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• 11 Time-Travel Movies to Watch After Netflix’s <i>The Adam Project</i>

11 Time-Travel Movies to Watch After Netflix’s The Adam Project

I n Netflix’s The Adam Project , Ryan Reynolds plays Adam Reed, a fighter pilot from 2050 who heads back in time to stop the development of time travel. His mission only gets harder after he crash-lands in his childhood backyard in the year 2022 and is forced to team up with his video game-loving 12-year-old self (portrayed by Walker Scobell).

This isn’t Back to the Future : There are no DeLoreans or high-flux capacitors in sight. (Though Mark Ruffalo , as Adam’s inventor dad, does make for a worthy Doc Brown surrogate.) Instead, Adam hops into a wormhole and traverses the space-time continuum to let his preteen self know that the ability to time-hop is a privilege, not a right. It’s a rather heady concept for a family film, but most time-travel movies are about more than just joyriding through history. Whether it’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing a time-jumping hitman in Looper or Jennifer Garner aging 17 years with help from magic fairy dust in 13 Going on 30 , movies featuring transtemporal travel often show why we should err on the side of caution when spanning time and space.

If you’re craving more time travel, here’s a list of 11 movies to watch after The Adam Project . A couple quick notes: Since Back to the Future is undeniably the greatest time-travel movie of all time , it’s omitted from this list to make room for lesser-known choices. The prototypical time-loop film Groundhog’s Day was also passed over in lieu of a more recent selection.

You won’t need a science degree to enjoy any of the movies included here. But you might walk away from your viewing experience feeling as if the future is coming sooner than you think.

13 Going on 30 (2004)

Jennifer Garner gives Tom Hanks a run for his money in this Big -esque coming-of-age dramedy about a girl who wakes up from her traumatic 13th birthday party to find she’s 30, flirty, and thriving. She quickly learns growing up is hard to do, especially when you do it overnight.

Rent it on Amazon Prime Video

Donnie Darko (2001)

After Jake Gyllenhaal ’s titular sad boy narrowly survives a freak accident, he’s left with disturbing visions of a 6-foot-tall rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world is going to end in 28 days. If you don’t totally understand this time-bending film, don’t worry: its stars don’t either . Donnie Darko ’s perplexing final moments are part of its charm.

Watch it on HBO Max

Looper (2012)

Rian Johnson ’s sci-fi action thriller takes place in a not-so-distant future where mobsters punish those they don’t like by sending them back in time to be killed by a futuristic assassin known as a “looper.” When one of those hired guns (a prosthetic nose-wearing Joseph Gordon-Levitt) comes face-to-face with his older self ( Bruce Willis ), he ends up on a wild goose chase to save his future without unraveling his past.

Watch it on Netflix

About Time (2013)

When Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) learns he has the power to travel back in time, he can’t resist making a few tiny tweaks to his past. He soon discovers that even the smallest changes have big consequences in this weepy Brit rom-com directed by Love Actually helmer Richard Curtis .

Happy Death Day (2017)

In this slasher film, often described as “ Groundhog’s Day meets Scream ,” a college student, played by Jessica Rothe, must solve her own murder if she wants to live to see the next day.

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted ( Keanu Reeves ) hurtle through time and space in a cosmic phone booth, meeting historical dudes who can help them ace their high school history paper. The best part is that when you’re done with this one, you can keep the adventure going with its sequels: 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and 2020’s Bill & Ted Face the Music . Pretty excellent, right?

Run Lola Run (1998)

Lola (Franka Potente) —who stands out with fire engine-red hair—only has 20 minutes to secure enough money to save her boyfriend from a Berlin crime boss. This German experimental thriller isn’t your typical time-loop film, but Lola’s ability to learn from her past mistakes to save her love will make you happy that she’s running a marathon, not a sprint.

See You Yesterday (2019)

In this Spike Lee -produced film, high schooler C.J. Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) uses a backpack time machine to save her brother from being killed by a police officer. But altering the events of the past have consequences that not even a science prodigy can anticipate.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

This sweet sci-fi rom-com starts with a classified ad from Kenneth (Mark Duplass), a grocery-store worker looking for a partner to travel back in time with. “Safety not guaranteed,” he warns. While some write him off as crazy or paranoid, disillusioned college grad-turned-alt weekly intern Darius ( Aubrey Plaza ) might be willing to risk it all for a chance to roam the universe with him.

Arrival (2016)

Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi drama , which stars Amy Adams as a celebrated linguist trying to communicate with an intelligent alien race, plays with time in ways we won’t dare spoil here. Suffice to say that the film’s twist ending will make you rethink the entire movie.

Watch it on Hulu

Palm Springs (2020)

Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti) found love in a hopeless place: a Palm Springs wedding that they’ve been forced to relive over and over again after getting stuck in a time loop. Both darkly hilarious and sweetly nihilistic, Palm Springs is a unique rom-com for those who don’t want to admit they like rom-coms.

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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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25 of the Best Time Travel Movies Ever Made

These films will have you flying through the years, decades and dimensions—and ready to do it over and over again.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

From star-crossed lovers to harrowing action sequences, the plots to these films didn't stay in one dimension.

Back to the Future

What is a list of time travel classics a without a nod to Marty McFly and his friend Doc Brown from the 1980's classic, Back to the Future ? Although the second and third movie are equally as entertaining– it's hard to beat the original.

Somewhere in Time

Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour play the ultimate time-crossed lovers in this romantic drama that will have you rooting for time to be by their side.

The Lake House

Settle in for a mystifying romance and watch the relationship between the characters of Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves unfold — all while they are communicating with each other separated by two years of time.

The Time Traveler's Wife

Every marriage requires work, but when your husband has a condition that causes him to involuntarily time travel– your issues are outside the normal scope of relationship stressors. The romantic drama starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana follows a newlywed couple through the trials and tribulations of their unusual relationship.

Palm Springs

When carefree Nyles (Andy Samberg) and reluctant maid of honor Sarah (Cristin Milioti) have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, the two get stuck in a time loop that they can't escape.

Kate & Leopold

A 19th-century bachelor (Hugh Jackman) falls through time and meets a 21st-century woman (Meg Ryan). What more could you want in a time travel movie, honestly?!

Time After Time

No, not the Cyndi Lauper song: this is a time travel movie where H.G. Wells (Malcom McDowell) chases Jack the Ripper (David Warner) through time, and they end up in... 1979 San Francisco! When there, Wells falls for a bank clerk named Amy (Mary Steenburgen). There's a bit of everything: Romance, action, adventure, and obviously, time travel.

Source Code

When Jake Gyllenhaal finds himself inside the body of a man he doesn't know, he quickly figures out there's an important reason for why he's been sent back in time. The film's plot twists as well as the climax of his pressure-filled mission makes for incredible action and drama.

Donnie Darko

A cult classic ever since it's release in 2001, Donnie Darko takes a dark twist on teenage time travel.

Interstellar

Interstellar left audiences perplexed, bewildered, and all around baffled as it's characters journey through a wormhole in space.

Groundhog Day

Ever used the term groundhog day to describe a never-ending day? Well you can thank the 1993 film for that! Comedian Bill Murray stars as a weatherman who finds himself trapped reliving the same day over and over again.

In Loop , actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt star in the marvelous film that combines the the best traits of a mob drama with the intrigue of the space-time continuum.

13 Going on 30

As a thirteen-year old in the 1980's, all Jenna Rink wants is to skip over her teenage years and live as a sophisticated and self-assured 30 year old (who didn't want that?). But when she gets exactly what she's dreamed of, she realizes it's not everything she though it'd be. In a film which imbues the message "enjoy the journey not the destination" cliche, Jennifer Garner does an amazing job of keeping the role refreshing and sweet.

Predestination

The intertemporal plots of the film Predestination along with actor Ethan Hawke's marvelous performance will leave you wanting to view it over and over again.

The Family Man

Although the film Family Man is more about an alternate universe than actual time travel, watching Nicolas Cage portray an investment banking bachelor who gets thrust into the life of a suburban dad to teach him what really matters in life is just too good not to recommend it.

Doctor Strange

Marvel dips its toe into the world of time travel with the release of Doctor Strange, the story of a neurosurgeon who introduces the audiences to an entire world of alternate dimensions.

Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow takes the winning concept behind Groundhog Day and combines it with an action-fueled adventure starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.

The film was met with mixed reviews from critics, however the plot's time travel complexities are extremely well done and will satisfy any sci-fi lover.

What would you do if you could go back in time and re-do any moment? We're sure you'd change a few corny pick-up lines, awkward conversations, and coulda-woulda-shoulda moments and that's exactly what you'll find in this romantic comedy meets fantasy drama.

The Adjustment Bureau

Matt Damon and Emily Blunt will captivate you as they protect their love from a mysterious group that is aiming to tear them apart.

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The 35 Best Time Travel Movies

Ready for 1.21 gigawatts of sci-fi greatness?

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

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

35. Timecop

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

34. The Final Countdown / The Philadelphia Experiment

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

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

33. Men in Black 3

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

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

32. Flight of the Navigator

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

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

31. Time After Time

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

30. Timecrimes

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

29. Source Code

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

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

28. Donnie Darko

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

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

27. Safety Not Guaranteed

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

26. X-Men: Days of Future Past

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

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

25. Predestination

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

24. Star Trek: First Contact

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

23. Army of Darkness

“Shop Smart. Shop, S-Mart.”

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

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

22. Doctor Strange

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

21. Sleeper

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

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

19. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

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

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

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

17. Run Lola Run

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

16. Avengers: Endgame

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

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

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Meet Cute (2022)

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

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

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

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

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

Back to the Future (1985)

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

See You Yesterday (2019)

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

About Time (2013)

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

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

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

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

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

12 Monkeys (1995)

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

Looper (2012)

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

Tenet (2020)

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

Last Night in Soho (2021)

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

Déjà Vu (2006)

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

Source Code (2011)

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

Mirai (2018)

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

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

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

Groundhog Day (1993)

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

Needle in a Timestack (2021)

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

The Lake House (2006)

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

Predestination (2015)

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

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The 20 best time-travel movies – ranked!

As Adam Driver accidentally winds up 65m years ago , facing not just dinosaurs but an asteroid, we count down the best films about going backwards, or forwards, through the ages

20. Timecop (1994)

Regardless of what anyone says, I believe in my heart that Timecop was greenlit because someone showed a studio executive a picture of Jean-Claude Van Damme and said the word “Timecop” out loud, at which point they had to throw a script together as quickly as possible. Nothing about Timecop makes sense. It is the most 90s film ever made.

19. Tenet (2020)

I have to be careful here, because Tenet might not be a time-travel movie. Certainly time passes in it and some of the people are going backwards in time in it. But I’ve seen this movie twice now, and it mainly just seems to be about people mumbling everything, except for Kenneth Branagh, who gets to shout very loudly three times. Anyway, here it is.

18. Cavegirl (1985)

Finally, a film that uses time-travel for the correct reason; to allow a horny 1980s high school student to go back to prehistory so that he can convince a smoking hot, bikini-wearing cavegirl to have it off with him. You will note I’ve ranked this above Tenet .

17. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

Weird to think that Austin Powers was originally a fish-out-of-water comedy, in which the promiscuous titular character had to navigate the (then) uptight world of the 1990s. That all fell apart for the sequel, where Powers was sent back to the 60s to shout his catchphrases at people who actually appreciated them. That makes it a time-travel movie, right?

16. The Butterfly Effect (2004)

God, this film. In summary: Ashton Kutcher plays a man who experiences blackouts, only to learn some years later that he can travel back in time and inhabit his younger self’s mind during the blackouts. But in doing so, he unleashes a world of unintended consequences. He becomes a murderer and loses limbs. Seek out the director’s cut if you can, because it ends with Kutcher’s character deliberately strangling himself in the womb with his umbilical cord. No, really.

15. The Tomorrow War (2021)

Wherein Chris Pratt is drafted into a war that takes place 26 years later, because the invading aliens have already killed all the soldiers who were alive at the time. It’s a great premise for a film – we all pay the price for the actions of other generations – let down by a truly confusing ending. Admit it, you forgot this film even existed, even though it cost $200m to make and only came out 18 months ago.

14. The Time Travelers (1964)

A 1964 movie made on the cheap with genuinely terrible effects, The Time Travelers is about a group of scientists who travel to the future, fight some mutants and then return. What sets it apart, though, is its crazed ending. The film ends with the scientists venturing into the distant future, whereupon the film plays through again, faster and faster and faster until it cuts away to a still of the galaxy. Are they trapped in a loop? Is free will an illusion? Did the producers just run out of money? We may never know.

13. The Adam Project (2022)

In which a young boy’s life is turned upside down when he is visited by an older version of himself from the future. The good news? He grows up to be a fighter pilot. The bad news? He also grows up to have all the cadences and surface-level snarky patter of Ryan Reynolds. What follows is a buddy movie where the two buddies are the same person.

12. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

So seminal that it was namechecked in Avengers: Endgame . A flat-out comedy that primarily exists to allow a bunch of middle-aged men to act like teenagers, Hot Tub Time Machine is a film about an enchanted Jacuzzi that sends people back to the mid-1980s. Possibly a bit too bawdy for its own good, there’s a hint of a message about the unreliability of nostalgia here.

11. Flight of the Navigator (1986)

This family film involves a young boy who goes missing in a Fort Lauderdale ravine, only to show up eight years later having not aged. There are UFOs and rubbery little creatures and whatnot, but there’s a real emotional wallop to the moment when the boy realises that the world has moved on without him, right down to the scene (that plays out like a horror movie) where the boy realises that his parents have become unrecognisably ancient, even though they are probably only in their early 40s.

10. Primer (2004)

Some see Shane Carruth’s Primer as the gold standard of what a time-travel film should be. It’s the sort of movie that seems unnervingly realistic, from the down-at-heel engineers to the unshowy nature of time travel itself, where people in effect just get in and out of some boxes. Almost entirely unwilling to explain itself, for years Primer fans have come to rely on a series of graphs and charts to figure out what the film actually is.

9. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

A time-travel movie that may or may not have any actual time-travel in it, Colin Trevorrow’s Safety Not Guaranteed is a delicate wonder of a thing. A man places an ad in a magazine asking for a time-travel companion – “Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before” – and the respondents slowly come to realise that all is not quite as it seems.

8. Planet of the Apes (1968)

If you haven’t seen Planet of the Apes, then the fact that I’ve put it on a list of time-travel movies is probably quite a heavy spoiler, and for that I’m sorry. But what a reveal this is – what seems at first like a silly movie about Charlton Heston being persecuted by some monkeys quickly becomes something darker and much more sinister. That new Adam Driver movie probably could have achieved something similar, if it hadn’t blabbed its big secret in the trailer.

7. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Endgame is a lot, so much so that it is effectively a time-travel movie bookended by two entirely separate movies. And, yes, it takes a lot of liberties with time-travel, from Tony Stark’s “Huh, I did it” invention to the lazy referencing of other time-travel movies as a shorthand for what the characters can do. Nevertheless, when they get to it, the film nails it. The Battle of New York is the obvious highlight, with Captain America fighting Captain America and the Hulk embarrassed by his unreconstructed former self, but the heart of the film really comes when Tony meets his father as a man and learns to let go of the past.

6. Interstellar (2014)

Interstellar is also a lot. But at its core is a simple ethical quandary: would you try to save the world if it meant missing your children’s entire lives? Matthew McConaughey has to touch down on a planet during a space trip. The problem is that every hour he spends there is equal to seven years on Earth. Is the trip important enough for him to miss seeing the wonder of his children grow into adults? Technically, if you want to be fussy about this, Interstellar is a time dilation movie rather than a time-travel movie. But it gets a pass, largely because McConaughey sells the agony of the moment so beautifully.

5. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

There are times when Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure feels like it was written by a toddler off his face on pop. But that’s a deliberate ploy, a way to camouflage all the careful rigour that underpins the script. The lead characters are initially reluctant to embark on their time-travel adventure, until they’re visited by versions of themselves from the near future who compel them to do it; a beautiful and hilarious example of predestination in action. Extra points are awarded thanks to the film’s total lack of interest in consequences. Swiping Abraham Lincoln and Napoleon from their respective eras has no bearing on world history whatsoever, which is probably quite lucky.

4. Looper (2012)

One problem with time-travel movies is that the rules always need to be explained upfront. In lesser hands, this can lead to all manner of clunky, stilted exposition. But when Rian Johnson dabbled in the genre with Looper , he gave us a masterclass in “show, don’t tell”. The sequence where poor Paul Dano’s character is tortured at two different points in time simultaneously, with the older version following instructions carved into the younger version’s arm, is arguably one of the most inventive uses of time-travel in the entire history of cinema. All that plus this is Bruce Willis’s last truly great performance.

3. The Terminator (1984)/Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

The lure of the first two Terminator movies were the killer robots running around murdering everyone. But they were very smartly built around a framework of pure time-travel. We only see the future in brief flashes, but what’s important is the present. It is very, very important that Kyle Reese (a guy from the future) has sex with Sarah Connor (a woman from the present), because only that will save humanity as we know it. It’s a hell of a pickup line, but the device also elevates what could have simply been a shonky B-movie into the realm of the classics.

2. Idiocracy (2006)

The smartest time-travel movies use the device as a mirror, telling us more about the times we live in now than the times the characters visit. Enter Idiocracy, Mike Judge’s stinging satire about modern times. An average person is cryogenically frozen and wakes up in the future, shocked to discover that the global IQ has fallen off a cliff in the intervening years. Surrounded by aggressive stupidity, he single-handedly saves the US from famine by suggesting that they use water – and not an electrolyte drink – to grow crops. We are conservatively 15 years from this happening in real life.

1. Back to the Future (1985)/Back to the Future Part II (1989)

The only conceivable first choice. The first two Back to the Future films (the third, which is basically just a western, is far less imaginative) have come to define time-travel as a genre. They deliver a complex set of hard sci-fi rules about what can and cannot happen during time-travel and – miraculously – manage to do it in a way that kids can understand. Good music, cool clothes, a million catchphrases and, in the case of the second film, an unnervingly prescient prediction of how Donald Trump would turn out. Just perfect.

• Science fiction and fantasy films
• Back To The Future
• Avengers: Endgame
• Interstellar

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Best time travel movies of all time

Journey through cinema and science fiction history as we run down the best time travel movies of all time, from simple trips to other eras to time loops.

Mankind has been fascinated by the possibility of travelling to a different age for over a century. This hypothetical activity, now widely recognized in philosophy and fiction, was popularized by H.G. Wells’ 1895 novel The Time Machine. But it was cinema that made it a recurring science fiction premise in mainstream works. Such movies have kept evolving and taking time travel in wildly different directions, so we have ventured across time and space to bring you our ranked list of the best time travel movies of all time.

A good time travel movie doesn’t need to try too hard to take the subject seriously, as the core concept itself and the mechanics surrounding it remain a mystery and purely hypothetical. Of course, there are stories that leave massive plot holes throughout, but even time travel movies which go for more “realistic” approaches have to make up their own sets of rules. As a result, our list covers both movies that are steeped in the science of the genre and those which simply use time travel as a vehicle for shenanigans. One-way trips through black holes ? Parallel timelines ? Mind-bending paradoxes? It’s got a bit of everything.

For other great sci-fi genres, check out our guides to the best alien invasion movies , the best zombie movies , the best disaster movies , and the best giant monster movies of all time. If you’re in the mood for hands-on time travel fun, our list of the best time travel video games you can play right now is a must-read too. 

15. The Time Traveler’s Wife 

• Release date: August 14, 2009
• Cast: Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston

The original marketing of The Time Traveler’s Wife, based on the novel of the same name, was billed as a sappy romance movie akin to anything from Nicholas Sparks. While it does have its romantic moments, the movie’s commitment to a deep, compelling story of a man who cannot control his own movements through time is a well thought out original take on the concept. Think of it more as a romantic sci-fi drama.

As Henry DeTamble (Bana) travels through time, he cannot control when or where he appears. Luckily, at least, he often is among the same people, specifically, his future/present wife, Clare Abshire (McAdams). Their relationship develops and is bruised by his time shifts, which creates strain as well as successes for both of them throughout the movie. 

The Time Traveler’s Wife takes its premise seriously. It allows for the concepts of paradoxes by only ensuring that he directly affects what would, in theory, already occur. Henry is more enacting a prescribed timeline, rather than trying to fight it. It works, and it’s great.

• Release date: October 8, 2004
• Cast: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden

Primer is the quintessential movie for any fan of time travel. With a low budget of only $7,000, it grossed over $800,000 at the box office, making it one of the most successful independent movies of all time. It deserves its success as well, as it brings hard science to audiences in a way that, at first, seems impenetrable, but worms its way into our minds and keeps us analyzing the movie long after it’s over. 

When two engineers accidentally create a time travel apparatus during their own experiments, they begin using it for personal gain. As their ideologies on the preservation of time begin to diverge, however, their relationship is pushed to its limits alongside the fraying timeline they alter. 

Primer demands multiple viewings, each one illuminating hidden moments throughout the movie that hint at its own finale. Audiences looking for a dense, no-frills look at what time travel would mean if given to an average (albeit genius) Joe, will find it in Primer.

• Rent or buy Primer on Amazon.

13. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

• Release date: February 17, 1989
• Cast: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin

The Bill and Ted franchise are considered family hits for a reason. With the charm of two goofy leads that bumble their way through major historical moments, the movies rely on the time travel conceit to build out and support their silly sense of humor. While the historical moments are considered overly cliché by some, and it’s true that they often misrepresent the moments they are based on, the point of the movie is not to relish in accuracy, but to parody those that try to stick to history all too closely. 

In order to ensure a future utopian society created by the titular characters, Rufus travels back in time to the 1980s to help Bill and Ted pass a history class. In order to understand the perspective of the historic figures they are supposed to be researching, the trio travel through time to meet each of them. 

Without going into spoilers, decisions made by the pair of heroes as well as Rufus would, if not for the movie completely ignoring them, destroy history as it is known. While this is frustrating for anyone looking for a movie that takes paradoxes seriously, that doesn’t keep Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure from being a fun, engaging flick that should be watched with brains mostly turned off.

12. Deadpool 2

• Release date: May 18, 2018
• Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin

While many movies are poorly received due to their failure to properly respect their own laws of time, Deadpool 2 was given generally positive reviews from critics for intentionally doing the same. In true fashion of the character, Deadpool 2 pokes fun at time travel clichés and tropes, finding ways to both incorporate as well as deride them. 

After Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool joins the X-Men they take a young mutant, Russell, under their care. However, his actions in the future lead the mutant cyborg Cable to travel back in time in order to kill Russell and prevent his own tragedy from occurring. 

Multiple fourth-wall breaking jokes are made about the villains striking similarities to a certain futuristic machine that is mentioned later in this list. And also similarly, the movie strikes a balance in approaching the anti-hero trope that is often associated with these androids from the future. We’re looking at you Dragon Ball Z.

11. Source Code

• Release date: April 1, 2011
• Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga

Source Code is an exciting sci-fi thriller which shows a lot of restraint despite the sheer audacity of its premise: Army Captain Colter Stevens finds himself in someone else’s body and quickly discovers he’s part of an experimental US government program that wants him to find the person behind the bombing of the train where he wakes up. The catch is that he can only be there for the last 8 minutes before the bomb goes off, being stuck in that loop until he can catch the bomber.

Director Duncan Jones had already wowed sci-fi aficionados with the remarkable Moon (2009), so expectations surrounding Source Code were quite high. While the final result might not be a masterpiece, it ranks easily among the most interesting time travel flicks in recent times. It’s also relatively easy to follow despite its kooky premise thanks to its limited scale.

10. 12 Monkeys

• Release date: January 5, 1996
• Cast: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt

Let’s be honest, if someone were to run up to you on the street and say they were from the future and had come back to stop a society-destroying virus, would you believe them? Well, at this point, we probably would too. But, that certainly wasn’t the case when 12 Monkeys came out in the 90s. 

When James Cole (Willis) is sent back in time from 2030 to stop a devastating virus from ever being spread, he is immediately captured and committed to an insane asylum, because that’s what would realistically probably happen. There he meets Brad Pitt’s Jeffery Goines, who is a staunch anti-corporate activist and an environmentalist. You can see where this is probably going.

With plenty of back and forth time travel for Cole, and a sincerely harrowing story about the dangers of trying to intervene in the development of a horrific future, 12 Monkeys creates a narrative that looks at the actual implications of time travel. It’s a must see for any action-thriller science-fiction fan.

9. Groundhog Day

• Release date: February 12, 1993
• Cast: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott

There’s always been discussion surrounding Groundhog Day and whether it’s really a time travel movie, but you know what? It doesn’t really matter. A simple time loop can be more interesting than a straight-up time-travelling odyssey. In fact, this movie is more of a fantasy comedy that poses the question of what would a regular person do if trapped inside a time loop they cannot explain nor fix.

It's an endearing movie that, despite many creative differences behind the scenes, ended up resonating with audiences thanks to its smaller scale and impeccable comedic timing, all built around a script which is undoubtedly clever, but lacks pretension. Many movies in this list are downbeat or serve as cautionary tales, so we thought it’d be great to inject a healthy dose of optimism.

8. Predestination

• Release date: August 28, 2014
• Cast: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor

Predestination might be one of the most overlooked sci-fi movies in recent years, mainly because it didn’t get a very wide international release following its global premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Fanatics of time travel movies and loopy sci-fi thrillers made sure as many people as possible heard about it though.

