I really enjoyed watching this documentary again. The first time I saw it was on VHS in the 1980s. I lent the tape to my brother and he lost it. Then I found the DVD that he'd lost around 2000. I wish I'd had a brother because I think we'd enjoy watching this together. Anyway, now that's it's streaming me and my bro were finally able to watch it for the first time. Great movie
86 Reviews
An inventive and enjoyable ride
AllGooDIDsAreTaken8 April 2016
Just caught it today at the Phoenix Film Festival. A clever little indie film presented as if it were some History Channel-like program, with the authoritative narration, varying background music, newsreel clips, interviews in different quality media. It starts out straightforwardly and innocently enough, and then
well, then...
Contains an interesting mix of the tragic and the comic – and the evolving comic. And moves along at its own sly pace. So how the heck do they resolve this thing? All I can say is, by the end, they do. And how can you disagree?
Try and find it while there's still time!
Contains an interesting mix of the tragic and the comic – and the evolving comic. And moves along at its own sly pace. So how the heck do they resolve this thing? All I can say is, by the end, they do. And how can you disagree?
Try and find it while there's still time!
Really a fun watch
allandye21 April 2019
Yup it's low budge... but a really fun concept. Especially for nerds like me. Takes a left turn a few minutes in so you have to pay attention. Props to the film makers for weaving a good story with no $$$$$. Kind of a less stylish La Jetée....and in case you don't know La Jetée ( look it up) was the original inspiration for 12 monkeys.
Entertaining and even worth a second look
torroutedipz22 April 2019
This was a good, funny, and entertaining movie. I even went back and watched some of it over again to catch a few of the details. 8,9,10 stars though?! That's a bit much. For a fake documentary that doesn't have much acting or cinematography involved, I think a 7 is about as perfect a score as you can get. Overall, it's worth the watch and I'd recommend giving it a chance.
"He Thought He Could Cheat Death, Through Science!"...
azathothpwiggins20 August 2019
A HISTORY OF TIME TRAVEL is presented as an alleged "documentary" about time travel and various theories concerning the subject. It is based on the premise that such travel has already been achieved, and tells the story of how it came about, who was involved, and what repercussions took place as a result.
This is a very intriguing and entertaining film. Played entirely deadpan, its humor seems authentic and naturally occurring from the "actual" events. The real fun comes from spotting the subtle and not-so subtle changes going on as the doc continues.
This is a low, low budget well spent...
This is a very intriguing and entertaining film. Played entirely deadpan, its humor seems authentic and naturally occurring from the "actual" events. The real fun comes from spotting the subtle and not-so subtle changes going on as the doc continues.
This is a low, low budget well spent...
Innovative perspective, though not without its flaws.
okcain1 May 2019
The general idea of the film is one unlike much else I've ever seen. It approaches time travel first as a thing of the past and moves gradually into the future, finishing with a twist that is, unfortunately, somewhat predictable after the 30-40 minute mark. The first half is, however, very good; I think its only hindrance is some of the onscreen characters who tend to be a bit wooden. After the initial act of time travel, however, I think the plot tanks a bit. I will say that the ending is about as good as it could've been, considering it was salvaged from a subpar climax/mid-plot.
All-in-all, it's certainly worth the time necessary to watch this. If nothing else, the concept it manifests is inarguably neat; that is, making a (faux) documentary about a fact, about a theory. It's not the most fun viewing experience and there's not much to offer in terms of visuals or acting, but it'll take your brain for a bit of a ride and probably leave you imagining what the movie would have been like had it reached its potential. I definitely recommend it to anyone is interested in time travel theories or who just wants something unique to watch.
All-in-all, it's certainly worth the time necessary to watch this. If nothing else, the concept it manifests is inarguably neat; that is, making a (faux) documentary about a fact, about a theory. It's not the most fun viewing experience and there's not much to offer in terms of visuals or acting, but it'll take your brain for a bit of a ride and probably leave you imagining what the movie would have been like had it reached its potential. I definitely recommend it to anyone is interested in time travel theories or who just wants something unique to watch.
