People have long been fascinated by time travel — for proof, look no further than H.G. Wells' classic novel "The Time Machine," which came out way back in 1895.
Time travel is not just a ubiquitous presence in science fiction novels — it's also a staple of science fiction film. But, unfortunately, many of these films tend to provide an oversimplified vision of time travel. One of the most well-known time travel movies, "Back to the Future," is a perfect example. In one scene, Marty McFly looks on with horror as his visage slowly fades from a family photograph, implying that his meddling in the past is jeopardizing his very existence.
The film conveniently, and frustratingly, ignores the major paradox inherent in this scenario. If Marty McFly is never born ... then how can he go back in time and cause himself to never be born?
It's all too common for time travel films to ignore these inherent paradoxes in order to make their plots more palatable to the general public. But it's those very paradoxes that make time travel so damned interesting.
Thankfully, every once in awhile, Hollywood produces a movie that give time travel the intellectual weight it deserves. If you're tired of "Back to the Future" copycats, check out these films that investigate the delightfully complex side of time travel.
Number One: 12 Monkeys
"12 Monkeys" stars Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt (in one of his weirdest roles). To make a long story short, the film follows the efforts of Willis' character to go back in time and stop the spread of a catastrophic virus that ends up wiping out most of humanity.
Without getting too spoilery, I'll just say that the movie has interesting things to say about the nature of fate and the limitations of changing the past.
Number Two: Looper
Another time-traveling movie featuring Bruce Willis (as well as Joseph Gordon-Levitt made up to look like a young Bruce Willis), this one features a future crime lord who uses time travel to his advantage. Again, I can't get into too much without spoiling it, but needless to say, Willis/Levitt get wrapped up in plenty of time-travel shenanigans that'll cause your brain to wrinkle. Admittedly, there are some unexplained paradoxes here, but the film mostly offers an interesting take on how time travel would be used by criminals.
Number Three: Primer
"Primer" has been described as the most realistic time travel film ever. If time travel is ever actually discovered, it will probably happen much the same way it's depicted in this film -- by accident, by a couple of guys (or gals) tinkering around in a garage.
Number Four: Predestination
Adapted from Robert Heinlein's short story, "—All You Zombies—," this film written and directed by brothers Michael and Peter Spierig follows the career of a "temporal agent" as they live out paradox after paradox. That's really all I can say without giving too much away, but rest assured — though this movie was not widely released, it's an indie treat that won't disappoint. I can't say enough good things about this movie. Seriously, see it now, if you haven't already.
Number Five: Donnie Darko
This is perhaps the most recognizable movie on this list, since it became such a cult classic. Though "Donnie Darko" is many kinds of movies — including an '80s period piece and a horror film — at its heart, it's about time travel. Even saying that may be giving too much away if you've never seen it.
One of the great joys of "Donnie Darko" is trying to unravel its many mysteries. It's a complex film, even aside from the time travel element. Just don't watch it alone at night (like I did the first time I saw it) if you value your sleep.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but if you're hankering for some weighty time travel fare, this will hopefully get you started. If you know of a time travel movie that would have been better suited for this list, please let me know in the comments!