The five greatest time travel films of all, err, time: Twelve Monkeys; Terminator 2; Groundhog Day; Les Visiteurs; Planet of the Apes (the original version). Discuss.
The Time Traveler’s Wife, sadly, does not even make the top ten. It’s very silly, and very soppy, and full of plot holes. But it does play around much more than most films do with the idea of the traveller [proper English spelling now, as I’m not quoting the title] going back and forward in time to meet himself.
It’s bizarre, and utterly fantastical – but in fact we do it every day. I know that dogs and dolphins have memories, and plan for the future. But we human beings seem to have a distinctive ability to become present to ourselves as we were in the past, and aware of ourselves as we might be in the future. Memory and imagination seem to have a special power for us. We really go back in time and see ourselves as we were, and this allows us to learn, and to regret, and to be grateful – and so many other things. And we really go forward in time and imagine how we could be in the future, and this allows us to be creative and inventive and even visionary.
The key, according to Sartre, is not that we can go back or forward in time, it is that in the present we can step back from ourselves – from our own thoughts and feelings and desires – and take a look at them. A look that might be curious, or approving, or critical. This ‘presence-to-self’ is what makes us human, and makes us free, and allows us to time travel.
Bridges and Tangents 
Would this be relevant?
Interesting thoughts. I wish I was better able to remember myself in the past– when I check myself against my diary I’m often surprised by how immature I was, or by how mature I was, or by how little I’ve changed.
It can be a good source of insight.
At last, finally someone else who appreciates the sheer genius of Les Visiteurs :-) I cried with laughter the first time I saw it and it still makes me laugh now… of course coming to terms with the present day might mean I actually have to replace my antiquated VHS copy with the DVD version (on the plus side though, maybe the DVD might include some ‘extra features’ actually worth watching… then again, if the past teaches us anything…. )
You reference with the photo, but no mention of Doctor Who? (I know, not a movie…) But it’s SO brilliant, most especially its current regeneration, which blows all of those movies away. I’m just now watching the last DVD of the last series (sniff sniff…), with all of the Doctor Who Confidential, and loving it. It’s such a wonderful take on time travel, and so thought provoking.
Were you ever a fan of the series, Father Steve? I’d love to know. David watched it in his youth, and I’ve only gotten to know it since Chris Eccleston took over. I told my sister she should introduce her boys to the series, because it’s SO well done, on so many levels.
Next year you should consider entering this: http://www.christianblogawards.com as either best newcomer or best blog or best leader… or all three. Blessings!