10 2000s Movie References That Don’t Work With A Modern Audience

There are several 2000s movie references that made sense at one point, but they now no longer work with a modern audience. Plenty of the best movies of all time are from the ‘00s, a time that is remembered for heavily relying on pop culture references. However, a lot of the jokes or shout-outs that these titles make are now irrelevant, and the younger generations don’t appreciate what the reference is.

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There are movies from the 2000s that have aged poorly, but it doesn’t mean that these references have, too. A majority of these references are simply outdated, and viewers have either forgotten about them or are too young to remember them in the first place. Whether it’s a nod to older films or a cultural pastime, these movie references are generally missed by audiences.

10 “Wassup!”

Scary Movie (2000)

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7/10 Scary Movie R

Scary Movie is a 2000 comedy horror movie that parodies a popular horror films such as Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The Blair Witch Project. Starring Anna Faris, Regina Hall, and Marlon and Shawn Wayans, the first Scary Movie spawned a franchise and popularized the parody genre in the early 2000s.

Director Keenen Ivory Wayans Release Date July 7, 2000 Writers Jason Friedberg , Shawn Wayans , Phil Beauman , Buddy Johnson , Aaron Seltzer , Marlon Wayans Cast Regina Hall , Marlon Wayans , Anna Faris , Jon Abrahams , Shannon Elizabeth , Shawn Wayans Runtime 88 minutes

There are several jokes from the Scary Movie franchise that only make sense as an adult. However, one that typically makes little sense to younger generations is the “Wassup!” scene. The reference, which also features in numerous popular shows from the early 2000s like The Office, originates from a series of Budweiser commercials. Interestingly, Budweiser’s gag is also a reference in itself to the short film True by Charles Stone III.

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This scene comes about when the killer calls Shorty, but rather than being scared by cryptic words, he is instead distracted by his flatmate’s sudden outburst of “Whassup!” Hilariously, the killer joins in with this, and it’s brilliantly implied that he is just as much of a stoner as Shorty. While audiences may be familiar with the reference, simply because it is used in other shows and films, it’s unlikely that they remember or even know where it comes from originally.

9 “Hold On, Other Line.”

Mean Girls (2004)

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9/10 7/10 Mean Girls PG-13

Mean Girls tells the story of Cady (Lindsay Lohan), a teen girl who falls in with the wrong crowd. After returning to the USA after spending her childhood in Africa, Cady infiltrates her school’s group of mean girls, befriending the conniving Regina George (Rachel McAdams) and her cronies. However, Cady finds the high school hierarchy to be far more complicated than she had imagined, drawing her into a game of manipulation and deceit that threatens her reputation.

Director Mark Waters Release Date April 30, 2004 Writers Tina Fey Cast Amy Poehler , Lacey Chabert , Tina Fey , Rachel McAdams , Amanda Seyfried , Lindsay Lohan Runtime 97 minutes

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Mean Girls’ four-way call scene is an iconic moment from the film, although viewers who have grown up in a primarily cell phone era probably can’t relate. Younger audiences have probably never had to deal with the struggle of switching between phone lines to speak with multiple people, nor do they understand the shock of being added to a secret merged call. In the years before video calls and group chats, teens would use multi-way calls on landlines to overhear their friends gossiping about one another.

There are so many modern alternatives to the four-way call now, and communication in general, so teenagers today probably don’t realize just how dramatic this would be if it happened to them.

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This scene depicts this pastime issue brilliantly. Gretchen immediately tells Karen about Regina’s harsh words. Regina is painted as the real villain of Mean Girls, but the fact Cady is listening in to this doesn’t make her look much better. It’s quite funny how Karen rolls her eyes as she jumps back and forth between the lines, and she even mixes up who she’s speaking with. There are so many modern alternatives to the four-way call now, and communication in general, so teenagers today probably don’t realize just how dramatic this would be if it happened to them.

8 “I Love Your Eyebrows. We’ll Call Them Frida And Kahlo.”

The Princess Diaries (2001)

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10/10 The Princess Diaries G

The Princess Diaries follows Mia Thermopolis, a teenager who discovers she is the heir to the throne of a European kingdom. The film explores her journey from an ordinary student to embracing her royal heritage, confronting the challenges and transformations this revelation brings to her life.