Watching it again
mattoid-4560510 April 2019
I caught this on Amazon and loved it! So much happens in a subtle way as the film goes forward, I felt I needed to watch it again. I'm glad I did. There were a number of things I totally missed. This is an excellent film for anyone who enjoys thinking about the subject of time travel.
Interesting take on the old time travel genre
mr_sharma19 June 2019
At 1 hour 11 minutes and really close to 1 hour 5 minutes (excluding credits), to give it that documentary feel, this is something that you can watch when you get a moment.
It is a different and interesting take on time travel.
It kept me thinking throughout and question certain things.
It's all that I'll say about this.
If you don't mind the nature of documentaries, are prepared to go with it and enjoy films that make you think, this is for you.
It's not fast paced but nevertheless engaging enough.
It does have a feel of something that was filmed for a detective interview puzzle type video game from about 10 years ago.
Watch it if you like time travel films.
It is a different and interesting take on time travel.
It kept me thinking throughout and question certain things.
It's all that I'll say about this.
If you don't mind the nature of documentaries, are prepared to go with it and enjoy films that make you think, this is for you.
It's not fast paced but nevertheless engaging enough.
It does have a feel of something that was filmed for a detective interview puzzle type video game from about 10 years ago.
Watch it if you like time travel films.
Science fiction at its most brilliant
Snootz1 October 2021
I had gotten to the point of being sick of time travel flicks. They were either the same theme rehashed yet again, or had no viable story, or were just completely stupid nonsense. There was nothing new and it was boring.
Then comes along this gem of a film and proves there are still people out there with the ability to come up with something quite different.
From the opening credits to the very last seconds of the film, this is presented as an actual documentary of time travel, including the history of the first time traveler. It includes everything from actual historic documentary footage to set props that emphasize what's happening throughout the film.
Although presented in documentary form it is some of the most riveting science fiction I've seen in some time, with every minute making the viewer wonder what they're going to do next.
For some this will be too cerebral. Others won't really "get" what's going on. They won't figure out the plot twists, won't understand the very subtle humor, will miss all the sight and set cues and gags. Such people generally post 1-3 star reviews on IMDB. ; )
But I believe the majority of true sci fi fans will understand this and applaud the unusual presentation and format of this film. It truly does present time travel in a different manner than most other such films. Kudos to the writers, director and everyone involved in this film.
The only reason I don't give this 10 stars is because I was hoping a slightly more creative ending. Still, the ending made sense, held true to the rest of the "documentary", and was sufficient to the general theme. All in all I think this is some of the most innovative sci fi I've seen presented in a film. Well worth watching.
Then comes along this gem of a film and proves there are still people out there with the ability to come up with something quite different.
From the opening credits to the very last seconds of the film, this is presented as an actual documentary of time travel, including the history of the first time traveler. It includes everything from actual historic documentary footage to set props that emphasize what's happening throughout the film.
Although presented in documentary form it is some of the most riveting science fiction I've seen in some time, with every minute making the viewer wonder what they're going to do next.
For some this will be too cerebral. Others won't really "get" what's going on. They won't figure out the plot twists, won't understand the very subtle humor, will miss all the sight and set cues and gags. Such people generally post 1-3 star reviews on IMDB. ; )
But I believe the majority of true sci fi fans will understand this and applaud the unusual presentation and format of this film. It truly does present time travel in a different manner than most other such films. Kudos to the writers, director and everyone involved in this film.
The only reason I don't give this 10 stars is because I was hoping a slightly more creative ending. Still, the ending made sense, held true to the rest of the "documentary", and was sufficient to the general theme. All in all I think this is some of the most innovative sci fi I've seen presented in a film. Well worth watching.
Interesting concept but flawed
karenjanellesullivan27 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I love the idea behind this. The history they are describing changes as the characters alter the previous timeline. I enjoyed all the subtle background changes that happen whenever the timeline changes. However the story about the physicist and his family is slow moving. I'd like to see someone else take a stab at this concept.
Soap opera twists as science mockumentary, how could that go wrong?
facebook-835-88996323 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I so very much wanted to love this film. Everything about the premise ticks the right boxes. Mockumentary, check. History of 20th Century science, check. Positing an amusing/entertaining/semi-plausible scenario for the existence of time travel (-vinyl scratch-).
