There are few genres quite as fun as the time-loop. There’s a certain Zen charm in watching characters relive the same day again and again, trying to find a way out of this endless cycle. The genre has proven to be surprisingly flexible, too, as there are time-loop comedies, horror films, and even action movies.
This got me thinking: what if I was stuck in a time-loop of my own and could only watch one of these films, again and again? It’s hard to come up with the right answer because there are so many great movies. And without further ado, here’s my definitive roundup of the best time-loop movies that you can “live, stream, repeat” with over and over again!
7
Groundhog Day
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Release Year |
1993 |
|---|---|
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Runtime |
1 hour 41 minutes |
Groundhog Day has a permanent place in the time-loop movie hall of fame. This Bill Murray comedy didn’t invent the genre, but it made it mainstream. And it’s more than fair to say that most of the other movies on this list wouldn’t have been created if Groundhog Day hadn’t proven to be such a hit. This movie resonated with audiences largely because of its simple premise: that a cynical weatherman who hates his Groundhog Day assignment must repeat the same day (one in which he is stuck in a tiny town thanks to a blizzard) again and again.
Murray is in fine form as our lead, and he had wonderful chemistry with Andie MacDowell. Arguably, though, the real chemistry was occurring behind the camera. This movie was directed by Murray’s fellow Ghostbuster Harold Ramis, and the confident direction helps bring out Murray’s A-game. These days, Murray typically gives more subdued performances, but this movie is a perfect time capsule of his days as Hollywood’s most charismatic comic actor.
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $8/month
- Simultaneous streams
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Two or four
This beloved time-loop movie casts a long shadow over the entire genre.
6
Edge of Tomorrow
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Release Year |
2014 |
|---|---|
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Runtime |
1 hour 53 minutes |
It was always a bit ironic that Groundhog Day made the time-loop genre popular. After all, that film was a largely rural comedy, and being stuck in a repeating day is a concept that feels more like science fiction. Those expecting a sci-fi take on the genre will likely be delighted with Edge of Tomorrow, where Tom Cruise plays a cowardly soldier forced to the front lines to fight alien invaders. When he inevitably dies, he discovers something horrific: that he must keep repeating this day, doomed to get killed in increasingly weird ways by exotic monsters.
What follows is a movie practically made for gamers, as Cruise’s character uses the endless looping to memorize enemy attack patterns and slowly become an action hero. Of course, his own action skills pale in comparison to those of a cool under pressure character played to icy perfection by Emily Blunt. They make for a very peculiar team, and their personalities are constantly bouncing off one another. Those feisty interactions help to ground this effects-heavy movie, giving you crunchy dialogue to absorb between epic sci-fi battles.
Come for the action and stay for Emily Blunt as the coolest warrior woman of modern cinema!
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $8/month
- Simultaneous streams
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3
Live, stream, repeat.
5
Happy Death Day
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Release Year |
2017 |
|---|---|
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Runtime |
1 hour 36 minutes |
Happy Death Day is the answer to a question you probably never thought to ask: what if Groundhog Day were a horror movie? This film follows a co-ed sorority sister who is somehow even more cynical than Bill Murray’s iconic time-loop character. She’s got many enemies around campus, but it’s still surprising when she gets killed by someone dressed like her university’s creepy mascot. It’s even more surprising when she wakes up repeating the same day, and the loop begins again whenever she is murdered again.
Rothe is this movie’s secret weapon: she has perfect comic timing, and she’s just as likely to crack you up with an unexpected smirk as she is with a bit of Mean Girls-inspired dialogue. She also makes her character’s arc more believable, and it’s fun to watch the curmudgeonly co-ed grow and evolve even as she is getting repeatedly killed by the world’s silliest-looking slasher. It’s a perfect time-loop movie and a perfect horror movie, but be warned: the ringtone she wakes up to each day is going to get stuck in your head, and it will probably never leave!
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $8/month
- Simultaneous streams
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3
Mascots have never been so scary!
4
Palm Springs
|
Release Year |
2020 |
|---|---|
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Runtime |
1 hour 30 minutes |
Palm Springs is another comedic time-loop film, but it sets itself apart from the rest by starting us in the middle of the action. At first, this looks like standard rom-com fare, with Andy Samberg’s character attending a wedding and trying to hook up with the maid of honor (Cristin Milioti, perhaps best known for playing the Mother in How I Met Your Mother). Soon, though, he’s attacked by a mysterious hunter and hops into a vortex; when she follows, his new squeeze is stuck in the time loop with him.
