Movies like Primer
If you like "Primer" you are looking for philosophical, independent film and mind bending movies about / with time travel, time machine, time loop, science, changing the future, parallel universe and changing the past or future themes of Drama, Sci-Fi and Thriller genre shot in USA.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps:
1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below).
2. Look for them in the presented list.
Primer (2004)
121K
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 77 min.
Story:
Friends and fledgling entrepreneurs invent a device in their garage which reduces the apparent mass of any object placed inside it, but they discover that it has some highly unexpected capabilities - ones that could enable them to do and to have seemingly anything they want. Taking advantage of this unique opportunity is the first challenge they face. Dealing with the consequences is the next.
Style:
philosophical, independent film, mind bending, confusing, surreal, surprise ending, enigmatic, thought provoking, mindfuck, cult classic ...
Plot:
time travel, time machine, time loop, science, changing the future, parallel universe, changing the past or future, inventor, invention, time, time traveler, experiment gone awry, paradox, discovery, technician, greed, identity crisis, twists and turns, philosophy, technology, physics, voice over narration, dialogue, mistrust, mathematics ...
Time:
future, year 2004, distant future, 2000s, 21st century, contemporary
Place:
texas
Movie in categories
Most similar movies to Primer
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out mind bending, thought provoking, complex and mindfuck films with plots about storytelling, twists and turns, alternate reality, parallel universe, first contact, dialogue and existentialism mostly in Sci-Fi, Thriller and Drama genres. Some movies like Primer: Project Almanac (2015), Time Lapse (2014), Coherence (2013), Upstream Color (2013), Source Code (2011). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
A group of teens discover secret plans of a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.
Style:
exciting, clever, suspense, futuristic, unusual plot structure ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
time travel, time, time loop, teenager, alternate timeline, time paradox, time machine, changing the past or future, time traveler, teenage life, butterfly effect, teleportation ...
Time:
future, year 2015, 2010s, year 2014, distant future ...
Place:
usa, woodstock, atlanta georgia
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
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.
Style:
twist ending, psychological, cerebral, intellectual, confusing ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
time travel, time machine, time paradox, plot twist, parallel universe, time loop, twists and turns, murder, paranoia, blackmail, time, party ...
Time:
future, 2010s, year 2014, near future
Similarity:
93%
170K
Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 89 min.
Story:
On the night a comet is passing near Earth, eight friends at a dinner party experience a troubling chain of reality bending events. When the power goes out, they discover that the only house on the street left with power also holds many secrets.
Style:
psychological, mind bending, suspenseful, cerebral, confusing ...
Plot:
twists and turns, alternate reality, parallel world, parallel universe, time loop, quantum physics, disorder, friends, paranoia, paradox, isolation, dinner party ...
Time:
near future, year 2013, future, distant future, 2010s ...
Place:
usa, los angeles
Similarity:
80%
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the lifecycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives.
Style:
surreal, psychological, mind bending, experimental, art house ...
Audience:
family friendly
Plot:
love affair, brainwashing, parasite, existentialism, drugged, tragic love, memory loss, haunted by the past, identity crisis, trippy, parallel universe, revenge ...
Time:
year 2013, 2010s, 90s, 21st century
Place:
usa
Similarity:
90%
Movie in collections
579K
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada, France, Germany
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
Decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens wakes up in the body of an unknown man, discovering he's involved in a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. He learns he's part of a top-secret experimental program that enables ...
Style:
surprise ending, suspense, mind bending, clever, captivating ...
Audience:
boys' night, teens, chick flick
Plot:
time loop, time travel, train, alternate reality, parallel universe, twists and turns, memory, save the day, changing the past or future, destiny, terrorism, time ...
Time:
future, year 2011, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
chicago, usa, somalia, afghanistan, illinois
Similarity:
82%
905K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
Style:
psychological, surreal, mind bending, atmospheric, philosophical ...
Audience:
teens, date night, adult, teen drama
Plot:
mental illness, imaginary friend, schizophrenia, psychology, time travel, insanity, parallel universe, suburbs, surrealism, time loop, trippy, schizophrenic ...
Time:
80s, year 2001, 2000s, future, 20th century ...
