5 Underrated Time Travel Movies You (Probably) Haven’t Seen! (September 2026)

Popularized H.G. Wells1895 novel Time machineSince then, the concepts of time travel and “time machines” have been repeated hundreds, if not thousands of times in literature and, of course, in cinema. From classic examples such as Terminator (1984), Back to the Future (1985) and Groundhog Day (1993) to more modern examples such as Looper (2012), Dogma (2020) and Nirvanna group, show, film (2026), time travel has been used as a plot point in many media, but in different ways. It can represent aspirations and fears for the future or thoughts about the past, a past self, or even the present. While many of these films have become instant classics and blockbusters, many great and very insightful films remain under the radar of mainstream audiences. Here’s a list of 5 time travel movies you’ve probably never seen.

1Run, Lola, run (1998)

Director Tom Tykwer, Run, Lola, run is an avant-garde thriller that follows the main character Lola, who, in order to save her boyfriend, must run across the city and earn 100,000 marks (equivalent to today’s US$60,000) in 20 minutes. Although the premise is simple, it has a great twist: we get to see events unfold three times with different strategies for solving the problem (think Groundhog Day but much more action). Seeing the alternate realities that can arise as a result of Lola’s choices is fascinating and almost perfectly captures the frenetic energy of being behind an 8 ball. The film’s use of mixed media and unique editing creates a timeless experience unlike any other.(Stream on Hulu and YouTube)

2Summer time machine blues (2005)

Director Katsuyuki Motohiro and according to the play Makoto Ueda, Summer time machine blues is a quirky Japanese Lice comedy that follows members of a university science fiction club who, after discovering a working time machine, decide to go back to the previous day to prevent their friend from accidentally breaking the air conditioner. However, the goal is not as simple as it seems, and jokes and complications quickly pile up. This film is great for many reasons, but what I love most is how well it aesthetically captures a specific time, place, and feeling: the film truly feels like a love letter to both time travel and college life. And, unlike many time travel stories, Summer time machine blues never gets carried away with the idiosyncrasies and mechanics of time travel, remaining a thoroughly humorous, character-driven story.

3Crimes in time (2007)

Released in Spain in 2007.Crimes in timescience fiction thriller written and directed by NachoVigalondo. The film tells the story of a middle-aged man who, caught in a series of catastrophic events, accidentally ends up in a time machine and is sent back an hour in time. This genre of thriller, bordering on horror, fits so well with time travel, where characters are often forced to act against their will in order to preserve the past. The film’s plot is extremely dense but completely airtight, a story in which the most terrifying thing is the deterministic force of time. (Stream on Tubi, Pluto TV and PLEX)