In a blend of nostalgic horror and time-twisting thrills, Time Cut—featuring Outer Banks star Madelaine Petsch and Cobra Kai’s Griffin Gluck—captures audiences with its unique spin on the classic slasher genre. Directed by Matt Smukler, this film echoes the gripping suspense of time travel, as it merges horror with a mind-bending narrative. Rooted in the classic ‘80s horror tradition yet reimagined with fresh, inventive elements, Time Cut has found a special place in this year’s releases. If you, like me, were either intrigued or disappointed with Time Cut on Netflix, you can seek out the following movies that feel like they belong with the Netflix original.
1. Happy Death Day (2017)
Happy Death Day directed by Christopher Landon follows Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe), a college student who repeatedly relives the day of her murder, waking up each time in the dorm room of a kind stranger, Carter (Israel Broussard). As she experiences the same events over and over, Tree encounters stereotypical college situations, including clashes with her sorority sisters and navigating college romance and rivalry. Her days repeat until she uncovers the mystery of her masked killer’s identity, with each iteration offering clues, but also testing her resilience.
Similar to Time Cut, it takes the concept of time manipulation to create suspense and injects a darkly humorous edge, making the protagonist’s journey as much about self-discovery as it is about survival.
2. Freaky (2020)
Also directed by Christopher Landon, Freaky combines a classic slasher storyline with a body-swap twist. The movie follows Millie Kessler (Kathryn Newton), a high school girl who becomes the latest target of a notorious serial killer known as the Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn). During a violent encounter, Millie and the Butcher mysteriously swap bodies, setting the stage for chaos and dark humor as they each adapt to their new forms.
Much like Time Cut, Freaky is one of those movies that blends horror, comedy, and supernatural elements, where horror is interwoven with the uncanny, creating a thrilling ride laced with humor.
3. Totally Killer (2023)
Directed by Nahnatchka Khan, Totally Killer is one of the best movies that you can watch if you like Time Cut. The story follows Jamie (Kiernan Shipka), a teenager in the present day who discovers that her mother’s past is haunted by a masked serial killer known as the “Sweet Sixteen Killer.” This killer brutally murdered several of her mom’s friends back in 1987, a traumatic event that has loomed over Jamie’s family ever since.
Totally Killer uniquely combines slasher thrills with an ‘80s throwback style, mirroring Time Cut’s nostalgic nod to classic horror elements while infusing a contemporary twist. Both films play with time-travel mechanics to elevate the horror genre, adding complexity and layering suspense with moments of humor.
4. The Babysitter (2017)
The 2017 horror-comedy The Babysitter by McG follows Cole (Judah Lewis), a shy 12-year-old who discovers that his seemingly perfect babysitter, Bee (Samara Weaving), is actually part of a Satanic cult. When Cole sneaks out of bed one night, he catches Bee and her friends performing a ritual sacrifice, forcing him into a night of survival as he tries to escape their increasingly violent attempts to silence him. The film blends dark humor with slasher elements, capturing the mix of terror and absurdity in Cole’s struggle to outwit Bee and her deadly crew.
As far as movies like Time Cut are concerned, The Babysitter finds a place in the list because both involve young protagonists who find themselves in life-threatening situations orchestrated by those they thought they could trust. The two films are also streaming on Netflix, so The Babysitter could be a great next watch.
5. Last Night in Soho (2021)
6. The Final Girls (2015)
The Final Girls directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson centers around Max (Taissa Farmiga), who, along with her friends, gets sucked into a classic slasher film called Camp Bloodbath, in which her late mother starred. As they find themselves trapped in the movie, they must navigate the tropes of the genre while trying to survive the killer pursuing them, all while grappling with the emotional weight of Max’s loss
The film, much like Time Cut, plays on nostalgia and genre tropes while offering a new perspective, using the meta-horror angle to reflect on grief, memories, and relationships. The Final Girls incorporates elements of horror and time travel while also embracing a self-aware, genre-savvy approach.
