It was your stereotypical girls’ night. Pizza and chick flicks included.
It wasn’t until we were watching Whatever It Takes, a new addition to the plethora of movies already on Netflix, that we all collectively squirmed and became uncomfortable at borderline sex crime-y scenes that were supposed to be somewhat comedic.
Some of the movie scenes, made 18 years ago, simply just wouldn’t fly nowadays without someone commenting on just how wrong it actually is, especially now in a time of #MeToo and Times Up.
And after a lot, and a lot of falling down the rabbit hole of 70s-00s films, there’s actually a lot of scenes that just wouldn’t fly right now in 2018.
Here are 30 of them.
P.S. I’m sorry if you never watch these moveis the same again. I truly am.
1. The Breakfast Club (1985).
It was the John Hughes coming-of-age movie that defined the 80s. But the scene where John Bender (Judd Nelson) hides under the table and touches Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald) up her skirt, would not be seen as comedic today.
Ringwald even penned a piece for New Yorker, revisiting this iconic movie in the age of the #MeToo movement.
"What’s more, as I can see now, Bender sexually harasses Claire throughout the film," she wrote.
2. Whatever It Takes (2000).
A quintessential 00s movie with an all star cast (Shane West and James Franco to name two), the premise of Whatever It Takes is all about manipulating girls to like you - as if that isn't creepy enough.
But the scene that just wouldn't swing now is when Shane West's character pays money to a janitor to be let in a back entrance into the girls change room to... peep. Like, no. Just no.
3. Bring It On (2000).
Times are changin', and they definitely have. Guys and gals can do as they please without all that old stereotyping. We are so passed the notion of certain activities being gender based, and affiliated with sexual orientations too.
In the words of Cher Hollowitz, who we will get to BY THE WAY, grow up.
4. Splash (1984).
Splash is a movie about Tom Hanks falling in love with a mermaid, played by Darryl Hannah.
It's also a little bit problematic.
You see, Tom Hank's character, Allen, is actually quite abusive towards and controlling of the mermaid who gives herself the name Madison.
He patronises her. He calls her stupid. He tells her he loves her way too early. And in one extremely odd scene, he breaks down the bathroom door in the middle of the night because she's having a bath and he doesn't want to be disturbed.
Yep, it's all a little bit weird.
5. Never Been Kissed (1999).
Because it apparently used to be totally fine for Drew Barrymore's character, who is pretending to be an underage high school student, to form some kind of romantic connection with the teacher while in said pretend character and while the teacher still doesn't know this is pretend.
It's okay though, it was pretend. Again, I'll say PRETEND. It was... roleplay? Just, no. One big FAT no.
6. Twilight (2008).
Remember when Edward Cullen convinces Bella to get married when they're just 18 so they can have sex?
Yeah that.
There's also that whole plot line where Edward and Jacob fight over Bella and Bella is just the meek little female standing by, not really having an opinion on the matter.
It's all a little bit... icky.
7. Mrs Doubtfire (1993).
A movie making a mockery out of cross dressing might have been all fun and games way back when, but now, it just comes across a little bit... transphobic. Not to mention a man who cross-dresses in order to pose as a nanny to be closer to his kids just doesn't really sit right.
Could he not have just been a better father and fought for them that way?
8. Jawbreaker (1999).
Rose McGowan was a chick flick, teen film star after this. But the now controversial film has one scene in particular that kind of makes us scratch our heads.
Like when they stage a rape to cover up the fact that they killed their friend. It's just... off.
9. American Pie (1999) .
Taking away from the fact that a lot of the sexual experiences portrayed in this movie are almost on the verge of sexual harassment/assault, the scene where foreign student Nadia is secretly filmed and broadcasted to friends, without her permission of course, is one that sticks out in minds now.
10. Scream (1996).
Billy and Sid's relationship was, to sum it up, pressure to have sex, and more pressure to have sex. Despite being one of the most famous, tweeny scary movies, he constantly complains about their too 'PG' relationship.
A boy having no respect for boundaries? That trend can stay in 1996.
11. Clueless (1995).
Yes, Clueless is one of the greatest chick flicks of all time. Yes, I didn't even really twig about this until one of my colleagues pointed it out to me.
But behind Cher saying 'retarded' all the time, which is also NOT OKAY, and all the cute outfits that are still inspo to this day, we forget that yes, Cher Hollowitz (Alicia Silverstone) does in fact begin dating her step-brother Josh (Paul Rudd), while she's in high school and he's in college.
A little twisted, and a lot icky.
12. Clueless, again (1995).
Clueless isn't the first movie to do this, and probably won't be the last, but nothing is more squirm-worthy than stereotyping LGBTQ people. Murray describes 'gay best friend' Christian as a 'disco-dancing, Oscar Wilde-reading, Streisand ticket-holding, friend of dorothy'.
Honestly, sweetie, 2018 has no room for stereotypes. Bye.
