Your generation in movie form
Mike brought up that someone had called The Social Network the movie of our generation (I know you disagree, Mike). Personally, I think Scott Pilgrim more closely fits the bill for many reasons:
1. The wham-bam speed of the jokes symbolizes how little of an attention span we have these days with constant instant gratification being an absolute must because of the internet.
2. It recognizes video games as being extremely integrated into our culture.
3. It has a lot of references to certain products of society that have stuck with our generation and are beloved by most of us (like Seinfeld).
4. It has that whole hero's journey thing going for it (so as some have said Star Wars was the film of a generation, I'm just including this as a parallel. I know a lot of movies have this, but what the hell, this movie does it really really well).
5. The music and fashions are iconic of our generation, for the most part, I think.
6. It makes fun of hipster trends that used to be cool, but have recently met a growing amount of criticism, if not flat out ridicule (veganism, emo music)
ETC.
I'm sure a lot of you are gonna disagree, but I'd like to hear what you guys think is the movie that defines your/our generation, and why?
Si vis pacem, para bellum
I identified with Scott Pilgrim too (I mean REALLY identified with it) but really what I meant was that I don't like the phrase "the movie that defines our generation." I mean that's too lofty a title for any one movie.
7) Nobody gave a shit about it
Seriously though, I live in Toronto and have a friend who worked on the film. Went to a couple of the parties and met most of the cast. I liked the movie and think it's a shame it did poorly at the box office.
But I found it a bit too light and flaky to really identify with (or maybe I'm too old at 28). I actually identified more with "Kids" when that came out (fuck, I AM getting old)
I agree. But if you make it purely a personal choice, rather than some recognized title, I think it's possible. If anything, it's just fun to think about. But anthropology's a major interest of mine, sooo...
EDIT - This was for mike.
Yeah, I'd definitely say it's an age thing. What's funny is that I found the '90s to be about passion and angst while the '00s seemed to be more about the satirizing of that angst, which is what this movie does. It kinda points out the ridiculousness of the obsession earlier trends had with romanticism. Hell, it even makes it a point to say that you should do things for yourself rather than for your passion for someone else.
Si vis pacem, para bellum
i'm one of those losers that got caught kinda right in the middle of generations. So my movies are either Reality Bites or Caddyshack. more like Caddyshack though.
Maybe License to Drive.
Begs the question: Does this generation have a John Hughes?
This is why we can't have nice things.
The only movie that really captures the spirit of my generation, despite all its flaws and pretentions, is "Cum in my Azz pt.4: Super Slutz Wet Pussy Hardcore Action... Again!!!!" I think the scene where he comes in her ass for the seventh time really speaks to a lot of people for a reason: we're all aware that it could happen to those we love, and it scares us, but somehow we have to carry on, keep on going for the sake of a life well lived.
thanks for sharing.blackhawk tactical pants.
— Spambot
"I could have done worse!" exultantly cried the murderer Lebret, sentenced at Rouen to hard labor for life. — Félix Fénéon
dude! That movie sucked!
It's totally Gen Y's The Day After.
This is why we can't have nice things.
dude! That movie sucked!
You have no appreciation for good cinema, obv.
thanks for sharing.blackhawk tactical pants.
— Spambot
"I could have done worse!" exultantly cried the murderer Lebret, sentenced at Rouen to hard labor for life. — Félix Fénéon
My generation's would be Reservoir Dogs.
Empire Records.
Suburbia (the one with giovanni ribisi and parker posey, not the other one.)
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Mine could well be the other one.
This is why we can't have nice things.
Jackass 3D
"Start praying for a 12-car pile-up on the turnpike 'cause we're not exactly swimming in livers over here."
Mine could well be the other one.
I'd believe that.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Nothing even close.
Nothing even close.
No one can ever replace John Hughes.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
The Breakfast Club was a snapshot of my generation, that's for sure.
Mom's gonna fix it all soon.
Nothing even close.
