These movies are played for their comic effect, but they reveal a self-consciousness about the social changes that have occurred in the latter half of the twentieth century. The past in these films is presented in an idealized way, but the audience is reassured that despite some messiness, contemporary society hasn't strayed too far from that ideal. The historical figures in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure seem to approve of the suburban lifestyle and the colorization of Pleasantville is depicted as a liberation from stifling conformity.