Place:
los angeles, america, usa, virginia, harvard university
Similarity:
82%
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Australia, USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
Predestination chronicles the life of a Temporal Agent sent on an intricate series of time-travel journeys designed to prevent future killers from committing their crimes. Now, on his final assignment, the Agent must stop the one criminal that has ...
Style:
surprise ending, philosophical, confusing, clever, mind bending ...
Audience:
boys' night, family friendly, chick flick, adult
Plot:
time travel, time loop, plot twist, time machine, time paradox, twists and turns, parallel universe, gender, destiny, existentialism, changing the past or future, loner ...
Time:
year 1975, future, 2010s, 1940s, year 2014 ...
Place:
usa, new york, peru, cleveland ohio
Similarity:
79%
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
A young man struggles to access sublimated childhood memories. He finds a technique that allows him to travel back into the past, to occupy his childhood body and change history. However, he soon finds that every change he makes has unexpected ...
Style:
psychological, mind bending, suspense, philosophical, reflective ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night, chick flick, adult
Plot:
time travel, twists and turns, memory, time loop, butterfly effect, psychology, mind control, alternate reality, changing the past or future, destiny, memory loss, time ...
Time:
year 2004, 2010s, 2000s, future, 21st century
Place:
usa
Similarity:
71%
Movie in collections
626K
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, China
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
In the futuristic action thriller Looper, time travel will be invented but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past where a looper, a ...
Style:
futuristic, mind bending, thought provoking, neo noir, cerebral ...
Audience:
family friendly, boys' night, adult
Plot:
time travel, time loop, distopia, hitman, time paradox, cyberpunk, time, self sacrifice, assassin, changing the past or future, organized crime, revenge ...
Time:
future, 2040s, near future, distant future, year 2012 ...
Place:
shanghai, kansas, seattle, usa
Similarity:
78%
Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when ...
Style:
psychological, surreal, twist ending, futuristic, non-linear ...
Plot:
time travel, post apocalyptic, apocalypse, insanity, virus, post apocalypse, time loop, paranoia, end of the world, psychology, mental institution, dystopia ...
Time:
future, 20th century, year 1990, year 1996, 90s ...
Place:
philadelphia, maryland, pennsylvania, california, baltimore ...
Similarity:
75%
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
After his girlfriend, Julie and two best friends are killed in a tragic auto accident, Nick struggles to cope with his loss and grief. Suffering from migraine-like seizures, Nick soon discovers that he has the power to change the past via his ...
Style:
erotic, suspense, serious, suspenseful, mind bending ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night
Plot:
time travel, destiny, changing the past or future, sent to the past, time loop, supernatural ability, profanity, childhood, suicide, supernatural, haunted by the past, hopes ...
Time:
future, 21st century
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Spain
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
A man accidentally gets into a time machine and travels back in time nearly an hour. Finding himself will be the first of a series of disasters of unforeseeable consequences.
Style:
suspense, twist ending, cerebral, enigmatic, confusing ...
Audience:
date night, adult
Plot:
time travel, time loop, twists and turns, time machine, plot twist, threat, mysterious character, problem solving, trippy, time, surrealism, disorder ...
Time:
future, 21st century
Place:
basque country, iberian peninsula, europe, spain
Similarity:
73%
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Romania, Iceland
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
Paranoid computer programmer Simon wakes up to find a package in his room one day. Despite attempts at securing his apartment, the packages keep arriving. While cameras watch Simon's every move, he struggles to find the answers to the ...
Style:
surreal, enigmatic, cerebral, confusing, psychological ...
Plot:
cyberpunk, computer, paranoia, mind control, neighbor, technology, existentialism, hacking, investigation, life is a bitch, robot, geek ...
Time:
future
Similarity:
100%
2.8M
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 148 min.
Story:
Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another ...
Style:
psychological, mind bending, cerebral, clever, twist ending ...
Audience:
date night, teens, adult
Plot:
dream, virtual reality, memory, alternate reality, teamwork, imagination, subconscious, philosophy, twists and turns, fictional reality, existentialism, lucid dream ...
Time:
year 2010, future, 2000s, 2010s, near future
Place:
japan, paris france, los angeles, iran, tokyo ...
