- 2 minutes ago
Some movies feel like they could play forever, while others seem to arrive already wearing yesterday’s trends. Join us as we compare five films that still feel fresh today with five that were practically out of step from the moment they hit screens. From classic storytelling and iconic performances to release-timing misfires and pop culture overload, this countdown proves that not every movie ages the same way.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're comparing 5 Timeless movies with 5 that were already
00:05dated by the time of release.
00:14Casablanca, Timeless.
00:21Very few movies have aged quite as well as this one.
00:24Winning three Oscars, including Best Picture, it relies on good old narrative principles
00:30rather than technological gimmicks.
00:32The screenplay centers on timeless character-driven dilemmas like inescapable pasts and romantic
00:37dilemmas, helping to broaden the scope well beyond a specific World War II setting.
00:42Inside of us we both know you belong with Victor.
00:45You're part of his work, the thing that keeps him going.
00:47If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it.
00:50Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.
00:55But what about us?
00:57We'll always have Paris.
00:58And because Arthur Edison shot the film using high contrast black and white cinematography
01:03on practical sets, the visual style avoids the antiquated look of early color processing
01:08or aged special effects.
01:10And of course, the dialogue remains among the most quoted in movie history, with the famous
01:15lines sounding just as poetic today as they were in 1942.
01:20Casablanca continues to serve as a foundational text in film education without feeling tied
01:25to a specific era, even though its story is rooted within one.
01:28No, no.
01:32He's looking at you, kid.
01:34Chaos Walking, Instantly Dated
01:47Chaos Walking was the hottest young adult movie of 2015.
01:51Too bad it was released in 2021.
01:53This movie was actually filmed in 2017, right around the peak of the YA craze of the mid-2010s.
01:59But it was delayed multiple years owing to extensive reshoots.
02:03So it came in the midst of the COVID pandemic feeling like an instant time capsule.
02:08Prentice will find her.
02:11We have to give her back.
02:13We don't need that trouble.
02:14Critics widely noted that by the time it finally premiered, the YA cinematic trend had been commercially
02:20dead for years.
02:21Indeed, demand for this movie was virtually nil, and it came and went without much attention.
02:27Realizing they had a gigantic bomb on their hands, Lionsgate buried the film with minimal marketing
02:32and used the pandemic as a shield for its inevitable box office collapse.
02:36Despite the high profile names of Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley, this movie was sent out
02:41to die.
02:42You're a good man, Todd Hewitt.
02:50I'm not gonna kiss you.
02:52Alien, Timeless.
02:53Mother's interrupted the course of our journey.
02:56What?
02:57Yeah.
02:58She's programmed to do that should certain conditions arise, they have.
03:01Like what?
03:02Seems she has intercepted a transmission of unknown origin.
03:07She got us up to check it out.
03:08It's amazing how good Alien still looks.
03:11Let's be honest, many sci-fi movies from the 70s look a little goofy today, but not Alien.
03:17This could have come out yesterday.
03:18Instead of relying on optical composite effects that age poorly, the production utilized detailed
03:24scale miniatures and an athletic performer inside H.R. Giger's practical creature suit,
03:29avoiding the hokey monster look.
03:31The film also broke traditional casting conventions by featuring Sigourney Weaver as the heroine.
03:37What would you like to do?
03:38Just what you've been doing, Ash.
03:40Nothing.
03:42I've got access to Mother now and I'll get my own answers, thank you.
03:46Ripley was written without the gender specific stereotypes of the day, creating a pragmatic
03:50hero whose actions and instincts have resonated throughout the decades.
03:54Combined with the brilliant used future set design of the Nostromo and some fantastic acting,
04:00Alien remains an effective masterclass in suspense and horror movie filmmaking.
04:04Listen to me.
04:05If we break quarantine, we could all die.
04:07Look!
04:08Could you open the goddamn hatch?
04:09We have to get him inside!
04:13No.
04:14I can't do that.
04:15And if you were in my position, you'd do the same.
04:17Black Widow.
04:19Instantly dated.
04:20You're gonna be alright.
04:23Do you know why it's gonna be alright?