13. Pretty Woman (1990).
Even though it caused a little bit of controversy at the time for its, erm, premises, there's one scene that stands out where no fuss was made. Phillip, Edward's Attorney, harasses Vivian at a Polo match when he finds out she is in the escort world.
Instead of being mad at Phillip's grotesque actions and demeaning words, she is mad that Edward told him about her profession.
14. Grease (1978).
Yes, well.
To start with Sandy has to give herself a sexy makeover to win over Danny at the end of the movie.
There's also the fact that Danny and his mates peek under girl's skirts and peer pressure them into having sex.
And yes, the way they treat Sandy for being a virgin and Rizzo for enjoying sex is weird and problematic.
15. Revenge of the Nerds (1984).
When nerd Lewis pretends to be Betty's boyfriend Gable by stealing his costume, and then proceeds to have sex with Betty without her knowledge that it is in fact Lewis.
Sexual predator AF, and just so problematic. Date rape shouldn't be for laughs.
16. Back to the Future (1985).
That scene when Marty basically let's his future mum get assaulted so his future Dad could attack the guy assaulting her.
The storyline wouldn't even exist now.
17. Shallow Hal (2001).
While Shallow Hal was once funny, and did teach a good lesson about 'it's what is on the inside that counts', boy does it have his flaws.
The whole concept of fat shaming AND body shaming throughout the whole movie, is entirely wrong and damaging.
18. Crocodile Dundee (1986).
A great Australian classic movie. Ish. But not really.
It was a scene for cheap laughs, but yes, Mick does actually out a transwoman in the film, then kicks her out of the bar, and everyone cheers as this is all going on. And it just honestly, isn't funny.
Times have changed, and transphobic jokes just don't do it for anyone anymore.
19. Sixteen Candles (1984).
It is the second John Hughes film to make this list, which makes me a little sad, considering how big and funny they were back in their time.
But a scene, which now makes people feel very, very uneasy, is when Jake can't be bothered dealing with his extremely intoxicated girlfriend Caroline. So, like all good boyfriends do (NOT), he passes her off to Ted.
Big. Mistake.
20. Big (1988).
Did everyone just ignore the fact that Elizabeth Perkins' character slept with a 13-year-old inside a man's body?
21. Philadelphia (1993).
In all honesty, this isn't a scene that wouldn't fly now if it was still set in the 90s, when people knew nothing about AIDs. Because yes, in that time, with little to no knowledge on the subject and how it is transmitted, these aforementioned interactions did in fact happen. There was (and still sometimes is) a stigma around HIV sufferers.
But perpetuating that stigma in current day movies, would be... catastrophic to say the least.
22. The Princess Diaries (2001).
Yes, chick flicks with a makeover involved are fun to watch, but what kind of message would that send nowadays?
Looks don't get you everything, dissimilar to what most 00s chick flicks portray.
23. Home Alone (1990).
Maybe in the 90s parents were just... forgetful?
But in what WORLD would parents forget about their son when going for a holiday?! And then said son fights off and combats two experienced criminals?
Pft, please.
24. Heathers (1988).
Heathers is... entertaining, and has a good message deep down somewhere, I guess. But in light of gun violence that has embroiled America for the past decade or so, it would be extremely disrespectful for a movie like this to be on the radar.
Where students are shot but students, guns are brought to schools, heck even BOMBS ARE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL.
25. Hitch (2005).
Helping men get women they want?
Yes, being a wingman is a thing, but making a living out of it? Teaching guys how to get girls? Isn't that a bit... predatory?
26. Overboard (1987).
Man. Amnesia riddled woman. Man convinces amnesia riddled woman that she is his wife and kids with him. Man makes her a house wife. Man also tries to have sex with her. Man also eventually does have sex with her under her false narrative.
27. Dazed and Confused (1993).
“That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age."
I'm enraged just looking at him. Enough said.
28. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999).
YAAAAAS I love queen feminist Kat (Julia Stiles) and her outspoken retorts and confidence and female values. So why on earth does the movie try and shut her down and dethrone her by making her have a man at her side?
Over it.
29. She's All That (1999).
Before they were a Scooby Doo franchise duo, they were in chick flick She's All That.
But the frat boy mentality and boys culture is ever present throughout the whole movie, especially in the scene where they grade girls, comment flaws, pick the so-called 'ugliest' one and make a bet about turning her into something attractive.
YIKES.
30. The Brady Bunch Movie (1995).
They share a bedroom and watch each other change. Then they kiss at the end of the movie.
ICKY ICKY STUFF.
The Binge: Why We Can’t Laugh at I, Tonya.
Want to hear to more? Listen to The Binge in iTunes, Android or on Mamamia.
Top Comments
I just sprained my eyes rolling them. This relentless virtue signaller refers to people with HIV as ‘sufferers’. A little bit.... problematic, don’t you think? Just the kind of attitude that doesn’t fly anymore?
For “10 things” I admit its been a while since I saw this film but I struggle to see how a man at her side either shut her down or dethroned her. That the boyfriend was “supposed” to do this is the legacy of the shrew. In fact, Kat inthis film is fabulous to the end