going to alter ancient history, and future history.

A few effects impress, the gunplay — not so much. The moral leaps many characters make are as risible as the logical leaps forced into the plot.

“Assassin 33 A.D.” may not find its intended audience, and if it does they may not be as gobsmacked at the picture’s goofiness as sci-fi fans who have seen well-made time-travel done on a budget — “Primer,” “Timecrimes,” “Safety Not Guaranteed,” etc.

But then again, maybe sci-fi fans are a better audience for this so-bad-its-funny trip back to Golgotha.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and thematic elements.

Cast: Morgan Roberts, Isla Levine, Lamar Usher, Gerardo Davila, Jason Castro, and Heidi Montag

Credits: Written and directed by Jim Carroll. A Fireside release.

Running time: 1:49

About Roger Moore

1 response to movie review: time traveling to save jesus, or shoot him “assassin 33 a.d.”.

This review is incredible.

I don’t know if you’ve heard of our film FAITH BA$ED, which just premiered at Santa Barbara. But if you’re open to reviewing it and not slammed with Sundance, I’ve read your stuff for ages and it make my day to send you a link. I feel like Assassin 33AD was created entirely so our movie would make sense.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/christian-films-satire-faith-based-swipes-at-breitbart-fox-news-teaser-1265499

The movie we’re making within the movie is called “A Prayer in Space”, about the first prayer ever to be prayed… in space.

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The 25 Greatest Time-Travel Movies Ever Made

It must say something, surely, about humans, how often time-travel movies are about returning to the past rather than jumping to the future. As Mark Duplass’s forlorn character says in Safety Not Guaranteed , “The mission has to do with regret.” With all the potential to explore the unknown world of the future, so often when our minds conspire to bend the rules of time it’s instead to rehash the old. It’s compelling to watch a character in a movie do what we cannot — right past wrongs or uncover the reason for or meaning behind the events in their lives, whether they be emotionally catastrophic or merely geopolitically motivated.

So absent is the future from the canon, in fact, that when it is involved, typically future dwellers are leaving their own time to come back to the present. Back to the Future Part II aside, it seems as if there’s something about going forward in time that just doesn’t track for humans. (Of course, you could argue that this is because the present-day concept of bidirectional time travel would infinitely multiply or change beyond recognition any future that may occur, but that’s a knot for another article.)

In any case, the time-travel stories deemed worthy of Hollywood budgets aren’t always straightforward in their mechanics. Some films on this list barely qualify as time-travel movies at all; others could hardly qualify as anything else. There are movies about trips through time but also ones about the bending and fracturing and muddying thereof; then there are those about, as Andy Samberg aptly puts it in Palm Springs , “one of those infinite time-loop situations you might have heard about.” There’s even a movie in which we get only 13 seconds’ worth of time travel, when it functions more like a joke whose punch line hits at the film’s climax.

What these films all do have in common is a fascination with changing the way time works. That being said, the list leaves out movies in larger, more extended franchises in which time meddling is a one-off dalliance thrown into a sequel with little by way of foreshadowing: think Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Avengers: Endgame , and Men in Black III . (It also leaves off perhaps the Ur-time-travel movie, Primer , and the quite good Midnight in Paris because their directors don’t deserve the column inches.) We’re looking at self-contained stories using time mechanics from the start, with preference given to those that involve themselves more intently with the ins and outs of time travel; that ask questions about time, aging, memory and so forth; and that try to succeed at it in new and interesting ways. So let’s get to it.

25. Galaxy Quest (1999)

Does Galaxy Quest really count as a time-travel movie? Some compelling reasons argue that it doesn’t: Time travel isn’t a major factor in the plot, and the time traveling that does occur is, yes, only a 13-second jump. But its use of time travel is meaningful insofar as the movie itself is a loving spoof of Star Trek , which makes use of time travel in three films ( one of which made this list ), not to mention dozens of episodes across its various TV iterations. Tacking on time travel as a deus ex machina for the actors in a Star Trek– like show pressed into service as an actual space crew by an endangered alien race is the exact right amount of ribbing in a movie that’s as on point as it is hilarious.

Galaxy Quest is available to rent on Amazon .

24. Happy Death Day (2017)

Pick away at the surface of a time-loop movie and you find a horror movie. Most of the entries on this list are covered in enough feel-good spin to land as comedies, but Happy Death Day stares the horror of the time-loop phenomenon right in the face. (It’s also quite funny.) Reliving the same day over and over is an unimaginably potent form of psychological torture, and adding murder to the equation does little to dull that edge. The film follows a college-age protagonist struggling to escape from a masked slasher hell-bent on killing her again and again while she tries to solve the mystery of how she got stuck in a time loop.

Happy Death Day is available to rent on Amazon .

23. Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Seriously, this may be the only good movie in which the film’s whole focus is using a time machine to travel into the future. The fact that it’s a sequel is telling — the characters already traveled into the past in the first movie , and the filmmakers decided to save “traveling even further into the past“ for the third film in the trilogy. Still, Back to the Future Part II is a fun time that makes great use of sight gags and references, recasting scenes from the first film in the distant future year of 2015 with all its hoverboards and self-lacing Nikes.

Back to the Future Part II is available to rent on Amazon .

22. See You Yesterday (2019)

It’s a dirty little secret of time-travel movies that they tend to be, well, pretty white. Tenet ’s Protagonist aside, if Hollywood’s sending someone through time, they’re almost certainly not a Black person, and for obvious reasons: Most of post-contact North American history is deeply unfriendly to people of color, and the problems a person running around out of time and place is going to encounter are deeply compounded if they’ll likely be the target of racist abuse or violence — which makes See You Yesterday all the more compelling. Produced by Spike Lee and featuring one of filmdom’s most famous time travelers in a cameo role, it follows a Black teenage science prodigy who uses a time machine to try to save her brother from being killed by a police officer.