04:24Because my girls are the toughest girls in the world.
04:30There was a time when Disney was pumping out origin stories for their Avengers.
04:34That time was about 2008 to 2012.
04:37Black Widow was ten years after that.
04:40Even worse, it arrived in theaters two years after the character's death in Avengers Endgame.
04:45Black Widow was widely criticized upon release for being fundamentally out of step with the MCU
04:51timeline, like a delayed artifact from a bygone era.
04:54We got Barton, we got Wilson, and another guy, the incredible shrinking convict.
04:58Rogers is on the run.
05:00You got no friends.
05:01Where are you gonna go?
05:03Fans noted that the movie suffered from a complete lack of narrative stakes given her death,
05:08and some believe that releasing a grounded, espionage-driven story during the shift toward the multiverse made the film feel
05:14anachronistic.
05:15The already dated special effects didn't help much either.
05:18Ultimately, consensus agreed that Black Widow's standalone feature arrived about a decade too late,
05:25rendering its emotional beats and character development instantly obsolete.
05:29I chose to go west to become an Avenger.
05:32They treated me like family.
05:34Really?
05:35Family?
05:36Well, where are they now?
05:38Do you want to watch more videos about classic films?
05:41Then head over to our 24-7 pop culture livestream.
05:45Just scan the QR code on screen and watch countless videos about film,
05:48their respective time periods, and their impact on pop culture.
05:52Play it once, Sam.
05:54For all time's sake.
05:55Spirited Away.
05:57Timeless.
05:58They're lighting the lamps.
05:59Get out of here.
06:00You've got to get across the river.
06:01Go!
06:01I'll distract them.
06:02Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece became the first non-English, primarily hand-drawn film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated
06:10Feature.
06:10While the production utilized seamless CGI, the 2D animation is the star of the show.
06:16And because this traditional 2D artistry does not degrade alongside 3D software rendering upgrades,
06:22the visuals remain as vibrant today as they were in 2001.
06:26Listen carefully to what I tell you to do.
06:28You can't stay here, they'll find you.
06:30And you'll never get to rescue your parents.
06:32Narratively, the film follows 10-year-old Chihiro through a coming-of-age journey rooted in Shinto folklore
06:38and universal themes of resilience, responsibility, and identity.
06:42By eschewing dated pop culture references, current slang, or temporary soundtrack hits common in other animated features of the day,
06:50Spirited Away functions as a classic fairy tale that exists outside of contemporary trends,
06:55and will continue to do so for many years to come.
06:58You're just a stinking, useless weakling.
07:02And this is certainly no place for humans.
07:05Sex and the City 2 – Instantly Dated
07:08Well, ladies, I am definitely feeling something down under.
07:15And he's staying in our hotel!
07:18Lawrence of my labia!
07:21Arriving in theaters during the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis,
07:26Sex and the City 2 faced intense critical backlash for its gigantic cultural disconnect.
07:31Mainstream reviews overwhelmingly focused on the plot's themes of unbridled luxury and consumerism,
07:38including an all-expenses-paid trip to Abu Dhabi, which stood in stark contrast to the economic realities of the
07:44contemporary audiences.
07:46One week in Abu Dhabi, all expenses paid.
07:49I've always been fascinated by the Middle East. You know, desert moons, Scheherazade, magic carpets.
07:56Critics also panned the film's outdated slapstick depictions of Middle Eastern culture and female empowerment tropes that had not evolved
08:04alongside modern gender discourse.
08:06Winning three Razzies, commentators widely cited Sex and the City 2 as a prime example of a franchise remaining trapped
08:13in the late 90s.
08:15Condoms! Condoms! Yes! Condoms! I love sex!
08:22Pride and Prejudice. Timeless.
08:24I would have to tell you, you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, and love, and love
08:31you.
08:33I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.
08:35Directed by Joe Wright and nominated for four Oscars, this adaptation of Jane Austen's iconic novel grounded its period romance
08:43in historical realism.
08:44Rather than relying on polished studio backdrops or static costume drama conventions, the film was shot entirely on location across
08:52England using natural light and handheld cameras.