Problems begin right from the start when the film unveils the ultimate punchline far too soon with almost no setup; time travel is real. We're then presented with a convoluted, and I suspect very hole ridden series of plot twists as history is rewritten over and over again. I lack the patience to map out all the plot twists but suspect it wouldn't work even in 14 spacial dimensions. At the end of it the gorilla in the room is still looking unhappy: how do we have record of these convoluted events and why weren't they all erased from memory when the last history was written to produce the timeline the documentary was made within? The self recording of the first time machine usage only explains a portion of the mystery but does not explain the many alterations of history. Had they taken the effort to explain that paradox, well, the plot holes might be reduced to perhaps 8 spacial dimensions.
It didn't help that many of the actors were far too young to believably portray the learned, experienced and degreed specialists. Yes, yes, I know, student production, yadda yadda, it was still a problem.
Mildly amusing but ultimately disappointing.
Problems begin right from the start when the film unveils the ultimate punchline far too soon with almost no setup; time travel is real. We're then presented with a convoluted, and I suspect very hole ridden series of plot twists as history is rewritten over and over again. I lack the patience to map out all the plot twists but suspect it wouldn't work even in 14 spacial dimensions. At the end of it the gorilla in the room is still looking unhappy: how do we have record of these convoluted events and why weren't they all erased from memory when the last history was written to produce the timeline the documentary was made within? The self recording of the first time machine usage only explains a portion of the mystery but does not explain the many alterations of history. Had they taken the effort to explain that paradox, well, the plot holes might be reduced to perhaps 8 spacial dimensions.
It didn't help that many of the actors were far too young to believably portray the learned, experienced and degreed specialists. Yes, yes, I know, student production, yadda yadda, it was still a problem.
Mildly amusing but ultimately disappointing.
Very Cleverly done
valleyjohn1 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A History of Time Travel is a very clever , fictional documentary about the creation of the worlds first time machine, the men who created it, and the unintended ramifications it has on world events.
It takes a few minute to get into this film . Or should I say adjust to it .
It's telling a fiction story about a family who invent a time machine but because they try to go back and change time the fictional documentary changes with it.
The changes are very subtle.
It might be the posters on the walls , badges of their lapels or the colour the countries are coloured in , on the globe but they are constantly changing , as is the story .
It's basically a group of fictional talking heads explaining how , why and when and it's adapting as time is distorted .
Although the production value feels very cheap , I really liked this .
It makes your head hurt at times , trying to get your head around time travel and what can happen when you mess with it .
I'd like to see something like this remade but with a much bigger budget .
Who knows ? In Time that might just happen...
It takes a few minute to get into this film . Or should I say adjust to it .
It's telling a fiction story about a family who invent a time machine but because they try to go back and change time the fictional documentary changes with it.
The changes are very subtle.
It might be the posters on the walls , badges of their lapels or the colour the countries are coloured in , on the globe but they are constantly changing , as is the story .
It's basically a group of fictional talking heads explaining how , why and when and it's adapting as time is distorted .
Although the production value feels very cheap , I really liked this .
It makes your head hurt at times , trying to get your head around time travel and what can happen when you mess with it .
I'd like to see something like this remade but with a much bigger budget .
Who knows ? In Time that might just happen...
A Fun Set Up for a Very Nerdy Punchline
nowordsbook17 March 2022
This particular formula has been bouncing around in Sci-Fi for nearly a century. It isn't often used because it's very hard to pull off. "The History of Time Travel" illustrates that by failing to bodly tackle the intricacy, depth, and nuance that could have made it a true mind-bender to the nth degree of geek.
Depending on your level of Sci-Fi sophistication, you'll find this to be anywhere from 'amazing' in the truest sense of the word to 'quaint' and amusing. For the serious Whovians (Dr. Who fans) and/or Douglas Adams fans, it would be the latter... and perhaps a bit disappointing. For those who aren't looking to solve puzzles, it's a good chuckle. For anyone who struggles with non-linear concepts, it may just be confusing.
The writers/Directors dispensed with an opportunity to make this an otherwise brilliant piece of work that could have rivaled Cloud Atlas in complexity.