The movie is based on the 1959 short story “All You Zombies” by Robert A. Heinlen, and follows a temporal agent as he pursues one criminal that has eluded him throughout time. The chase quickly turns into a mind-bending exploration of love, fate, and identity that questions the very foundations of time travel as explained in-universe. This one’s a big head-scratcher that requires your full attention, but it’s also far from a slog due to its (mostly successful) action thriller ambitions.

7. Tenet 

• Release date: August 26, 2020
• Cast: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki

We’re still trying to wrap our heads around some of the wilder mechanics featured in Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller, so that alone gives Tenet some weight among the genre’s best. It’s true that some of the character arcs aren’t as fleshed out as they could’ve been, plus its spy-movie villain – played by Kenneth Branagh – can often be unintentionally funny, but it’s hard to find a bolder big-budget action thriller in recent times.

The story follows a former CIA agent who must learn to master “time inversion” and prevent a renegade Russian oligarch from starting World War III. The problem is the attack will come from the future. As the plot unfolds, weirder concepts come into play, and everything isn’t what it seems at first glance. This is a time travel movie unlike anything we had seen before, mainly because it takes a while to adjust to the mind-bending mechanics of its universe and how they play out in parallel to regular action.

6. Edge of Tomorrow 

• Release date: June 6, 2014
• Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton

Edge of Tomorrow was one of the biggest surprises of 2014 thanks to a tight, action-packed script which masterfully mixed the alien invasion subgenre with time-travel shenanigans, so you’re killing two birds with one stone if you choose to watch this banger for the first time.

Based on Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s novel All You Need Is Kill, Edge of Tomorrow presents a near future in which most of Europe has been taken over by a hostile and unstoppable alien species. Major William Cage, a PR officer, is forced to join an operation against the aliens, only to end up experiencing a time loop that could be the key to defeating the invaders if he can convince the right people. Edge of Tomorrow is both funny and dark, but above all, a true rollercoaster ride.

5. Interstellar

• Release date: November 7, 2014
• Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain

Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the man behind other “I lost my wife” movies such as Inception, The Prestige, and the more recent Tenet, Interstellar is a time travel movie that uses theoretical laws of physics to alter the perception of time for its protagonists. While Tenet may be a more direct time travel movie, Interstellar surpasses it in its writing, emotional character beats, and the spectacle of its space travel. 

After food sources on Earth have been depleted, Cooper (McConaughey) and a team of astronauts go out in search of a habitable planet beyond the solar system. During their journey, time shifts with them depending on the planets they are on, or how close they are to the black hole at the center of their travels. 

While none of the characters go back in time, they do experience time travel by how fast or slow their own perception of time is compared to the characters back home. And a particularly interesting point using the black hole does allow information and communication to be sent backwards, which we think totally counts.

• Release date: September 28, 2012
• Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt

Bruce Willis’ most recent foray into time travel, Looper is a mind-bending movie that attempts to tackle the grandfather paradox. Although it falls a bit short of this lofty goal, it still maintains a good narrative that builds to an intense climax that uses the universe’s rules against the main villain in unique ways. 

Time travel is ubiquitous in the world of Looper. Unfortunately, a crime syndicate has figured out a way to use this to “lose bodies” by sending their victims back in time to be killed by employees working in the past (or present, if you’re the employee). When Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is hired to kill his older self, played by Bruce Willis, he fails to do so, setting off an intense chase for JGL to correct his mistake.

Ultimately, the movie sets out its own rules for time travel. When young Joe gets a cut, a scar appears on old Joe. This concept progresses through the movie to an ending that may not be temporally possible, but that works to bring closure to the loop.

• Rent or buy Looper on Amazon.

3. Avengers: Endgame

• Release date: April 26, 2019
• Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo

As the culmination of a storyline spanning over 20 movies, Avengers: Endgame had a serious amount of great moments to look back on in its finale of the Avengers’ stories. After having gone through far-flung cosmic adventures, as well as into subatomic realms, there was only one novel place the Avengers could go: Back in time. 

After Thanos wipes out half of all life in the universe with the Snap (or the Blip) in Infinity War, he destroys the Infinity Stones before being killed by a vengeful Thor. With the stones destroyed, the remaining Avengers travel back in time to collect them from various points in the timeline, so that they may restore the universe to what it once was. 

During their travels, the Avengers are met with spectacular fight scenes, heart-wrenching deaths, and great callback moments that reward long-time fans of the series. While it can be viewed just alongside Infinity War as a sequel, it needs to be seen after having watched all of the MCU in order to appreciate just how far the Avengers have come.

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

• Release date: July 3, 1991
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong

When it comes to famous time travel action movies,  Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the best of them all. With cutting-edge effects for the time that still hold up today, James Cameron’s sequel took what made the original great and expanded on it in ways that only few other sequels have ever managed to do. 

When a new Terminator, the T-1000, is sent back in time to kill John Connor, the one person responsible for protecting humanity’s future, the futuristic resistance also sends back Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator to protect him. Now there’s a great premise.

Schwarzenegger was able to bring humanity and empathy to the cruel, menacing robot that he had characterized in the first movie. Plus, Robert Patrick’s T-1000 became a villain that, to this day, is synonymous with the idea of unrelenting pursuit. The movie is pure blockbuster thrills bookended by a time travel story that could change the future of all humankind.

• Watch Terminator 2: Judgment Day free on Pluto TV.

1. Back to the Future

• Release date: July 3, 1985
• Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

We gotta go back! Back to when time travel as a concept was still fresh in popular cinema. Back when it hadn’t yet become a TV and movie trope that is often used as a plot device when all other options have been exhausted. Back to when the concept was held with reverence as well as with glee. 

Robert Zemeckis’ 1985 classic follows Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) as he travels back in time to the 1950s in order to rescue his mentor, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). After Marty is accidentally rescued by his own mother in her teenage years, he has to work to ensure that not only can he make it back to the present, but that his parents get together so he’ll even exist. 

Back to the Future is full of time travel twists that wind their way into a viewer’s brain and beg to be dissected. This is a movie that’ll appeal to everyone – it has a nostalgic pull for older adults and it’s a great, fun way for a younger generation to connect to the sci-fi genre.

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'The Adam Project' & 9 Best Time Travel Movies on Netflix

For more mind-bending time travel adventures.

Read update

No matter the time period, time travel movies have always been popular. Whether it is the latest Ryan Reynolds and Netflix collaboration The Adam Project or the sci-fi action masterpiece The Terminator , time travel fans are spoiled for choice. Netflix in particular has plenty of great movies in the genre worth visiting, and some of the best time travel movies on Netflix will have you watching them over and over again.

In Netflix time travel movie The Adam Project , Ryan Reynolds plays a fighter pilot from the future, who crash lands in the present and meets his 12-year-old self. Together they must save the world in a journey that harkens back to Amblin classics from the 1980s while featuring some great needle drops.

Time travel stories have always been a popular narrative choice, with the highest-grossing film of all time, Avengers: Endgame , fitting in the genre. Videogames such as Mortal Kombat 11 also use time travel to great effect. But with The Adam Project being a Netflix original, there are more time travel movies on Netflix to watch after seeing Reynolds quip his way through another memorable performance.

Updated on May 28, 2023, by Ty Weinert:

10 'naked' (2017).

Rob ( Marlon Wayans ) is about to marry the girl of his dreams, Megan ( Regina Hall ). But after a night out with his best friend results in Rob waking up naked in an elevator, he must race to the altar to make it in time. Failing that, Rob wakes up again in the elevator, realizing he is trapped in a time loop and must relive the hour over and over again.

Working like a mix of The Hangover and Groundhog Day , Naked will appeal to anyone who enjoyed those screwball comedies. While it is not one of the best time loop movies , it still offers some laughs and is a good enough way to kill an afternoon on the couch.

Watch on Netflix

9 'Captain Nova' (2021)

Like The Adam Project , Captain Nova follows a fighter pilot who is sent back in time to stop a catastrophe. Nova ( Kika Van De Vijver ) finds herself transformed into her younger self due to her journey through time, however, making it hard for adults to take her seriously as she warns them of the dangers to come.

Hailing from the Netherlands, Captain Nova makes for a nice change from the American movies that dominate the time travel genre on Netflix. Due to its protagonist's youthful transformation, Captain Nova is a kid-friendly take on the formula and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

8 'See You Yesterday' (2019)

Produced by legendary director Spike Lee , See You Yesterday follows two teenage scientists, who are attempting to create a time machine. After one of their older brothers is killed in a police shooting, the pair activate their machine to travel to the past and save him.

While still following the conventions of time travel movies, See You Yesterday stands out with a plot that focuses on relevant social issues. By bringing light to matters that are still plaguing society four years after release, the film is a unique choice within the time travel Netflix catalog.

7 'In the Shadow of the Moon' (2019)

Beginning in 1988, In the Shadow of the Moon follows Thomas Lockhart ( Boyd Holbrook ), a police officer determined to become a detective. When his city is plagued by a serial killer, Lockhart begins investigating, eventually discovering the killer comes back every nine years. As the case deepens, time travel eventually becomes a factor.

In the Shadow of the Moon feels like a callback to the detective thrillers of the '90s, like Se7en . While it does tend to lose focus as more outrageous plot points are introduced, In the Shadow of the Moon remains a solid choice for anyone looking to discover their next crime obsession.

6 'Synchronic' (2019)

Another quality entry in acclaimed duo Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson 's trippy shared universe , Synchronic stars Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan as paramedics and lifelong friends. After a new drug sweeps their city, resulting in the deaths of its users, the pair investigates after Dornan's daughter goes missing.

The film delves into time travel in ways that will not be spoiled here, but needless to say Synchronic is a trippy film with a central mystery that unravels over time. Both leads excel in their roles and share great chemistry, with Mackie, in particular, delivering a fantastic performance that shows what he can offer when given more meaty roles outside the MCU.

5 'ARQ' (2016)

Waking up to intruders breaking into his home, an engineer ( Robbie Amell ) finds himself trapped within a time loop. With each death sending him back to the start of the invasion, he works to defeat his pursuers and escape with his lover ( Rachael Taylor ).

ARQ works as a sci-fi spin on films such as Happy Death Day , with the audience learning new information alongside the protagonist with each subsequent loop and eventual death. While not as charming as Happy Death Day , ARQ still offers an enjoyable take on the genre.

4 'When We First Met' (2018)

When We First Met follows Adam DeVine , of Workaholics fame, as he repeatedly goes back in time to try and win over the girl of his dreams ( Alexandra Daddario ). Being a romantic comedy, the film stands apart from other time travel movies that focus on more serious consequences.

While We First Met does not offer much new to the genre, though DeVine gives an admirable performance to help carry the film. Fans of his stand-up or the aforementioned Workaholics should have a good time watching his numerous attempts to escape the hellish nightmare called "the friend zone."

3 'Long Story Short' (2021)

Waking up the morning after his wedding to discover that his life is jumping forward in time every few minutes, Teddy ( Rafe Spall ) is forced to use his dwindling time to stay with the woman he loves. With every jump causing them to drift further apart, time is running out for the bumbling lead.

Like When We First Met , Long Story Short uses time travel in a romantic comedy , albeit in a more urgent way. The Australian film was directed by Josh Lawson , known to audiences as Kano, the best part of the recent Mortal Kombat film.

2 'The Adam Project' (2022)

When fighter pilot Adam Reed (Ryan Reynolds) travels from 2050 to 2012, he is forced to work together with his 12-year-old self in order to get back home and save his deceased wife Laura ( Zoe Saldana ). The two Adams end up going on a journey full of heart and humor as they travel through time.

The latest in the long line of big-budget blockbusters on Netflix, The Adam Project is one of the best free movies you can access on the service. Reynolds is always a charming lead, and along with Saldana, they are supported by a winning cast that includes Mark Ruffalo , Jennifer Garner , and Catherine Keener .

1 'Mirage' (2018)

When Vera ( Adriana Ugarte ) and her family move into a new home, they discover that a boy died there thirty years ago. Finding a way to communicate with the boy in the past, Vera warns him of his death and saves his life, only to change the flow of time in the process.

As the best time travel movie Netflix has to offer, Mirage is a compelling mystery thriller from Spain. As more circumstances of the boy's death emerge, greater narrative threads are pulled into this time-bending journey, with Ugarte delivering a great performance as the central character.

NEXT: The Best Time Travel Movies Ever Made, Ranked

Best new Time Travel movies in 2024 & 2023 (Netflix, Prime, Hulu & Cinema List)

New time travel movies in 2024 in Cinema & on VOD

Alienoid: The Return to the Future

Best time travel movies on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+ or DVD in 2024

Kung fury: the movie.

The Tomorrow Job

The Adam Project

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Needle in a Timestack

See You Yesterday

Lazarro Felice

The Tomorrow War

Terminator: Dark Fate

Edge Of Tomorrow

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30 Movies with Airplanes for High-Flying Entertainment

From jet setting action flicks to romance on the runway to snakes at 36,000 feet, there's no shortage of airplane films to keep you entertained.

