Time Lapse

Plot synopsis:
Finn (Matt O'Leary) is a painter with a creative block, who lives together with his girlfriend Callie (Danielle Panabaker) and his best friend Jasper (George Finn) in an apartment complex where Finn works as a manager. Because the elderly tenant, Mr. Bezzerides (informally called "Mr. B" by the protagonists), across the way has not paid his rent in two months, Callie goes to check on him, and discovers a strange machine in his apartment that takes Polaroid photos of their living room's picture window—apparently 24 hours in the future, always at 8 pm, although Mr. B's photo display includes daytime photos. The friends check Mr. B's storage unit and find his inexplicably charred corpse; he has apparently been dead for a week. Gambling addict Jasper pushes to use the machine to win bets, as he usually loses, and the next day's photo confirms they will do just that. It also shows that Finn has finally created a new painting; copying the work in the photo gets him past his block. Based on what happened to Mr. B and notes in his journal, they realize they have to make sure the events in the photos—whatever they may be—have to occur, or their timeline will stop, and they will therefore cease to be.
Several days go by. The friends cover up Mr. B's disappearance, including lying to the complex security guard, Big Joe, claiming the old man is in the hospital. After a week they get a disturbing photo: Callie kissing Jasper, while Finn paints in the background. The actual kiss goes on too long while Finn paints, and he gets angry and jealous. Jasper's violent bookie Ivan learns of the machine, and forces the friends to now pose for the photos with many more event results for Ivan to make bets on. Finn and Jasper's friendship is strained by these events, as Ivan will be keeping each night's photo, preventing Finn from seeing his painting. Even so, Jasper gets a cellphone picture of the next photo before giving it to Ivan's goon, Marcus. This photo shows a hastily made skull and crossbones on the canvas, which Jasper believes is a warning to themselves.
The next evening, Finn runs into Big Joe at the gate, who has just gotten a job as a police officer. Marcus sees their meeting and calls Ivan, who does not believe their story about Big Joe just dropping off his keys. Ivan threatens all of them, but Jasper convinces him that tonight's new photo is of Ivan's death. While Ivan is retrieving the photo, Jasper stabs Marcus, then clubs Ivan to death on his return. They hide the bodies in Mr. B's storage unit. Finn and Callie fight, so Finn sleeps on the couch. Later that night, they are visited by Mr. B's colleague, Dr. Heidecker, who levels a gun at Finn and Jasper and forces them to reveal events. Mr. B had mailed Heidecker a photo that covers the next night, but taken before his death, showing blood on the window and Mr. B's hat on the friends' couch (Jasper has taken to wearing the dead man's hat). As she does not know how to adjust the settings of the machine, Jasper shoots Heidecker dead using Ivan's gun.
The next night's photo shows Callie and Jasper having sex in the window. Finn talks to Jasper, trying to figure out a way to prevent events, but Jasper knocks him out and locks him in Mr. B's storage—he intends to prevent a paradox and make sure the photo happens, no matter what. Finn escapes and threatens to destroy the machine if Jasper does not stop. A fight ensues, culminating with Callie smashing Jasper's head in. When making the painting to match Heidecker's photo, Finn realizes a discrepancy. He discovers that the camera also takes a photo at 8 am, a truth which Callie kept to herself. Callie reveals that she has been using the morning photo to send herself messages to manipulate events and rekindle her relationship with Finn; the sex photo is one of those missing from Mr. B's wall, from a drunken night a month ago. Finn rejects Callie and goes to destroy the machine, so she shoots him, creating the blood splatter on the window from Heidecker's photo. While Callie is attempting to send herself another message to change the timeline, Big Joe stops by, discovers the murdered Jasper and Finn, and arrests her.
As Callie is led away by Joe - confident that the timeline will reset - the note she left falls off the window, making permanent the events that have taken place. The final scene is of the camera taking a photo which is left unrevealed.

Tags: plot twist, mystery, murder

Review:
I spent the first part of this film umming and ahing as to whether or not I was enjoying it, but towards the end I was totally gripped and at the end I absolutely loved it.The story and pacing of this film are practically perfect, making it a definite winner in my book, but any prospective viewers might benefit from being aware of a couple of things before they decide to watch.Firstly it looks kind of like a cheap made for TV movie.