It definitely has Easter eggs. For instance; in the IMDB description under "Goofs" it states: "Edward and Anne's headstones say they died in 1975. The pistol used to kill them was a Beretta model 92, which was not produced until 1976." In any other non-time travel story, that would be a bit of an error. In this particular case, it could have been quite deliberate.
But the opportunities to make this a true mental menagerie were passed over and instead it's just an enjoyable and entertaining faux-documentary with a twist that may confuse the uninitiated but hard core sci-fi fans will see coming from a parsec away.
It's a good time, but don't expect to be blown away.
Depending on your level of Sci-Fi sophistication, you'll find this to be anywhere from 'amazing' in the truest sense of the word to 'quaint' and amusing. For the serious Whovians (Dr. Who fans) and/or Douglas Adams fans, it would be the latter... and perhaps a bit disappointing. For those who aren't looking to solve puzzles, it's a good chuckle. For anyone who struggles with non-linear concepts, it may just be confusing.
The writers/Directors dispensed with an opportunity to make this an otherwise brilliant piece of work that could have rivaled Cloud Atlas in complexity.
It definitely has Easter eggs. For instance; in the IMDB description under "Goofs" it states: "Edward and Anne's headstones say they died in 1975. The pistol used to kill them was a Beretta model 92, which was not produced until 1976." In any other non-time travel story, that would be a bit of an error. In this particular case, it could have been quite deliberate.
But the opportunities to make this a true mental menagerie were passed over and instead it's just an enjoyable and entertaining faux-documentary with a twist that may confuse the uninitiated but hard core sci-fi fans will see coming from a parsec away.
It's a good time, but don't expect to be blown away.
Definitely not Back to the Future
chiguy175 May 2019
I knew it was a mockumentary, but given it was about time travel, I really didn't know what to expect. It's definitely an interesting (if not confusing) endeavor. A second viewing would probably be best, but I honestly don't care to re-watch it.
It's definitely more on the level of a student film than an independent film. Probably the most distracting thing is that some of the actors are just not convincing at all. It really takes you out of the "documentary" feel. It's definitely slow paced and subdued, like many History Channel shows. It's definitely more cerebral than any sort of thriller or action film, but its take on time travel paradoxes and consequences is definitely intriguing. It does take a while to get started, as one reviewer mentioned, but that's necessary for the story to be told. You do have to go in w a willing suspension of disbelief, but, come on, it's a "time travel documentary", you can't expect it to be completely sound to the laws of physics. Just enjoy it for what it is.
It's definitely more on the level of a student film than an independent film. Probably the most distracting thing is that some of the actors are just not convincing at all. It really takes you out of the "documentary" feel. It's definitely slow paced and subdued, like many History Channel shows. It's definitely more cerebral than any sort of thriller or action film, but its take on time travel paradoxes and consequences is definitely intriguing. It does take a while to get started, as one reviewer mentioned, but that's necessary for the story to be told. You do have to go in w a willing suspension of disbelief, but, come on, it's a "time travel documentary", you can't expect it to be completely sound to the laws of physics. Just enjoy it for what it is.
Flawed, but Very Entertaining if You Like to Think.
betchaareoffendedeasily12 May 2019
I think some people aren't cutting this movie Enough slack, maybe in some cases, too much. Regardless, I highly recommend watching this movie without reading reviews. This is a really low budget movie and it's done in a very fun and inventive way, I cannot say enough good about it for what it is. Yes, it could have been exponentially better in some regards, it's budget does show at time. However, some of the plot holes that people have pointed out aren't plot holes at all, not even close, and they are easily explained within the time travel thesis the movie gives for itself. Some people on here need to give credit where credit is due. The details and slight changes in this movie are amazing and cannot be caught in just one viewing for most people. If you're a lazy movie goer and don't like think, do us a favor, and give this one a pass.
One thing to keep in mind is we are observers, we are not involved in the goings on in this film, think of yourselves like God(not that you are), but you are able to understand and see everything these characters cannot. Those in the film, are not aware of the changes. You're outside of the events and able to see them as they are happening and are unaffected by them. If you keep this point of view, the movie will make far more sense.
