How to Build a Time Machine

How to Build a Time Machine is a thought-provoking and intriguing documentary released in 2016 and directed by the ingenious filmmaker Jay Cheel. The film offers an engaging and eye-opening exploration of the intriguing essence of time travel. The movie traces two different protagonists, Bob Burns and Ronald Mallett, both of whom are fascinating in their unique ways.

Bob Burns, a famous Hollywood special effects artist, is known for his works on numerous successful films. In How to Build a Time Machine, he is not part of a sci-fi thriller, but instead is on a personal journey. After experiencing a tragedy in childhood, Bob Burns becomes obsessed with George Pal's 1960 film, "The Time Machine." His personal project, replicating the time machine from the film, serves as one aspect of the documentary's focus. Burns’ remarkable collection of classic Hollywood memorabilia, including coveted pieces from the original Time Machine movie, underscores his dedication. His lifelong enthusiasm stems from an irresistible desire to revisit his past.

On the other hand, the film introduces Ronald Mallett, a reputable theoretical physicist. Motivated by a devastating loss in his early years, Mallett has spent his whole life studying black holes and gravitational fields with one goal in mind: to build a time machine. His life-long mission to manipulate time scientifically is the other significant aspect the documentary explores. Mallett's dedication is shown through his extensive work on light, black holes, and theoretical physics, intricately explaining the science of traveling back in time using Einstein’s relativity laws.

While both are connected by their mutual aspiration, the way they pursue their dream of time travel is strikingly different. Bob Burns employs imagination, creativity, and passion, creating an example of how art can help us come to grips with time. On the contrary, Ronald Mallett adopts a logical, scientific approach to time travel that pushes the boundaries of our understanding of reality. This contrast forms a critical perspective in the documentary.

None of them are eccentric or silly big dreamers. They are deeply sympathetic characters, connected by their shared passion for turning back the hands of time. While Burns' narrative is more emotionally driven, focusing on his desire to reconnect with a better time, Mallett's account is a scientific exploration, a rational yet very personal quest to invent a time machine.

The brilliance of How to Build a Time Machine lies in its poetic and profound reflection on time, exploring not only the scientific possibilities but also the human implications of time travel. The movie does not simply delve into the technicality of building a time machine; it meticulously navigates through each individual’s journey, their triumphs, and their struggles over years of obsession with time, distilling their singularities into a poignant narrative.

Director Jay Cheel expertly crafts a work that does not rely on flashy special effects or wild hypotheses. He chooses, instead, to anchor his film in the real people at its heart, making it a touching human story about dealing with loss, nostalgia, and the relentless march of time. Throughout, the film maintains a superb level of curiosity, intelligence, and creativity that captivates on various levels, from the emotional to the intellectual.

Appropriately, the film's cinematography is stellar. The careful attention to detail, combined with the excellent combination of interviews, animations, and historical footage, results in a visually appealing documentary that poignantly mirrors the fascinating scientific and creative journeys.

Through exploring the lives of two men and their ceaseless obsession with time navigation, one through art and the other through science, "How to Build a Time Machine" becomes more than just a voyage through time. It evolves into a philosophical contemplation of life, loss, and human longing, while delivering a beautiful narrative about dreams, ambition, and the power of hope in the relentless face of time. To sum up, "How to Build a Time Machine" is a compelling, enlightening, and inevitably human story that leaves its viewers pondering the endless wonders of time.