Time lapse is an independent film about a group of friends who discover a camera that can take pictures of the future.
This is only a small budget film with few special effects, instead it relies on a sharp script, good acting and an interesting story.
Time lapse is a very well-made and entertaining little movie, something that should satisfy the average science fiction/thriller fan.
Matt O'Leary as a young artist is appropriately fragile, Danielle Panabaker is not the 'good girl' you might assume from her appearance and George Finn conveys real menace in his portrayal as their friend, sinister from the middle point on.Settings are simple but effective and the atmosphere is well held together by the staging and the clean production.
The windup is complete and clean, revelations during the body of the film become evidence that tickle with satisfaction as it ends.Low budget, but you aren't going to feel like you are watching some derivative film school project.
This is the first work I have seen from this director and after seeing Time Lapse I will look for his name for future entertainment, along with the names of his young stars.When you find a film like this with unknown actors, a director you don't recognize and subject matter that could easily become boring you are forgiven if you don't fully commit to a full viewing when the streaming or broadcast starts.
Although there is of course a twist which is sort of interesting, but it comes late and by that time you might be over it.The idea of a camera taking pictures of the future is good, but they didn't capitalize on the idea or take it anywhere interesting.You can't help but roll your eyes at much of the movie.
Your patience will be tested by the choices the characters make, and the direction the story goes.The premise that they must act out at all costs, what's in the 'future photo' is the first plot blunder.
Still fun to watch though.Which all comes down to a neat direction (for a low budget movie that is) and the stellar cast, that really do their best to convey a really "far out" idea.
Without giving away any of the story, witnessing both the slow and sudden transformations of each character were both entertaining and jarring as a viewer.In addition to the realistic portrayals on screen, I found the look and feel of the film to be particularly noteworthy.
The director, and team, did a fine job in creating both tension and apprehension throughout the film by way of his shot selections as well as his set, sound, and art design choices; each which lent to the steady decline of the characters and their spiraling environment.
Furthermore, the cinematography fantastically added to the suspenseful pace and mood in which the story unfolds by realistically portraying a normal everyday world made up of friendship and love that quickly transforms into one made up of antagonism, manipulation, and greed.Time Lapse is 104 minutes of suspenseful and thrilling entertainment.
Time Lapse was definitely one of the most intense films I've watched recently and I found myself both eager to know the resolution and wanting the movie not to end.
It's not an arty-farty indie movie, it's just a good thriller with more believable dialog and characters than most Hollywood films.If you enjoy thoughtful time travel or sci-fi movies, definitely give this a go.The concept is great and could lend itself towards a sequel with different characters.
I haven't seen a movie with this kind of creepy and eerie beauty since Jean- Pierre Jeunet's early films.Time lapse is the directorial debut for Bradley King, and yet you would never know it by watching the movie.
It was by far one of the best movies of the official selection.I don't want to repeat what other reviewers have already written, but I agree that the script, the cinematography, the acting (especially Danielle Panabaker, very convincing as not-so-innocent Callie) were all excellent.
But while Time Lapse is one of the best movies in its genre (better than Primer in my opinion, because less circumvoluted), it is also a deep reflection on both dark and sublime human desires and emotions: greed, lust, jealousy, friendship, love, art.
The concept of the movie is fantastic - "Three friends discover a mysterious machine that takes pictures 24hrs into the future and conspire to use it for personal gain".
This is not an "impressive","intriguing","thoughtful" or "well-made" film.It is a routine B minus effort with mediocre acting and directing and a confusing and illogical script.It represents what happens when you try to make a film on a restricted budget - inexperienced unknown actors(no offence-we all have to start somewhere)trying to do their best with second-rate material, limited production values and every scene taking place in the same location because there isn't the budget to transport the actors or crew to different venues.
Having said all that,the film tries its best and in my opinion is probably just watchable if you are a fan of the genre and there is nothing else going.It certainly isn't worth its current IMDb rating and I agree with several of the reviewers whose olfactory senses detect an unwanted rodent somewhere..
His IMDb resume suggests mainly short subjects and TIME LAPSE looks like the attempt to break to the next level.Let's start with the premise, the logline.The other reviewers have already covered it.Really clever.
If you like time travel and sci-fi movies, don't watch this one.
