Working the Weekend with Luke-Celebrating The Time Change With The Best in Time Travel

Okay, it might be a bit of a stretch, but the time change did happen this weekend and did you really need another Halloween list? I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween anyway, and I could never come close to bringing you the lists that a few of the boys gave you last week. So with that being said, welcome to the first of five November editions of Working the Weekend with Luke here at Binge Media.

Before I get going here, I want to welcome the newest member of the Binge Media team, Garrett Collins. I’ll honestly say that I really don’t know anything about him, so I’ll be tuning into the Bingecast with the rest of you for the details. However, we did become friends on the facebook this morning and his cover photo was Rocky at the top of the steps in Rocky Balboa, so I’m quite certain we’ll get along just fine. Welcome aboard, Garrett.

So let’s get to a little time travel. Before I get into the movies, I’m going to start this with one of my favorite TV shows of all time.

QUANTUM LEAP

For those of you who remember Quantum Leap, you know exactly why I love this show. For those who don’t, here’s a quick history lesson for you. Scott Bakula plays Dr. Sam Beckett, a quantum physicist who believes that time travel is possible if one were to only travel within the span of his or her own lifetime. The government wants to shut him down, but before they can get to him, he loses himself in the machine, and the only way to return home is to right some wrongs in the past. Therefore, we’re basically given a new story each week as Sam is given all of the information he needs from his officer on the project, Al, who only Sam can see in the form of a hologram. It ran for five years and most episodes came to their own conclusion before Sam leaped into the next situation, but a couple of exceptions include an amazing trilogy of episodes where Sam leaps into different characters that are all part of the same story, albeit years apart, and the final episode where Sam must make a choice on whether or not to return home.  You can still find episodes floating around TV from time to time, and I’m really surprised we haven’t seen a remake or a reboot yet, but that’s a good thing. This show was amazing.

 

THE BACK TO THE FUTURE TRILOGY

This is the default for the majority of my generation when it comes to time travel. I actually just wrote about this not too long ago in my trilogy countdown. You can check out my thoughts HERE.

 

THE BILL AND TED FRANCHISE

Let’s be honest. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is what I really meant. The sequel was pretty bad and who the hell knows what that third one is going to be like, assuming it happens anyway. But the original, which actually celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, remains a classic. And hey, you actually do learn something.

 

THE TERMINATOR FRANCHISE

The third and fourth films aren’t really worth too much of a mention, but the original was awesome and let’s get real, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, remains one of the greatest sequels ever made.

 

PLANET OF THE APES (1968)

They’re trying so hard to capture the intensity of the original starring Charlton Heston, but nothing the reboots have done can come close to what one felt when you realize that George Taylor was never traveling through space, but through time. This is one of the most iconic images in cinematic history.

 

TIMECOP

Don’t you dare judge me.

 

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT

Again, don’t judge me. I don’t know why I like this movie, but I do. Much like Timecop, the plot is full of holes, especially in the time travel aspect, but at the time, this was something different for Ashton Kutcher and for a little while, it made me want to punch him in the face a little less.

 

GROUNDHOG DAY

This may fall into the category of an unconventional time travel movie, but how many times have you watched it anyway?

 

DONNIE DARKO

Talk to most people about Donnie Darko and all they’ll usually bring up is the demonic bunny, Frank. But there’s so much more to this film. The plot is very good, and it was here that you realized Jake Gyllenhaal actually had some talent. Sure, the bunny is a good conversation starter, but until you fully grasp what’s going on in the movie, you just sound like a douche.

 

12 MONKEYS

I’ll admit that when I first watched this movie as a teenager, I wasn’t a big fan. But over the years, the movie gets better and better with each viewing. Brad Pitt’s performance is awesome here and Bruce Willis does what Bruce Willis does. Speaking of which…….

 

LOOPER

If you can get past the initial shock of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s makeup, then you’ll be okay. The story is nicely written, and most of the action sequences are very well done. Throw in one of my big Hollywood crushes, Emily Blunt, and I’m good to go. And speaking of which…..sorry, no kick-ass segue here. I haven’t watched Edge of Tomorrow yet, so I can’t say whether or not I’d put it on this list. Maybe that’s what I’ll do tonight.

 

THE JACKET

Most people hate this one. Actually, most people I talk to don’t even know what it is. But I freaking love this movie. Maybe it’s because I like Adrien Brody, or maybe it’s nice to see Keira Knightley in something other than a period picture, but there’s something here that I dig.

 

SCROOGED

Again, this may not fall under the conventional time travel movie, but there’s no denying that you have to include this and any other version of A Christmas Carol. This just happens to be my favorite version and between you and me, the first movie that made me cry. When the little black kid finally talks, come on.

 

SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE

Okay, I know this is really stretching out, but I had to throw it in. How many times have you referenced this scene, and how many times have you wished you could pull it off?

 

FIELD OF DREAMS

You probably weren’t expecting to see this on here, but it actually does work. Yes, most of the movie revolves around ghosts, but let’s not forget that Kevin Costner travels back to 1972 when he first talks to “Moonlight Graham”. BOOM!

 

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE

My last entry falls back into that “maybe” category as George Bailey doesn’t technically travel through time. But he’s given a peek into an alternate time and universe that doesn’t include him, so I’m counting it. It’s also one of my top ten favorite movies of all time, so any chance I get to talk about it, I’m going to take it. And it’s my list. So there.

 

So what are your favorites? Are you buying some of my logic? Was this a complete waste of your time? Let me know below or follow me and tweet @THElukenorris.

Okay, I give. Here’s a little Halloween something for you. See you next weekend.