Similarity:
78%
633K
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
Caleb, a 26 year old coder at the world's largest internet company, wins a competition to spend a week at a private mountain retreat belonging to Nathan, the reclusive CEO of the company. But when Caleb arrives at the remote location he finds ...
Style:
psychological, futuristic, twist ending, philosophical, mind bending ...
Audience:
girls' night, adult
Plot:
artificial intelligence, robot, androids, technology, existentialism, cyborgs, cyberpunk, isolation, manipulation, androids and robots, female robot, consciousness ...
Time:
future, near future, 2010s, year 2015, year 2014 ...
Place:
england
Similarity:
71%
344K
Genre: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
Called in to recover evidence in the aftermath of a horrific explosion on a New Orleans ferry, Federal agent Doug Carlin gets pulled away from the scene and taken to a top-secret government lab that uses a time-shifting surveillance device to help ...
Style:
suspenseful, exciting, tricky, clever, confusing ...
Audience:
boys' night, teens, girls' night, date night, family friendly ...
Plot:
time travel, time loop, twists and turns, investigation, deja vu, terrorism, time, danger, changing the past or future, police investigation, alternate timeline, parallel universe ...
Time:
near future, 2000s, year 2006, future, 21st century
Place:
new orleans, louisiana, usa
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
Computer scientist Hannon Fuller has discovered something extremely important. He's about to tell the discovery to his colleague, Douglas Hall, but knowing someone is after him, the old man leaves a letter in his computer generated parallel ...
Style:
mind bending, intellectual, twist ending, philosophical, neo noir ...
Plot:
virtual reality, alternate reality, cyberpunk, cyberspace, twists and turns, time travel, computer system, artificial intelligence, consciousness, parallel world, simulated reality, imaginary ...
Time:
future, 1930s, 90s, year 1999, 20th century ...
Place:
los angeles, usa, pasadena california
Similarity:
75%
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: France, Germany, USA
Duration: 145 min.
Story:
Set in the futuristic landscape of Los Angeles on July 4, 2008, as it stands on the brink of social, economic and environmental disaster. Boxer Santaros is an action star who's stricken with amnesia. His life intertwines with Krysta Now, an ...
Style:
surreal, futuristic, cynical, apocalyptic, postmodern ...
Plot:
time travel, dystopian future, apocalypse, alternate reality, memory, prophecy, chaos, distopia, dark humor, alternate history, amnesia, drug ...
Time:
future, year 2005, year 2006, near future, 2000s ...
Place:
los angeles, syria, middle east, nevada, southern california ...
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
124K
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
A military veteran goes on a journey into the future, where he can foresee his death and is left with questions that could save his life and those he loves.
Style:
psychological, surreal, mind bending, enigmatic, tricky ...
Audience:
girls' night, boys' night
Plot:
time travel, psychology, mental institution, time loop, amnesia, supernatural, hallucination, destiny, memory loss, disorder, haunted by the past, life is a bitch ...
Time:
year 2005, 2000s, 90s, 20th century, year 1992 ...
Place:
vermont, iraq
Similarity:
67%
147K
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, Australia
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
The story revolves around the passengers of a yachting trip in the Atlantic Ocean who, when struck by mysterious weather conditions, jump to another ship only to experience greater havoc on the open seas.
Style:
psychological, twist ending, surprise ending, scary, suspenseful ...
Audience:
date night, teens
Plot:
time loop, twists and turns, ship, time travel, supernatural, ghost ship, isolation, ocean, insanity, paradox, gory, shipwreck ...
Time:
year 2009, 2000s, 20th century, 1930s, year 1932 ...
Place:
oceania, miami, florida, caribbean
Similarity:
67%
113K
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, France, Canada
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
A game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.
Style:
psychological, surreal, mind bending, disturbing, psychedelic ...
Plot:
virtual reality, cyberpunk, twists and turns, alternate reality, dystopia, cyberspace, bodyguard, parallel world, distopia, escape from reality, dystopian future, conspiracy ...
Time:
future, 90s, year 1999, near future
Place:
canada
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
A man glimpses the future Fate has planned for him – and chooses to fight for his own destiny. Battling the powerful Adjustment Bureau across, under and through the streets of New York, he risks his destined greatness to be with the only woman ...