See You Yesterday is streaming on Netflix .

21. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

No offense to the Back to the Future franchise, but time travel never looks more fun on film than it does in the first Bill & Ted movie. It’s a concept that feels distinctly of a different era, so pure is its zaniness, that it’s hard to imagine anyone concocting it today. The titular duo, Californian high-school students in the ’80s, travel through the past looking for historical figures in order to ace a history project, then bring them all back to the present. High jinks ensue! We get Genghis Khan in a sporting-goods store and Mozart on an electric keyboard. What more could you want?

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is streaming on HBO Max .

20. Source Code (2011)

Time-travel-film aficionados know this won’t be Jake Gyllenhaal’s only stop on this list, but no matter. Source Code finds him repeating the same eight minutes over and over as he struggles to find the culprit in a train bombing — with each replay ending in his own death by explosion. For some reason, a romantic subplot is shoehorned into this, along with a bunch of frankly unnecessary technical mumbo-jumbo, but the core idea is a compelling mix of the time-loop movie and the train whodunit that Gyllenhaal is a perfect fit for.

Source Code is available to rent on Amazon .

19. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Some sort of law of nature dictates that every genuinely good idea and/or piece of true art has to at some point be turned into a Hollywood movie. Thank God La Jetée was adapted into something that can stand on its own feet artistically. 12 Monkeys may not retain its source material’s black-and-white look or stripped-down, static-image presentation, but it is a rollicking good time nonetheless. That’s in no small part due to director Terry Gilliam getting the best out of Bruce Willis and a young Brad Pitt, and recasting World War III as a planet-decimating virus. Which, like at least one other movie on this list , “speaks to the present moment,” or whatever.

12 Monkeys is available to rent on Amazon .

18. Run Lola Run (1998)

Unlike almost all of the other films on this list, the terms time travel and time machine don’t show up anywhere in Run Lola Run . Rather, it’s a sort of de facto time-loop scenario in which the protagonist tries repeatedly to pay a ransom to save her boyfriend’s life. In fact, if not for a few key details, it could easily be characterized (and often has been) as an alternate-endings movie rather than a time-travel film. But the fact that Lola seems to be learning from her past attempts with each successive one suggests that she is, indeed, using knowledge gained from previous loops to bring a satisfactory end to this situation.

Run Lola Run is available to rent on Amazon .

17. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

One of the most striking things about Groundhog Day is the mutability and replicability of its core conceit. Perhaps the best case in point is Edge of Tomorrow , sometimes known as Live. Die. Repeat. after its original tagline. It’s the kind of physically grueling movie only an actor as genuinely unhinged as Tom Cruise could pull off. A noncombatant thrust into a war against invading aliens, Cruise’s character finds himself reliving day one of combat over and over, slowly but surely refining his techniques in order to survive the extraterrestrial onslaught. Like the central twosome in the much less violent Palm Springs , he winds up with a partner in (war) crime, teaming up with the similarly time-trapped Emily Blunt, and the explanation for the replay glitch here is actually pretty satisfying.

Edge of Tomorrow is streaming on Fubo TV .

16. Star Trek (2009)

If you could create some sort of an advanced stat to measure controversy generated per unit of interesting filmmaking decisions, J.J. Abrams would have to be near the top in terms of his ability to rig up movie drama from almost nothing. This is a guy whose filmography is like Godzilla rip-off, Spielberg homage, safe reboot of cherished IP, repeat. Star Trek may be his best film, though, a sure-footed reinvention of a dorky sci-fi franchise that made it, well, cool. Somehow, the beauty of Spock and Kirk’s bromance being woven through chance encounters with future selves kind of … works?

Star Trek is available to rent on Amazon .

15. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

There’s a relative dearth of time travel in animated film, which perhaps is a function simply of the fact that it’s less impressive to stage in a world that’s already unreal. If you can Looney Tunes your way through physics, what’s so special about grabbing the flow of time and tying it into a bow? Still, the original Girl Who Leapt Through Time deserves mention here. It’s a beautiful story that interlaces the complexity of time leaping with the intensity of teenage emotion and the thorny process of growing up where the opportunity to redo things leads, over time, to growth — a less shitty Groundhog Day , in a way.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is available to rent on Amazon .

14. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

She may not be the most famous, decorated, or emulated actress of her generation, but Aubrey Plaza is someone whose personality spoke to the irony-soaked 2010s in a way that simply could not be denied. Her character on Parks and Recreation , April Ludgate, was, by all accounts, created specifically to channel Plaza’s real-life personality to the screen, and she plays essentially the same character in Safety Not Guaranteed . Here, she’s a sarcastic intern at a magazine working on a story about a would-be time traveler and using her feminine wiles to slowly gain his trust. The chemistry between Plaza and Mark Duplass is probably the film’s high point; the subplot about the FBI feels like it was clipped out of a bad X-Files episode.

Safety Not Guaranteed is streaming on Tubi .

13. La Jetée (1962)

At only a 28-minute run time, La Jetée is arguably too short to merit inclusion on this list. However, what it lacks in content (and in, well, moving images; it’s almost exclusively a collection of static black-and-white shots set to voice-over), it more than makes up for in inventiveness and influence, and it would be a travesty to leave it out in favor of more recent by-the-book fare. Tracing the tale of a man held prisoner in post-WWIII Paris being used in time-travel experiments as his captors seek to remedy the postapocalyptic state of the world, he’s sent into both the future and the past and ends up unraveling a lifelong personal mystery while he’s at it.

La Jetée is streaming on the Criterion Channel .