Director Garry Marshall Release Date August 3, 2001 Cast Anne Hathaway , Julie Andrews , Heather Matarazzo , Caroline Goodall , Hector Elizondo , Robert Schwartzman , Erik von Detten , Patrick John Flueger , Sandra Oh , Mandy Moore , Sean O’Bryan , Kathleen Marshall , Kimleigh Smith , Mindy Burbano , Elizabeth Gudenrath , Bianca Lopez , Tamara Levinson , Lenore Thomas , Erik Bragg , Meredith Shevory , Anita Marie Curran , Cassie Rowell , Todd Lowe , Joe Unitas , Joel McCrary Runtime 115 minutes Expand

The upcoming movie The Princess Diaries 3 will be the first installment to the franchise since 2004, and there are a lot of references in the first two films that are now outdated. A major example of this is in Mia’s transformation during The Princess Diaries, which is one of the best makeover sequences in movies ever. Stylist Paolo is a hilarious character whose ramblings are often confusing, but he’s such a mastermind at his work, it doesn’t really matter. At one point, he names Mia’s eyebrows “Frida and Kahlo,” although the princess doesn’t react to his reference.

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The movie is set in 2001, and even then, this nod to Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is outdated. Other than her work in the art and political world, the legendary Frida Kahlo is remembered for her bold and prominent eyebrows. While Paolo’s remark seems to be an insult, really, it’s a compliment. However, physical appearance trends are very different now compared to the early 2000s. Kahlo passed away in the 1950s, and unless modern audiences are particularly knowledgeable on art, it’s unlikely they get this joke.

7 “If I Want To Be A Senator, I Need To Marry A Jackie, Not A Marilyn.”

Legally Blonde (2001)

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9/10 Legally Blonde (2001) PG-13ComedyRomance

Elle Woods, a fashionable sorority queen, is devastated when her boyfriend breaks up with her to attend Harvard Law School. Determined to win him back, she enrolls at Harvard and soon realizes her true potential as she tackles a high-profile murder case, ultimately proving her intelligence and capability in the legal world​.

Director Robert Luketic Release Date July 13, 2001 Cast Reese Witherspoon , Luke Wilson , Selma Blair , Matthew Davis , Victor Garber , Jennifer Coolidge Runtime 96 Minutes

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Iconic rom-com blonde Elle Woods deserves a lot better than Warner in Legally Blonde. While it takes her a while to realize this for herself, audiences pick up on his disgusting attitude rather early on. When Warner takes Elle out for dinner, she thinks he’s proposing, but instead she is compared to Marilyn Monroe. While many would consider that a compliment, Warner saying he needs to “marry a Jackie, not a Marilyn” is quite disrespectful. The comparison of Marilyn and Jackie Kennedy is a reference to JFK’s affair, a notable moment in history.

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This reference isn’t massively obscure, but unless viewers are currently studying JFK at school, they might not pick up on this immediately. Legally Blonde is ahead of its time and reasserts the narrative that women are capable of anything. No matter how look-obsessed or shallow they may seem, this doesn’t mean they can’t also be intelligent and ruthless. Both Jackie and Marilyn were prominent women in different ways, and it’s amazing that Elle and Vivian realized they were better off without Warner.

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6 “I’m On My Hamburger Phone And It’s Kind Of Awkward To Talk On.”

Juno (2007)

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Juno PG-13

Starring Elliot Page, Juno follows the titular character, a teenage girl who unexpectedly becomes pregnant. Deciding to give the baby up for adoption once it is born, Juno finds and befriends Mark and Vanessa, and childless couple desperate for a baby, who she plans to let adopt her child once she gives birth. Michael Cera also stars as Juno’s boyfriend Paulie, with a further cast that includes Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, and J. K. Simmons.

