Programmes/Films That Haven't Aged Well..

[JengaCupboard]

I have been off work a couple of days with a stomach bug, so a lot of time has been spent flicking through Netflix and Amazon for films/programmes etc. I'll preface with being an avid fan of easy-watching background rubbish.. however a few things have been ruined for me this week...

Starting strong I thought we'd have a bit of Christmas trash and put on 'The Holiday'; used to love this. However I switched off after the first half hour because all I really homed in on was Cameron Diaz punching her ex (because she's a woman & he's a man that's OK), followed by advocating drink driving by swigging red wine out of the bottle in the Deli... and quite generally just found it quite dated and cheesy and ultimately not entertaining.

I've had a similar experience with old episodes of SATC recently too - used to love this however in hindsight what a bunch of god-awful self obsessed women in completely unrealistic and narrow minded roles.

I dare not put on Friends or Bridget Jones in case I tarnish the memory forever!!

Obviously this is light-hearted, but more seriously is this an age thing (nearly 40) or is it created by a more cultural/societal shift where women punching men, using 'gay' references as comedic slurs and advocating for drink driving is literally not accepted, let alone funny?

Is it just a continuation of change, for example watching Carry On from the 60's & 70's is potentially an even more extreme example, yet to me at least less unwatchable?

Is there anything that you used to love that you now can't watch for this kind of reason?

I watched love and other drugs with Jake gyllenhall and Ann haha way and though it was released in 2010 it seems really dated already. It depicts the world of selling prescription drugs and jake gyllenhall wears a sharp suit and aggressively pursues the old American dream of money status and bedding beautiful women. The suit alone dates it. Also I don't think corporate culture is like that already there will be more WFH even amongst travelling salesmen.

The attitudes to women and sex in the film seemed really 1990s. Plus it was quite graphic in a way that many films aren't post me too.

Just felt strongly that the world has changed very fast watching it.

Yeah, I think framing the Ross losing his shit at his son having a Barbie thing as being outdated isn't so much, some men do still feel that way, it's not as if everyone is on the same level with their views of what's ok. And as in that story, as a PP said, it progressed to where Ross was actually fine with it in the end. It wasn't presented as "he doesn't like his son having a Barbie, and he's correct to think that" was it?

I didn’t zero in on that storyline alone as being outdated, it was part of a discussion about a wider theme.

Based on the fact you don’t think many in the 2020s would agree that art, friendship and love are more important than capitalism? I think many would disagree. Given the cost of living crisis I’d say it’s very relevant.

Mine is not a niche opinion.

https://ew.com/theater/2019/01/27/rent-how-has-the-musical-aged-since-1996/

https://www.vox.com/2016/4/29/11531350/rent-musical-20th-anniversary

also a lot of the music is just... not good...

I think people using the 90s as a benchmark of 'dated attitudes' are kinda missing the point that the 90s had a very strong, media led thing for 'lad culture' which was actually pretty regressive compared to what was acceptable a decade before. I'm very aware reading through some of these comments that I am a lot older than some of you lot (my kids were born in the 90s) but I truly believe that all that sexist nonsense was a blip in an otherwise forward trajectory (to use Sickboy off Trainspotting's phrase, just to be era relevant!) A lot of 90s popular culture was deliberately provocative in order to appear hip at the time. Those of us who were 30odd then tutted like good'uns at it all...

I hate that film

I absolutely loved American Beauty as an 18yo. I suspect I would feel rather different about the dad now....

Queer as Folk - it's unimaginable it would be shown now.

Love Actually is a compilation of sexist male fantasies, agreed. The only good thing in it is Emma Thompson.

Being 'brainwashed' into disliking sexism and racism is certainly a novel way to describe societal progress! I'm very happy to be brainwashed.