12. Planet of the Apes (1968)

Unlike the worse but more straightforwardly time-traveling Tim Burton remake, the relationship between the original Planet of the Apes and time travel is inexact — technically, the astronaut crew that lands on the titular planet does travel forward 2,000 years, but it’s not done via a time machine. The travel isn’t instantaneous: It literally does take them 2,000 years to get there; they’re just unconscious and on life support. Still, the way the film’s ending handles the iconic reveal is exactly in line with the best of the time-travel canon, the telescoping, mise en abyme feeling of the world shifting in front of your very eyes without your moving an inch.

Planet of the Apes is available to rent on Amazon .

11. Groundhog Day (1993)

The famous Bill Murray vehicle essentially invented the infinite-time-loop genre (and it’s hardly a movie that succeeds on the strength of its concept alone), but the idea at its core is so steeped in the casual misogyny of late-’80s and early-’90s cinema that it’s hard to watch today without cringing. Murray’s character employing what amounts to PUA-style techniques over and over and over in a desperate bid to fuck his hapless co-worker just doesn’t hit the way it did back then. If the story arc didn’t present a guy detoxifying himself of the worst aspects of masculinity in order to be worthy of a woman’s love as the primary way for a 20th-century white man to achieve full personhood, this would be much higher on the list.

Groundhog Day is streaming on Starz .

10. Predestination (2014)

This is probably the most complicated film on the list. Following a “temporal agent” (played by Ethan Hawke) who’s trying to prevent a bombing in 1970s New York, it’s based on a Robert A. Heinlein short story and features Shiv Roy herself, Sarah Snook, in a star-making turn as someone with a complicated backstory and a secret. Like the best sci-fi, the film’s premise raises all kinds of fascinating questions about the titular concept and throws in some interesting musings on sex, gender, and the self in the process.

Predestination is streaming on Tubi .

9. Looper (2012)

Wes Anderson gets a lot of flak for his overwrought twee visuals, but Rian Johnson has a knack for making movies that feel and function like dioramas even if they don’t look it. Narratively speaking, everything here is constructed just so — and there’s a certain beauty in that — but who ever had a profound experience of art by looking at a diorama? Looper was probably Johnson’s least precious pre– Star Wars film, which is nice because the temptation to drastically overmaneuver the mechanics of a time-travel story can lead to disaster. The tech used to Bruce Willis–ify Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s face is distracting, and the third act’s retreat from the postapocalyptic city of the future to the postapocalyptic corn farm of the future is a brave choice that the film struggles to land. Still, Johnson’s vision of a future in which organized crime runs time travel is compelling and well worth a watch.

Looper is streaming on Netflix .

8. Donnie Darko (2001)

Donnie Darko is a bit of a genre mash-up. Part high-school movie, part sci-fi flick, part bleak meditation on the soullessness of late-’80s America, it’s nevertheless a weirdly successful piece of filmmaking that makes fantastic use of a young Jake Gyllenhaal, a great supporting cast (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Jena Malone, and Patrick Swayze among others), and an absolutely iconic haunting cover of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World.” Watching high schoolers navigate parallel universes, wormholes, and time travel is a dicey proposition, but director Richard Kelly makes it work, somehow.

Donnie Darko is streaming on HBO Max .

7. Back to the Future (1984)

While it’s clearly superior to the sequel (and leagues ahead of the final film in the trilogy), the original Back to the Future is a bit of a mess (John Mulaney was right , to be honest). Its racial and gender politics are cringey, and the incest subplot is weird (“It’s your cousin Marvin. Marvin Pornhub . You know that new plot element you’ve been looking for?”), but there’s a clear interest in time travel beyond its shimmering surface: the very real addressing of the “grandfather problem” in time travel via the slow disappearance of Marty from his family photo, the accidental invention of rock music, and a genuine curiosity about the nuts-and-bolts mechanics of time machines. Ahh, what the hell. It’s a romp.

Back to the Future is available to rent on Amazon .

6. Palm Springs (2020)

No offense to Gen-Xers and boomers, but the best time-loop movie of all time is Palm Springs . The film isn’t without its missteps, but it’s much more curious about life than Groundhog Day was through the eyes of Murray’s misanthrope. Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg‘s characters, stuck in the loop together, are a perfect comedic match, and their shared humanity makes for a beautiful arc. The film raises questions about what’s worth doing in life when nothing lasts and how to stay sane when every day is the same. Of course, as a sort of polar opposite of Tenet , it benefited from coming out during the pandemic by speaking, as it does, to the experience of lockdown.

Palm Springs is streaming on Hulu .

5. Tenet (2020)

Interstellar wasn’t enough for Chris Nolan, apparently. Tenet ’s legacy may end up being little more than that of the COVID action movie no one saw — a bloated thriller that Nolan fought to get into theaters and bar from home viewing reportedly to swell the size of his own pockets. It really did suffer from bad timing, though, because this is genuinely a quintessential big-screen popcorn movie whose absurdity is all the more palatable when it’s given the audiovisual bombast it deserves. Ambitious in scope as it traces a war on the past by the future (yes, you read that right), Tenet is as enamored of action tropes as it is in bucking them, and its investment in rendering visible the brain-bendingly knotty mechanics of moving through time is laudable, even when the movie itself remains opaque — as impenetrable as the future, as hazy as the past.

Tenet is streaming on HBO Max .

4. The Terminator (1984)

A partner to Blade Runner in the mid-’80s invention of sci-fi noir, The Terminator is a stunning film in many ways, despite the third act’s now-iffy visual effects. While it’s not James Cameron’s debut, and it would go on to be bested by its sequel , it functions as an incredible showcase for an emerging young director who would exclusively make big stories for the rest of his career. Arnold Schwarzenegger is perfectly cast as the relentless, unemotional killer cyborg sent back from the future to terminate the mother of the eventual resistance leader, and the film’s romantic subplot has just the perfect amount of time-travel-induced cheesiness for it to work.

The Terminator is streaming on Amazon Prime Video .