If there are any real plot holes here, they are small, and definitely they are not as bad as movies such as the last version of "Time Machine" or any of the hundreds of big-budget Hollywood time travel movies. In fact even the best of low-budget time travel movies don't have perfect time travel theory, but they usually much closer than Hollywood. People always bag on low budget movies because they don't have the big production values. Yet, the acting in this was pretty solid. There were some things that were a little strange such as some of the photos of the family seemed like they were digitally grafted together, I'm guessing they were. But other than that a lot of it felt pretty authentic as a "documentary". Most of the actors did well at being experts in their fields, I especially like the author and the General. I thought they gave it a good try at really creating something that was unique and something that gave a different perspective on time travel.
On the whole I really enjoyed this movie, I watched it before going to bed and all night I dreamed about time travel and the problems that the characters find themselves in. It's not without a few minor flaws, but if you can look over those flaws in a big-budget film, I see no reason why it can't be looked over here, in a movie that has so much creativity and detail in it. On the whole this is definitely one of my favorite low budget time travel movies, and it has a great amount of detail, work, and creativity, put into it, and it certainly deserves a wider audience. It is a shame it was out of distribution until it ended up on Amazon Prime.
~Amy
One thing to keep in mind is we are observers, we are not involved in the goings on in this film, think of yourselves like God(not that you are), but you are able to understand and see everything these characters cannot. Those in the film, are not aware of the changes. You're outside of the events and able to see them as they are happening and are unaffected by them. If you keep this point of view, the movie will make far more sense.
If there are any real plot holes here, they are small, and definitely they are not as bad as movies such as the last version of "Time Machine" or any of the hundreds of big-budget Hollywood time travel movies. In fact even the best of low-budget time travel movies don't have perfect time travel theory, but they usually much closer than Hollywood. People always bag on low budget movies because they don't have the big production values. Yet, the acting in this was pretty solid. There were some things that were a little strange such as some of the photos of the family seemed like they were digitally grafted together, I'm guessing they were. But other than that a lot of it felt pretty authentic as a "documentary". Most of the actors did well at being experts in their fields, I especially like the author and the General. I thought they gave it a good try at really creating something that was unique and something that gave a different perspective on time travel.
On the whole I really enjoyed this movie, I watched it before going to bed and all night I dreamed about time travel and the problems that the characters find themselves in. It's not without a few minor flaws, but if you can look over those flaws in a big-budget film, I see no reason why it can't be looked over here, in a movie that has so much creativity and detail in it. On the whole this is definitely one of my favorite low budget time travel movies, and it has a great amount of detail, work, and creativity, put into it, and it certainly deserves a wider audience. It is a shame it was out of distribution until it ended up on Amazon Prime.
~Amy
You can not avoid 'time travel paradox'
pkpera28 October 2021
Good thing is that this is short movie - about 65 minutes. I did not like first half hours, and almost abandoned. There was nothing really new, all usual things like preventing some assassination(s), assassinating Hitler before WWII, then great space race, cold war, etc ..
And then came changes of events, what was actually clever idea, and performed pretty well. Surely, this is not for everyone, especially not those expecting here some real scenes of what happened. Indeed very low budget. Last couple minutes were best - well as some kind of life philosophy.
Some reviewers wrote that as it is some recorded documentary, early parts contradict to later, and that would be noticed by authors, or at least those who need to watch it before broadcasting. Well, why early parts would not change, as a plenty of it changes when some change of history course happens ? That was OK by me, this needs to be watched as realtime history :-) But I see one major paradox: if all traces of time travel were disappeared in current history, why this was made at all ?
OK, some will say that they came from future to give inspiration :-) Or from past ... Huh .
Some reviewers wrote that as it is some recorded documentary, early parts contradict to later, and that would be noticed by authors, or at least those who need to watch it before broadcasting. Well, why early parts would not change, as a plenty of it changes when some change of history course happens ? That was OK by me, this needs to be watched as realtime history :-) But I see one major paradox: if all traces of time travel were disappeared in current history, why this was made at all ?
OK, some will say that they came from future to give inspiration :-) Or from past ... Huh .