Director Jason Reitman Release Date December 25, 2007 Writers Diablo Cody Cast Jason Bateman , Michael Cera , Allison Janney , Elliot Page , J. K. Simmons , Jennifer Garner Runtime 96 minutes

Another memorable thing about the 2000s is the popularity of novelty landline handsets. The movie Juno highlights this brilliantly, and the titular character demonstrates the frustrations of these ridiculous phones well. Juno’s hamburger phone is not practical to use and is very uncomfortable to hold. As Juno proves while calling the abortion clinic, these phones have terrible connections, too, and are quite “Awkward to talk on.”

Thanks to cell phones, the concept of a novelty phone is no longer relevant.

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Modern audiences today either vaguely remember, or are completely unfamiliar, with trying to get a cool-looking phone to work properly. While the handsets are far more interesting to look at than the standard design, they don’t work very well. What’s even more interesting about this is that behind the scenes of Juno, these burger phones were sent to critics as promotional material, which is something that would probably never happen nowadays.

5 Bridget Goes Parachuting

Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason (2004)

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Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason RComedyRomance

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason is a romantic comedy sequel following the continued misadventures of Bridget Jones, played by Renée Zellweger. As she navigates the complexities of her relationship with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), Bridget finds herself entangled in a series of embarrassing and challenging situations. Directed by Beeban Kidron, the film also stars Hugh Grant and Jim Broadbent.

Director Beeban Kidron Release Date November 10, 2004 Cast Renée Zellweger , Gemma Jones , Jim Broadbent , James Faulkner , Celia Imrie , Dominic McHale Runtime 108 minutes

In the opening scenes of Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, the titular character goes skydiving as part of her news report. Despite her apparent fear and screaming, Bridget successfully leaps from the plane and floats across the skyline of the English countryside, which kicks off the film with a beautiful and picturesque shot. However, many fail to recognize that this shot is a reference to the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me.

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This scene is also scored with “Nobody Does It Better” by Carly Simon. This same song plays in the opening of The Spy Who Loved Me, when James Bond flies off a cliff with a Union Jack parachute. The comparison of the bumbling rom-com character and the international super-spy is one of the most hilarious moments from the Bridget Jones films, albeit a subtle one. Die-hard fans of 007 may take note of this reference, but considering The Spy Who Loved Me is a ‘70s movie, it’s unlikely that many pick up on it without explanation.

4 “Scrum-Diddly-Umptious.”

13 Going On 30 (2004)

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13 Going on 30 pg-13

13 Going on 30 is 2004 fantasy romantic comedy about a 13-year-old girl named Jenna Rink, who, in 1987, dreams of being popular and wishes she were “thirty and flirty and thriving.” She later wakes up in 2004 at the age of 30. Jennifer Garner stars as 30-year-old Jenna, while Christa B. Allen plays the role of young Jenna. Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, Jim Gaffigan, and Andy Serkis also star. 

Director Gary Winick Release Date April 23, 2004 Cast Jennifer Garner , Mark Ruffalo , Judy Greer , Andy Serkis , Kathy Baker , Phil Reeves Runtime 98minutes

Plenty of pop culture references continue to be relevant for years. For example, modern audiences probably understand Jenna’s “Thriller” dance in 13 Going on 30, because the track is so timeless. However, there is one subtle and easy to miss reference from the film that viewers can easily disregard as fancy dialogue. When a grown up Jenna and Tom-Tom attend the office party, their boss Richard calls Jenna “Scrum-diddly-umptious.”

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“Scrum-diddly-umptious” is a reference to the 1971 movie of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The Scrumdiddlyumptious chocolate bar is not just the name, it’s also used to describe its taste, and interestingly, it was later released as a real candy by Nestle. Even ‘70s and ‘80s kids may miss this reference because of how quickly the scene moves on. However, the product is called “Wonka Whipple-scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight” in the 2005 adaptation, so it’s likely that the modern interpretations of Willy Wonka’s story have phased “Scrum-diddly-umptious” out.

3 “How Much Is This Thing? Because I Ain’t Exactly Thurston Howell, You Know?”

Click (2006)

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Click PG-13ComedyDramaFantasy

Click is a fantasy comedy film starring Adam Sandler as workaholic architect Michael Newman. Released in 2006, the narrative follows Michael’s discovery of a magical remote control that allows him to fast-forward through mundane aspects of his life, leading to unforeseen consequences as he navigates the demands of family and career.