3. Interstellar (2014)

It’s not inaccurate to say Christopher Nolan is a director who’s more interested in scale and scope than in expressing the minutiae of the human experience in its purest form. But in Interstellar, a Nolan movie in its titular ambitions, there’s a core element of time travel wrought not as sci-fi fireworks but as a paean to the sheer force and will of the power of love. It both does and doesn’t work, depending on your capacity for cheese in space, but even besides that, Nolan’s use of time as story arc — the way Miller’s planet functions, in particular — is conceptually masterful in the best kind of time-travel-movie way.

Interstellar is streaming on Paramount+ .

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Whereas the franchise’s first movie spends more time on the question of time travel, in the second it takes a bit of a back seat to the action itself. It’s hard to fault director James Cameron for this decision; T2 remains one of the best action movies of the ’90s and — along with Jurassic Park and The Matrix — one of the decade’s best when for special effects. The groundbreaking T-1000 would honestly be enough to get this movie on the list; a tween John Connor grappling with questions of predestination and the fact that he is vicariously responsible for his own conception feel almost like icing on the time-travel cake. Much as in 12 Monkeys , time travel here is mistaken for delusion, as valiant Sarah Connor, in a Cassandra-esque nightmare, has to battle against the future only she knows is coming. Of course, Cassandra never had access to any firepower stored in underground desert arsenals.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is streaming on Netflix .

1. Arrival (2016)

It’s fair to wonder whether Arrival really is, in fact, a time-travel movie. The Ted Chiang short story it’s based on isn’t about time travel per se; rather, it’s an exploration of alternate forms of temporal understanding. The linguist protagonist, played by Amy Adams, doesn’t travel through time so much as come to experience it differently. Still, the plot ends up hinging on foreknowledge that she is granted not via visions but by actually experiencing her future simultaneously with her present and past. For our purposes, though, that’s time fuckery enough to merit inclusion, and boy howdy does the film deliver in overall quality. Partly, that’s simply a question of the source material. Chiang is arguably the most talented (and possibly the most decorated) American sci-fi writer of his generation. But the source story is not especially Hollywood friendly, and director Denis Villeneuve has adopted it lovingly, borrowing a plot device from another of Chiang’s stories, the more straightforwardly time-travel-based “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate,” in order to add some third-act blockbuster flavor. The result is a beautiful meditation on love, choice, and courage that packs art-film ethos into a genuine sci-fi blockbuster.

Arrival is streaming on Hulu and Paramount+ .

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The 20 Best Christian Movies of 2023

Michael Foust Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
Updated Jan 15, 2024

There's a lot of trash coming out of the movie industry. But as 2023 proved, a lot of light is coming out of it, too.

In fact, 2023 may have been the best year in the past two decades for excellent faith-based content, thanks to new companies such as Angel Studios and Great American Pure Flix and veteran companies like Affirm Films and Kingdom Story.

This year featured a summer blockbuster and multiple Top 5 box office hits. It also included several streaming movies that may have gone under the radar but deserve your consideration nonetheless.

Here are the 20 best Christian movies of 2023:

1. After Death

Stories of near-death experiences are examined in this fascinating documentary, which includes interviews with scientists, researchers, and individuals who say they briefly visited heaven before returning to this life. One of those is Don Piper, a minister who was involved in a car crash in 1989 and says he remembers leaving this world. A film from Angel Studios, After Death, opened in the Top 5. Rated PG-13 for thematic material, including violent descriptions, some bloody images, and drug references.

2. Birthright Outlaw

3. big george foreman .

A broke, washed-up boxer gets back in the ring in order to raise money for his ministry and youth center. Incredibly, he also overcomes all odds to win the heavyweight title. The film is the story of boxer and minister George Foreman, who won the heavyweight title in 1973 before retiring and staging a comeback to win it again in 1994. A near-death experience in 1977 played a key role in his decision to preach the gospel. It's one of the best sports movies you'll ever watch. Rated PG-13 for some sports violence.

4. The Blind

A couple falls in love and gets married at a young age, only to separate due to his alcoholic, angry ways. The film is the backstory to the life of Phil and Kay Robertson (Duck Dynasty), who only reconciled after Phil became a Christian. It's gritty and redemptive, and it includes a message from Phil Robertson himself at the end. Andrew Hyatt, who directed Paul, Apostle of Christ (2018), also directed The Blind. Rated PG-13 for thematic content and smoking. It also includes some coarse language. Because of dark themes, this one isn't for small children.

5. Camp Hideout

A troubled teenager finds redemption at a Christian summer camp. He also outwits a few career criminals who chase him to that same camp, searching for an electronic device they think he stole. This hilarious and inspiring movie features the physical comedy of Home Alone and the quirky plot of Ernest Goes to Camp. It also stars someone you've seen: Christopher Lloyd, the Emmy-winning actor best known for playing "Doc" in the Back to the Future trilogy. He portrays a quirky camp leader. Rated PG for slapstick violence and thematic elements.

6. Divine Influencer

A social media influencer loses everything only to discover her true purpose while volunteering at a homeless shelter. Lara Silva, known for her portrayal of Eden in the Bible-based series The Chosen, plays the lead character, Olivia. Shari Rigby (Overcomer) directed it. The film, Rigby told Crosswalk, will urge viewers to consider: How can we use social media to do things better? "First, by loving God. Second, by loving others," she said. It's available on Great American Pure Flix.

7. Heaven Sent

8. the hill .

A young boy born with a degenerative spinal disease overcomes long odds to become a professional baseball player. The movie tells the true story of Rickey Hill, who developed an uncanny ability to hit a baseball by practicing with a rock and stick. He also faced opposition at home from his father, a Baptist minister. It stars Dennis Quaid (Blue Miracle, I Can Only Imagine) and Colin Ford (Walker, A Thousand Tomorrows) and was co-written by Angelo Pizzo, who is best known for writing Rudy (1993) and Hoosiers (1986). Rated PG for thematic content, language and smoking throughout.

