Time Lapse (2014)

May 11, 2022 11:57 AM

Three friends discover a mysterious machine that takes pictures 24 hours into the future and conspire to use it for personal gain, until disturbing and dangerous images begin to develop.

Currently streaming in the US on Shudder and Tubi. Sitting at 78% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

posted by DirtyOldTown (7 comments total)

This kind of time shenanigans is right up my alley. Normally. But for as tight as its rule setup and execution is, the dialogue is written by someone whose only exposure to conversation is dated teen movies and the actors are between meh and awful.

And Jesus Christ, their plan was to win every bet with the same bookie indefinitely? Why not mix in other bookies at least? Other sports? The stock market? Crypto? How could they not see that they were going to end up in trouble repeatedly cleaning up against a gangster?
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:01 PM on May 11, 2022 [3 favorites]

I saw this years ago and have forgotten most of it. Mostly it was people conveniently doing all their terrible deeds in plain view of the window at the appropriate time each day. I went to imdb to refresh my memory and:

John Rhys-Davies filmed two scenes portraying Mr. Bezzerides. However, his scenes ended up being deleted from the final cut. The filmmakers issued an apology to Mr. Rhys-Davies, which appears during the closing credits.

This must have been a money issue. This feels like the sort of movie that would have put him in all the marketing material even if he only played a corpse.
posted by Gary at 5:53 PM on May 11, 2022 [1 favorite]

Did they give Mitch Hedberg a story credit?
posted by stevis23 at 4:22 AM on May 12, 2022

This kind of time shenanigans is right up my alley. Normally. But for as tight as its rule setup and execution is, the dialogue

That was my finding as well; I found the hap between concept and execution was wide. I enjoyed it okay once, years ago, but I am unlikely ever to see it again.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:17 AM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Yeah, the dialogue... I'm not gonna hang a number on the acting because nothing they say was their own fault. But I will just note that Danielle Panabaker, the fifth lead on the CW's The Flash is probably the best actor in this. So take from that what you will.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:22 AM on May 12, 2022

Loved the ending on this, really notched things up a star for me. I’m an absolute sucker for time travel films.
posted by iamkimiam at 12:59 PM on May 12, 2022

Wasn't there a Twilight Zone episode with this plot?
posted by ubiquity at 10:38 AM on May 20, 2022