It’s not uncommon for a line or a short scene in a movie to start feeling a bit outdated over time. Even films that feel timeless as a whole may contain elements that don’t always hold up perfectly. Once in a while, though, there are entire films whose plots become obsolete due to developments in modern technology. Problems that once would have sent characters off on whole adventures can now be solved with the push of a button.
Now, this does not necessarily take away from the quality of the film itself. It is important to remember that all films are the product of their times; it’s not the filmmakers’ fault that the new technology did not exist when the idea for the movie was conceived. Nevertheless, it can still be enjoyable to reflect on how different these films would be if they had occurred in the present day. Though these films may still be beloved by their audiences, it is impossible to deny the massive impact that modern technology would have on their plots.
10 12 Angry Men (1957)
Home Security Cameras Would Solve The Case In A Snap
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Sidney Lumet’s 1957 courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men, is widely hailed as one of the greatest films of all time. However, although the characters and the setting feel timeless, the entire foundation of the plot could be completely avoided with the presence of modern surveillance technology. In the film, a jury is forced to determine whether a teenager is guilty of killing his own father.
Had the film occurred today, there almost certainly would have been far more evidence, thanks to the presence of more complex surveillance technology.
This proves to be no easy feat, as much of the evidence in the case is based on unreliable testimonies from the defendant’s neighbors. Had the film occurred today, there almost certainly would have been far more evidence, thanks to the presence of more complex surveillance technology.
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10/10 12 Angry Men rDramaCrime
12 Angry Men is a 1957 drama centering on twelve jurors in New York City who are deciding the verdict of a murder trial. Eleven of the jurors are set on a guilty verdict, but one stubborn juror slowly starts to change the others’ minds with his careful consideration of the evidence.
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*Availability in US Director Sidney Lumet Release Date April 10, 1957 Writers Reiginald Rose Cast John Fiedler , Henry Fonda , Martin Balsam , Jack Klugman , Lee J. Cobb , E.G. Marshall Runtime 96 minutes
The case could have been resolved in mere seconds if the defendant had owned a home security camera. The jurors would just have to look at the footage, and they would have known whether to vote “guilty” or “not guilty.” Fortunately, Henry Fonda’s courtroom heroics make the film so captivating, that audiences are unlikely to think about this reality.
9 The Apartment (1960)
Airbnb Would Have Saved Baxter a Lot of Trouble
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Billy Wilder’s 1960 Best Picture winner, The Apartment, stars Jack Lemmon as “Bud” Baxter, an insurance clerk who aspires to move up in the business by letting the executives at his company use his apartment for their extramarital affairs. Baxter eventually becomes fed up with the situation, but is left in quite a predicament; he can either live unhappily and continue letting the higher-ups use his apartment, or he can kick them out, and risk getting fired.
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The Apartment ApprovedComedyDramaRomance
Billy Wilder’s The Apartment is a comedy-drama film that features Jack Lemmon as C.C. Baxter, an ambitious office worker who lends his apartment to company executives for extramarital affairs to advance his career.
Director Billy Wilder Release Date June 15, 1960 Writers Billy Wilder , I.A.L. Diamond Cast Jack Lemmon , Shirley MacLaine , Fred MacMurray , Ray Walston Runtime 125 minutes
Baxter could have smoothly gotten out of this pickle if he had just presented the executives with another option. Nowadays, there are companies like Airbnb, which allow users to rent out entire houses and apartments for any length of time (even just one night). Baxter could have had the best of both worlds by reclaiming his apartment, but offering to arrange an Airbnb for the executives whenever they asked him. This way, he could have enjoyed his own apartment in peace, while also maintaining a favorable status at his company.
8 The Maltese Falcon (1941)
An Apple AirTag Could Have Located the Legendary Bird
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The critically-acclaimed 1941 film noir, The Maltese Falcon (directed by John Huston) follows a private detective who becomes entangled with a series of individuals searching for the titular treasure, a jewel-coated statuette of a falcon. As the opening titles indicate, the film is centered around the story that the Knights Templar of Malta had attempted to send the falcon as a gift to Charles V of Spain, only for it to be stolen and lost forever.
