© NL Beeld

'You’ve Got Mail' (1998) -

This rom-com starring Meg Ryan, which revolves around anonymous emailing, would be unfeasible in the present era. Striking up conversation with strangers in chat rooms is no longer a common practice, and meeting someone without conducting a Google search or seeing pictures is highly unlikely. Plus, with online dating Kathleen would have probably rejected Joe.

© NL Beeld

'Scream' (1996) -

Caller ID is really screwing with modern murder plots, the premise for Scream' just wouldn't work today.

© NL Beeld

'Friends' (1994–2004) - the "We were on a break" plot -

Ross cheats on Rachel with another woman after he calls her on a payphone and overhears Mark in her apartment. If Rachel had a cell phone, she could've easily called him back or messaged him to clarify the situation. Unfortunately, the already toxic relationship worsened.

© NL Beeld

'Psycho' (1960) -

With a quick Trip Advisor search on her iPhone, Janet Leigh could see that the Bates Motel had terrible reviews and many complaints about a creepy owner. She would book her stay elsewhere.

© NL Beeld

'Before Sunrise' (1995) and 'Before Sunset' (2004) -

The characters decide not to exchange numbers, but vow to meet again at the same spot after six months. However, it is later revealed in the next film that they didn't actually reconnect until nine years later. One platform for it all: Facebook.

© NL Beeld

'Jurassic Park' (1993) -

If GPS were as common in 1993 as it is today, those children would not have become lost on that island. Resurrected dinosaurs are more believable than someone not checking Google maps...

© NL Beeld

'Dial M for Murder' (1954) -

The murder weapon itself (a landline phone cord) is outdated and no longer used.

© NL Beeld

'Catch Me If You Can' (2002) -

The film and the con-man's story it's based on would never have happened in a technologically advanced world. Modern machines would verify all checks and airports would have much higher security monitoring.

© NL Beeld

'North by Northwest' (1959) -

The main premise of the story centers on a misinterpretation of Cary Grant's true identity, a situation that could easily be resolved in modern times through online verification, so the men would leave him alone.

© NL Beeld

'Say Anything' (1989) -

The iconic scene where John Cusack holds his boombox outside the girl's window just wouldn't have the same impact with an iPod speaker.

© NL Beeld

'The Ring' (2002) -

To begin with, VHS tapes are hardly in use. The plotline could be adapted to make it for people who illegally downloaded the death-inducing film, but for the people who watch movies on their laptops and phones, that's a tiny screen for Samara to climb out of.

© NL Beeld

'The Notebook' (2004) -

Allie could just have emailed or texted Noah when she hadn't heard from him. He could also have skipped the snail mail, and password-protected devices mean her meddling mother would never know.

© NL Beeld

'The Bonfire of the Vanities' (1990) -

The prevalence of GPS has effectively made redundant all stories about characters getting lost.

© NL Beeld

'Sixteen Candles' (1984) -

The likelihood of anyone forgetting Samantha's birthday is incredibly doubtful with Google alerts and Facebook notifications.

© NL Beeld

'Pretty Woman' (1990) -

When Edward is lost, he checks his phone for directions. He never stops to ask Vivian for help, and this famous storyline never unfolds.

© NL Beeld

'The Talented Mr. Ripley' (1999) -

Online platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Google, and others would expose Matt Damon's charade completely.

© NL Beeld

'An Affair to Remember' (1957) -

Yet again, a remarkable gathering jeopardized due to the internet. If only Nickie could have monitored Terry's status online, she could have simply messaged him about her delay instead of unfortunate circumstances involving a car collision while hurrying.

© NL Beeld

'Die Hard' (1988) -

Detective McClane would have called 911 on his cell phone long before he had the chance to kill Tony and take his radio. Many more lives would have been saved with law enforcement arriving sooner, but there would be no 'Die Hard'... 

© NL Beeld

'High Fidelity' (2000) -

Unfortunately, due to the rise of MP3s and streaming, it is highly probable that this privately owned music store would have shut down. Moreover, Cusack's mixtapes wouldn't hold the same charm as a Spotify playlist.

© NL Beeld

'Office Space' (1999) -

Daily operations at a software company in the 1990s take a grim turn as it becomes a crime scene involving a computer virus. However, the perpetrators manage to evade justice when a significant fire destroys all the incriminating evidence. Eradicating proof has become more challenging in present times, as the cloud would put them all in prison. 

© NL Beeld

'Sleepless In Seattle' (1993) -

If Annie had used Google instead of relying on an outdated database to search for "Sam," "architect," and "Chicago," she would have been rewarded with a significantly greater number of results. What's more, Jonah would probably have created an online dating profile for his father instead of resorting to calling a talk show, and they'd never need to meet at the Empire State Building.

© NL Beeld

'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead' (1991) -

"Swell" could not have obtained her impressive fashion job by distorting her resumé, especially with the existence of Facebook and LinkedIn. A simple online search of her high school prom pictures would expose her actual age.

© NL Beeld

'The Parent Trap' (1998) -

Annie and Hallie could have probably located their missing parent on Facebook and learned they were siblings without the entire camp incident.

© NL Beeld

'127 Hours' (2010) -

In a contemporary context, once the absence of Franco's character was acknowledged, individuals could reach out to his cell phone provider, which would then trace his phone and send out a search team for his rescue. He would simply need to conserve water and refrain from severing his arm.

© NL Beeld

'Romeo and Juliet' (1996) -

A single message from Juliet to Romeo, to let him know her plan to fake her own death, could have transformed this story from a great tragedy to an alright happily ever after.

© NL Beeld

'Forrest Gump' (1994) -

Forrest had the option to search for directions to Jenny's place using his phone, meaning he wouldn't have been sitting on that bench and where he started telling his story.

© NL Beeld

'Home Alone' (1990) -

Today, the availability of cell phone alarms, affordable international calling plans, and internet-accessible home surveillance systems renders this timeless tale absurd.

© NL Beeld

'Cinderella' (1950) -

At the ball, Cinderella and Prince Charming would have shared numbers and set a time for him to return her shoe, sparing him from smelling a kingdom's worth of feet.

© NL Beeld

'Notting Hill' (1999) -

A famous Hollywood actor can receive her books either through Amazon delivery or downloading them onto her Kindle. As a result, there's a high chance that the charming bookshop where Julia Roberts' character meets Hugh Grant's, might not even exist.

© NL Beeld