A lot of things can happen on an airplane. You can fall in love, catch a criminal, or even get into an all-out-war with a bunch of snakes.

We, of course, are talking about movies . Movies that take place on a plane or in an airport seem to have a unique quality to them. They make rom-coms more romantic, action films more thrilling, and dramas more heart-wrenching all because they take place 36,000 feet in the air .

Of course, movies about air travel naturally lend themselves to suspense — like "Flightplan" or "United 93" — mostly because the idea of being in a crisis in the air automatically makes for good drama. The stakes couldn't be higher and the air can't be thinner.

Then there are straight-up horror flicks like "Final Destination" or "Red Eye." These are definitely not for the faint of heart — or anyone who's planning to take a trip soon.

But not all airplane movies are disaster flicks or tense, action hero vehicles. Some of these movies can make you laugh, like "Airplane!," "View from the Top," or "The Terminal" — even though the latter mostly takes place in the airport.

And perhaps, the best part of these films is that they feature your favorite Hollywood actors and actresses — like Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Harrison Ford — who are often playing some of their most beloved roles.

We decided to round up 30 movies that involve flights or air travel — some critical darlings, others merely entertaining B-movies — for your reading pleasure. Who knows, you may be inspired to have a travel-themed movie night tonight.

"Turbulence"

In this film, Ray Liotta stars as a convicted murderer who hijacks a plane. It's a pretty typical airplane action movie with all the tropes in place, which is probably why the movie has a whopping 16 percent on Rotten Tomatoes . There's lots of acting that really chews at the scenery and some interesting (though mostly implausible) technical airplane stuff folded in.

"Non-Stop"

Liam Neeson stars as an alcoholic U.S. Marshal who must find a killer after receiving text messages that another passenger will die if the killer's demands are not met. It's one of those action thrillers viewers have come to expect from the "Taken" star, and if you're willing to get around the loose ends and glaring implausibilities, you'll definitely enjoy it.

"View from the Top"

Back in the early 2000s, Gwyneth Paltrow appeared in a number of odd, screwball romantic comedies. In this film, Paltrow stars as a trailer park girl who dreams of being a classy flight attendant — and she has the brains and drive to achieve it. Is all that personal success worth sacrificing for a young Mark Ruffalo? We're not sure. But this movie has a few good goofy moments, especially from Mike Myers, Christina Applegate, and Candice Bergen.

"Con Air"

This movie may not have won any prestigious awards, but it's become something of a cult classic, if only for the famous line, "Put the bunny back in the box." The script is sometimes quite hard to listen to, and Nicolas Cage has a very tough time nailing down that Alabama accent, but with all of its entertainingly over-the-top performances and explosions (lots of explosions), it's enjoyable for people who like movies that are "so bad, they're good."

"Final Destination"

Let's just say this is not a movie you want to watch on an airplane. As a society, we might've been worn out by the teen horror flicks of the '90s, but this 2000 film actually has quite a surprising and clever premise that goes beyond the typical slasher movie. While it may not have gotten great reviews at the time, audiences still enjoy it, earning it a fairly decent audience score of 68 percent on Rotten Tomatoes .

"Passenger 57"

This cult favorite stars Wesley Snipes as John Cutter who’s on a flight to L.A. to start his new life working for a major airline’s anti-terrorism unit when, fittingly, the flight is hijacked by a famous terrorist. When the FBI agents who apprehended the movie's villain are killed, Cutter is the only person onboard who can save everyone. It's a classic '90s thriller filled with action set pieces.  

"Flightplan"

This 2005 suspense movie centers around an aircraft designer (played by Jodie Foster) who's daughter randomly goes missing on a flight to New York. The twist? The sky marshal (Peter Sarsgaard) and captain (Sean Bean) on board are telling her that her child never boarded the plane. It's one of those few, amazing female-led suspense movies, because, of course, it's Jodie Foster. And who doesn't love Jodie Foster?

"The Terminal"

If you're in the mood for a charming romantic comedy, you can't go wrong with Tom Hanks. This movie is a typical feel-good film and a ringing endorsement for John F. Kennedy International Airport . Who knew someone could feasibly live there ?

Hanks plays a displaced Eastern European man who has to wait at JFK until the war in his home country is over. He's smitten with a flight attendant (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and changes the lives of everyone around him. This movie is basically the equivalent of a warm hug.

"Alive"

Again, this is definitely not something to watch while traveling at 36,000 feet. The cast is full of your early '90s crushes — including Ethan Hawke and Josh Hamilton — who are playing what is likely some of the darkest roles in their careers.

It centers around a Uruguayan soccer team that gets stranded in the Andes after a plane crash, and it's also based on real events. The story is a true testament to the ability of humans to survive the worst of circumstances.

"United 93"

This film came out five years after the tragedy of 9/11. The film is about the passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 who crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. Performances by the entire cast, which is largely made up of relatively unknown actors, are nuanced, unsentimental, and incredibly emotional — though the script deviates quite a bit from actual events (or at least, what we know about them).

"Home Alone 2: Lost in New York"

Most of this movie does not take place on a plane, we know. But plane travel is a major plot point for young Kevin (Macaulay Culkin). Unlike the first film, we see more of that airport hustle-and-bustle when the McCallisters speed through to make their flight.

Sure, there are some logic problems like, "Why wouldn't a gate agent check his ticket?" and "Why didn't the flight attendant make sure that Kevin was pointing out his real father?" and "How did Kevin remarkably find an empty seat on an overbooked flight to New York?"

But despite all that, any '90s kid will admit that they would love to accidentally fly to a cool city without their parents. Plus, it's a great holiday movie.

"Air Force One"

Everyone's favorite fantasy president, Harrison Ford, plays the commander-in-chief in this action drama. Much like "The Fugitive" or "Patriot Games," we love to see Ford get mad and take down bad guys. It's a pretty high-energy film that's full of twists and turns, all taking place aboard Air Force One.

"Executive Decision" 

This time it’s Kurt Russell and Steven Seagal facing off against a group of terrorists on a plane headed for Washington, D.C. The two action stars play U.S. military men who team up to overcome the hijackers who are threatening to release nerve gas on the nation’s capital if their leader isn’t released from custody by the U.S. government. 

"7500"

This film is named for the emergency signal that’s sent in the case of a hijacking which should give you some idea of the predicament Joseph Gordon-Levitt finds himself in. Gordon-Levitt plays a co-pilot who must try to maneuver an emergency landing after terrorists attack the cockpit of an Airbus A319 on the way to Paris from Berlin. It’s got plenty of tension and good action to keep you entertained through yet another hijacking thriller. 

"Die Hard 2"

John McClane is back, and this time, he's going to save Dulles International Airport . This sequel takes place one year after the events in the first film, but this time the terrorists have taken over the Washington, D.C. airport and only McClane can stop them. If he can't, they'll deliberately guide planes to crash.

If you're looking for high stakes and lots of fight scenes, this is the perfect movie for you. Much like the first film in the series, it's an unexpectedly good holiday movie, too.

"The Aviator"

Even though Leonardo DiCaprio didn't win best actor for this one, his portrayal of one of the most interesting American historical figures reminds us why we love to see DiCaprio on the big screen. He's joined by an incredible cast that includes Cate Blanchett (doing possibly the best Katharine Hepburn impression ever), Kate Beckinsale, and John C. Reilly. If all of that hasn't convinced you, this movie also shows Leo flying a cool vintage plane.

"Amelia"

Following the exploits of real-life pilot Amelia Earhart, this film starring Hilary Swank is a fascinating biopic. Viewers not only learn about Earhart’s life and career but also her perilous journey to become the first woman pilot to fly solo around the world by airplane. Though this isn’t set entirely on an airplane, it’s a reliable look at a real aviator that also stars Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, and Christopher Eccleston. 

"Planes, Trains and Automobiles"

This 1987 comedy classic stars John Candy and Steve Martin, and centers around two strangers (a veritable odd couple) who have to deal with what is possibly the most extreme travel delay in history. Delayed flights, broken-down trains, and bumpy rides make for some hilarious comedy with poignant character work by Candy and Martin. And, it's one of the few Thanksgiving movies out there.

"Catch Me If You Can"

This delightful Steven Spielberg film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the real-life FBI fraudster Frank Abagnale Jr. One of Abagnale's clever ways of getting away from FBI Agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) is impersonating a Pan Am pilot (despite being 17 and having no flight experience).

Along with the unexpected friendship between an FBI agent and a bank forger, the film is also chock-full of vintage 1960s aviation details that will make any history buff happy.

"Snakes on a Plane"

We all know the famous line, so there's no need to repeat it here. Suffice to say that this film is a ridiculous, over-the-top, expletive-filled action flick that's pretty much exactly what the title says it is. It was mostly panned when it first came out, but has gained a bit of a cult following.

Luckily, according to rumors , Samuel L. Jackson actually wanted to be part of the film because of its silly title, so he clearly didn't take it seriously. Also, don't think a snake falling from an overhead bin can't happen, because one actually did in 2016 . Have fun sleeping tonight.

"Flight"

Denzel Washington stars as an alcoholic pilot who manages to avoid a plane crash with some pretty physics-defying maneuvers. While he's praised for saving so many lives (the crash only had a few casualties), an investigation makes him and everyone around him question his judgement and actions.

Responses to Washington's performance were a bit mixed at the time, but this film is everything you want in a Robert Zemeckis movie: a deeply flawed protagonist looking for redemption, tense action, and heartbreaking revelations.

"Sully"

The incredible story of US Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger is easily one for the history books, and definitely something we all want to see Tom Hanks bring to the big screen. While Sullenberger was hailed a hero after making an emergency landing in the Hudson River without a single casualty, this biopic is actually a pretty nuanced portrait of the pilot that neither reveres nor condemns him for the circumstances surrounding that fateful event.

"Red Eye"

Wes Craven's in-flight suspense thriller is definitely one of the better (and underrated) suspense thrillers out there. It stars Rachel McAdams as a woman who is kidnapped and dragged into a murder plot by a stranger (Cillian Murphy) aboard a red-eye flight.

It's one of those highly psychological horror movies that builds just the right amount of tension and doesn't lag anywhere along the way. It may not be the most realistic movie, but it's certainly an entertaining one.

"Airport"

This 1970 classic might be one of the first airplane disaster movies ever. It stars Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, and Jacqueline Bisset, and centers around the flight and ground crew who are figuring out how to safely land their plane after a bomb is detonated on it. It's a bit of an old-fashioned film that can be a little cheesy at times, but it's essential watching for aviation fans.

"Blood Red Sky" 

Less goofy than "Snakes on a Plane" and set mostly on a flight unlike "Final Destination," "Blood Red Sky" is a horror movie in the sky perfect for anyone looking for a thrill. A woman (played by German actress Peri Baumeister) with a mysterious illness is traveling on a transatlantic flight with her son when the flight is overtaken by terrorists. Instead of your tried and true hijacking plot, however, the film quickly becomes a creature feature when Baumeister unleashes her monstrous side to save her son’s life.

"Up in the Air"

George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, and Vera Farmiga star in this smart and funny portrait of corporate employees who live out of their suitcases . Clooney is a man who is just shy of one of his life goals — 10 million frequent flyer miles — when his company slashes his travel budget.

It's not as action-packed as other films on this list, but it's superbly acted and has an excellent, entertaining script that pretty much guarantees a good watch.

"Cast Away"

It seems impossible not to be moved (and terrified) by the epic plane crash that happens in this film based on a true story. The beginning of this movie doesn't shy away from a difficult situation, and honestly, it can be hard to watch for anyone who flies a lot. But the film, ultimately, is about survival and is a sad, impressive, and sometimes funny journey that we're all happy to go on with Tom Hanks.

"The Right Stuff"

This movie focuses on the lives of the first U.S. astronauts, but much of the film is about the grueling training they went through in order to have "the right stuff."

It's a highly personal, funny, and triumphant film that centers around some significant points in American history, and has some amazing performances from Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, and Dennis Quaid.

"Top Gun"

This Tom Cruise classic is about high-flying Navy pilots, and we're sure that it inspired a lot of '80s kids to become pilots. The film has some of the best aerial footage in Hollywood history and is one of the movies that launched Cruise's career. We dare you not to quote Maverick after watching.

"Airplane!"

There's no better airplane film than one that makes you laugh. Sure, some of the jokes and gags in this film haven't survived the test of time, but this screwball 1970s-inspired comedy has one of Michael Scott's favorite lines:

Ted Striker: Surely, you can't be serious.

Dr. Rumack: I am serious … and don't call me Shirley.

Classic comedy gold.

Honorable Mention: "Bridesmaids"

This film is largely not about air travel, nor does air travel make-or-break the plot, so sadly we couldn't include it in the main list. However, the scene in which Kristen Wiig gets drunk on a flight to Las Vegas may be one of the most quotable of all time.