No one can ever replace John Hughes.
Eli Roth!
Ha Ha Ha! Sucks to be you, current generation! Ha Ha Ha!
What's the "current" generation? I still grew up with Home Alone, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, etc., but I watched all those before I was 10 and still watch them today.
Si vis pacem, para bellum
You still watch Home Alone?
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
What's wrong with Home Alone?
The two robbers are awesome!
no.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
How could you not like Home Alone? I still have my TalkBoy back home somewhere.
Classic scene from the arguably better Home Alone 2:
Si vis pacem, para bellum
I liked Home Alone, when I was 6.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Sorry, I thought Home Alone was a universal Christmas tradition.
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Holiday Inn, A Christmas Story, and Miracle on 34th St. are Christmas traditions. Home Alone is just a kids movie.
imo.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Joe Pesci (sp?) is awesome. I stand by this no matter what.
As do I, mike.
Scribbles, I've honestly never seen any of those movies, not even A Christmas Story. There are four movies that my generation in my family holds iconic for family tradition. The first TMNT movie, Ghostbusters, and Home Alone 1&2. Home Alone might be John Williams' fault, though.
Si vis pacem, para bellum
You've never seen A Christmas Story?? holy hell.
And Home Alone is a bad movie, period. Its not even a Christmas movie, it just happens to take place during Christmas.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
The kid asks Santa to bring his family back. Maybe it's been a while since you hate it so much but both 1 and 2 take place around Christmas and deal with insanely Christmas themes. (Getting and giving Christmas gifts, love for your family, church, Santa Clause, Christmas vacation...etc.)
I think you mean Die Hard.
I think you mean Die Hard.
I guess I just see it more of a goofy situation comedy that happens to take place during Christmas.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
I have to amend what I said earlier by adding Heathers. Mean Girls, my ass. Heathers was where it's at. Er...where it was.
^5
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
And Home Alone is a bad movie, period. Its not even a Christmas movie, it just happens to take place during Christmas.
Yeah, it's a Christmas movie. Mike said it best, though. I guess it's safe to assume you have zero guilty, nostalgic pleasures.
Oh, and I forgot one movie. JINGLE ALL THE WAY! Ya gonna rip on that cuz it's a bad movie, too?
)-:<
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Oh, and as far as a goofy situation that happens to take place during Christmas, I can't imagine you've seen it at all recently. It's very, very Christmasy. It's about togetherness and giving and acceptance of strangers, regardless of what they look like. And the more I think about it, the more I think it's a damn good movie I'd like even today as a wacky family Christmas comedy.
Si vis pacem, para bellum
No, I haven't seen it since I was maybe 8. It got old quickly. I have plenty of guilty pleasures in movies, the aforementioned Suburbia was a terrible movie. Don't take it all personally because I think home alone is a shit movie.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
I've never watched Home Alone, Home Alone 2, or Home Alone 3.
But I'm fairly confident they're shit I wouldn't enjoy them.
This is why we can't have nice things.
Somewhere around here.
It all becomes clear...
Si vis pacem, para bellum
I love the first Home Alone movie! Definitely a Christmas movie with nice memories for me as well and I would love to watch it again this year.
Somewhere around here.
Eliza Dushku is this generation's Jennifer Love Hewitt.
Oh and Jingle All the Way was and still is very very horrible.
I always thought Trainspotting was a good one, not that we're all junkies or anything. And i agree with Suburbia, that was my favorite movie for years.
Somewhere around here.
Eliza Dushku is this generation's Jennifer Love Hewitt.
but... but....
They're the same age.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Thanks largely to the internet, I'm not sure "generation" means much of anything anymore.
This is why we can't have nice things.
It's huge in Japan...
Si vis pacem, para bellum
did you to high school with a bunch of bank robbers who only used aliases?
I was already out of high school, thank you very much.
Home Alone is as much a Christmas movie as Gremlins is.
Reality Bites. I'm being serious.