Is more like a drama, romance with some thriller that didn't thrilled me.It's a really slow movie and the plot get convoluted more and more but in the wrong way.
This film is very well done and got me thinking about how time works, it also has lots of twists and turns and is a very exciting story.
The atmosphere was great throughout the whole movie and the characters were acted well by the actors, I was especially impressed by the actor who played 'Jasper'.
You could classified as a sci-fi movie but it really isn't.The premise seems simple, but it is like the writer couldn't decide which way to go and the script became confusing.The 3 main characters are as stupid as a can of Spam!If I wanted to summarized in a sentence with a moral in it I would say: Assumption is the mother of all fu**-ups.You need to keep your self calm throughout the movie not to throw something at the screen, with the decisions these young people are making.The 3 main characters might be a bunch of idiots but the 3 main actors actually make a really good job bringing up to life a so-so script.As I'm reading the movie won several awards in some local festivals.
If however you enjoy a good thought provoking story, great acting and a satisfying climax then you'll love this.This is one of those few movies that sticks in your mind long after it has finished and warrants a discussion with the people you watched it with...
It's not the best sci-fi film I've ever seen but it's reasonably high up the list and as a bonus, it keeps getting more interesting as it goes along and thankfully, the ending was fitting.A few suggestions for improvement: The characters all seemed like strangers in the beginning and they all waited a set time for their turn to speak which gave the film quite a stilted effect.
It progressed at a good pace and although George Finn's character development seemed a bit over the top, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and for once, the ending was fitting and extremely satisfying.I think everyone involved should be really proud, any criticisms are fairly minor, and I can easily recommend this.7/10.
Directed by Bradley King, Time Lapse is the story of jealousy, time travel and the degradation of relationships through power and greed.The story centers on an apartment complex where roommates Callie, Finn and Jasper (played by Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary and George Finn respectively) discover that their neighbor has died.
I love time-travel movies simply because they, like all good sci-fi, are just vehicles to examine human drama.
Looper even made use of time travel as a means to an end and JGL even made his weight in gold and silver in the process.The thing that really stood out for me in this film was the fact that it manages to keep track of its internal logic, which as most of you know is no easy task for a time-travel movie.
In Time Lapse we at least have physical representations in the form of Polaroid pictures that the machine spits out to keep developing the plot and creating the increased paranoia and tension between the roommates.This film like all the other ones at the festival has that indie film vibe to it, but I can definitely see why it was the Festival Centerpiece at Other World's Austin this year.
The performances are great, the minimalist sci-fi is great, and it's refreshing to have a good time-travel movie since it's been a long wait for a train don't come the past few years (Excluding Looper of course).Read the full review and others like it on the Drive-in Zeppelin Website.
As you have already gathered reading other reviews of Time Lapse, this indie film is a sci-fi gem.
I was looking forward to this movie because, at first, the plot looked good, but Time Lapse didn't meet my expectations.
Time Lapse (2014)A fun, and sometimes clever, idea about photographs from a neighbor's machine/camera that show the future one day in advance.
It is always hard to make sci-fi films about time travel and knowing the future as they usually become confusing quickly.
Very different movie(in a good way)The story and plot was really hard to walk away from.
I also thought that sometimes they spent a bit too much time in the same general area(s).Overall, it's a good movie to watch and it gets your mind thinking.
Exactly the kind of ideas I love to read and learn about after watching a film like Time Lapse.
Initially, they exploit potential money making opportunities that such a device will give them, but our trio discover that knowing what's round the next corner may not always be a good thing....Although it's a little bit goofy and jokey at the start the film soon settles down and becomes a fairly effective thriller.
The film becomes a little bit sloppy and chaotic towards the end - although this is also where you'll find some nice twists and surprises so there's both good and bad here.
I recognize the female lead from some other work but I have to say this is by far her best work (Panabaker), as for the other actors I will definitely be looking out for them for their work.With some good amount of genres mashed together (sci-fi, horror, romance, thriller and some drama) its hard to distinguish one from other as it all works so well.I Would highly recommend this to any hardcore sci-fi fan, even though its a independent film you wouldn't even notice it throughout the movie.
So really 4/5ths of the movie is good, just don't try to understand the end bit which is played by the Female lead..
