Okay, so this movie doesn’t exactly involve actual time travel, but it’s something similar. It was a very intelligent and compelling story. It is labeled as a thriller, but it is a very subtle one. There aren’t any jump scares, there’s not too much action, and it’s not necessarily what you would call “exciting.” All of that being said, It’s very suspenseful. It’s interesting. It’s confusing, but not in a way that makes you throw your hands up and say “screw it” rather, it’s confusing in a way that leaves you desperate for answers. You just want to know what’s going on, and in the end, this movie delivers with an awesome twist that really left my head spinning.
Plot Overview
This movie features a couple and a friend of theirs, all sharing a small house. They notice that one of their neighbours hasn’t come out of his house in a few days. Callie (played by Danielle Panabaker) goes over to check on him, only to find that he is not there. She calls her boyfriend Finn and their friend Jasper over, and this is when they discover the big project that their neighbour had been working on. First, they are very confused to find a wall full of Polaroid photos of them and their living room. They then realize that the massive, odd-looking machine in the room is a camera, pointed at the window into their living room. Long story short, they have discovered a camera that takes photos 24 hours into the future, each night at 8pm.
This is an exciting discovery, and they begin using it to place winning bets on races and make a lot of money. Things are going swimmingly until the camera spits out a couple of strange, and somewhat scary images. Someone else discovers their secret, and suddenly they are in more trouble than they ever bargained for. Friendships are tested, and the concept of time is heavily contemplated in this interesting, thought-provoking spin on time travel.
My Thoughts
Overall, I think this movie was very well done. The three main characters all put on strong performances. There is a little bit of tension between the three due to Jasper’s attraction to Fin’s girlfriend, but ultimately they get along pretty well and their relationships are stable. While the discovery of the future telling camera seems to bring them together in the beginning, it soon begins to tear them apart, and their loyalty to one another is truly tested.
While the acting was strong and I think the script was strong as well, my favourite thing about this movie is the way it makes you think about time itself. Physically traveling into the past or future is one thing, but seeing the future in this way is another thing completely. I think one of the biggest things it plays with is the idea of free will. Free will and predetermination, or even fate perhaps.
Once the three of them discover the camera, their life no doubt changes completely. Suddenly, they are not acting on their thoughts and decisions alone, but their knowledge of the future becomes a huge factor. With that in mind, I very soon began questioning why they were doing what they were doing. Did they position themselves in the living room the way they did because that’s what they saw in the photo from the previous day, or would they have ended up like that anyway, despite having seen the photo? Or maybe it’s a bit of both?
Another thing to consider is the fact that their knowledge of the camera and their plans for it begin to factor into all of their actions and decisions, which ultimately plays a role in what shows up in the photos in the first place.
On the surface, it seems like a simple concept. You see a snapshot from 24 hours into the future. Once you really delve into the whole thing though, it becomes a real mind bender. Watching this movie and seeing how the whole thing plays out for these three was actually so entertaining, and it got so intense near the end. More questions pop up than answers, and some extremely surprising things end up happening.
For largely taking place in only two rooms, it’s a real nail-biter that is literally going to keep you guessing until the very end. Even then, you get your answers, but you’re not left feeling very satisfied. The conclusion is unsettling and the questions that remain are even more so.
Conclusion
Ultimately, this movie would have left anyone questioning the actual inner-workings of time, space, and time travel itself regardless of how it turned out. The fact that it comes along with some strong acting and an intense, compelling story that keeps you drawn in the whole time, is a huge bonus. The entire movie was a true pleasure to watch, and it left me with a lot to think about! It’s definitely not something to put on in the background, it is imperative that you catch every detail and are able to follow along.
Want to Watch?
This movie is available to buy or rent on Amazon:
Steph,
What a great website! I like to watch movies, especially good ones, however I don’t have the time to watch all of the movies that I would like to. Between work and coaching sports 11 months out of the year, well there is just not enough time to just sit and watch for me.
I really like your website, and I am saving it to my favorites so that I can come back again and see what’s new.
Your website is easy to follow and very understandable. I like the way you covered “Time Lapse”. Who knows, maybe you can be part of the Siskel and Ebbert team.
Great job, and I can’t wait to come back!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate all the nice comments, and I do hope you come back in the future 🙂
I’ll be honest and say that I haven’t seen much of Siskel and Ebert, I think they were a little bit before my time – but they definitely had a good thing going! 🙂
Hi there! This movie seems very interesting to me and I had never heard of it beforehand. I enjoy watching movies related to the science-fiction genre and this movie seems like it fits that description, and I’m seriously considering watching it now! You described the movie well without spoiling much of the story, and that is much appreciated. The only detail I would like to know about the film (of which was not yet mentioned) is the cinematography. How would you describe the camera work throughout the movie? I know it’s a really small and unimportant detail, but camera work can completely change the way a movie is experienced.
Cheers
Paul
If you like science fiction, you will probably like this one! I do hope you get a chance to check it out.
You’re absolutely right though, camera work really can make a difference and it’s certainly not unimportant. This movie was unique I think in that it took place in a very limited amount of locations. Just a couple rooms for the most part, and I think it was managed well. There were lots of interesting angles and perspectives used, which I think was necessary for the viewer to not get bored of seeing the same living room all the time!
I hadn’t heard of this movie before but after reading your comprehensive review I believe I’m going to have to check it out. I’m a big sci fi fan and time travel has always fascinated me. It does make you think and question a lot of things. My favorite time travel movie is still “Somewhere in Time” with Christopher Reeve. This was probably before your time, but check it out if you haven’t already seen it. Thanks for a great review!
If you like time travel and the like, you’ll definitely like this movie! I do hope you get the chance to check it out. I haven’t seen Somewhere in Time, I’ll definitely look it up though 🙂
I loved this movie! I am a little biased though being a time travel enthusiast. I mean I have 1.21 tattooed on my wrist for crying out loud. Ha! I’ve been on this movie kick lately where things take place in limited locations. (One or two rooms) and this movie was one of them. I really beleive if you can hold someone’s attention on script and acting alone you have a good thing going. This movie succeeds and I totally agree with you. You do not put this on “in the background”. I really enjoyed the premise of this movie along with the possibilities it has you imagining. I also agree with you this is a movie that keeps you desperate for answers. Not once did I get bored or want to turn this off. It held my attention right down to the end. Great synopsis and review.
Question for ya.. have you seen “Predestination” with Ethan Hawk in 2014? If not check it out. It’s a great time travel movie and premise. One of the best in a long time. Not an action fest but a thinking persons time travel movie.
I’m really glad you enjoyed the review! it’s cool to hear some thoughts from someone else who has seen it. I actually have seen Predestination, and I LOVED it! I thought it was so good. Now that you’ve brought it up, I think I’m going to have to watch it again! it’s been a while
Hi Steph, this is a very good review without giving a lot away. I do like sci-fi type movies without the blood and gore or people and objects jumping out of places. I also like movies that put characters in a position where they are making decisions in the moment with not too much time to think about the consequences. I did a search and found out that you can rent the movie on You Tube and Google for $3.99. I will definitely check it out. This movie reminds me of an episode of the TV show The Twilight Zone (Season 2, Episode 10) where the characters find a camera that takes photos showing future events. The title is “A Most Unusual Camera”…Dennis
I’m glad I inspired you to check the movie out. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!