Step 1: Suspend your disbelief… at least if you want to make it through “Project Almanac.” While it’s true many movies ask us to look past any inaccuracies, it’s particularly true for time-travel movies that also incorporate the found-footage theme.
Step 2: Realize “Project Almanac” isn’t rocket science… oh wait, maybe it is a little. The story centers on a group of nerdy teenagers who find plans to build a time machine, figure it out, put it to good use and film every single second of it. Like typical teenagers, their wish list in time traveling include acing school exams, exacting revenge on mean girls, winning the lottery, attending Lollapalooza, and getting the girl of your dreams. They also eventually realize that sneaky problem about time travel: If you change events in any way in the past, it could have long-lasting and dangerous consequences in the present day.
Step 3: Don’t look for any standout performances. The standard practice with these documentary-style films is to cast relative unknowns. “Chronicle” lucked out with the creepy Dane DeHaan, and “Project X” had cutie Thomas Mann and hilarious Oliver Cooper, but the kids in “Almanac” aren’t going to be offered huge roles after this film. Jonny Weston plays the almost-too-good-looking-to-be-a-nerd David, the leader of the pack who is desperate to attend MIT and secretly loves the school’s hot chick, played blandly by Sofia Black-D’Elia. David’s best friends are equally geeky, but, as portrayed by Sam Lerner and Allen Evangelista, don’t provide any kind of real comic relief. The last member of the group is David’s sister, Kathy, whose sole purpose is being the cameraperson.
Step 4: Ask yourself: Is the found-footage technique clever and inventive… or has it just become annoying? After the huge success of “The Blair Witch Project,” the idea of telling a story through the lens of a camera held by one or more of the characters became the new it thing to do. Some of these movies have worked really well, primarily in the horror genre, such as “Paranormal Activity” and “[Rec].” As mentioned before, “Chronicle” and “Project X” are also great examples, but like anything, Hollywood has used it to excess. Unfortunately for “Almanac,” the jerky camerawork doesn’t serve the story as well, and the explanations for why there’s a camera around at all times (“Gee Kathy, do you have to film everything?”) seem unrealistic. But then again, I did say you have to suspend disbelief.
Step 5: If you decide to stick it out, just relax and have fun with “Project Almanac.” There are enough thrilling moments and teenage angst to make it watchable.