As other mind bending movies, the plot twist can be hard to digest at times and the inconsistent acting does hamper the movie at mid-way point, though the photo finish still looks good.Three friends living in an apartment complex find a secret of their neighbor.
Acting was good, and the storyline, although not a fast-paced thriller, was quick enough to keep attention and keep the watcher entertained.If you enjoy the theory of time travel, and the consequences that can occur, then you will enjoy this movie.
I know at least keeping the story aside the acting will good, and much to my surprise all the characters have played their role beautifully.
George Finn, not to be confused with the other main character whose name in the film is "Finn," looks great on camera, but I don't really think he is all that great of an actor.
I always love it when a movie with a low budget and a simple story, can entertain me just as much as these 200 million dollar blockbusters.The plot starts out simple enough, three room-mates discover that their neighbor, a scientist, has died, and in his apartment, they find a large machine, that turns out to be a camera that takes pictures of the future.
It keeps the viewer thinking "what would I do in their shoes" and you can see a bit of yourself in these characters.If I was skeptical at all about this movie, that all went out the window at the end, when the script builds to a beautiful climax, and the last 20 minutes are filled with twists and turns and some really exciting plot twists that keep you guessing.
By time the credits role, I felt truly satisfied, and the movie kept me thinking about it for some time.This is a great movie to prove that it doesn't take a huge budget or an all-star cast to make a good feature film, even in the genre of "Sci-Fi".
If you have an hour and a half to spend in cold day and you like time related movies, this is a good choice!.
cinematography was great.Characters were played very well by the actors they just kept me watching all the way to the end..
This could have been a pretty good play.But at the end, things get a bit rushed and it's easy to get confused over some detailed reveals and twists in the story.Not a bad movie -- but not easy to recommend either.
Less is more fits perfectly when it comes to time paradox and this movie did it beautifully.A photo machine that takes pictures of the future, three friends with different aspirations, a movie with a lot of twists that will have you watch it over and over and over again.
The one drawback is that it does take a little while to get moving, hence the bad reviews from people who can't give a film more than twenty minutes, but once it gets started, Time Lapse quickly grabs hold and never lets go.
Actor portrayal are decent enough and the movie plot is very interesting.I keep reading loop holes in the story lines and paradox about time travel movies.
First, this movie made me think a lot, on several points, like who sent the last picture to that woman, but it's fine I got the answer for that, But I am still confused about one thing, if camera is taking future picture from next week (after 7 days, as what doc wrote in letter), that means, the day these 3 friends discovered that camera, the camera already printed next 7 days pictures, SO, now from starting of movie camera was printing NEXT week pictures, IF SO, then how come they were getting next day pics from cam, the picture of next day party & picture of the felling cloths stand, picture of that guy with race results on window, technically both of the guys were going to die in current week, so how they were showing up in NEXT week pictures?
I personally like time travel movies and I'm sure it's full of plot holes, but what can you do?
Time travel in itself, if possible would be full of plot holes.Either way, the movie was entertaining to me..
I started, first 15 minutes or so, thinking that this was going to be another very low budget semi-sci-fi time travel sort of film and was ready to be bored to my future or past death.
One can see that actors are trying hard to make this film work and watchable.In reality, after watching this film two times to make sure that I have everything I need to write a review for this film, I have to say that I am not impressed.First of all everything is happening in couple of rooms in the house which puts limits to the plot.
I know that I mention this a lot in my reviews, but no matter how great the story or idea is, if the characters are acting or speaking in plastic or cringe-worthy ways, it totally ruins any interest that I may have had in the movie.
But, the concept, although fairly simple, was ultimately very effective because of the excellent script and direction, not to mention as I said, the acting.This is clearly a very low-budget film, but this one I feel is an EXCELLENT example how you can make a very good movie with very little IF you know how to create and tell a good story and can put it together properly.
The characters are so full of stereotypes: - Jasper directly wanting to make money of it but never thinking always winning would raise suspicion - Finn being directly against using the machine - Callie the victim of everything in the story It's too bad because I really like time travel and time distortion movies.
See it for yourself.In the other hand, even if i have a predictable plot twist, the ending is really good, it made the movie for me.By the way, I apologize for any spelling errors..
I have watched a umber of science fiction films and movies about time- travel.