9. His Only Son

The Old Testament patriarch Abraham goes on a long journey in order to obey God and sacrifice his son, Isaac. The film opened at No. 3 and received a CinemaScore grade of "A" from moviegoers. It was written and directed by David Helling, who was serving as a Marine in Iraq more than a decade ago when he says God "got a hold of my heart" and led him into filmmaking. "I wanted to do everything I could to bring others to the Word," Helling told Crosswalk. Rated PG-13 for thematic content and some violence.

10. Identity Crisis

A college student struggling with self-esteem clones herself, only to learn she already has the skills needed to succeed in life. This whimsical comedy was produced by the same company, The Boylan Sisters, that previously released Switched (2020). Shari Rigby (Overcomer) directed it. The film stars identical twin actresses, Scout Tayui-Lepore and Sophia Tayui-Lepore. Producer Alexandra Boylan told Crosswalk: "We want to make hip and fun films that girls … want to go to school and can't wait to tell their friends about it."

11. Jesus Revolution

A straight-laced minister welcomes long-haired hippie Christians into his church, sparking a nationwide revival. The movie tells the true story of Chuck Smith, a California pastor who embraced hippie evangelist Lonnie Frisbee and other young believers in the late 60s and early 70s. It outraged some of his more traditional members, but it also birthed the so-called "Jesus Movement." Jesus Revolution grossed $52 million domestically and earned an "A+" CinemaScore from moviegoers. Rated PG-13 for strong drug content involving teens and some thematic elements.

Jesus Revolution, Jesus Revolution is having an effect on even none Christians

12. Journey to Bethlehem

13. left behind: rise of the antichrist .

A television reporter tries to uncover the truth about a worldwide mystery: the recent vanishing of millions of people. The film is a sequel to the 2014 film Left Behind, which was based on the bestselling novels and imagines what the world will be like in the days surrounding the return of Jesus and the Rapture. (Those novels, in turn, were based on a pretribulation, premillennial interpretation of the Bible's passages about the Last Days.) Rise of the Antichrist is the best Left Behind movie yet.

14. Nefarious

A convicted serial killer undergoes a psychiatric evaluation prior to his execution and claims he is a demon. He also predicts the psychiatrist will commit three murders. No doubt, this R-rated thriller isn't your typical Christian movie, but its strong faith-centric themes -- the reality of evil and the supernatural realm -- warrant its placement on this list. Co-directors Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon also co-directed Unplanned (2019). This movie is thought-provoking, but it's not for children. Rated R for some disturbing violent content.

15. The Shift

A man gets separated from his wife in the middle of a dystopian multiverse and must fight to find her again. The movie broke new ground in the faith-based realm for its science-fiction plot, even as it has a strong biblical framework: It's a modern retelling of the biblical book of Job. It starred Neal McDonough, Kristoffer Polaha, Elizabeth Tabish, and Sean Astin. It stayed in the Top 10 its first three weekends and was released by Angel Studios. Rated PG-13 for violence and thematic elements.

16. Sound of Freedom

A federal agent quits his job to travel overseas and catch child sex traffickers. The movie was inspired by true events and follows a man named Tim, who rescues a young boy from sex trafficking only to learn the boy's sister is still in captivity. Unable to just "let it go" -- as his friends suggest -- Tim goes on a quest to catch the criminal. This Angel Studios movie was a surprise hit and was directed by Alejandro Monteverde, who previously helmed Bella (2006) and Little Boy (2015). Rated PG-13 for thematic content involving sex trafficking, violence, language, sexual references, some drug references, and smoking throughout.

17. Southern Gospel

18. sun moon .

A young woman seeks solace overseas after being left at the altar. While there, she discovers God's purpose for her life. This charming film tells the story of a young woman named Kelsey (Mackenzie Mauzy), who moves to Taiwan to teach English at a Christian school and learns a lesson straight from Romans 8:28 : God works all things together for good. It debuted on Great American Pure Flix.

19. Surprised by Oxford

A young agnostic woman faces a clash of worldviews when she befriends people who believe in God. The film is based on a nonfiction book of the same name and tells the story of a postgraduate student, Caro, who enrolls at the University of Oxford in pursuit of knowledge but is shocked to learn some students are in pursuit of faith. The film's inspiration was the book's author, Carolyn Weber, who currently serves as a professor at New College Franklin in Franklin, Tenn. Although not rated, it likely would have garnered a PG-13 for language and a discussion about sex.

20. On a Wing and a Prayer

A middle-aged man must learn to fly an airplane after the pilot dies in the middle of the flight. That may sound like a far-fetched plot, but it's based on the true story of Doug White, who was traveling with his family back from a funeral in 2009 when the pilot suffered a heart attack. Although Doug didn't know it at the time, experts on the ground gave him only a 5 percent chance of survival. Dennis Quaid stars in the lead role. Roma Downey is a producer. Her company, Lightworkers, helped make it. The movie debuted on Prime Video. Rated PG for peril, some language, suggestive references and thematic elements.

