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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: Cross-Historical Stories

Cross-Historical Stories refers to stories that take place in more than one era. This does not refer to works that merely offer prologues, flashbacks or retellings of past events but rather where the drama of the story’s plotline straddles more than one period, usually greater than one individual lifetime. This also does not concern Time Travel stories.

This can range from various generations of a family as in a Family Saga. Some genre works cover epochs of human history, which can range from a few decades and centuries or all the way from the origins or end of the world or universe.

Such stories can be grand tapestries that tell of events affecting human history, of mysterious connections or how objects and places affect people in different eras. Others can be told through the eyes of an immortal or concern people reincarnated in different periods.


2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

26 April 200121 April 2025

Rating: ★★★★★

Stargate/Amok AI/Human Evolution/Space Mission

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Actors: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Douglas Rains
Category: Science Fiction

Assassin’s Creed (2016)

4 March 20176 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Videogame Adaptation/Quest Through Past Lives

Director: Justin Kurzel
Actors: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, …
Category: Fantasy

Bodies (2023)

19 January 202413 April 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Cross-Historical Detective Story/Time Travel

Director: Marco Kreuzpaintner, Haolu Wang
Actors: Stephen Graham, Kyle Soller, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Amaka Okafor, …
Category: Science Fiction

Cloud Atlas (2012)

24 October 20121 January 2022

Rating: ★★★

Cross-Historical Epic

Director: Tom Tykwer, Lilly/Andy Wachowski, Lana/Larry Wachowski, The Wachowskis
Actors: Tom Hanks, Jim Broadbent, Halle Berry, Doona Bae, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

30 December 200829 October 2021

Rating: ★★★

Man Ages in Reverse

Director: David Fincher
Actors: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond, Tilda Swinton, …
Category: Fantasy

Destiny (1921)

20 December 200127 July 2020

Rating: ★★★

Death Incarnates Lovers Throughout History

Director: Fritz Lang
Actors: Lil Dagover, Bernhard Goetzke
Category: Fantasy

Eternals (2021)

22 January 202226 September 2022

Rating: ★★

Marvel Comics Superhero Team

Director: Chloe Zhao
Actors: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)

18 November 202313 April 2024

Rating: ★★★

Edgar Allan Poe Adaptation

Director: Mike Flanagan, Michael Fimognari
Actors: Bruce Greenwood, Carla Gugino, Mark Hamill, Henry Thomas, …
Category: Horror

Fear Street 1666 (2021)

31 July 202130 May 2025

Rating: ★

Witch Persecution/R.L. Stine Adaptation

Director: Leigh Janiak
Actors: Kiana Madeira, Ashley Zukerman, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr, …
Category: Horror

Fear Street 1978 (2021)

31 July 202128 May 2025

Rating: ★★½

Slasher Homage/R.L. Stine Adaptation

Director: Leigh Janiak
Actors: Emily Rudd, Sadie Sink, Ted Sutherland, Ryan Simpkins, …
Category: Horror

The Fountain (2006)

26 February 20076 June 2025

Rating: ★★

Mystical Quest for Immortality

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Actors: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Ellen Burstyn, Fernando Hernandez, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

24 October 20209 November 2023

Rating: ★★★★

Haunted House

Director: Mike Flanagan, Ciaran Foy, Liam Gavin, Ben Howling, …
Actors: Victoria Pedretti, Henry Thomas, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ameilie Bea Smith, …
Category: Horror

Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)

16 February 200811 October 2022

Rating: ★★

Sadomasochistic Demons

Director: Alan Smithee, Kevin Yagher
Actors: Bruce Ramsay, Doug Bradley, Valentina Vargas, Kim Myers, …
Category: Horror

Here (2024)

7 December 20247 December 2024

Rating: ★★½

One Room Across Multiple Eras of Time

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Actors: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly, …
Category: Fantasy

Highlander (1986)

18 August 200012 October 2023

Rating: ★★★

Immortal Combat

Director: Russell Mulcahy
Actors: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, Roxanne Hart
Category: Fantasy

Highlander: Endgame (2000)

3 September 200022 October 2024

Rating: ★

Immortal Combat

Director: Doug Aarniokoski
Actors: Christopher Lambert, Adrian Paul, Bruce Payne, Donnie Yen, …
Category: Fantasy

Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (2007)

7 March 200912 December 2024

Rating: ★★½

Immortal Combat/Anime

Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Hiroshi Hamasaki
Actors: Alistair Abell, Janyse Jaud, Scott McNeil, Jim Byrnes, …
Category: Fantasy

The House of the Spirits (1993)

18 April 20012 September 2021

Rating: ★★

Latin American Family Saga/Magical Realism

Director: Bille August
Actors: Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas, …
Category: Fantasy

It (1990)

10 June 201620 May 2022

Rating: ★★★½

Stephen King Adaptation/Killer Clown Monster

Director: Tommy Lee Wallace
Actors: Tim Curry, John Ritter, Richard Thomas, Annette O'Toole, …
Category: Horror

