One Step Closer to Time Travel
June 23, 2004
If time travel were possible and publically accessible, I would utilize it to travel back to the early 80’s to see what kind of child I was. Granted, because of various theories this most likely will never happen. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
According to an article published in Scientific American entitled How to Build a Time Machine, the possibility of a working time machine could occur but it would be immensely difficult to pull off.
For a crash course in the theories of time travel, please read anything by Steven Hawking or view the following (and highly recommended flicks):
- Donnie Darko –
Disturbingly creative film revolving around the concepts of time travel. You’ll have to incur repeat viewings in order to fully understand the message of this movie. - Back to the Future –
Anyone that hasn’t seen this movie is just, well, in a sad state in their life. BTTF (Parts 1, 2 and 3) all utilize the time travel theory but in an entertaining and often hilarious fashion. - Time Machine –
H.G. Wells classic. It evens stars the man who voiced Scrooge McDuck and was the main character in Mr. Ed (not the horse, of course of course). The main attraction is the time machine built by a scientist who is curious about the future and is shockingly surprised. - TimeCop –
Jean-Claud Van Damme. Time Travel. Can’t think of anything else to say. - Minority Report –
Steven Spielberg and Robert Heinlein’s vision of the future, with a pseudo-time travel procedure that allows law enforcers to perceive crimes before they occur and try to stop them from occuring.
13 comments
What about the remake of “The Time Machine” from a few years back?? Did you catch that one? More of a lesson in what can go wrong with evolution, really. A good movie, I thought. Kinda like time travel meets the Island of Dr. Moreau. Just thinking about those beasts that lived in the caves gives me the willies.…
by Chad on June 23, 2004 at 9:05 am. #
There was a recent movie called The Butterfly Effect that mixed time travel and mysticism. I didn’t have a chance to go see it, but I really wanted to. Maybe I’ll pick it up sometime.
Also don’t forget The Philadelpia Experiment. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve seen it, and I haven’t seen all of it. But it’s considered one of the classic time travel movies.
And speaking of classic and time travel… how can we forget about the Terminator series? Though many may argue that Terminator 3 wasn’t very good, I rather enjoyed it. The action was great (honestly the car chase scene blew Matrix Reloaded’s “ultimate CG car chase” away) and it cleaned up a lot of the time stream paradoxes left by the second movie.
by Chris McDougall on June 23, 2004 at 2:03 pm. #
12 Monkeys had some interesting time travel elements in it also. However, none of the mentioned flicks are as cool as flying around the earth backwards to reverse time like Superman.
Thanks, Superman, you’re the greatest time-traveller of all.
by Max on June 23, 2004 at 2:22 pm. #
Man, Max. I totally forgot about Twelve Monkeys, and that’s one of my favorite time travel movies.
I also forgot to mention that a Timecop 2 was made starring none other than Jason Scott Lee aka Mr. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. I’m not sure if it was better or worse than the first one (I haven’t seen the first in a long time), but I must say that I did enjoy it.
Superman can do anything (pre-Crisis). He can even make Lois Lane lose her memory by giving her a kiss.
by Chris McDougall on June 23, 2004 at 2:50 pm. #
Thanks guys for your additions to the list. I left it open hoping someone would add a few.
I saw the Butterfly Effect several months ago when I was visiting Chicago for my brother’s Naval graduation. Like Darko, it was very Hitchcock-esque, save for a few plotholes.
I have never seen the Philadephia Experiment, oddly enough. I’ll need to check into that. What year was it made in?
Now, I’ve seen 12 Monkeys and you’re suggesting it to the list makes me want to jump in my car and go rent it. That was a classic movie (or at the very least I thought so). Wasn’t it by Terry Gilliam? Or, am I mistaken?
by kartooner on June 23, 2004 at 3:17 pm. #
Superman can do anything (pre-Crisis). He can even make Lois Lane lose her memory by giving her a kiss.
You sure about that? Looks like he needs his diaper changed…
I keep seeing Timecop 2 in the video store, and then I start to yell “The same matter cannot occupy the same space!”, until they kick me out.
by Max on June 23, 2004 at 3:17 pm. #
Max, I can actually picture you doing that. Whenever I see Kindergarten Cop in the video store, I nudge my wife and proclaim “It’s not a tumor!”.
Next thing I need to do is compile a list of memorable movie quotes.
by kartooner on June 23, 2004 at 3:40 pm. #
Yup. Twelve Monkeys is by Terry Gilliam. That man is simply amazing. One of my favorite directors.
Gar! I keep remembering more…
- Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
– Flight of the Navigator (very light time travel elements but it’s still there)
And one of my favorite movie quotes has to be from Jet Li’s “The One.”
“I am Yulaw! I am nobody’s b*tch! You are mine!”
If we’re going to Van Damme territory then this horribly hilarious quote from Street Fighter will suffice.
“I’m going to kick Bison’s *ss so hard, the next Bison wannabe will feel it!”
And yes, I do say those every time I see those movies in the video store as well. Video stores do that to people.
And as for Superman.… that isn’t pre-Crisis Supes. That’s Post-divorced-with-lois-lane-and-having-mid-life-crisis Superman.
by Chris McDougall on June 23, 2004 at 4:17 pm. #
Chris…good call on the The One, that is a great movie…and that quote…the way he says it with that look in his eyes…that movie had some great fight sequences too.
by Chad on June 23, 2004 at 4:24 pm. #
I just wanted to clarify that the Street Fighter quote is actually a shortened version of a much longer speech (I even forgot that he used “son-of-a-b*tch” in the original line). The whole speech and many other gems can be found on this site. It had a lot of one liners. Another favorite was when Raul Julia says “For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. But for me… it was Tuesday.” Sadly, there was no time travel to be found.
by Chris McDougall on June 23, 2004 at 4:27 pm. #
One of my favorite scenes in The One is when Jet Li (as badass alternate ego Jet Li) picks up the motorcyle and swings it like a baseball bat.
Now that’s action!
by kartooner on June 23, 2004 at 7:07 pm. #
And as for Superman . that isnt pre-Crisis Supes.
Damn! That’s true! Pre-Crisis Superman would change into funky rainbow colors and eat some sort of Kryptonite.
Here’s a bit of Crisis geekery for you, would Ultraman go back in time, or would he just speed it up?
And for some film geekery, 12 Monkeys is based on another film, La Jetee, which is a short film with no motion, like a slideshow, until suddenly somebody slowly smiles at you. One of the most shocking things on film I’ve ever seen.
Well, besides Bad Lieutenant.
by max on June 23, 2004 at 7:55 pm. #
Another get time travel movie was ‘Bid Time Goodbye’ about a man who travels back in time to meet a young women whom he met when the young lady was a old lady. The time travel is triggered by a coin and heavy meditation. Christopher Reeves played the title role in the movie, oh how I bet he wishes Time Travel exsisted now…for obvious reasons.
All we are is dust in the wind.…and time.
by Dad on June 23, 2004 at 10:40 pm. #