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

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Top 100 Time Travel Movies

Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future (1985)

1. Back to the Future

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984)

3. The Terminator

Ashton Kutcher and Amy Smart in The Butterfly Effect (2004)

4. The Butterfly Effect

Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future Part II (1989)

5. Back to the Future Part II

Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, and Madeleine Stowe in 12 Monkeys (1995)

6. 12 Monkeys

Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell in Groundhog Day (1993)

7. Groundhog Day

Don Cheadle, Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Bradley Cooper, Chris Evans, Sean Gunn, Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Danai Gurira, and Karen Gillan in Avengers: Endgame (2019)

8. Avengers: Endgame

Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Elliot Page, Michael Fassbender, Daniel Cudmore, Bingbing Fan, and Jennifer Lawrence in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

9. X-Men: Days of Future Past

Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar (2014)

10. Interstellar

11. Predestination

Adriana Ugarte, Álvaro Morte, Chino Darín, and Julio Bohigas-Couto in Mirage (2018)

13. Palm Springs

14. Midnight in Paris

15. Timecrimes

Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

16. Edge of Tomorrow

Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson in About Time (2013)

17. About Time

Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams in The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

18. The Time Traveler's Wife

Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Mary Steenburgen in Back to the Future Part III (1990)

19. Back to the Future Part III

20. Time Sweep

21. Star Trek

Joey Cramer in Flight of the Navigator (1986)

22. Flight of the Navigator

24. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, and Josh Brolin in Men in Black³ (2012)

25. Men in Black³

Cas Anvar, Vera Farmiga, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jeffrey Wright, Michelle Monaghan, and Michael Arden in Source Code (2011)

26. Source Code

Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimieux in The Time Machine (1960)

27. The Time Machine

28. Idiocracy

29. 12 Dates of Christmas

31. Time Lapse

Bruce Willis, Jeff Daniels, Piper Perabo, Paul Dano, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Emily Blunt in Looper (2012)

33. The Lake House

Anna Faris, Dean Lennox Kelly, Chris O'Dowd, and Marc Wootton in Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (2009)

34. Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel

35. Frequency

Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman in Kate & Leopold (2001)

36. Kate & Leopold

Sam Lerner, Allen Evangelista, Jonny Weston, and Virginia Gardner in Project Almanac (2015)

37. Project Almanac

38. Safety Not Guaranteed

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kristanna Loken in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

39. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

40. Terminator Salvation

42. Synchronicity

Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Mary McDonnell, Noah Wyle, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, and Stuart Stone in Donnie Darko (2001)

43. Donnie Darko

Reiley McClendon, Andrew Wilson, Cassidy Gifford, Olivia Draguicevich, Max Wright, Ben Foster, Mark Dennis, and Brianne Howey in Time Trap (2017)

44. Time Trap

45. time lapse.

46. Before I Fall

47. time trap.

49. Time Bandits

50. Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Mike Myers, Kathy Griffin, Mary Kay Place, Walt Dohrn, Jon Hamm, Billie Hayes, Jane Lynch, Mike Mitchell, Craig Robinson, Meredith Vieira, Kristen Schaal, Lake Bell, Ashley Boettcher, Danielle Soibelman, and Kristen Phaneuf in Shrek Forever After (2010)

51. Shrek Forever After

52. Happy Death Day

53. Timecop

Gillian Anderson, Rufus Sewell, and Haley Joel Osment in I'll Follow You Down (2013)

54. I'll Follow You Down

56. When We First Met

Guy Pearce and Samantha Mumba in The Time Machine (2002)

57. The Time Machine

58. The Jacket

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Matt Lucas, and Mia Wasikowska in Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

59. Alice Through the Looking Glass

60. Triangle

Mike Myers and Heather Graham in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

61. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

John Cusack, Chevy Chase, Clark Duke, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, Brook Bennett, Aliu Oyofo, and Jake Rose in Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

62. Hot Tub Time Machine

Kathleen Turner in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

63. Peggy Sue Got Married

Ariana Richards and Jeff Daniels in Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (1991)

64. Grand Tour: Disaster in Time

Keanu Reeves, Robert V. Barron, Terry Camilleri, George Carlin, Al Leong, Tony Steedman, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

65. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Skyler Gisondo, Asa Butterfield, and Sophie Turner in Time Freak (2018)

66. Time Freak

Marlon Wayans, Loretta Devine, J.T. Jackson, Diego Ward, Melissa Collazo, Koby Griffin, Jules Haven, Kaylon Teamer, and Erika Diamond in Naked (2017)

68. Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey

69. The Man from the Future

70. Somewhere in Time

Denzel Washington and Paula Patton in Deja Vu (2006)

71. Deja Vu

72. Time Jumpers

73. Time Changer

74. Altered Hours

75. Hot Tub Time Machine 2

The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations (2009)

76. The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations

Anthony Hopkins, Emilio Estevez, Rene Russo, and Mick Jagger in Freejack (1992)

77. Freejack

Arielle Kebbel, Justin Hartley, and Chrishell Stause in Another Time (2018)

78. Another Time

Eric Lively and Erica Durance in The Butterfly Effect 2 (2006)

79. The Butterfly Effect 2

Eden Duncan-Smith and Dante Crichlow in See You Yesterday (2019)

80. See You Yesterday

81. Curvature

82. Paradox

Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, Chris Pine, Storm Reid, Levi Miller, and Deric McCabe in A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

83. A Wrinkle in Time

Michael Kopelow and Devon Ogden in Counter Clockwise (2016)

84. Counter Clockwise

85. S. Darko

More to explore, recently viewed.

'Back to the Future's Time-Travel Device Wasn’t Always a DeLorean

Are you telling me they built a time machine out of a DeLorean?

The Big Picture

Back to the Future underwent significant changes, including replacing Eric Stoltz with Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, resulting in a light and funny tone.
Small changes like renaming the character from Professor Brown to Doc Brown and changing Marty's mother's name to Lorraine added depth.
The decision to make the DeLorean the time machine instead of a static chamber made the film more exciting and allowed for thrilling action sequences that wouldn't have been possible with a different time machine.

No movie captures the 1980s better than Back to the Future . If you grew up in this era, Back to the Future is nostalgia-filled to the brim and overflowing. If you're younger, the film is a good look at what the decade was like. You'll not only see the styles and pop culture fads of the time but also hear what music was like in the '80s, like the still-awesome music by Huey Lewis and the News . Back to the Future was and is simply cool , and much of that goes to Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly.