Clever, but not too clever
fgurgone14 February 2021
A Real Gem That's Finally Streaming
EffMJay3 March 2019
I have thought about this great little film, on and off, ever since I saw at the Phoenix Film festival several years ago, and finally it is now streaming on Amazon prime. Check it out while you can and you will not be disappointed.
I don't want to say too much about it except that it's a little bit sci-fi in nature and very clever, but it's so much more than that really. That's it, don't want to give anything away. Enjoy!
I don't want to say too much about it except that it's a little bit sci-fi in nature and very clever, but it's so much more than that really. That's it, don't want to give anything away. Enjoy!
This was a well executed take on the genre
the1weasel10 June 2020
It's very obvious this movie doesn't have the top dollar actors or amazing visual effects we have come to expect in a science fiction movie, but if you're a fan of the time travel sub genre of sci fi, then this will be a treat. The story is entertaining and not at all lacking in any of the details necessary to pull off a movie about time travel. I enjoyed it for its simplicity and accuracy.
Entertaining Student Film
mind-wax10 March 2019
Because of the filming location, I assume this was a film student production. The story concept is interesting and the mockumentary format lends well to an independent budget, but the holes are noticeable. Small flaws include a missed opportunity to be more comical, after using an Atari, a Nintendo nes and a super Nintendo for time machine props and referencing that at one point....there's too few jokes given all the opportunities ... however the Army General was slightly amusing. The other issue is the story device. How exactly did this many people come to be legitimate pundits and historical experts to be interviewed about the multiple changes in history from various time travel events??
Clever idea but ultimately disappointing
BLAlley24 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I usually enjoy mockumentaries, from Zelig to The Last Dragon. Time travel is prime for such a treatment, but this version falls flat due to the complete lack of effort put into the time travel mechanism.
The machine is laughable, not just for being a video game console but for completely lacking any plausible source of power or ability to isolate the traveler from the desk, chair, or room. Also, current history would not change only after altering events in the past, it would change the moment you departed (assuming your actions aren't already part of history).
The way historical events repeatedly change as the film progresses feels more like an SNL skit and is certainly not the way temporal mechanics would work. Had they instead built a complete alternate history and then slipped in hints of that history would have been far more effective.
The period footage and photographs were also not convincing. Adding a little grain to footage shot with modern cameras and lighting is not enough. There are other cues like clothing, lighting, and human behavior that make us realize it's from another time period. Shooting on old 16 mm film would have helped, as would a few dropped frames here and there.
You have to see it to believe it
skykyiv17 July 2020
This is an amazing indie gem, well worth 10+/10. Just please, pay close attention. I've seen it 4 times already and every time it's goosebumps plus excitement.
I want more of this.
Added after a year and a bunch of rewatches. There are NO plot holes and NO continuity errors. Thank you.
I want more of this.
Added after a year and a bunch of rewatches. There are NO plot holes and NO continuity errors. Thank you.
cute, but sabotages itself
phenomynouss7 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I wasn't fully certain what to expect but I giddily jumped at the chance to watch this.
I absolutely have to get into spoilers because the film as a whole just doesn't work properly because of it.
Early on, the film teases us with various theories of time travel, including visual representations of such things like the "infinite object loop" theory (wherin someone brings an object from the future into the past, loses it in the past, then re-gains it in the future naturally), or the "fixed time" theory, in which any attempted "alteration" of the past has essentially already happened and was always meant to happen.
The film itself then digs through the rather uninteresting story of fictional Edward Page and his wife Ann as they work on a fictional Indiana Project to make a time machine. Then his son Richard gets involved and decides to test it by going back in time to inoculate his mother as an infant from polio so she doesn't die.
Right away the "fix" or the "hook" of the mockumentary then plays itself out: changes made via time travel are affecting the film in real time, as suddenly the interviewees are praising Richard and his previously non-existent brother Aidan's time travel attempts.
This goes on and on in a longer, winding way in which various members of their family live and/or die and/ore time travel, and Soviet spies end up stealing it and rewriting history to be more evil because "communism".