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The Maltese Falcon (1931) Not RatedMysteryCrime
The Maltese Falcon (1931) follows private detective Sam Spade as he navigates a complex web of deception and treachery in pursuit of a priceless artifact. The film, directed by Roy Del Ruth, is a gripping crime drama that delves into themes of greed, trust, and morality within the dark underbelly of society.
Director Roy Del Ruth Release Date May 23, 1931 Writers Dashiell Hammett , Brown Holmes , Maude Fulton Cast Ricardo Cortez , Bebe Daniels , Dudley Digges , Una Merkel , Robert Elliott , Thelma Todd , Otto Matieson , Walter Long , Dwight Frye , J. Farrell MacDonald , Agostino Borgato , Morgan Wallace , Lucille Ward Runtime 80 Minutes
The task of locating the priceless treasure would have been much more manageable in today’s world. Thanks to the invention of Apple AirTag technology, people can essentially mark any of their valuable items with these tags, which will then allow the user to monitor the item’s location remotely. If the Knights Templar had access to AirTags, they could have tracked down the Maltese Falcon right away. Unfortunately, this would have deprived audiences of getting to see Humphrey Bogart put his sleuthing skills to the test.
7 Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)
A Ridesharing App Would Have Gotten Neil Home on Time
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Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is the beloved 1987 John Hughes buddy comedy about two unlucky men trying their hardest to get home in time for Thanksgiving. Over the course of the film, the unlikely duo of Neil Page and Del Griffith are forced to travel in practically every vehicle imaginable on their journey back to Chicago.
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While the chaotic trip is nonstop fun for the audience, it all could have been easily avoided with more modern means of travel. Today, rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft have become incredibly popular for people looking to get from one place to another when they don’t have a car.
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8/10 Planes, Trains & Automobiles pg-13Comedy
Directed by John Hughes, Planes, Trains and Automobiles stars Steve Martin as Neal Page, a busy advertising executive who finds himself the unwilling traveling companion of salesman Del Griffith as the two attempt to return to Chicago for the Thanksgiving holiday. Beset by bad weather and a continuing comedy of errors in attempting to make travel plans, Neal and Del must work together, however unwillingly, to accomplish their shared goal. John Candy also stars alongside Martin as Del.
Director John Hughes Release Date November 25, 1987 Writers John Hughes Cast John Candy , Steve Martin , Kevin Bacon Runtime 93minutes
Of course, it wouldn’t have been reasonable to expect the pair to Uber all the way from New York to Illinois. However, it would have been very easy for them to get a ride to another airport or rent-a-car agency after their initial flight was redirected. This would have saved Neil and Del a ton of time, although it would have cost them many valuable memories.
6 Catch Me if You Can (2002)
Frank’s Schemes Never Would’ve Worked in 2024
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Steven Spielberg’s 2002 film, Catch Me if You Can, tells the mind-boggling true story of Frank Abagnale Jr., a young man who successfully conned his way into millions of dollars by creating various fake identities. The film, set largely in the 1960s, explores Frank’s various exploits, diving into the complex world of the fake lives he decided to live. One of the very first tricks Frank managed to pull involved successfully (and repeatedly) posing as a Pan Am pilot, gaining millions of dollars as he did so.
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7/10 Catch Me If You Can PG-13CrimeDramaBiography
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 biographical crime film directed by Steven Spielberg. It’s based on the true story of real-life con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., who successfully impersonated an airline pilot, doctor, and lawyer. Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the lead role and Tom Hanks co-stars as FBI Agent Carl Hanratty.
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*Availability in US Director Steven Spielberg Release Date December 25, 2002 Writers Frank Abagnale Jr. , Stan Redding , Jeff Nathanson Cast Leonardo DiCaprio , Tom Hanks , Christopher Walken , Martin Sheen , Nathalie Baye , Amy Adams , James Brolin , Brian Howe Runtime 141 Minutes
Unfortunately for Frank, it would have been practically impossible to pull off this scheme today. Significant improvements in airport security technology would have certainly prevented him from simply putting on someone else’s uniform and walking onto a plane, no questions asked. Further developments in surveillance systems also likely would have resulted in Frank being captured far sooner than he was in the film. This new technology would have made the film far less entertaining, regardless of whether you’re rooting for Frank or the officer pursuing him.
