Haven’t you ever said to yourself, “if only I could go back and try again?” Maybe you would make a different choice or been nicer to that stranger. But what if you can’t stop going back? What if you’re doomed to repeat the same day over and over again? I love time loops. They are probably my favorite story device in fiction. The nature of this type of time paradox leads to the hilarity of the repetition, the freedom to become someone new, the boredom of predictability and the challenge of breaking free. Since today is Groundhog Day, here are 5 movies you’ll want to watch again and again and again.
Groundhog Day
A cynical TV weatherman (Bill Murray) finds himself reliving the same day over and over again when he goes on location to the small town of Punxsutawney to film a report about their annual Groundhog Day. His predicament drives him to distraction until he sees a way of turning the situation to his advantage. Rated PG.
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Edge of Tomorrow: Live, Die, Repeat
When Earth falls under attack from invincible aliens, no military unit in the world is able to beat them. Maj. William Cage (Tom Cruise), an officer who has never seen combat, is assigned to a suicide mission. Killed within moments, Cage finds himself thrown into a time loop, in which he relives the same brutal fight – and his death – over and over again. As Cage’s fighting skills improve with each repeat, he and a comrade (Emily Blunt) come closer to defeating the aliens. Rated PG-13.
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About Time
When Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) is 21, his father (Bill Nighy) tells him a secret: The men in their family can travel through time. Although he can’t change history, Tim resolves to improve his life by getting a girlfriend (Rachel McAdams). However, as his unusual life progresses, Tim finds that his special ability can’t shield him and those he loves from the problems of ordinary life. Rated R.
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Happy Death Day
Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) is a blissfully self-centered collegian who wakes up on her birthday in the bed of a classmate. As the morning goes on, Tree gets the eerie feeling that she’s experienced the events of this day before. When a masked killer suddenly takes her life in a brutal attack, she once again magically wakes up in the dorm room unharmed. Now, the frightened young woman must relive the same day over and over until she figures out who murdered her. Rated PG-13.
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Source Code
Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is part of a top-secret military operation that enables him to experience the last few minutes in the life of a man who died in a commuter-train explosion. The purpose of Colter’s mission is to learn the identity of the bomber and prevent a similar catastrophe. As Colter relives the same final moments, he becomes more certain that he can prevent the first tragedy from occurring—as long as he doesn’t run out of time. Rated PG-13.
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Want more time loop fiction? Check out our display on the library’s 2nd floor!