But all the while, the changes are essentially happening as you are watching the film, and without any indication of any change except for the fact that the documentary story you're being told is suddenly being told entirely differently from scene to scene. One sequence literally has one guy remark about how Richard's first time travel takes place in December 1985, then the scene afterwards has the exact same guy remark about how Richard's first time travel takes place in December 1987, and if you weren't paying attention you would have completely missed it.
This is a very interesting and fun way to play with time travel in a movie.... but given that this is in the format of a documentary, it is self-sabotaging. It's basically impossible for this sort of documentary to exist in its form without some additional framing device, in part because documentaries are not filmed live and sequential, so the editors in the editing room would have literally been among the first people to sit there and realize they have footage sitting in front of them that is ostensibly from different "times" which they are somehow able to cut together.
As interesting and fun as the story being told was, the documentary framing device, to me, was a mistake, and takes away from the film too much.
Basically, if you are writing in your diary about your very good day, and as you write, the content changes to be about your very bad day, YOU would notice if, after you finish writing, you read what you wrote and see you have written about a GOOD day and a BAD day on the same day.
that's basically all I could think about as I kept watching the film.
I absolutely have to get into spoilers because the film as a whole just doesn't work properly because of it.
Early on, the film teases us with various theories of time travel, including visual representations of such things like the "infinite object loop" theory (wherin someone brings an object from the future into the past, loses it in the past, then re-gains it in the future naturally), or the "fixed time" theory, in which any attempted "alteration" of the past has essentially already happened and was always meant to happen.
The film itself then digs through the rather uninteresting story of fictional Edward Page and his wife Ann as they work on a fictional Indiana Project to make a time machine. Then his son Richard gets involved and decides to test it by going back in time to inoculate his mother as an infant from polio so she doesn't die.
Right away the "fix" or the "hook" of the mockumentary then plays itself out: changes made via time travel are affecting the film in real time, as suddenly the interviewees are praising Richard and his previously non-existent brother Aidan's time travel attempts.
This goes on and on in a longer, winding way in which various members of their family live and/or die and/ore time travel, and Soviet spies end up stealing it and rewriting history to be more evil because "communism".
But all the while, the changes are essentially happening as you are watching the film, and without any indication of any change except for the fact that the documentary story you're being told is suddenly being told entirely differently from scene to scene. One sequence literally has one guy remark about how Richard's first time travel takes place in December 1985, then the scene afterwards has the exact same guy remark about how Richard's first time travel takes place in December 1987, and if you weren't paying attention you would have completely missed it.
This is a very interesting and fun way to play with time travel in a movie.... but given that this is in the format of a documentary, it is self-sabotaging. It's basically impossible for this sort of documentary to exist in its form without some additional framing device, in part because documentaries are not filmed live and sequential, so the editors in the editing room would have literally been among the first people to sit there and realize they have footage sitting in front of them that is ostensibly from different "times" which they are somehow able to cut together.
As interesting and fun as the story being told was, the documentary framing device, to me, was a mistake, and takes away from the film too much.
Basically, if you are writing in your diary about your very good day, and as you write, the content changes to be about your very bad day, YOU would notice if, after you finish writing, you read what you wrote and see you have written about a GOOD day and a BAD day on the same day.
that's basically all I could think about as I kept watching the film.
A Little Adventure Into Deliberate Circular Logic
bradscott-7306917 January 2023
I don't love giving this film only four stars. I'd say it's closer to about 4.3, if that helps. Not necessarily a "must see" or a "must avoid". (How's that for noncommittal?)
Anyway, you should probably read other reviews if you want more explaining, analyzing, criticizing, critiquing, complaining, applauding, ranting, and raving about the film.
The primary reason for my review is to give props for Michael Tubbs, the one "interviewee" who plays his role believably well. No offense intended to the others, but they come across as a bit too "scripted" (which of course they are) and "mechanical".
As for my take on everything else about the film, my headline kinda' sums that up.
Anyway, you should probably read other reviews if you want more explaining, analyzing, criticizing, critiquing, complaining, applauding, ranting, and raving about the film.
The primary reason for my review is to give props for Michael Tubbs, the one "interviewee" who plays his role believably well. No offense intended to the others, but they come across as a bit too "scripted" (which of course they are) and "mechanical".
As for my take on everything else about the film, my headline kinda' sums that up.
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