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Take Flight With These 30 Aviation Movies, From Thrillers to Rom-Coms

Hollywood has done a stellar job proving that planes make a great setting for a thriller — but, aviation movies don't get enough credit for all the other genres they explore. Sure, planes make the perfect stage for a situation gone wrong (usually involving a hijacking), but if you broaden your perspective, you'll see that movies about planes offer a way for people to learn about aviation heroes and real-life events in a more tangible and entertaining way.

Take "Flight 93" and "United 93." Both plots revolve around United Airlines Flight 93, the fourth hijacked plane on 9/11, which often gets overlooked in 9/11 films. "Sully" is a biographical drama about pilot Chesley Sullenberger, who pulled off one of the most heroic emergency landings in aviation history.

Of course, planes naturally find themselves in suspense and thriller films, such as "Red Eye," "Executive Decision," "7500," and "Snakes on a Plane." All of these movies really hone in on the idea that planes, and air travel in general, truly make the best setting for a high-stakes crisis. After all, what's scarier than being stuck on an aircraft with a jungle of deadly venomous snakes?

But believe it or not, not all plane movies are about hijacks, murder, and crash landings. Rom-com storylines do exist, though they are an anomaly, so when you do come across one (I've hunted down two!), you better bookmark it for later.

If you're looking to do a bit of thrill-seeking or brush up on your aviation history, then you've come to the right place. This list of plane movies has all of that and more — from supernatural horrors to biographical period dramas to laugh-out-loud comedies to thrillers guaranteed to make your palms sweat. If you're browsing for in-flight entertainment , I recommend watching the trailer before boarding, as several of these may not be the best to binge while on a plane, especially if you're a nervous flyer . Without further ado, fasten your seat belt — here are the top 30 movies about planes.

"Non-Stop"

From a murder mystery to a high-stakes crisis 36,000 feet in the sky, "Non-Stop" has all the makings of an airplane-thriller classic. Air Marshall Bill Marks, an alcoholic, is fed up with his airline job, which he considers to be a boring desk assignment. While on a transatlantic flight to London, he begins receiving a chain of cryptic text messages from an unknown number ordering that he command the airline to wire $150 million into an offshore account. If he's unable to complete the task, someone will die every 20 minutes until the wheels touch down.

"Sully"

As suspenseful as aviation movies can be, they can also be highly informative, like "Sully." This biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood is the historic retelling of when US Airways Flight 1549 collided with a flock of geese resulting in an emergency safety landing in New York's Hudson River. Thanks to heroic pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, all 155 people aboard survived. This resulted in one of most famous photos in aviation history. The investigation that transpired led Sully's career, reputation, and sanity into a downward spiral.

"United 93"

Based on true events, "United 93" is one of several 9/11 aviation-themed films to be produced following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. On that horrifying day, two hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center and an additional one hit the Pentagon. However, this film centers around the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, PA, and the heroic passengers and crew members who fought back. Of the four hijacked planes, United 93 was the only plane not to hit its intended target, which was presumed to be the Capitol building in Washington DC.

"Flight"

Featuring acclaimed actor Denzel Washington , "Flight" follows commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker after his aircraft suffers a mechanical malfunction at 30,000 feet, sending him and everyone aboard his plane toward a track of homes. Somehow, he pulls off a miraculous crash-landing. He's praised and immediately dubbed an aviation hero, but all that quickly begins to fade when a lawyer for the airline shows up and reveals that Whip's blood sample from the hospital — where he was being treated the night of the crash — shows that he had alcohol in his system. A crash investigation unfolds, and Whip's drug and alcohol addictions and more come to light.

"7500"

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt , the title of this airplane thriller basically gives its plot away. The number is the emergency code pilots use to signal a hijacking to ground control, which is the exact position Gordon-Levitt's timid character, Tobias, finds himself in while flying a hijacked Airbus A319 flight from Berlin to Paris. Not long after takeoff, a group of terrorists manage to barge their way past the crew and into the cockpit with makeshift knives. Despite Tobias and others getting injured, the flight attendants are able to take control of the situation long enough for Tobias to lock and bolt the cockpit and issue a 7500 to ground control. He begins an emergency landing while simultaneously pleading for his passengers' safety.

"Up in the Air"

Anna Kendrick stars opposite of George Clooney in this dramedy about a corporate downsizer named Ryan (Clooney) who spent 322 out the last 365 days on a plane — not as a pilot or crew member, but as a someone who's flown in by companies to lay off employees. He's essentially the middle man who delivers the bad news, and Natalie (Kendrick), a new hire, has a plan that could ultimately be the death of Ryan's career. Determined to save his job, Ryan brings her along so she can physically see the gravity of face-to-face meetings. In the middle of all this, Ryan's also trying to juggle his casual relationship with a fellow frequent flier. Unlike most films on this list, this one you can actually enjoy stress-free in the sky.

"Flightplan"

If you couldn't tell already, airplane thrillers pretty much all follow a similar format, usually involving a hijacking of some kind, but "Flightplan" is the only plane film to take place on an Elgin E-474, a novelty double-decker — though nothing is novelty about the experience these passengers are in for. Making the long flight from Germany to New York to bury her husband is airplane engineer Kyle Pratt, along with her young daughter. Upon waking from a peaceful nap, Kyle realizes the seat next to her, her daughter's seat, is empty. In a panic, she begins searching the double-decker plane, though the captain and the air marshal say Kyle's daughter never boarded the plan.

"Blood Red Sky"

In this British-German action horror, Nadja, a single mother with an unknown illness that's been kept hidden thanks to a vial containing a heavy mix of concentrated pharmaceuticals, must protect her 10-year-old son after their overnight transatlantic flight to New York is hijacked by a mob of terrorists. With Germany thousands of feet below them, their eight-hour journey has only just begun. Nadja will have to make the hardest decision of her life: does she skip her next dose of medicine and release the demon inside of her that she's worked so hard to keep trapped for the sake of her and her son's lives?

"Red Eye"

Meeting your soulmate on a plane has to be one of the most cliché yet adorable meet-cutes in the history of meet-cutes, which is exactly what hotel manager Lisa Reisert thinks is happening to her when the handsome lad from check-in ends up being her seat buddy on her flight back home. Unfortunately, it couldn't be further from the truth. Jackson Rippner has big, big plans that involve murdering the head of Homeland Security. In order to make that happen, he instructs Lisa to give the official a specific room number at her hotel. If she doesn't do as he says, she can say goodbye to her father, whom Jackson has already kidnapped.

"Flight 7500"

Transatlantic flights and supernatural forces make for an eerie-as-hell combination, so consider this your official warning not to watch this flick while airborne. Set on a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo, "Flight 7500" begins with flight attendants Laura Baxter and Suzy Lee greeting their passengers as they take their seats and get situated for takeoff. However, once up in the air and suspended over the Pacific Ocean, things start to get a bit paranormal when a supernatural force wreaks havoc over the cabin and begins taking the lives of random passengers.

"Horizon Line"

What happens when you're aboard a single-engine plane on your way to your best friend's island wedding with your ex and your pilot has a fatal heart attack mid-takeoff? Oh, and there's no copilot. That's for exes Sara and Jackson to figure out. Between the two of them, they have zero grid- or map-reading skills or flying experiencing, and to make matters worse they're completely surrounded by ocean for as far as the eye can see. Not to mention, there's a dark storm heading directly toward them. They'll have to put their differences aside and their brains together if they want to make it out alive.

"Amelia"

Two-time Academy award-winning actress Hilary Swank portrays the real-life Amelia Earhart in this compelling biopic about the first woman pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Packed with nuggets of information about Amelia's life and aviation career, including the many speed and altitude records she set, the film heavily focuses on her biggest, most dangerous mission, which eventually led to her death: to become the first woman pilot to fly around the world by airplane.

"Top Gun"

No list of aviation-themed movies would be complete without "Top Gun," featuring a young Tom Cruise . The action-packed cinematic masterpiece follows daredevil pilot Maverick and the fighter pilots of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School as they work to sharpen their aviation skills under the command of their extremely smart and attractive flight instructor Charlotte Blackwood. Maverick has plans to dominate the cockpit, but his overly confident attitude and wise-guy persona keep getting in the way. He'll have to make some changes if he wants to be at the top of his class and get the girl.

"Planes"

A delightful departure from the heavier films on this list is Disney's animated feature "Planes." A movie about facing your fears head on, "Planes" tells the story of Dusty, a crop-dusting plane who wants nothing more than to fly around the world and compete in the legendary Wings Across the Globe race. The only issue is he's terribly scared of heights. Listen closely to spot the voices of some of your favorite Hollywood celebrities, including Stacy Keach, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Priyanka Chopra , Cedric the Entertainer, and Teri Hatcher.

"The Terminal"

If you've ever had to spend a night in an airport terminal, then you definitely need to add this Tom Hanks-led comedy to your must-watch list. Upon landing at JFK Airport in New York, Viktor Navorski learns that a war has broken out in his home country. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security won't allow him to enter or leave the United Sates due international politics. Viktor has no choice but to take up a temporary residence inside the terminal — eating all his meals at the food court, taking up friendships with kiosk workers, and even falling for a flight attendant (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Will Viktor ever make it out of the terminal?

"The Captain"

Directed by Andrew Lau, this Chinese movie is based on the true story of a Sichuan Airlines flight that weathered a shattered windshield in the cockpit at 30,000 feet above the Tibetan Plateau, which resulted in the copilot being nearly sucked out his seat and several passengers in the cabin losing consciousness due to a lack of pressurized oxygen. In this thrilling retelling, the pilot and his crew immediately go into fight-or-flight mode and draw up a plan for an emergency landing while also trying to monitor the health and safety of the plane's passengers.

"Neerja"

Neerja is an Indian biopic thriller about the heroic efforts of 22-year-old air hostess Neerja Bhanot, who sacrificed her life while protecting the lives of her 359 passengers and fellow crew members on Pan Am Flight 73 after a terrorist organization hijacked the plane during a layover in Pakistan in 1986. The plane had deported Bombay and was scheduled to arrive in New York with a stop at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan. Then the unthinkable happened. At just 22 years old (she died days before her 23rd birthday), Neerja was working diligently to reinvent her life and had a promising career as one of the airline's top pursers, or chief flight attendants.

"Executive Decision"

Halle Berry stars opposite of Kurt Russell in this fast-paced action thriller about a hijacked plane traveling from the Greek islands to Washington DC. When tragedy strikes mid-flight, US Army specialist David Grant and Lieutenant Colonel Austin Travis team up to devise an emergency safety plan. All that goes out the window though when they learn there's a bomb full of nerve gas wedged in the aircraft's cargo. It's then revealed that the hijackers are members of the terrorist organization whose leader was just put under US military siege. Consequently, they sieged an US-bound flight and are demanding for their leader's release.

"Snakes on a Plane"

Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Sean Jones was just going for a joy ride on his dirt bike when he accidentally witnessed mobster Eddie Kim take the life of a prosecutor who was on the cusp of putting him behind bars, which Eddie solved with a deadly blow. Now Sean has unintentionally found himself playing the role of primary witness in Eddie's trial. Before he knows it, he's being escorted by FBI agent Neville Flynn on a red-eye flight to Los Angeles. At the push of a button, things take a turbulent turn when Eddie's hitman aboard the aircraft releases a time-operated crate of deadly venomous snakes.

"Air Force One"

On his way home from delivering a powerful speech in Moscow regarding the US's new zero-tolerance terrorism policy, President James Marshall's official government plane, Air Force One, is hijacked by a group of communist radicals. Also on board are his wife and young daughter, both of whom are taken hostage as insurance. A former Medal of Honor recipient, the president is able to fight off the terrorists long enough to contact Vice President Kathryn Bennett, who is now closely monitoring and negotiating with the terrorists from Washington DC. For every half-hour that passes and their demands aren't met, someone will die.

"Die Hard 2"

Bruce Willis is back in the second installment of the "Die Hard" franchise, which sees Willis's character, valiant LA cop John McClane, caught in yet another terrorist ambush. Set at Washington Dulles International Airport, McClane is anxiously twiddling his thumbs waiting for his wife's flight to land when he spots South American politico and drug lord Ramon Esperanza arrive and then escape from US custody. It's quickly made clear that the airport is being held hostage by Ramon's terrorist organization, which has taken control of all electrical equipment, meaning no runway lights, no ground control, and several planes hovering over the airport low on fuel. It's up to McClane to save the day once again.

"The Aviator"

Guess what, plane movie fans: another biopic! This one covers almost two decades of legendary businessman Howard Hughes's career. A billionaire and movie director known for being romantically linked to Katharine Hepburn, Hughes played an innovative, promotive, and financial role in designing experimental aircrafts from the late '20s to the '40s. One of his biggest successes was acquiring and expanding Trans World Airlines (TWA). No dream was too big and no dare was too dangerous for him. Leonardo DiCaprio won the 2005 Golden Globe for best actor in a drama film for his portrayal of Hughes.