5 Jingle All the Way (1996)
The Entire Plot Could Be Solved With a Couple of Clicks
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The 1996 family comedy, Jingle All the Way, stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad as two fathers desperately trying to find a Turbo-Man action figure to give to their respective sons on Christmas. The over-the-top comedy is packed with crazy situations, as neither father is willing to give up on their mission. If the film had been released even just a few years later, though, it would have been completely different.
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7/10 Jingle All the Way PGAdventureComedyFamilyHoliday
Jingle All The Way is a Christmas-themed comedy film by director Brian Levant, released in 1996. After a business-focused father fails to procure a wildly popular toy for his son before Christmas, he must head on a city-wide hunt to find one. His hunt is complicated further when he’s forced to go head-to-head with a postal worker on the same quest, leading to a series of ever-escalating events during the holiday season.
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*Availability in US Director Brian Levant Release Date November 22, 1996 Writers Randy Kornfield Cast Arnold Schwarzenegger , Sinbad , Phil Hartman , Rita Wilson , Robert Conrad , Jake Lloyd , Jim Belushi Runtime 89 Minutes
A popular toy being sold out in stores is no longer the cause for hopelessness that it used to be in the ’80s and ’90s. Thanks to the astronomical growth of online retailers like Amazon, just about anything can be purchased online and shipped to one’s house in no time. All that Schwarzenegger and Sinbad had to do would have been to pop online, find where the toy was available, and then sit back and wait for a merry Christmas.
4 Home Alone (1990)
Kevin Could’ve Had a Nice Vacation if His Mom Had a Cell Phone
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Home Alone has been a classic holiday film since its release in 1990, but the entire plot never would have happened if it had come out a decade later. In the film, eight-year-old Kevin McCallister is accidentally left behind when his family leaves in the early morning for a trip to Paris for Christmas. This, of course, leaves Kevin to fend for himself for a few days until his family is able to return home.
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Home Alone PGComedyFamily
Home Alone tells the story of Kevin McAllister, an eight-year-old who is left behind in his Chicago home when his family flies to Paris for the holidays. Not only must Kevin keep himself safe while his mother flies back across the world, but he must protect his home from the Wet Bandits – serial burglars who are targeting the McAllister House. Kevin must use every trick in the book to keep the Wet Bandits from stealing Christmas before his mother returns.
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*Availability in US Director Chris Columbus Release Date November 16, 1990 Writers John Hughes Cast Macaulay Culkin , Joe Pesci , Daniel Stern , John Heard , Roberts Blossom , Catherine O’Hara Runtime 103 minutes
The slip-up that caused the entire plot of the movie could have been prevented by using a single piece of modern technology: a cell phone. If anyone else in the family had a cell phone, Kevin could have called them as soon as they left for the airport.
Nowadays, it would seem almost impossible that Kevin had no means of contacting any of his parents or siblings.
That way, they could have realized their mistake, picked up Kevin, and enjoyed a fun holiday together in Paris. Nowadays, it would seem almost impossible that Kevin had no means of contacting any of his parents or siblings. Of course, this means that audiences would have missed out on a holiday classic.
3 The Lord of the Rings Series (2001-2003)
A Drone Would’ve Saved the Fellowship a Lot of Walking
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Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, is among the most critically acclaimed film trilogies of all time. The three-film series follows the epic journey of a diverse group of characters as they travel across Middle-earth in a once-and-for-all attempt to destroy the legendary One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. The perilous journey highlights the characters’ bravery and perseverance, as they travel across a great distance, and face many dangerous threats.