Jauja (2014)

13 October 201419 August 2024

Rating: ★★★

19th Century Explorers/Fantastic Journey

Director: Lisandro Alonso
Actors: Viggo Mortensen, Villbjork Malling Agger, Adrian Fondari, Ghita Norby
Category: Fantasy

Labyrinth (2012)

20 January 201420 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Cross-Historical Search for the Holy Grail

Director: Christopher Smith
Actors: Vanessa Kirby, Jessica Brown-Findlay, Katie McGrath, John Hurt, …
Category: Fantasy

Last and First Men (2020)

6 June 20204 April 2021

Rating: ★★★½

The Future Evolution of Humanity

Director: Jóhann Jóhansson
Actors: Tilda Swinton
Category: Science Fiction

Lightfields (2013)

8 July 201410 September 2020

Rating: ★★★

Ghost Story Across Multiple Eras

Director: Damon Thomas
Actors: Dakota Blue Richards, Sam Hazeldine, Jill Halfpenny, Larry Mills, …
Category: Fantasy

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)

2 February 200124 January 2025

Rating: ★★½

Reincarnation and Clairvoyance Musical

Director: Vincente Minelli
Actors: Barbra Streisand, Yves Montand, Bob Newhart, Simon Oakland, …
Category: Fantasy

Orlando (1992)

1 February 20065 December 2023

Rating: ★★★½

Gender-Changing Immortal Across the Ages

Director: Sally Potter
Actors: Tilda Swinton, Billy Zane, Lothaire Bluteau, John Wood, …
Category: Fantasy

Red Riding (2009)

31 January 201725 February 2025

Rating: ★★½

Hunt for a Serial Killer

Director: Julian Jarrold, James Marsh, Anand Tucker
Actors: David Morrissey, Andrew Garfield, Rebecca Hall, Sean Bean, …
Category: Horror

Red Shift (1978)

22 September 202117 January 2025

Rating: ★★★

Mysterious Connections Between Historical Eras

Director: John MacKenzie
Actors: Stephen Petcher, Lesley Dunlop, James Hazeldine, Michael Elphick, …
Category: Fantasy

The Red Violin (1998)

19 July 20006 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Stories of a Cursed Violin

Director: Francois Girard
Actors: Jason Flemyng, Samuel L. Jackson, Colm Feore, Greta Scacchi, …
Category: Fantasy

The Road (2011)

28 January 201425 September 2024

Rating: ★★★

Filipino Ghost Story

Director: Yam Laranas
Category: Horror

Second Time Lucky (1984)

25 January 20038 June 2021

Rating: 0­

Adam and Eve Comedy

Director: Michael Anderson
Actors: Diane Franklin, Robert Morley, Roger Wilson, Robert Helpmann, …
Category: Fantasy

The Secret of Crickley Hall (2012)

24 November 202012 August 2021

Rating: ★★½

Ghost Story

Director: Joe Ahearne
Actors: Suranne Jones, Olivia Cooke, David Warner, Iain De Caestecker, …
Category: Horror

Things to Come (1936)

9 October 20035 September 2021

Rating: ★★★½

Building a Scientific Utopia

Director: William Cameron Menzies
Actors: Raymond Massey, Ralph Richardson, Cedric Hardwicke, Edward Chapman, …
Category: Science Fiction

Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)

1 October 20224 July 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Djinn Appears

Director: George Miller
Actors: Tilda Swinton, Idris Elba, Erdil Yasaroglu, Aamito Lagum, …
Category: Fantasy

Timestalker (2024)

24 January 202524 January 2025

Rating: ★★½

Comedy/Romance Reincarnated Through History

Director: Alice Lowe, Aneurin Barnard, Jacob Anderson, Nick Frost, …
Actors: Alice Lowe
Category: Fantasy

Winter’s Tale (2014)

15 February 201410 June 2025

Rating: ★★

Urban Fantasy/Romance/Fate and Miracles

Director: Akiva Goldsman
Actors: Colin Farrell, Russell Crowe, Jessica Brown-Findlay, William Hurt, …
Category: Fantasy

Recent Posts

  • Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms (2023)
  • The Ritual (2025)
  • Long Distance (2024)
  • To the Solitary Me Who Loved You (2022)
  • Parallel World Love Story (2019)
  • The Loch Ness Horror (2023)
  • Planetquake (2024)
  • Earthtastrophe (2016)
  • It Lives Inside (2023)
  • Subservience (2024)
  • Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)
  • The Assessment (2024)
  • The Mighty Gorga (1969)
  • Empire of the Apes (2013)
  • The Holy Virgin Versus the Evil Dead (1991)
  • Swarmed (2005)
  • Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo (1977)
  • Incantation (2022)
  • Dick Dynamite: 1944 (2023)
  • The Shrouds (2024)
  • Clown in a Cornfield (2025)
  • Incoming (2018)
  • Box: Metaphor (2023)
  • The House That Vanished (1973)
  • Skinwalker Ranch (2013)

Contact Moria

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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