"View From the Top"

Ready for a big change in her life, an ambitious young woman named Donna sets her eyes on becoming a first-class international flight stewardess — but first, she'll have to wow her instructor and pass the rigorous training course. With the love and support of her two best friends and her dreamy new man, Donna makes it her goal to see the view from the top. This early-aughts rom-com is stacked with A-list talent, including appearances from Christina Applegate , Mark Ruffalo, Candice Bergen, Kelly Preston, Rob Lowe, Mike Myers, and more.

"Airplane!"

Ted Striker is a former Air Force fighter pilot with a severe of fear of flying who is still hung up on his old war crush, flight attendant Elaine Dickinson. If he could conquer one of these two things, he'd consider his life a success, so he books a seat on Elaine's flight from Los Angeles to Chicago. He's got almost four hours to win her back, but instead he finds himself back in the cockpit after the pilot comes down with a threatening food-borne illness. Ted is now in a kill-two-birds-with-one-stone scenario.

"Passenger 57"

Former Secret Service agent John Cutter has a lot to look forward to. He's moving to Los Angeles, having been hired to head up the antiterrorism unit of a major airline. Suffice to say, he's a pretty big deal. But before he gets there, his security and combat skills are put to the ultimate test. On John's flight, an arrested terrorist breaks free when accomplices kill his FBI escorts. With no other security personnel on board, it's up to John to protect the cockpit, keep the passengers safe, and reapprehend the terrorist.

"Con Air"

In this late-'90s airplane action-thriller featuring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and John Malkovich, former US Ranger Cameron is eagerly headed home to see his wife after being paroled. However, his means of transportation is a prison transport plane, comedically nicknamed "Jailbird," which is also responsible (as you might have guessed from the name) for shuffling around some of the most dangerous and powerful criminals in the world. All hell breaks loose when serial killer Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (Malkovich) attempts to escape from captivity during the flight.

"Catch Me If You Can"

Inspired by a true story, Frank Abagnale Jr. is a professional fake pilot and forger, and one of the most successful con artists in US history. Here's the kicker: he's a teenager. He knows the FBI is after him, but that doesn't stop him from flying planes around the world with a string of smitten stewardess under each arm. When he finds out the FBI has put their lead agent, Carl Hanratty, on his case, he'll have to make sure every move he makes is bulletproof.

"Flight 93"

"Flight 93"came out the same year as "United 93," just five years after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 1, 2001. This docudrama depicts the terrifying events that transpired that fateful day on United Airlines Flight 93, including voice calls to loved ones back home and the brave passengers who banded together in an attempt take down the terrorists and seize back control of the aircraft. However, that did not happen and it was the fourth plane to crash. Unlike the others, this plane did not harm any civilians on the ground, nor did it reach its hijack target destination.

"Panic Button"

Who wouldn't say yes to an all-expenses-paid trip to New York? Not contest winners Jo, Max, Gwen, and Dave. The trip is turning out to be even more glamorous than they expected thanks to a cozy, Champagne-stocked private jet that will be ushering them to and from the Big Apple. This is all part of the rewards package they individually earned for winning the social network All2gether.com's contest. And since the flight is sponsored by the social network, all passengers are asked to forfeit their cell phones and participate in a brand-new in-flight gaming experience. Little do they know, the game will task them to save the lives of their loved ones while suspended miles above ground.

"Final Destination"

Alex Browning and his high school classmates are about to embark on a trip of a lifetime to Paris. As passengers make sure their seat backs and tray tables are placed in their upright and locked positions and that their seat belts are securely fastened, Alex has a vision of their plane exploding mid-takeoff. He begins warning nearby passengers and directing them to get off the plane. This doesn't bode well with the crew, and they escort him off the aircraft along with seven other people who decide to follow. Back in the terminal, the eight of them watch as their plane does indeed explode like a big firework in the sky. That's not where this story ends. Alex and the others aren't safe, because in their wild escape, they awoke a grim reaper.

8 Best Time Travel Movies to Watch on a Long Flight

Michael Dinich

[READ FULL BIO]

11 Travel Movies on Netflix to Download for Your Next Flight

By Meredith Carey

Whether you're back at home between trips or prepping for a two-hour-plus flight, watching classic travel movies on Netflix can be one of the best ways to spirit yourself away to a new destination. It's a great time to do so, too: With the streaming options below, this might be the best collection of films on the platform yet—especially when it comes to documentaries. And as more and more airlines move their in-flight entertainment from seatback screens to mobile apps, you might as well download these ahead of your next flight, so you can watch what you'd like (and not Hitch for the 20th time). 

Note that you'll have to head off of Netflix to see some of our other favorites that the streaming site has previously carried (like road trip classic Y Tu Mamá También , which is available to rent on Amazon, or Catch Me If You Can , available on Peacock). And once you've finished this list, don't worry, we have a whole other list of our favorite travel TV shows on Netflix —including most of the late Anthony Bourdain's work—to binge. 

For now, here's a list of some of our favorite movies involving travel by land, air, and sea, that are available right now on Netflix.

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Eat Pray Love (2010)

Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir of leaving her busy city life behind to seek new adventures in Italy, India, and Indonesia has charmed millions of readers. The film may not have the emotional heft of the book, but the scenery it provides more than makes up for it.

Roma (2018)

One of Netflix's first original travel movies, Alfonso Cuarón's beautiful tribute to his youth in Mexico City recreates a world many felt had been lost to time. And if you want to stay in Roma 's world after the credits roll, look no further than our guide to Mexico City Airbnbs that features a number of rentals that feel like they could have been been in the film .

My Octopus Teacher (2020)

This Netflix original documentary—which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 2021—follows filmmaker and freediver Craig Foster as he forges a friendship of sorts with a wild octopus that lives in a kelp forest off the coast of Simon's Town, an area outside of Cape Town more commonly known for its penguin-filled beaches. Follow Foster as he learns about the marine life in the area, and applies lessons he learns from the octopus, who he visits every day for a year, to his own life above sea level.

The Terminal (2004)

While there are plenty of stories of travelers and refugees taking up a semi-permanent residence in an airport terminal, this version—where Tom Hanks plays a traveler who spends nine months in New York's JFK airport after arriving, only to find his passport is invalid and he can't return home—is completely fictional. Look for appearances by Stanley Tucci , Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Zoe Saldana, but don't look for recognizable JFK airport landmarks, as the terminal scenes were actually shot on a soundstage built into a hangar at L.A.'s Palmdale Regional Airport. 

Jessica Puckett

Scott Laird

Lucy Bruton

Jahnavi Bhatt

Casino Royale (2006)

Pick any of the 24 released Bond films and you'll watch the MI6 agent jetset from places like Dunn River Falls in Jamaica, in 1962's Dr. No, to Mexico City in the opening scene of Spectre . But we think Casino Royale has some of the best filming locations of them all—at least until No Time to Die hits theaters later this year—as it was filmed in Prague , the Bahamas, and Venice and Lake Como in Italy. 

The Dawn Wall (2017)

Free Solo , the stress-inducing documentary that followed rock climber Alex Honnold as he scaled the 3,000-foot-tall El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without a rope, isn't on Netflix. (You'll have to go to Disney+ to watch it.) But The Dawn Wall is, and it'll give you a similar sense of adventure from the comfort of your couch or airplane seat. It follows Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson, the first climbers to attempt a free ascent of a section of El Capitan known as, you guessed it, the Dawn Wall. While they don't use equipment to aid their climbs, unlike Honnold they do use a harness and rope as a safety net. 

Into the Wild (2007)

Based on a Jon Krakauer book by the same name, this Oscar-nominated movie follows Christopher McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch) as he hikes and hitchhikes all across North America, hitting California, North Dakota, Colorado, Utah, and many more U.S. states before ending up in Canada. But before you go planning a trip to see the bus that served as the real McCandless's home in the later parts of his life, know it's been relocated to the Museum of The North in Fairbanks, where it will be showcased soon in its own outdoor exhibit.

Chasing Coral (2017)

You may not be able to travel to see the Great Barrier Reef , the subject of this Netflix documentary, for much longer if we don't do something about climate change and ocean warming. The film uses high-tech camera equipment and time lapses to show the speed and scale of the deterioration of the coral, as it turns from colorful, vibrant ecosystems into a barren, lifeless wasteland. You'll feel truly gutted once the movie's over, but also a renewed drive to act. To learn more about the movie and hear firsthand about what it took to film, keep reading here .

Adrift (2018)

Another movie adaptation of a book—this time Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea by Tami Oldham Ashcraft— Adrift follows Tami (played by Shailene Woodley) as she sails with her beau Richard (played by Sam Claflin) from Tahiti to San Diego . The couple's path is intersected by a hurricane, setting them adrift and into survival mode. It's a harrowing, real life tale—but we won't give you any spoilers as to how it ends. 

The Trader (2018)

If you're short on time, this documentary following the rural route of a traveling trader in the Republic of Georgia is perfect—it's just 23 minutes long. Despite its length, it packs a lot of emotion in, following Gela Kolochovi as he brings second-hand clothes, kid's toys, equipment and more to small towns in exchange for potatoes. 

A Life on Our Planet (2020)

It couldn't be a list of travel movies without at least one appearance from Sir David Attenborough. And this one isn't the usual fare, turning the lens on the celebrated naturalist and beloved narrator himself. Over the course of the documentary, Attenborough reflects on his more than 90 years on earth so far, and his hopes for the protection of our planet and its residents big and small in the future. If you love the movie, be sure to check out his memoir by the same name, which delves deeper into the movie's message. 

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5 best time travel movies on Netflix to stream right now

Head into the days of future past

Sometimes, the only way to solve a problem is through time travel. While there are understandable consequences — as demonstrated in many time travel movies — it's hard to resist the idea of going back into the past or surging forward into the future to make a change. 

Netflix has a collection of the best time travel movies available to stream. Whether you want a comedic take on the familiar trope or an action-packed thriller, we've selected the ones you don't want to miss. These movies will have you fantasizing about all the fun — or disaster — that could be had if only our version of reality included time travel.

It makes complete sense that if time travel ever becomes available, it would only be possible for the wealthy or corrupt to take advantage. Its capabilities are technically outlawed in Rian Johnson's mind-bending "Looper," but that doesn't stop the mafia from using it. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as young Joe, a Looper who hides evidence of the mafia sending people into the past to take them out. He knows one day he will have to kill the older version of himself, played by Bruce Willis, to hide he ever worked for them.

The battle of self goes to the next level in this movie, especially as both young and old Joe fight against the other to survive. It's hard to know who to root for, and it's no surprise this movie received numerous awards, including the Critics' Choice Movie Award in 2013 for Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie.

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Directed by Oriol Paulo, "Mirage" takes us on a journey during a storm set 25 years apart. In 1989, the same day as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the life of a little boy, Nico, is cut short when he runs into the road and dies after being hit by a car. More than two decades later, a couple, Vera (Adriana Ugarte) and David (Álvaro Morte) have moved into Nico's house. Vera has a chance to save Nico's life but finds that solving the problems of the past tends to mess with the future.

This film has a fascinating blend of time travel, murder mystery and parallel universes. While the film tends to get complicated, especially as Vera tries to undo her actions and make things right again, it's intense and thrilling every step of the way.

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'Hot Tub Time Machine'

If you can't take the premise of time travel too seriously for long, you'll want to watch "Hot Tub Time Machine." John Cusack and director Steve Pink (co-writer on "High Fidelity" and "Gross Pointe Blank") reunite to explore the hilarious possibilities of time traveling. Adam (John Cusack), Lou (Rob Corddry), and Nick (Craig Robinson) all reconnect after Lou is hospitalized following a suicide attempt. They decide to get together, along with Adam's nephew Jacob (Clark Duke), at a ski resort they visited in the past. When they overload the hot tub machine with an energy drink, they discover that it takes them back to 1986.

Even though a repairman (Chevy Chase) warns them not to mess with things from the past, they can't help themselves. Of course, hilarity ensues. There are plenty of literal laugh-out-loud moments throughout, and this film has a healthy dose of cool '80s vibes. You're sure to love it.

'Time Trap'

Going on field trips has always been a fun part of going to school. However, if your teacher happens to go missing, that can complicate matters. In the film "Time Trap," several graduate students go on a field trip with their professor to hidden caves that are somehow connected to a group of missing hippies. The professor returns to the town with the students and dismisses them. However, only a brief amount of time passes before they realize the next day that their professor has yet to return. 

The students return, of course, and embark on an unusual adventure inside the caves, in which they discover that the whole space and time thing has gotten messed up. While this may be a classic science fiction B-movie, you will surely enjoy the imaginative story. 

This movie takes the premise of living the same day repeatedly (hello, "Groundhog Day") and gives it an exciting, science-fiction twist. "ArQ" focuses on a couple fighting to protect a unique energy that could restore an unlimited supply to the Earth and stop the wars that have erupted worldwide. However, this power comes at a cost as they battle against men trying to break into their home and steal it from them. Something about the technology, though, is forcing them to relive the same day.