The Lord of the Rings 20 9.8/10
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The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
Created by J.R.R. Tolkien First Film The Lord of the Rings (1978) Cast Norman Bird , Anthony Daniels , Elijah Wood , Ian McKellen , Liv Tyler , Viggo Mortensen , Sean Astin , Cate Blanchett , John Rhys-Davies , Billy Boyd , Dominic Monaghan , Orlando Bloom , Christopher Lee , Hugo Weaving , Sean Bean , Ian Holm , Andy Serkis , Brad Dourif , Karl Urban , Martin Freeman , Richard Armitage , James Nesbitt , Ken Stott , Benedict Cumberbatch , Evangeline Lilly , Lee Pace , Luke Evans , Morfydd Clark , Mike Wood , Ismael Cruz Cordova , Charlie Vickers , Markella Kavenagh , Megan Richards , Sara Zwangobani , Daniel Weyman , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , Lenny Henry , Brian Cox , Shaun Dooley , Miranda Otto , Bilal Hasna , Benjamin Wainwright , Luke Pasqualino , Christopher Guard , William Squire , Michael Scholes , John Hurt Expand
However, the entire three-film-long journey would have been unnecessary with the help of modern technology. Frodo could have just attached the One Ring to a drone, and then relaxed in the Shire while it flew off to Mount Doom on its own. Of course, The Lord of the Rings occurs in a fictional world without such technologies, but one cannot help but wonder how differently the story would have played out if the characters had access to these devices.
2 Safety Last! (1923)
Far Easier Ways to Gain Publicity Today
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In the 1923 silent film, Safety Last!, a series of misunderstandings and unfortunate coincidences leaves Harold Lloyd in quite a sticky situation. When the manager of the De Vore Department Store offers a thousand dollars to any employee who is able to attract more customers to the store, Harold jumps on the opportunity.
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He convinces his friend, Bill (a skilled climber) to perform a stunt involving him climbing up the twelve-story building where the store resides. Unfortunately, circumstances demand that Harold performs the treacherous climb himself. Now, over a hundred years later, technology has provided society with much more effective methods of stirring up publicity.
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Safety Last! Not RatedComedyActionThriller
Safety Last! is a 1923 silent romantic comedy starring Harold Lloyd. Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor, the film follows a young man who relocates to the city to achieve success and impress his girlfriend. Featuring Lloyd’s iconic clock-hanging scene, Safety Last! blends physical comedy with a narrative that captures the tenacity and ambition of early 20th-century urban life.
Director Fred C. Newmeyer , Sam Taylor Release Date April 1, 1923 Writers Hal Roach , Sam Taylor , Tim Whelan Cast Harold Lloyd , Mildred Davis , Bill Strother , Noah Young , Westcott Clarke , Chester A. Bachman , Ed Brandenburg , Roy Brooks
Had the film been set in the 2020s, Harold could have just started a social media campaign, finding some creative way to promote the store on popular apps like Instagram or TikTok. Needless to say, utilizing these technologies would have been much safer (and perhaps more effective) than scaling the side of a large building.
1 The Notebook (2004)
Distance No Longer Means the End of Communication
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The decades-long romance between Noah and Allie in the 2004 film, The Notebook, is one of the most famous love stories in cinema. Unfortunately for the young lovers, many of the obstacles they encountered could have been avoided very easily in the present day.
DID YOU KNOW:
When the rights to the novel were acquired by New Line in 1996, Steven Spielberg expressed his desire to direct the movie. In that scenario, the lead actor would have been Tom Cruise (via
E! News
).
In the film, after Noah and Allie find themselves physically separated following a falling-out, Noah famously writes a heartfelt letter to Allie every day for a year. Unfortunately, Allie’s mother intercepts the letters, leaving Allie with no idea how much Noah still cares for her. The troubles that follow this disconnect all could have been avoided if Noah had access to modern long-distance communication technologies.
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3/10 The Notebook PG-13DramaRomance
Adapted from Nicholas Sparks’ novel of the same name, The Notebook is a romantic drama film that follows a couple who fall in love during the 1940s. Duke, an older man, recounts the story of two young lovers whose lives never lined up quite right to a fellow patient in his nursing home. Reading from the notebook pages, the movie keeps flashing from the present into the past to tell the story of the one that got away.
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*Availability in US Director Nick Cassavetes Release Date June 25, 2004 Distributor(s) New Line Cinema Cast Ryan Gosling , Rachel McAdams , James Garner , Gena Rowlands , James Marsden , Kevin Connolly , Sam Shepard , Joan Allen Runtime 124 Minutes
Putting his thoughts and feelings into a phone call, text, or even email would have ensured that the message got directly to Allie. That way, they would have been able to communicate openly and understand their feelings for each other. This would have erased all the later obstacles caused by their disconnect during this time (although it would not have felt quite as romantic).