A concept frequently used as a plot device involving the manipulation of events by characters traveling back into the past or into the future.
20
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5answers
2k views
In “12 Monkeys”, what does the woman from the future mean when she says she's “in insurance”?
At the end of 12 Monkeys, the doctor spreading the virus gets on a plane and sits next to a woman we know (or can assume) is from the future. She tells the doctor that she's "in insurance." What does ...
22
votes
5answers
2k views
In Back to the Future Part II, how could old Biff have made it back to 2015?
So in Back to the Future Part II, Doc picks up Marty in 1985 and takes him to 2015. Then old Biff realizes the Delorean is a time machine. Old Biff steals the Delorean and travels from 2015 to 1955 to ...
0
votes
1answer
326 views
What is the Butterfly-Effect in Mr. Nobody?
In Mr. Nobody, the concept of time-travel is blended with the butterfly effect.
In the movie, when the old man tells his story as a child, he says that he chose his mommy and daddy because they would ...
8
votes
2answers
262 views
Henry's secret in The Time Traveler's Wife
In the movie The Time Traveler's Wife, shortly after Henry meets Clare for the first time, Clare spends the night at Henry's. Following morning she finds a lipstick in Henry's bathroom, and when Henry ...
12
votes
6answers
770 views
What happened to Thomas Granger?
In Primer there is a secondary character named Thomas Granger that the two main characters Aaron and Abe come in contact with. Apparently he is the father of Abe's girlfriend Rachel and is head of ...
7
votes
5answers
3k views
Is the time loop on the cruise ship a second timeline in Triangle?
In Triangle, at the start when Jess arrives at the boat for the "first" time, is this the start of the continuation of the ending scene.
It's known that the cruise ship and any surroundings after ...
8
votes
1answer
192 views
In “La jetée” does the time-traveler's body stay in the present time?
The film La jetée -- famous for inspiring 12 Monkeys -- appears to feature a method of time travel that is more psychological than mechanical. There is no time machine. Instead, a man who is known for ...
5
votes
2answers
93 views
Are there any guides to the timeline of Donnie Darko?
I have the basic understanding that the entire plot to Donnie Darko revolves around time traveling. As far as the ending is conceded, you may have various interpretations of what actually happened. ...
-4
votes
1answer
168 views
Why not send back dead or drugged people in Looper?
I understand that it would ruin the story but why not shot the target in the future and then just send back the dead body? Or with their legs broken? Or drugged?
It seems like a lot could go wrong ...
4
votes
1answer
461 views
What does the word “Cellar Door” represent in the movie “Donnie Darko”?
I've watched Donnie Darko many times, yet I always feel like I'm missing something important when Drew Barrymore's character brings up "Cellar Door".
Edit
From imdb.com - quotes - Karen Pommeroy: ...
10
votes
5answers
719 views
Looper: Why don't more things change back?
In looper why don't more things change when they kill/mame people?
Like when Joe shoots himself at the end and Older Joe disappears why doesn't it undo the things that Older Joe did seeings as he now ...
47
votes
7answers
1k views
In Back to the Future, why don't Marty's parents ever mention how similar he looks to the Marty of 1955
Although Marty is only in 1955 for one week, he plays a pivotal role in getting his parents together. He even briefly dates his mother. So, considering he plays such a pivotal role, does it make sense ...
4
votes
4answers
931 views
How is Agent J able to get the time-travel device in Men in Black 3?
In Men in Black 3, Agent J (Will Smith) goes to see Jeffrey Price in the electronics store to obtain the time-travel device built by Price's father that J can then use to travel back to 1969 to avert ...
51
votes
6answers
4k views
What caused and ended the time loop in Groundhog Day?
I've always wondered what caused the Time Loop experienced by Phil Connors in Groundhog Day, as well as what ended it, but I don't recall it being discussed in the movie.
What was the cause for the ...
12
votes
1answer
480 views
Back to the Future Part 3 - Why doesn't Marty use the other DeLorean?
In Back to the Future Part 3 Marty follows Doc back to 1885 to rescue him from being shot at the hands of Buford 'Mad Dog' Tannen.
He arrives in 1885 some time after Doc has written the letter that ...
6
votes
3answers
136 views
What happened to change Joe's timeline?
As far as I can remember, we see a total of three Joes in the movie. Joe A kills himself, then 30 years later gets sent back and is killed by Joe B, a closed loop.
Joe B, however, changes from the ...
34
votes
6answers
948 views
Why does George Mcfly employ Biff to wax his car after he had previously tried to rape his wife?
In Back to the Future, Marty goes back to 1955 and devises a plan for his father George McFly to win over Lorraine in order to ensure Marty's survival.
The plan involved Marty pretending to sexually ...
7
votes
2answers
733 views
How did the timeline work?
I'm not sure I quite understand how the timeline(s) of Looper works.
You have the initial timeline (A), where Joe shoots himself, goes on to party, and then meets the asian woman. The Rain Maker ...
12
votes
1answer
415 views
In “Looper” was there a reason why they didn't send people directly to the furnace?
In "Looper" the future bad-guys send back people to be killed in a field by a guy with a stupid gun who then takes them into what appears to be a massively-insecure blast-furnace equipped factory of ...
2
votes
1answer
120 views
What was the first tv show or movie to feature a character who travelled through time?
There have been many characters who have travelled through time but who was the first? Off the top of my head, I can only think of Ebenezer Scrooge and his 3 ghostly visitors. I'm not even sure that ...
9
votes
1answer
104 views
What is the reason for the blood between Henry and Clair in The Time Travler's Wife?
There is a scene after the miscarriage where Henry and his wife are sleeping on thier bed and they see blood on the bed.
What does it mean? Is this a second miscarriage or did I miss something?
3
votes
1answer
331 views
identify movie where army goes back in time to ww1 or ww2 era
My father and I were talking about this movie, we saw it a VERY long time ago.
All I remember about it is, that the army(present day in the movies time) somehow either Bermuda Triangle or something, ...
37
votes
5answers
1k views
Why does Harry only make use of time travel in The Prisoner of Azkaban?
At the end of The Prisoner of Azkaban,
Harry and Hermione travel back in time to save Sirius (and as it turns out, Buckbeak) and escape the Dementors.
If this is a legitimate option for saving ...
9
votes
2answers
271 views
In the Time Travellers Wife why does Henry never meet himself?
There are several occasions in the Time Travellers Wife where Henry arrives at the same point as he's already been
Such as when he sees himself die and when Alba is conceived
Why does he never ...
3
votes
1answer
195 views
Time travel paradox in Futurama
In S7E3 "Decision 3012", a man from the future travels back in time to stop Nixon winning the election. Since he defeats Nixon, there is no need for him to return to his own time. He never does and ...