Director Tony Elliott is the mind behind this complex film. You may have to suspend disbelief more than usual, but the action and plot will hold your attention throughout.

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Nicole Pyles is a writer in Portland, Oregon. She loves movies, especially Lifetime movies, obscure TV movies, and disaster flicks. Her writing has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, Mental Floss, WOW! Women on Writing, Ripley's Believe it or Not, and more. When she isn't watching movies, she's spending time with family, reading, and writing short stories. Say hi on Twitter @BeingTheWriter.

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

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• 1 win & 5 nominations

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• Trivia The outdoor set used for the 747 crash site was so convincing that pilots landing at Toronto Airport were radioing in what they thought was a recent airplane crash.
• Goofs As Louise enters the bar, her hair is flat. When she is shown inside, suddenly, her hair is permed.

Louise Baltimore : Your mother was a cash register!

Sherman : And she turned a tidy profit.

• Alternate versions Two different endings of this film exist. The first simply shows the destruction of Futureworld after Bill and Louise step through the Gate. The second shows an actual trip through the Gate after Futureworld is destroyed.
• Connections Featured in In Search of Tomorrow (2022)

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• Aug 27, 1989

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Is Time Travel Possible?

We all travel in time! We travel one year in time between birthdays, for example. And we are all traveling in time at approximately the same speed: 1 second per second.

We typically experience time at one second per second. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA's space telescopes also give us a way to look back in time. Telescopes help us see stars and galaxies that are very far away . It takes a long time for the light from faraway galaxies to reach us. So, when we look into the sky with a telescope, we are seeing what those stars and galaxies looked like a very long time ago.

However, when we think of the phrase "time travel," we are usually thinking of traveling faster than 1 second per second. That kind of time travel sounds like something you'd only see in movies or science fiction books. Could it be real? Science says yes!

This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows galaxies that are very far away as they existed a very long time ago. Credit: NASA, ESA and R. Thompson (Univ. Arizona)

How do we know that time travel is possible?

More than 100 years ago, a famous scientist named Albert Einstein came up with an idea about how time works. He called it relativity. This theory says that time and space are linked together. Einstein also said our universe has a speed limit: nothing can travel faster than the speed of light (186,000 miles per second).

Einstein's theory of relativity says that space and time are linked together. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

What does this mean for time travel? Well, according to this theory, the faster you travel, the slower you experience time. Scientists have done some experiments to show that this is true.

For example, there was an experiment that used two clocks set to the exact same time. One clock stayed on Earth, while the other flew in an airplane (going in the same direction Earth rotates).

After the airplane flew around the world, scientists compared the two clocks. The clock on the fast-moving airplane was slightly behind the clock on the ground. So, the clock on the airplane was traveling slightly slower in time than 1 second per second.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Can we use time travel in everyday life?

We can't use a time machine to travel hundreds of years into the past or future. That kind of time travel only happens in books and movies. But the math of time travel does affect the things we use every day.

For example, we use GPS satellites to help us figure out how to get to new places. (Check out our video about how GPS satellites work .) NASA scientists also use a high-accuracy version of GPS to keep track of where satellites are in space. But did you know that GPS relies on time-travel calculations to help you get around town?

GPS satellites orbit around Earth very quickly at about 8,700 miles (14,000 kilometers) per hour. This slows down GPS satellite clocks by a small fraction of a second (similar to the airplane example above).

GPS satellites orbit around Earth at about 8,700 miles (14,000 kilometers) per hour. Credit: GPS.gov

However, the satellites are also orbiting Earth about 12,550 miles (20,200 km) above the surface. This actually speeds up GPS satellite clocks by a slighter larger fraction of a second.

Here's how: Einstein's theory also says that gravity curves space and time, causing the passage of time to slow down. High up where the satellites orbit, Earth's gravity is much weaker. This causes the clocks on GPS satellites to run faster than clocks on the ground.

The combined result is that the clocks on GPS satellites experience time at a rate slightly faster than 1 second per second. Luckily, scientists can use math to correct these differences in time.

If scientists didn't correct the GPS clocks, there would be big problems. GPS satellites wouldn't be able to correctly calculate their position or yours. The errors would add up to a few miles each day, which is a big deal. GPS maps might think your home is nowhere near where it actually is!

In Summary:

Yes, time travel is indeed a real thing. But it's not quite what you've probably seen in the movies. Under certain conditions, it is possible to experience time passing at a different rate than 1 second per second. And there are important reasons why we need to understand this real-world form of time travel.

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Flight club: The most memorable airplane movies

Posted: March 20, 2024 | Last updated: March 21, 2024

Airplanes changed travel. They also changed movies. Over the years, many a film has been set on a plane, or largely revolved around a plane. There have been thrillers, horror movies, and comedies built on the back of the fact sometimes people are way up there in the air with nowhere to go. Here are the airplane movies that have stuck in our memories.

“Airplane!” (1980)

Sure, maybe it’s a little weird to begin with a plane movie that is a parody of previous plane movies. However, the plane-related disaster movie era has kind of been forgotten, but “Airplane!” remains an iconic comedy. When we think of movies about commercial flights, the one we think of first is this, perhaps the greatest parody film ever made. It's also one of the best films to watch while flying on an airplane , incidentally.

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“Air Force One” (1997)

“Get off my plane!” With those words, Harrison Ford’s President James Marshall became an action movie icon. “Air Force One” isn’t the best ‘90s political action flick, but it is a fun one . Terrorists get on the President’s plane, and he’s left to try and thwart them.

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“Zero Hour!” (1957)

You may have never seen “Zero Hour!,” but if you watch it, the film will likely feel familiar. “Airplane!” is primarily a parody of this film. It’s a solid enough ‘50s thriller from a time when movies set on planes weren’t exactly ubiquitous. “Zero Hour!” really helped set the standards, which then also set up the parodies.

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“Flight” (2012)

Denzel Washington rolls a commercial airliner. It’s wild. This is the first film on this list where a plane is crucial to the plot, but it is not set almost entirely on a plane. There is a lot of this Robert Zemeckis film where Washington is on the ground, using drugs, getting drunk, and dealing with the inquiry into what happened when, again, the dude rolled a commercial plane.

“Sully” (2016)

Clint Eastwood directs a Tom Hanks movie wherein Hanks plays a heroic pilot. A pilot named Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, at that. It’s Eastwood, which is to say, straightforward and to the point. However, that isn’t a bad thing. Many people talk highly of “Sully” as the kind of quality adult drama that doesn’t get made all that often anymore.

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“Bridesmaids” (2011)

Here is a “one memorable stretch on a plane in a film not largely about planes” entry. When you think of “Bridesmaids,” what set piece do you think of first? OK, now forget about the Brazilian restaurant experience and think about the second iconic comedy set piece from the beloved Kristen Wiig comedy. It’s when the whole crew is on that plane. Wiig’s character is drugged out. Melissa McCarthy seduces an air marshal. Good times.

“Airport” (1970)

Suddenly, in the 1970s, airport movies became a big thing. Specifically, the “Airport” series, of which they made four in the decade. “Airport,” the first film, was a true sensation, and a critical darling. Helen Hayes won an Oscar for the film, and it was nominated for Best Picture as well.

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“Twilight Zone: The Movie” (1983)

The anthology movie based on the anthology sci-fi show is flawed. Also, the John Landis section is effectively unwatchable for multiple reasons. That being said, George Miller directed an adaptation of one of the quintessential “Twilight Zone” stories, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.” John Lithgow plays an airline passenger who sees a gremlin on the wing of the plane, but nobody believes him.

“Red Eye” (2005)

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” the TV episode, helped stoke the rise of the horror story set on a plane. “Red Eye” is a straight-up horror film, or maybe more of a thriller, directed by none other than Wes Craven. The horror master helmed a story where Rachel McAdams’ character finds herself sitting next to Cillian Murphy who, unsurprisingly, turns out to be a menacing man with sinister motives.

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“Snakes on a Plane” (2006)

Look, in the end, the title delivered more than the movie. “Snakes on the Plane” was a meme that came to life. The film was a shrug, and it was kind of a flop. However, “Snakes on the Plane” still amused people on the internet, and Samuel L. Jackson got to say that one line. as well as give us one of his best on-screen roles .

“Soul Plane (2004)

This may be the only wacky comedy, non-parody version set on a plane. It’s the kind of film where Snoop Dog plays an airplane pilot. Does hilarity ensue? Not so much, and it was a flop. That being said, we definitely remember the ads for it, and the fact that “Soul Plane” exists.

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“Con Air” (1997)

“Con Air” is an out-there ‘90s action film, and one look at the cast would make that clear. When Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and John Malkovich come together, you know things are probably going to get bonkers. Especially since, you know, this is a movie about a plane full of convicts where things, shall we say, go awry. Check out 20 facts you might not know about the film.

“U.S. Marshals” (1998)

Speaking of planes full of convicts, “U.S. Marshals” is the sequel to “The Fugitive.” It’s not as good, but it makes the decision to one-up the prisoner-escape scene from the classic original. This time, a plane full of convicts, and law enforcement officials, crashes, into the water no less. Here, Wesley Snipes’ not Dr. Richard Kimble is able to make his escape.

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“Dr. Strangelove” (1964)

There are a few distinct segments of “Dr. Strangelove,” Stanley Kubrick’s indelible war satire. While Peter Sellers is not in the plane portion, it is still quite memorable. Slim Pickens plays Major “King” Kong, who has received an inaccurate message that leads him on a mission to bomb the Soviet Union, which would trigger a civilization-destroying war. Cue Pickens riding a nuke like it’s a bucking bronco.

“Non-Stop” (2014)

What about “Non-Stop,” though? Liam Neeson was in his bag as a guy making B-minus/C-plus action flicks and thrillers during the time “Non-Stop” dropped. This time, it’s on a plane. There is actually quite a supporting cast in this film as well behind Neeson, and the film was a big hit.

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“Flightplan” (2005)

A psychological thriller that dips into the world of horror, “Flightplan” starts Jodie Foster on a plane with her daughter, and then her daughter disappears. All throughout the plane, Foster runs into people who insist her daughter was never on the plane. What’s going on? How could a person disappear entirely on a plane? That’s the crux of “Flightplan.”

“Final Destination” (2000)

“Final Destination” spawned a lengthy, low-budget horror franchise. It’s built to churn out cheap, satisfying films, as it is about the abstract concept of death coming to kill people who cheat death and to do so in elaborate, ridiculous ways. First, though, death must be cheated. “Final Destination” kicks it all off with Devon Sawa playing a teenager who foresees a plane explosion and convinces his friends to get off the plane.

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“View from the Top” (2003)

“View from the Top” doesn’t fully work. It doesn’t seem to land on a tone. However, it’s still remembered as the comedy(?) where Gwyneth Paltrow plays a flight attendant. While it didn’t fully work, it’s the one flight attendant comedy we can think of.

“Passenger 57” (1992)

This is the second Wesley Snipes film on the list. He was a massive action star in the ‘90s, whether on a train or a plane. “Passenger 57” is kind of like a smaller-scale “Con Air” without the wilder elements. Snipes plays a guy who has been a soldier, a cop, and a Secret Service agent who just so happens to be on the same flight as…the world’s most infamous terrorist who is being transported for trial? Sure, why not?

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“Money Plane” (2020)

“Money Plane” delivered in the ways “Snakes on the Plane” just didn’t. Oh, it’s a bad movie. Nobody was expecting a good movie, though. “Money Plane” delivered what we expected from everything “Money Plane” promised. It’s dumb but fun in its dumb way.

“Plane” (2023)

It was the title revealed in a trailer heard around the world. Yes, the movie is called “Plane.” It’s a shrug of an action movie starring Gerald Butler. How could we not include a movie that is called “Plane” on a list of plane films? It may not be good, but it is, in multiple ways, a plane movie.

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Flight Attendants Share Their Best In-Flight Food and Drink Hacks

Take your plane dining to new heights.

It happens like clockwork: Once you’ve catapulted 30,000 feet in the air and reached a safe, cruising altitude, the real fun of your flight truly begins. You log into your flight’s internet, swipe through the movie offerings, and even get up to go to the bathroom. Before you know it, there it is: The snack cart, packed with food and beverage and wheeling its way right to you. If you purchased bites beforehand or scarfed down something at your airport lounge , you might think of the snack cart as an appetizing afterthought. But in reality? With some pro-approved pointers, the humble snack cart can be bursting with culinary potential—you just need to know what to order. (And, of course, not to order.) 

Here, two flight attendants are whetting your appetite by sharing their expert advice for navigating the snack cart. We hope you came hungry!

Suhyeon Choi/Unsplash

1. Elevate With Accoutrements

Pretzels, cookies, nuts—everyone knows the snack cart basics, right? Well, with a few simple tweaks, you can turn your go-to choices into something a bit more gourmet. While Heath M.* says the fruit bars are a “good and healthy choice,” he does give you full permission to indulge your sweet tooth. “Biscoff cookies are a treat from time to time,” he says. “Squeeze some lemon or lime on top of the Biscoff cookie for a key lime pie treat!”

