While there have been plenty of time loop movies over the years, many have used the concept to dramatic effect, like in Groundhog Day helped popularize the time loop comedy subgenre in which a character is stuck reliving the same day over and over again until they figure out how to break the loop, leading to all kinds of hijinks as the character uses and misuses their familiarity with the day's events.
This comedic yet heartfelt approach has been used in comedies such as Palm Springs, has been modified to show the character dying over and over again like in Edge of Tomorrow and Happy Death Day, and has even been repurposed to serve as a metaphor in social commentary movies like See You Tomorrow and the short film Two Distant Strangers.
12 Dates Of Christmas
The romantic comedy 12 Dates of Christmas takes the time loop concept and applies it to a different holiday as Kate gets suck reliving Christmas Eve over and over again until she learns to let go of the past and embrace the future.
The film is far more sappy and sentimental than Groundhog Day, often overly so, but it is a sweet and enjoyable movie that uses the setup well. It may not be the best time travel movie ever, but it has its moments and it is a fun guilty pleasure movie that the whole family can enjoy during the holidays.
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange's use of the time loop concept is unique as it only factors into the film's climax and the protagonist is not stuck in it, but rather is the one creating it by using the Time Stone to trap himself and Dormammu in a loop until he agrees to leave earth.
This different approach to the concept allows Doctor Strange to stand out from other time loop movies and other superhero films. In the short use of the time loop, the film manages to capture the appeal of the concept, mixing humor with drama as Doctor Strange says the same line before dying over and over again until he annoys his opponent into submission.
When We First Met
The Netflix romantic comedy When We First Met follows Noah as he pines over his friend Avery and discovers a magical photo booth that gives him the opportunity to repeatedly travel back to the day they meet so he can make things different in the hopes of finding a course of action that will lead to them being together.
Like many of Netflix's best original romantic comedies, the film is cheesy but in a thoroughly enjoyable way. The movie may not be revolutionary but its likable cast and light tone make it a fun, if somewhat familiar, movie.
The Final Girls
The horror-comedy The Final Girls follows Max, the daughter of a famous horror movie actress, and her group of friends as they are transported into her mother's movie and must now survive the events of the film and find a way to escape.
The film uses a different approach to the time loop concept as the movie restarts every 92 minutes. Additionally, the characters have seen the movie and know what is going to happen next. The Final Girls is an underrated horror-comedy that benefits from a fun concept and a heartfelt mother-daughter storyline.
Two Distant Strangers
The Academy Award-winning Netflix short film Two Distant Strangers is a powerful and inspiring film that follows Carter, a young and successful Black man, who gets stuck in a time loop in which he is continually killed by the same police officer no matter what he does.
Given the weight of the subject material, the film features a surprising amount of humor, thanks mostly to the optimistic and likable character of Carter. The movie makes excellent use of the premise to deliver an important and timely message.
Edge of Tomorrow
Edge of Tomorrow is a sci-fi action movie that takes place in a future in which aliens have invaded earth. Major William Cage is set to the frontlines, where he discovers that the aliens have the ability to loop time in order to win battles. When he becomes trapped in a time loop, he must figure out how to win the war and end the loop.
Edge of Tomorrow is one of the coolest time loop movies, adding thrilling action and visually stunning aliens to the familiar concept. Leads Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt add an unexpected layer of humor that connects the film to movies like Groundhog Day while also pushing the subgenre forward.
50 First Dates
The romantic comedy 50 First Dates follows Henry, a marine biologist who follows in love with a woman with a short-term memory loss condition that prevents her from ing their relationship, forcing him to start over every day.
Unlike nearly every other time loop movie, 50 First Dates does not use sci-fi elements but instead finds a creative way to use the time loop concept in a fresh and original way. This creativity combined with the always reliable pairing of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore makes for one of the better romantic comedies of the 2000s.
See You Yesterday
See You Yesterday is a Netflix original sci-fi film about CJ, a young scientist who develops time-traveling technology. When her brother is killed by the police, she uses her new technology to repeatedly travel back in time to try to save his life.
Rather than being trapped in a time loop, CJ subjects herself to a time loop because she cannot move on, making the movie into a powerful metaphor for loss, trauma, and grieving. The film manages to have a lot of heart and humor, thanks to the endearing characters, including a great ing performance from Back to the Future's Michael J. Fox as he returns to the time travel genre.
Happy Death Day
The horror-comedy Happy Death Day follows a Tree, a selfish and stuck-up college student who is murdered on the night of her birthday but wakes up in a time loop and relives the same day over and over as she tries to stop the murderer from killing her.
The film is a fun and inventive twist on the time loop concept, successfully blending elements of comedy, horror, and coming-of-age movies. Effective kill scenes, solid comedy, and likable characters make Happy Death Day an entertaining and satisfying time loop movie.
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a romantic comedy about Sarah, a woman who travels to Palm Springs for her sister's wedding, where she meets Nyles. However, she quickly discovers that she is now trapped in a time loop with him.
While several of the best time loop movies are also romantic comedies, Palm Springs makes the inventive decision to have multiple characters stuck in the loop together. This allows the relationship to develop and evolve with the loop. This fresh approach to the concept as well as outstanding performances from Cristin Milioti and Andy Sandberg make the film a hilarious and insightful look at a relationship that is stuck in time.