Director Frank Coraci Release Date June 23, 2006 Runtime 107 minutes

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Michael Newman’s wit in Click is the reason why he is one of Adam Sandler’s best characters. When he first meets Morty, the mysterious and shifty man suggests that Michael purchase his enigmatic universal remote. However, the ever dry-humored Michael is hesitant, and when concerned about the cost, he mentions, “[He] ain’t exactly Thurston Howell.” Thurston Howell is a character from the 1960s sitcom Gilligan’s Island, who is portrayed by actor Jim Backus.

Thurston Howell is a ridiculous character who is constantly flushed with cash, so Michael is correct, and the Gilligan’s Island character is more than wealthy enough to buy something overly high-tech. However, audiences nowadays wouldn’t understand this. In the present day, Michael referring to a popular sitcom character like Barney Stinson from How I Met Your Mother or Frank Reynolds from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia would make more sense.

2 “You A Mean, Green, Fighting Machine!”

Shrek (2001)

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8/10 8/10 Shrek PG

Based loosely on the children’s book of the same name by William Steig, Shrek tells the story of an ogre (Michael Myers) who sets with his new friend Donkey (Eddie Murphy) out to regain his swamp from fairytale characters. Tasked with rescuing Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) in return for the restoration of his solitude, Shrek discovers that he’s not the loner he always thought he was, and that looks aren’t always everything.

Director Vicky Jenson , Andrew Adamson Release Date May 18, 2001 Cast Cameron Diaz , Mike Myers , Eddie Murphy , John Lithgow Runtime 90 minutes

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One of Donkey’s funniest quotes in the Shrek movies is “You a mean, green, fighting machine!” In the first film, Shrek saves Donkey from Lord Farquaad’s guards, and in turn, accidentally adopts himself a rather irritating new friend. Of course, Donkey’s optimism and feel-good energy are constant. Donkey is overjoyed that Shrek helps him achieve freedom, but he is also clever, because he realizes that Shrek’s large stature and strength can help keep him safe.

In the war comedy movie, Ox joins the army to help him lose weight.

Many are unaware that this strange compliment is actually a reference to the 1981 film Stripes . In the war comedy movie, Ox joins the army to help him lose weight. Ox is similar to Donkey in some ways, particularly their shared enthusiasm, and the cadet is confident that he’ll leave as a “Lean, mean, fightin’ machine.” This quote has transcended its source, and it’s so generic that it’s used in a lot of contexts. However, many don’t know that it’s a reference to Stripes, one of Bill Murray’s best movies.

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1 “You’re Like Orson Welles.”

Superbad (2007)

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7/10 7.2/10 Superbad R

Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and produced by Judd Apatow, Superbad follows high school seniors Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), two best friends who are desperate to join the popular kids’ party before heading off to college. After asking their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) – A.K.A. McLovin – to use his fake ID to purchase alcohol, Seth and Evan end up getting drawn into a night of criminal misfortunes that threatens the very fabric of their friendship.

Director Greg Mottola Release Date August 17, 2007 Cast Seth Rogen , Bill Hader , Jonah Hill , Christopher Mintz-Plasse , Michael Cera , Emma Stone Runtime 113 minutes

The Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg movieSuperbad makes a brief reference to Orson Welles that is easy to miss. When Seth discusses his early sexual experiences with Evan in the convenience store, his best friend tells him he’s “Like Orson Welles.” This joke would go over most viewers’ heads, regardless of whether or not they know who the actor is. Evan isn’t saying that Seth looks like Welles, it’s a comment on Welles being only 25 years old in his Citizen Kane debut.

This joke is really aimed at film fanatics, and it’s a ridiculous one. While this isn’t necessarily one of the best quotes in Superbad, it’s still intelligent and funny. Evan comparing Seth getting to third base with a classmate to Welles’ career skyrocketing at a young age is wild, especially as there are so many other figures from popular culture he could choose. However, this 2000s movie reference just doesn’t work with a modern audience, so it’s not surprising that many audiences don’t pick up on it.

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