2. Craft Your Cocktails

Your in-flight drink options might feel a tad constricting, but Heath encourages you to get a little creative with your sips. “Why settle for Baileys Irish Sweet Cream on the rocks when you can have a White Russian?” he asks. “Ask your flight attendant for a Baileys, a vodka and a splash of coffee mixed over ice! Want a screwdriver? Add a splash of cranberry to that, too!” If you want to skip the booze on your flight—after all, the altitude can change your reaction to alcohol—he recommends cutting a sugary juice with some soda water. (Bonus points: Your less-than-basic order might spark some fun conversation with your flight attendant.)

Getty Images

3. Stay Away from Stainable Sips 

That said, there’s one beverage Heath says you should never order: Tomato juice or Bloody Mary mix. “First of all, it stinks,” he says. “Second, it’s super messy if spilled. You simply cannot recover from a cup or tomato being spilled on your clothes!” He has a point: Since nobody wants to sit on a long-haul flight covered in stained clothing, you might want to stick with clear or easy-to-clean beverages.

4. BYOB: Bring Your Own Bottle

It doesn’t matter where you’re going or how long your flight is: A plane’s low humidity and high altitude can leave you feeling parched. That’s exactly why flight attendant Grace Rueda recommends bringing an empty water bottle through TSA and filling it in the terminal. “We get very dehydrated in flight,” she explains. “If I have enough water for the cabin, I’ll happily fill your water bottle after we’ve finished service.” Not only will you have enough water to quench your thirst, but you can also reduce your waste by ditching the disposable plastic cups.

Courtesy of Amazon

5. Keep Your Entree Simple 

Depending on your flight’s route, you might receive a complimentary warm meal. Though most airlines offer a meat and vegetarian option, the exact options are always changing. When in doubt, these flight attendants say you can’t go wrong with the classics. “Usually simpler is better,” Heath says. “When it sounds super fancy, it’s usually not as good.” When it comes to flavor, Rueda says pasta is typically a safe bet. 

6. Pre-Order When You Can

When it comes to scoring a scrumptious snack on your next flight, the early bird literally gets the worm. While frequent fliers for some airlines get one free item, Heath notes that he often runs out of fresh food before he reaches premium economy or emergency row. “When you pre-order, you reserve that item no matter where you’re seated,” Heath says. “I won’t have much sympathy when you pout about how you’re vegetarian and can only eat the cheese plate when you didn’t have the time to pre-order.” As for the most in-demand item? “The cheese plate goes quickly,” he says.

7. Keep it Kind

If you really want to make the most out of your in-flight snacks, a little bit of kindness can go a long way. “I will move heaven and earth if I sense genuine kindness from a passenger,” Rueda adds. “Order kindly: Please and thank you go a long way. Trust me, you want us on your team.” Pay it forward by smiling at your flight attendants , saying hello, or practicing basic etiquette. (In fact, Heath says you can butter your flight attendants up by giving them a treat or a low-cost gift.) Who knows? Maybe you’ll get an extra helping of “key lime pie” or a second screwdriver!

* A pseudonym has been used.

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6 essential tips for surviving long flights from a former Air Force pilot who now flies one of the longest commercial flights in the world

• Yusri Abu Bakar is an Emirates pilot who used to be a member of the Singapore Air Force.
• He now flies an A380, piloting one of the longest flights in the world from Dubai to New Zealand.
• Yusri said to pack noise-canceling earphones and ask the flight crew for anything you need at once.

Yusri Abu Bakar is a former Singapore Air Force pilot who pivoted from flying an F-16 fighter jet and now flies an A380 as a commercial pilot for Emirates out of Dubai, where he is based.

Over the past four-and-a-half years, Yusri has flown to 50 destinations, often from Dubai to Auckland, New Zealand. At close to 16 hours, this flight is one of the longest in the world. There are longer flights, such as the Singapore Airbus A350 ULR to JFK airport in New York, but those only have business-class seats.

Yusri flies this long-haul flight two or three times a month, in line with regulations regarding how many hours a pilot can fly a month.

Emirates' first-class travelers can spend the 15-hour, 45-minute flight time drinking glasses of Dom Perignon or freshening up in the private shower. But if you don't have first-class amenities, Yusri shared seven tips for traveling on a long flight in comfort and reaching your final destination feeling refreshed.

Sync with your next time zone in advance to avoid jet lag

The hardest part of flying long distances is dealing with the jet lag on either side.

Yusri said he got into sync with his new destination's time zone by changing his eating and sleeping patterns at least two days before his flight.

"I make the changes in small increments by going to bed two hours earlier each day," Yusri said. "If I'm flying on a Saturday, I will go to bed two hours earlier on the Thursday, and then four hours earlier on the Friday. It slowly nudges me closer to the new time zone."

Being considerate to the flight crew helps improve your experience

You could do a couple of things to make your life and the crew's life easier on a long-haul flight. "The first thing you should do is fasten your seatbelt on top of your blanket, so they don't have to disturb you," Yusri said.

He told Insider that passengers should try to minimize the trips the crew had to take down the plane's 50-meter-long aisle to win favor with flight attendants.

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He said passengers should think about what they would need for the next few hours of their flight — a blanket, coffee, or snacks — and ask for it all in one go.

Prioritize your body's needs

Yusri recommended stretching for five to 10 minutes each hour of the flight. "If it's a long flight, I'd recommend that you get up and stretch your glutes, your hips, and your back. These are the areas that can get stiff during a flight," he said.

He said to opt for the bulkhead seats — seats facing a divider in the plane — because they had more legroom, or an aisle seat so you didn't disturb anyone when stretching.

Yusri tries to eat light before and after the flight, as heavy meals can upset the stomach.

He said that proactively drinking lots of water while in the air would help you feel better after stepping off the flight. "If you feel thirsty, it's too late, as you're already dehydrated," Yusri added.

If you're flying with kids, create a schedule

Yusri told Insider that parents who were used to long-haul flights would plan playtime and nap time.

"I've seen parents have timed activities for their kids. They'll bring out different toys or books at set times during the flight, so the child is surprised and entertained," he said.

"Early in the flight, they will let them play games on their tablets, but as they move towards sleep time, they will remove some of the stimulation and give them a traditional board game so they calm down," Yusri added.

Pack noise-canceling headphones and an eye mask

Packing a well-thought-out carry-on could improve your long-haul flight experience, Yusri said.

"I would normally pack a good set of noise-canceling earphones and a good pair of eye shades because sometimes you don't want to be disturbed by the lights," said Yusri. He also recommended asking the cabin crew for a bottle of water so you could keep your hydration levels topped up.

He said to dress for comfort because traveling in a suit or business casual would not increase your chances of a free upgrade. "Wear loose-fitting clothes so that you are more comfortable," he added.

Listen to audiobooks and relaxing music to fall asleep

Yusri shared two tried-and-true techniques to help fall asleep on long-haul flights: reading a book or listening to relaxing music with noise-canceling earbuds.

"There are some playlists on Spotify that you can use to induce sleep. I have a playlist filled with classical music and jazz," he said.

"Otherwise, I will listen to one of my audiobooks," he added. "I love self-help books such as ikigai or Ryan Holiday books as they are kind of meditative."

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• Main content

Will new airline consumer protection rules help you when you fly this summer?

You've probably heard about the new airline consumer protection rules that rolled out with a one-two punch last month. There were so many, it's almost hard to keep track. And maybe you're saying to yourself: Finally, I'll have some rights when I fly.

Please, don't get too excited.

"It's a good start," said Anthony Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor , a company that helps consumers file airline complaints.

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The new rules address everything from junk fees to refunds, and although they may have some unintended consequences, they could help passengers – but those are expected to take effect until later, so not in time for the upcoming summer travel season.

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What did the government do?

Here's what's new:

• Two new consumer protection rules. The Department of Transportation (DOT) released final versions of two new rules to protect passengers. One requires airlines to quickly and automatically refund tickets when they cancel or significantly delay a flight. The other requires airlines to disclose any fees for checked or carry-on luggage, as well as for changing or canceling a reservation, at the same time, they display a fare quote. 
• States will handle some airline complaints. The federal government also announced a partnership with 18 state attorneys general . The agreement allows states to investigate airlines and ticket agents and hold them accountable when they violate aviation consumer protection laws.
• New refund laws and minimum seat sizes. The latest version of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Bill contains a new rule that would require airlines to refund a domestic flight if it's delayed more than three hours. For international flights, it's six hours. It prohibits airlines from charging fees for families to sit together. Also on deck: a requirement that the FAA take another look at minimum seat sizes.

The new DOT rules go into effect in late June but have an implementation period of 6 to 12 months. Some, like the seat standards, might never happen. So don't expect to see new junk fees disclosed or to get a lightning-fast refund this summer—maybe next summer.

Turbulent skies ahead for new consumer protections

At least one of the rules may backfire, warn travel experts. Among the consumer protections is a requirement that a merchant of record must issue a refund for an airline ticket. That means unless you booked a ticket directly with the airline, your travel advisor – not the airline – would be responsible for a prompt ticket refund. In other words, the money would come out of your advisor's pocket and then force the agent to negotiate with the airline for the money.

"I'm already seeing travel advisors who had been providing flight booking services to their clients, who are now choosing not to offer that service," said travel advisor Brandi Taylor. "This will be a major inconvenience to consumers." 

So this summer, if you're booking a trip through a travel advisor, they might tell you to buy the airline tickets yourself. They don't want to be on the hook for refunding the money your airline has already received for your flights.

That's not the only problem. There's a conflict between the FAA bill and DOT’s new rule requiring automatic cash refunds for flight cancellations and delays. Congress doesn't want the refund to be automatic. Bill McGee, a senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project, said a lot of money is at stake in unpaid refunds.

"Airline lobbyists are fighting tooth and nail to ensure the onus remains on consumers to jump through hoops, rather than having carriers issue automatic refunds," he said. "The DOT has stepped up to protect passengers. Now it's time for Congress to do the same."

Asked about which rules would take precedence in the event of a conflict, a DOT spokeswoman said the agency's rule is "solidly rooted in DOT’s legal authority." So if there's a conflict the DOT rule would prevail.

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Will these consumer rules really help you?

"I'm skeptical," said Steven Rothberg, the founder of a job search site in Edina, Minnesota.

Like many experienced air travelers, he's seen this kind of thing before. The government promises protections, people get excited – and then there's no meaningful follow-through. 

Take seat sizes, for example. Airline seats are too small for the average passenger. So in 2018, Congress required the FAA to set minimum seat sizes. But to this day, there is no minimum seat standard, forcing air travelers to wedge themselves into tiny economy-class seats. 

There are also worries that airlines will quickly find a way around all these new rules, leaving passengers unprotected.

Travelers have every reason to be concerned. Airlines are clever and often find ways around new government rules. For example, if the government requires the disclosure of a junk fee like baggage charges, airlines will come up with a new charge not covered by the regulation to make up for it. It's a cat-and-mouse game, and the airlines always seem to have the upper hand. 

When will the new consumer rules go into effect?

So what's likely to happen? In the short term, not much.

Jonathan Feniak, a frequent traveler and attorney, said airlines will stall for as long as possible.

"I don’t expect airlines to adopt the new rules until they absolutely have to," he said. "Especially during one of their busiest seasons, when delays and cancellations are bound to happen."

He said some forward-looking airlines may decide to adopt some of the requirements early, but it will also take some time for passengers to learn about their new rights.

On balance, he said the changes are a significant upgrade.

"It will mean fewer passengers being taken advantage of," he said.

A problem of enforcement

Here's the trouble with the new rules: There's some doubt the government will effectively enforce them. 

The DOT, which is in charge of enforcing the existing consumer rules, hasn't issued an enforcement action since December. It's one of the longest stretches of time without such action in years.

Think of enforcement actions as traffic tickets. And now there's a perception that airlines can get away with anything, according to Radchenko of AirAdvisor. Out of almost 300 complaints he filed in the last year, he said  DOT has not made any decision or issued enforcement action.

He said the government must prescribe penalties for airlines that ignore or fail to comply with the new rules for the new rules to work.

"They also need to provide the right to recover attorney's fees and legal costs for consumers bringing a lawsuit against an airline," he said.

What do we really need?

The bottom line for passengers is that almost none of the consumer protections will improve your summer flight. It may even be too soon for your Thanksgiving flight, and if there's a change of administration this November, some of these rules may never be implemented.

The gold standard for consumer protection, at least according to consumer advocates, is a rule in Europe called EC 261 . It requires airlines to assist passengers and compensate them when they're denied boarding or their flights are canceled or delayed.

For now, you have the same rights you always had when you flew in the U.S., which is to say, not many. 

Christopher Elliott  is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded  Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes  Elliott Confidential , a travel newsletter, and the  Elliott Report , a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can  reach him here  or email him at  [email protected] .