Fox was at the peak of his career, a television icon from Family Ties who was now taking over the multiplex as well. It wasn't just the star that was cool, but also his ride. Nothing beats that slick, metallic DeLorean with its gullwing doors. It wasn't only a car like few had ever seen, but in a time travel movie, the DeLorean was a time machine completely different from what we were used to . Without a change between page and screen though, the DeLorean's inclusion would never have been, and Back to the Future likely wouldn't be the classic it is now.

Back to the Future

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.

'Back to the Future' Underwent Many Changes That Made the Movie Better

Before it became the beloved film that it is today, Back to the Future had to go through some growing pains. The most well known example of the alterations it went through was the choice of Marty McFly. Michael J. Fox was wanted for the character , but with his busy schedule on Family Ties , it couldn't be. Eric Stoltz was the second choice for the lead in Back to the Future and was actually cast. Many scenes had already been filmed when producer Steven Spielberg realized Stoltz wasn't the right fit. He was a fine enough actor, but his lines came out more serious, rather than light and funny like they were looking for. It was then brought back to Fox, who pulled double duty, filming for both TV and a movie on the same day for weeks on end. Suddenly, the guy who was already a household name for appearing as Alex P. Keaton on our TVs every week became more known for Back to the Future instead.

The film changed in other positive ways as well. In a 2010 interview with CNN , Bob Gale , who co-wrote Back to the Future with director Robert Zemeckis , talked about the small but very important changes that happened between the screenplay and the final product. Christopher Lloyd 's Doc Brown character was originally called Professor Brown. Universal head Sid Sheinberg requested the change to "Doc," saying kids wouldn't like a character named Professor Brown. Professor Brown sounds more dry and rigid, like something out of a '50s movie, while Doc Brown is more modern and relaxed.

Sheinberg also wanted the name of Marty's mother changed to Lorraine in honor of his wife Lorraine Gray , best known for playing Ellen Brody in Jaws . Another alteration that had a big impact was changing who Doc Brown's pet would be. In the script, Einstein is not a dog, but a chimpanzee. Sheinberg said no movie with a chimp ever made money and asked for Einstein to be changed to a dog instead. It's another small but significant change for the better. A chimp and a Professor Brown would have made Back to the Future feel hokey. For a time travel movie, it reeked of the cheesiness of decades past. So did Back to the Future 's original time machine itself.

'Back to the Future's Time Machine Was Originally Very Boring

The Back to the Future time machine wasn't always going to be a DeLorean. Sadly, it was going to be something much less interesting, a choice that, if kept in, would have made the movie dull. Bob Gale told CNN, "Way back in that second draft, it was going to be a 'time chamber,' not unlike a refrigerator, and Doc Brown had to carry it on the back of his truck. When we started figuring out how to make the movie, Bob Zemeckis had a flash of inspiration and said, 'It should be mobile. It should be built into a car. It could be a DeLorean.'"

An immobile machine is what we'd seen in so many time travel movies, from decades before to even in the '80s itself. In Bill & Ted , the time machine is a phone booth. The movie is fun because of its wacky characters and the crazy scenarios they're put in, but the phone booth time machine isn't all that fascinating , other than being a relic from its time. The TARDIS from Doctor Who is much the same way, with the time machine appearing as a police call box. While it's much more advanced than what Bill and Ted's contraption could do (more of a spaceship than a time machine) it was still somewhat limited. A chamber as a time machine for Back to the Future would have turned the film into something completely different. So many scenes wouldn't exist at all. Time really would have changed.

The DeLorean Made the Time Machine a More Active Part of 'Back to the Future's Plot

Having a cool car as a time machine prevented Back to the Future from feeling like another schlocky time travel movie. That clichéd sci-fi approach would have limited the film's appeal to a mass audience. The DeLorean made time travel cool. As Doc Brown says in the finished film the first time we see the DeLorean in the Twin Pines Mall parking lot, "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style." The DeLorean is the perfect time machine because it becomes an active participant in the plot . There's only so much you can do with a boring, passive, immovable box. The DeLorean was its own character. It had its own fascinating and realistic design. A fast car makes everything so much more exciting.

Every time that car appears on-screen, our hearts pump faster, we lean forward in our seats, and our eyes grow wider. A time travel movie just became a fun action flick with fast cars. Imagine how many scenes wouldn't exist without it! The Libyans couldn't chase a box through a parking lot. Marty couldn't drive a box out of a barn in 1955 that he had just wrecked into. You can't race a box down a street toward an impending bolt of lightning. A flying car in Back to the Future II is much cooler than a flying refrigerator. Or how about that epic finale at the end of Back to the Future III ? You're not pushing a chamber down a railroad track. A time chamber is clunky and repetitive, but the DeLorean opens things up. It allowed Back to the Future to move out of a narrow frame and spread its focus wider. It gave moviegoers something we'd never seen before, and we haven't been able to forget it since.

Back to the Future is available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.