08:55Keira Knightley's performance as Elizabeth Bennet highlighted the character's intellectual independence and social critique, emphasizing timeless themes of class mobility
09:05and misjudgment.
09:06What endearments am I allowed?
09:08Well, let me think. Lizzie for every day, my pearl for Sundays, and goddess divine, but only on very special
09:18occasions.
09:18By prioritizing realism and authenticity, Pride and Prejudice avoids the artificial lighting, contemporary soundtrack, and MTV aesthetic that have dated
09:27other period pieces from the era.
09:29Well, Lizzie, from this day onward, you must be a stranger to one of your parents.
09:33Who will maintain you when your father's dead?
09:36Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you
09:41again if you do.
09:42The Emoji Movie, Instantly Dated.
09:45We're in Candy Crush. Offs. I know a shortcut to just dance, which is right next to Dropbox, where we
09:51can get uploaded to the cloud.
09:53Any movie centered around technology is bound to become dated sooner or later. None suffered that fate faster than the
10:00Emoji Movie.
10:01The plot follows a smartphone emoji navigating popular apps, incorporating extensive product placement for older platforms like Candy Crush.
10:09There's also a pivotal sequence centered around Pen Pineapple Apple Pen. Remember that?
10:15That guy is so expressive.
10:17He reminds me of Gene.
10:20Yeah, something's really wrong with him.
10:23Building an entire narrative around specific trends of the mid-2010s meant the movie was actively decaying in real time.
10:29Because phone technology is constantly changing and updating, critics noted that the film's core sense of humor, and even its
10:36very setting, felt like a little more than an obsolete marketing campaign.
10:40It's a unique time capsule. We'll give it that.
10:54Whoa, this is Spotify?
10:57Yep. Every one of those streams is a different song.
10:59The Godfather – Timeless
11:02The nice thing about period pieces is that they're inherently timeless. Of course, some
11:24still date faster than others given the filmmaking techniques of the era, but The Godfather
11:29remains a cornerstone of American cinema due to its structural precision and aesthetic
11:34choices. Gordon Willis utilized underexposed film stock and top lighting to create a signature
11:40moody look that intentionally bucked the bright studio lighting trends of the early 70s.
11:46Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me. But
11:52until that day, accept this justice as a gift on my daughter's wedding day.
11:59The story focuses on the generational transfer of power with the Corleone family, treating
12:04the organized crime syndicate as a timeless metaphor for American capitalism. By anchoring
12:09the narrative in period-accurate production design, formal orchestral scoring, and deep psychological
12:15work, The Godfather operates as an immortal tragedy rather than a product of the 70s.
12:20Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone
12:29against the family again. Ever.
12:35If you love games, be sure to check out WatchMojo's new game, Terrible Influence,
12:40just launched for purchase at TerribleInfluence.com. Terrible Influence is a satirical board game about
12:46the dark side of fame from the writer of The Most Popular Girls in School and Us. WatchMojo.
12:50Boom. I can make an apology video. Oh, you so would. Click on the link in the description
12:55to check out the game and be the first to play Terrible Influence.
13:01Space Jam A New Legacy. Instantly dated.
13:05We're done running tests on your badger thing. It turns out his condition is irreversible.
13:09I'll never erase what I saw from my brain. He's your problem now, dumb dog.
13:13Space Jam A New Legacy hoped to revitalize the franchise for a new generation,
13:18replacing the grounded hybrid animation of the original with dense digital CGI.
13:23The narrative centers on LeBron James being trapped inside a corporate server-verse,
13:28requiring him to interact with dozens of intellectual properties owned by Warner Media.
13:37Critics overwhelmingly noted that the movie functioned more as a studio catalog showcase
13:43than a cohesive story, featuring background references to fleeting internet memes,
13:47viral trends, and then-contemporary shows like Game of Thrones.
13:51By tying its visual style to the hyper-specific media consumption of the late 2010s,
13:56a new legacy was practically born-expired and felt dated from its very first weekend.
14:06Can you think of any other fun examples? Let us know in the comments below!