It’s 2016 and I’m sitting in a room full of tired movie-goers. We’re all full of free popcorn and soda and by now we’ve all synced our pee schedules to the 10 minutes between each of the six showings of the Groundhog Day Marathon.
It’s the final showing and we’ve all hit our second wind. We’re speaking the words along with the actors. “Watch out for that first step! It’s a doozy,” we chant, deliriously. But there’s one person who isn’t chanting along.
As we near the final stretch, watching again as Bill Murray finally learns the meaning of personhood, a staff member of the legendary Roxy Theater in Missoula, Montana creeps down the main aisle with a flashlight. They train it on a person curled up in the blanket they really should have known better than to bring. Of course they’d be lulled into sleep, thus losing the marathon. That’s rule number one of many: Don’t fall asleep. They’re escorted away, not winning the prize the rest of us will soon receive: A year of free movies and popcorn.
The credits finally roll on the final Groundhog Day and we cheer. It’s over. We did it. And it’ll remain a core memory for all of us.
I love time loop movies. Of course I do. I couldn’t sit through six ultra-strict showings of the all-time classic, Groundhog Day, without appreciating the sub-sub-genre. But it’s not really a genre is it? Truth is, time loops can happen in any kind of film, from romance to horror. Over the years, many movies would try to compete with GD and luckily, many are amazing. Why not rank them?
For this ranking, I’m specifically zeroing in on time loops in which the same day is experienced over and over. The characters are stuck until they figure out a solution. Movies like Back to the Future or Primer don’t count.
This is my list. The ranking mixes objective quality with subjective love. Even I am a little surprised where some of these movies ended up, but I had to listen to my heart. As should you!
Based on a beloved video game that has absolutely nothing to do with the plot or characters or setting of the movie (what?) , Until Dawn finds a bunch of young adults stuck in a weird old mining town, dying every night before they have to repeat it all over again with a different baddie yearning for their demise. It’s not necessarily bad, but it could have been way better.
Would I want to be stuck there: No, and I’d rather play the video game.
An action man actions his way through the city as he gets attacked by a series of chaotic mercenaries. He never makes it past 1 PM no matter how hard he actions. Sure, he probably would have solved this in a few days if he would just listen to a fucking woman, but how could he? He’s action man.
Would I want to be stuck there: While I could solve the actual problem well before him because I’m a girl’s girl, I fear I wouldn’t live past even a minute of this repeated day. I’m not action enough.
Tree thought she solved the time loop of her birthday, but when she wakes up the next day with her new boyfriend’s nerdy roommate letting them know it isn’t over, she’s about to do this shit all over again. The sequel just doesn’t have the same magic as the first one, but at least we get to figure out why it’s all happening in the first place.
Would I want to be stuck there: No, because I would have only just gotten out of another time loop to fall into this one. If I wasn’t already broken-brained, I would be now.
What do you mean two people are living the same day over and over? Rather than using the repetition to manipulate someone into falling in love with you like Groundhog Day, these teens are doing the repetition together. This feels like a Colleen Hoover movie, and I don’t necessarily mean that as a compliment. Still, it’s cute if you want your time loop with low stakes.
Would I want to be stuck there: Sure, I’m down to run around town being silly and falling in love.
Jake Gyllenhaal has to keep reliving the same train ride over and over in order to figure out why it crashed. He’s reliving the past, so he can’t change anything. Or can he? What makes this one different is that he is kind of doing this time loop by choice. He isn’t exactly stuck. It’s a time loophole.
Would I want to be stuck there: Yeah, actually this sounds fun.
A quantum physicist is stuck in a time loop and she enlists the help of a smart graduate student over and over again. Can they team up to figure out why the hell this woman is reliving the same terrible day over and over again? While this movie was great, it’s this low on the list because I frankly forgot it existed. Be more memorable during the next loop.
Would I want to be stuck there: Nope. I’m smart, but I’m not Physics Smart™.
A woman is reliving Christmas Eve over and over. I’m surprised this TV movie ended up 7th on the list—I thought it’d be higher considering I’ve watched this almost every year since it’s come out. I regularly quote “I spritzed ya and you passed out.” I wanna bake a cherry chip loaf. I wanna fall in love over and over again for 12 days during the holiday season.
Would I want to be stuck there: Yes, please.
Okay, but what if the woman was reliving Hanukkah instead? This movie’s higher than the last because of how seriously the nerds of the Hallmark movie try to figure out the actual time loop. They’re puzzling this out in a universe that has actually seen Groundhog Day. Plus, it stars actor and comedian Vic Michaelis. You may know them from plenty of great Dropout shows, including Very Important People.
Would I want to be stuck there: Honestly, it seems like so much fun. Plus, it’s only eight days!
Tom Cruise keeps waking up on a battlefield encased in a mech suit. Good thing Emily Blunt is there to explain the war against the aliens. Now he just has to figure out how to fix the loop. This sci-fi film didn’t do well when it first came out, but it has become a cult classic. And, because I know you were wondering, yes, Tom Cruise does run at full speed. You can rest easy.
Would I want to be stuck there: No, I am of absolutely no help on a battlefield. I know that about myself.
A girl keeps living the same day over and over. Starts like any other, but ends with a typical teen house party and the unfortunate car accident that kills her afterward. Based on a YA novel, this has the angst, rainy forests, and blue color grading of a Twilight movie but without the vampires. I know a lot of people hate this, but I think it’s super well done, compelling, and an interesting twist on the time loop trope.
Would I want to be stuck there: For reasons I won’t divulge because it would spoil the movie, no.
Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti are living the same day over and over: Their time as guests at a destination wedding in Palm Springs. They have fun, they enjoy the sunshine, and they fall in love. But when she wants to solve the loop and he’s happy to stay in it, how can they get past the disagreement? This is a masterful way to bring a bit of romance, drama, and comedy to the loop. If you haven’t watched it, you should.
Would I want to be stuck there: Hell yeah, perpetual vacation.
Tree keeps waking up in some guy’s dorm room on her birthday and can’t make it to the end of the day without getting murdered by some weirdo in a baby mask. Not only is this movie spooky fun, but it also introduces a new wrinkle to the format: The longer you’re in the loop, the more messed up your body is after waking up from murder. It adds immediacy to the loop that isn’t present in the rest of the list.
Would I want to be stuck there: I’m surprised at my own answer, but it’s a yes. I love this horror comedy too much not to want to take a crack at it.
Bill Murray, a weather man with an attitude, is pissed he has to be on-location to report on Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog who looks for his shadow. So when he keeps waking up to repeat the day, it’s like a waking nightmare. It’s fun to see what he does with the decades of time he spends in the loop, including learning piano, robbing a bank, and falling in love with Andie MacDowell. If you expected this movie to end up anywhere else on this list, you might have to go through a few time loops of your own.
Would I want to be stuck there: Sure, as long as I can eventually get out. I have things to do.
What did you think of the list? Is there anything you haven’t seen or something you love that didn’t make the list? Let’s fight about it in the comments.
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