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SALT LAKE CITY - Time travel is one of those things we all wish we could do, like flying or being invisible. Well, thanks to movies we've seen some pretty awesome ways to travel through time and I think it's about time we paid tribute to those fancy machines.
I need to make a disclaimer that I am not suggesting these are the best time traveling movies, or necessarily even great movies, but the concept for the time machine used is just awesome. So, let's get to it.
What do you say we kick it off with the one that started it all? H.G. Wells' classic novel was made into a film in 1960 and the blinking lights and crazy large dish attached to a puffy chair was the staple of time machines for years, and still is.
Hollywood remade "The Time Machine" in 2002 and the movie wasn't that great, and to be honest, the new souped up time machine wasn't nearly as cool as the classic.
We now shift gears from classic novels to, well, I'm not sure what to call it. "Hot Tub Time Machine" is a raunchy comedy that's pretty thin on plot with a title that really sums up the film.
I'm not saying you need to rush out and see this film, but come on, how is time traveling in the comfort of a nice big hot tub not awesome? My guess is the pitch meeting for this film went something like this:
Film Executive: "I was thinking about getting a hot tub."
Screenwriter: "I was in the middle of telling you about my epic film idea about a brain surgeon who travels through time to repair Abraham Lincoln after he was shot and you're talking about hot tubs."
Film Executive: "What was that? You want to make a movie about a hot tub time machine? That's brilliant! Fast track it."
Traveling through time could help us right the wrongs, help us relive our great moments and give us the opportunity to get in the big game and take state.
That's exactly what Uncle Rico was hoping to do in "Napoleon Dynamite." The first time I saw the film I thought the time traveling contraption may actually work. Thankfully it did not and we got to see Napoleon use the ill-fated machine and cinema has never been the same.
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
Strange things are afoot at the Circle K. What do you get when you take two clueless rockers who can't rock, a mentor from the future in a kicking trench coat and a time traveling phone booth? You get one freaking awesome movie.
Many argue that Bill and Ted stole the phone booth idea from Dr. Who, but you know what, even if they did, they made it cool. So, party on Dr. Who fans.
Let's be honest, we all knew this was coming. It would likely be a fair bet that if you asked anyone who was born any time after 1975 what a time machine is, the answer would be, a DeLorean.
Truth be told, I'm still not convinced that if I get into a DeLorean and hit 88 MPH that I won't travel back in time. "Back to the Future" gave us dreams of flying cars, hover boards, living in the Wild West and owning a car with a Flux Capacitor.
While Dr. Brown's creation may be tough to come across, DeLorean's really do exist and I hope to own one someday.
What time machines do you love from movies? I thought about adding Superman because he managed to fly around the world fast enough to turn back time, but I wasn't sure Superman classifies as a machine.
Anyway, let us know your favorites on the comment boards and on Facebook.