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COMMENTS

Time Changer (2002)
Time Changer: Directed by Rich Christiano. With D. David Morin, Gavin MacLeod, Hal Linden, Jennifer O'Neill. A Bible professor from 1890 comes forward in time to the present via a time machine and cannot believe the things that he sees!
Time Changer
Time Changer is a 2002 independent Christian science fiction seriocomic film written and directed by Rich Christiano, released by Five & Two Pictures.The screenplay concerns Dr. Norris Anderson (Gavin MacLeod), who uses his late father's time machine to send his colleague, Bible professor Russell Carlisle (D. David Morin), from 1890 into the early 21st century.
Time Changer
Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/15/23 Full Review Cork B Nice time travel hook. Love or hate the message, it kinda makes you think. ... 05/24/23 Full Review Craig G Great movie from ...
Time Changer (2002)
Time travel. In what ways has our world lost things that are good? A generation that is obsessed with selfish interests and greed. ... Positive —I admit I was a skeptic about the new "Christian Movie" called "Time Changer," after all, a great deal of "Christian Movies" (Seems like an oxymoron really) I've seen try so hard to ...
Time Changer (2002)
Time Changer (2002) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Menu. Movies. ... Christian Martin ... music supervisor Sid Page ... concertmaster ... Time Travel movies a list of 32 titles
The Gospel According to Time Travel Movies
The Gospel According to Time Travel Movies . The possibility of time travel has captivated people for a long time. Ever since science-fiction master H. G. Wells popularized the concept with his 1895 novel, The Time Machine, storytellers have been further exploring the genre. Time travel narratives remain as popular today as ever.
Time Changer
After exchanging his valuable 1890s coins for today's currency and checking into a hotel, Carlisle corners Eddie, a Laundromat employee, to locate a "Bible believing church.". He's dumbfounded that Eddie doesn't worship regularly. He's equally taken aback when he discovers his clothes-washing friend works on Sunday.
Time Changer Movie Review
Rating: PG (for thematic elements) Release Date: October 25, 2002. Actors: D. David Morin, Gavin MacLeod, Hal Linden, Jennifer O'Neill, Richard Riehle, Paul Rodriguez, Brad Heller, John Valdetero ...
Watch Time Changer
Time Changer. The year is 1890 and Bible Professor Russell Carlisle has written a new manuscript. His book is about to receive an unanimous endorsement at Grace Bible Seminary until his colleague, Dr. Norris Anderson, has a "difficulty with something. 591 IMDb 5.2 1 h 36 min 2002. X-Ray ALL. Drama · Fantasy · Mystical · Strange. Freevee ...
TIME CHANGER
TIME CHANGER is not the run-of-the-mill "Last Days" Christian rapture movie. Instead, it has a good story with a strongly evangelistic plot woven into the fabric of the drama. TIME CHANGER opens in 1890 at Grace Seminary, located in the south. Russell Carlisle (played by D. David Morin) is trying to get his colleagues to agree to have the ...
Time Changer (2002)
This is a Christian movie for diehard Christians. The movie itself is fairly slow, with long theology and philosophy along with heavy-handed acting that sometimes borders on the laughable (Captain Stubing!). ... Time travel can never work, that much is a given, and it follows then that time travel movies take advantage of a human fascination in ...
Time Changer
The year is 1890 and Bible Professor Russell Carlisle (D. David Morin) has written a new manuscript entitled "The Changing Times" . His book is about to rece...
Time Travel Through The Bible
Take an informative and entertaining trip through the Bible in this two-part production hosted by Jonathan Frakes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Jonath...
The Time Machine
From a Christian perspective, time travel is always kind of loony. But (without giving anything away) I was reminded of the truth of Hebrews 9:27 while watching this movie. After you have seen the film, look that verse up, and you will make the connection ;-) There were a couple scenes that I found objectionable.
10 Christian Movies You Can Watch for Free Right Now
Read 10 Christian Movies You Can Watch for Free Right Now - and more of the latest on movies and films from a Christian perspective. ... Time Changer is a Science Fiction film and a time travel ...
Time Changer
Anderson, who happens to be in possession of a time machine, sends Carlisle to the year 2001, where the latter quickly discovers the pitfalls of a secular world with relative morality and no absolute (i.e., Christian) standards. Time Changer 's seasoned supporting cast, including Paul Rodriguez, Jennifer O'Neill, and Hal Linden, bring a ...
Top 8 Best Christian Time Travel Series For Exciting Adventures
3 Evangelical and Slightly Romantic Time Travel Books. 3.1 City of God: Time Travel Series Set on Changing History. 3.2 Time Awaits: Sail Through Time With Jack and Company. 3.3 Where To Buy Good Christian Books. 3.4 One of the Best Time Travel Books: Volition. 3.5 Almost a Time Travel Series.
The Theology of Time Travel
Time travel essentially leaves open the possibility that those events can be changed by a traveler just like any other event. But if the past is immutable, so then is the future, as we shall see. The Argument from Prophecy . Time travel implies that God's purposes and working out of history can be altered and thus the scripture can be broken.
Movie Review: Time traveling to save Jesus, or shoot him ...
Faith-based films, as a general rule, are big on emotion and message but lack risk and edge. They "preach to the choir" and play it safe, serving up comfort food for the faithful. But boy, "Assassin 33 A.D." doesn't lack for ambition. By turns prophetic and pious, pistol-packing and profane, it is the nuttiest "Jesus movie" since ...
The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible
Release. April 26, 1985. ( 1985-04-26) -. August 19, 1992. ( 1992-08-19) The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible is an animated direct-to-video film series produced by Hanna-Barbera that tells of three young adventurers who travel back in time to watch biblical events take place. [1] Thirteen videos were released between 1985 and 1992.
12 Best Time Travel Romance Movies, Ranked
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 ...
The 25 Greatest Time-Travel Movies Ever Made
24. Happy Death Day (2017) Pick away at the surface of a time-loop movie and you find a horror movie. Most of the entries on this list are covered in enough feel-good spin to land as comedies, but ...
The 20 Best Christian Movies of 2023
11. Jesus Revolution. A straight-laced minister welcomes long-haired hippie Christians into his church, sparking a nationwide revival. The movie tells the true story of Chuck Smith, a California ...
Top 100 Time Travel Movies
1. Back to the Future. 1985 1h 56m PG. 8.5 (1.3M) Rate. 87 Metascore. 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.
'Back to the Future's Time-Travel Device Wasn't Always a DeLorean
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 ...

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The 25 Greatest Time-Travel Movies Ever Made

25. Galaxy Quest (1999)

24. Happy Death Day (2017)

23. Back to the Future Part II (1989)

The Gospel According to Time Travel Movies