Style:
romantic, mind bending, philosophical, cerebral, psychological ...
Audience:
teens, date night, chick flick, adult
Plot:
destiny, alternate reality, power of love, fall in love, fictional reality, politics, changing the past or future, foreknowledge, creator, supernatural, mind control, forbidden love ...
Time:
future, year 2011, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
new york, usa, brooklyn new york city
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada, Germany
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
Set in a world with memory implants, Robin Williams plays a cutter, someone with the power of final edit over people's recorded histories. His latest assignment is one that puts him in danger.
Style:
psychological, psychological thriller, philosophical, intellectual, suspense ...
Plot:
distopia, surveillance, cyberpunk, twists and turns, memory, existentialism, microchip, afterlife, dystopian future, social satire, machine, deception ...
Time:
future, year 2004, near future
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
In 1984, a young programmer begins to question reality as he adapts a dark fantasy novel into a video game. A mind-bending tale with multiple endings.
Style:
psychedelic, mind bending, tech noir, psychological, non-linear ...
Plot:
computer, programmer, free will, alternate reality, flashback, time travel, computer game, video game, repeated scene, cyberpunk, time loop, conspiracy ...
Time:
80s, near future, 2010s, year 1984
Similarity:
100%
344K
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
Science fiction drama about a future society in the era of indefinite eugenics where humans are set on a life course depending on their DNA. The young Vincent Freeman is born with a condition that would prevent him from space travel, yet he is ...
Style:
futuristic, thought provoking, intellectual, neo noir, clever ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
distopia, genetics, fighting the system, discrimination, dystopia, philosophy, society, paraplegic, eugenics, hopes, dystopian future, twists and turns ...
Time:
future, near future, 20th century, 90s, 1900s ...
Place:
detroit, riviera, french riviera
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, Switzerland, USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
A seductive alien prowls the streets of Glasgow in search of prey: unsuspecting men who fall under her spell.
Style:
surreal, creepy, dark, cult classic, atmospheric ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
alien, extraterrestrial, human prey, disguise, femme fatale, nudity, seduction, nightclub, creature, deformity, arthouse horror, female nudity ...
Time:
future, 2010s, year 2013, year 2014, 21st century
Place:
scotland, glasgow scotland, europe
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
On the brink of separation, Ethan and Sophie escape to a beautiful vacation house for a weekend getaway in an attempt to save their marriage. What begins as a romantic and fun retreat soon becomes surreal, when an unexpected discovery forces the two ...
Style:
surreal, emotional, tricky, cerebral, suspenseful ...
Plot:
marriage, couples, twists and turns, character study, family problems, doppelganger, infidelity, swimming pool, husband wife relationship, therapist, relationships, moral dilemma ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
usa, california
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 149 min.
Story:
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
Style:
futuristic, philosophical, mind bending, cerebral, psychedelic ...
Audience:
family outing, kids, teens, adult
Plot:
space travel, artificial intelligence, astronaut, outer space, space, moon, computer, scientist, human versus computer, extraterrestrial, deception, spacewalk ...
Time:
future, year 2001, 20th century, 2000s, stone age ...
Place:
persia
Similarity:
100%
123K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
When a rare phenomenon gives police officer John Sullivan the chance to speak to his father, 30 years in the past, he takes the opportunity to prevent his dad's tragic death. After his actions inadvertently give rise to a series of brutal ...
Style:
psychological, clever, feel good, serious, touching ...
Audience:
kids, boys' night
Plot:
time travel, time, radio, father son relationship, investigation, police detective, parallel universe, altering history, murder mystery, changing the past or future, murder, rescue ...
Time:
future, year 1999, year 1969, year 2000, y2k ...
Place:
new york, usa
Similarity:
50%
44K
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 88 min.
Story:
Two old friends living in a dystopic future become trapped in a mysterious time loop — one that may have something to do with an ongoing battle between an omnipotent corporation and a ragtag band of rebels.
Style:
psychological, tense, enigmatic, cerebral, suspense ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
time loop, twists and turns, time travel, life & death, creativity, memory, dystopia, post apocalypse, time, survival, distopia, faked death ...
Time:
future
Similarity:
50%
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