The technology is really where all of the changes have taken place but the fundamentals of a good story being the basis of every good picture and really the only basis still remains the rule more so today I think because we've unfortunately weaned an audience from birth to kind of mindless movies.
This is a generation weaned on Watergate and there is no presumption of innocence and no presumption of good intentions. Instead there is a presumption that without relentless scrutiny the government will misbehave.