Because of this setup, Palm Springs brings an air of mystery to the usual time-looping shenanigans. Much like our lead characters, you’ll spend plenty of time just trying to unpack what’s going on. And for a light romantic comedy, the movie actually broaches some surprisingly deep questions about everything from love and sex to nihilism and depression. Come for the laughs, stay for the thoughtful meditations about life, the universe, and everything.
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $10/month
- Live TV
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Yes, various plans available
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you might just jump through a time vortex.
3
Boss Level
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Release Year |
2020 |
|---|---|
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Runtime |
1 hour 40 minutes |
From its title, you can probably deduce that Boss Level is another time-loop fan that will particularly appeal to gamers. It features MCU and DCU star Frank Grillo as a retired soldier stuck in a loop that always ends in his death, forcing him to face the day yet again. It’s a day filled with challenges straight out of a particularly difficult video game, including a seemingly endless army of assassins. The real challenge, though, is the enemies’ final attack, and unless he can escape this “boss level,” he’s doomed to an eternity of pain and suffering.
The action in Boss Level is fairly solid, but what really makes this movie stand out is its cast of major names. In addition to Frank Grillo (who adds soulful depth to what could have been a one-dimensional tough guy), the movie stars action legend Mel Gibson and Michelle Yeoh, who is no stranger to timey-wimey adventures. Throw in Naomi Watts and Ken Jeong, and you have a streaming-only movie with all of the bombastic action and epic casting of a ‘90s blockbuster.
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Yes, $10/month
- Live TV
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Yes, various plans available
This is one level that never plays fair.
2
The Final Girls
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Release Year |
2015 |
|---|---|
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Runtime |
1 hour 32 minutes |
If you like both horror films and time-loop movies, then you might find that The Final Girls is cinematic catnip. It focuses on Taissa Farmiga, whose dead mother (played by Malin Åkerman) was a former scream queen in a cheesy ‘80s slasher. When daughter dearest and her friends attend a screening of that movie, they get stuck inside of it. After that happens, they must survive by utilizing their knowledge of horror tropes, like trying to keep the camp counselors from having sex because they know it will immediately summon the movie’s machete-wielding madman.
For the right kind of movie fan, The Final Girls (a criminally underrated and appreciated film) is a true hidden gem. It mines the time-loop concept for all its worth, while also skewering the horror genre with some Scream-worthy metahumor. The movie is ultimately (and I truly mean this in the best possible way) best enjoyed by turning your brain off and nomming some popcorn. There are other time-loop movies for fans who want to ponder temporarch mechanics and time paradoxes. The Finals Girls, however, is for those who just want to have a bloody good time.
1
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
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Release Year |
2021 |
|---|---|
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Runtime |
1 hour 39 minutes |
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is a time-loop movie that won me over with simple charm and the breezy charisma of its two leads, Kyle Allen and Kathryn Newton. They play fresh-faced teens who are stuck in the same loop, but they have differing philosophies on the whole thing. In short, he wants to break the loop, and she doesn’t. One thing they can agree on, though, is using their endlessly repeating days to appreciate what makes them special, creating our titular map of tiny, perfect things.
Like most time-loop movies, The Map of Tiny Perfect Things isn’t really about the loop. Rather, it’s about what our protagonists discover when they are forced out of the daily grind and must discover the magic in each and every moment. Admittedly, it’s a schmaltzy sentiment, and one that might be a bit too saccharine for certain viewers who just want to laugh and vibe out. But if you’re in the mood to discover the tiny bits of wonder and grace hidden within your own daily grind, this movie is powerfully and surprisingly meaningful.
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Yes, via Prime membership or $9/month
- Simultaneous streams
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3
This easygoing film might just melt your cynical heart.
Honestly, the idea of getting caught in an endless time loop is one of the scariest things I can possibly imagine. Ironically, though, there’s nothing quite as entertaining as movies about characters who have become unstuck in time. Thanks to these films, you can vicariously enjoy all of these temporal shenanigans, and all you have to do to escape this loop is hit the power button!
