Troy L. Smith, cleveland.com
Millennials can be a weird bunch to understand. But one of the easiest ways to do so can be by looking at the pop-culture entities that inspire them.
First, let’s start by defining Millennials as anyone born between the early 1980s and early 2000s, and go from there.
The following is a list of films that, in one way or another, helped shape the mindset for the generation that came after X.
(Photo: Disney)
The Lion King (1994)
Disney’s second golden era, which began with “The Little Mermaid” in 1989 and followed with “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast,” culminated with “The Lion King,” a blockbuster achievement and the most impactful children’s film for the older half of the Millennial generation.
(Photo: Paramount Pictures)
Clueless (1995)
“Clueless” may be one of the most important films for Generation X. But it’s also a transitional film that signified the end of Generation X, as we knew it, and the beginning of the optimism and carefree nature of Millennials. It set the stage for what was to come.
(Photo: New Line)
Friday (1995)
It says something that 20 years after the release of “Friday,” quotes like “Bye, Felicia” still resonate. But leave it to a character named Smokey to provide the early credo for Millennial slackers: “I'm gonna get you high today. Cause it’s Friday, you ain't got no job, and you ain't got s*** to do.”
(Photo: Pixar)
Toy Story (1995)
The impact of “Toy Story” will be felt even more as you move deeper into this list, but back in 1995, the film signified a change in animation technology. Moreso, its story of friendship and youthful exuberance would become a mainstay for Pixar and Millennials.
(Photo: Paramount Pictures)
Titanic (1997)
In 1997, James Cameron created a cinematic world and love story unlike anything people under the age of 20 had ever seen. These days, you may brush off “Titanic” as cheesy blockbuster flush. But the film’s impact has lasted, both with the careers of its two leads (Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet) and the fact it generated another $340-plus million at the box office during a 3D re-release in 2012.
(Photo: Gramercy Productions)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
It’s telling that perhaps the most quoted movie character for Millennials is Jeff Bridges “The Dude.” He’s a slacker whose outlook on life may not be the most productive, but has become envious for the carefree Millennial.
(Photo: Artisan Entertainment)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
After Generation X was dominated by slasher films and the huge impact of “Scream,” Millennials craved something far more low-fi, but inventive. Enter “The Blair Witch Project,” which set the stage for the found-footage genre and the trend of horror films attempting to seem more real, almost to a fault.
(Photo: Universal Pictures)
American Pie (1999)
“American Pie” was the first movie where everything about it (Well, maybe not masturbating with a pie) seemed to ring true for a generation of sex-crazed Millennials. The characters looked like people we knew, dealing with situations we could relate to, for better or worse.
(Photo: Universal Pictures)
The Matrix (1999)
Perhaps no film signifies the huge generational gap between Millennials and Baby Boomers more than “The Matrix.” Our parents and grandparents dealt with much harsher times head-on, while Millennials find even the slightest of struggles as proof this world can’t possibly exist the way it does. “The Matrix” offered the type of conceptual escape and rebellion we longed for.
(Photo: Columbia Pictures)
Cruel Intentions (1999)
Everything appealed to the Millennials, from its beautiful cast and dream couple (Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe) to its great soundtrack and sexual attention. “Cruel Intentions” represents the art of getting screwed over, but still winning.
(Photo: 20th Century Fox)
Fight Club (1999)
“Fight Club” represents a portrait of the Generation X and Millennial man, while capturing the level of anger the latter could relate to. We’re mad as hell, but we’re not exactly sure why. In many ways, the frustration and middle finger to the man “Fight Club” represents resonates now more than ever.
(Photo: Lucasfilm)
The Phantom Menace (1999)
“Star Wars: Episode I” wasn’t your parents' “Star Wars.” “The Phantom Menace” was director George Lucas’ attempt to bring “Star Wars” to a new generation. In that sense, he accomplished his goal. “The Phantom Menace” is cuter, cornier and more digitally enhanced. It’s everything older “Star Wars” fans hate, but Millennials love about their movies.
(Photo: DreamWorks)
American Beauty (1999)
“American Beauty” was the perfect, last great film of the 1990s (it won the Academy Award for Best Picture). It takes the previously lovable notion of suburban utopia and paints it with the level of disenfranchisement Millennials would come to expect. The traditional values of American life no longer offered the beauty they once did, at least not in the eyes of a new generation.
(Photo: Universal Pictures)
Bring It On (2000)
The core themes of “Bring it On” may be acceptance and teenage angst/love. But what makes “Bring it On” a more modern take on “Clueless” was its ability to etch pop-culture phrases like Cheer-ocracy and spirit fingers into our brains forever.
(Photo: Disney)
Remember the Titans (2000)
“Remember the Titans” was, by no means, the best sports film of the Millennial generation, but it was the most impactful - tackling racial and team dynamics in the easiest way possible and appealing to young athletes everywhere.
(Photo: DreamWorks)
Shrek (2001)
“Shrek” is all about acceptance and overcoming the kind of stereotypes and prejudices that were commonplace with previous generations. It took an ogre to teach a new generation not to judge a book by its cover.
(Photo: New Line Cinema)
Lord of the Rings (2001)
J.R.R. Tolken’s novel was all the rage for Baby Boomers, but the film versions of “Lord of the Rings” engrossed Millennials with an imaginative form of storytelling centered on a miniscule character that must come to terms with being responsible for something greater than himself.
(Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Legally Blonde (2001)
Some might find it insulting to say “Legally Blonde’s” Elle Woods represents the Millennial woman. But look at the movie again. Her persona helped birth the selfie generation and represents the feeling you can look good and still have it all.
(Photo: Universal Pictures)
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
The first “Fast and Furious” film not only made cars cool for Millennials. It upped the stylish factor for what a summer movie franchise could be. It was no longer enough to just have good-looking people in your cast. You had to surround them with equally stylish things.
(Photo: Pandora Cinema)
Donnie Darko (2001)
“Donnie Darko” took the concept of a film like “Final Destination,” which came out a year earlier, and made it more complex and mysterious. More so than previous generations, Millennials have embraced the concept of a person’s fate lying in the hands of a greater power.
(Photo: Warner Bros.)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
The entire “Harry Potter” franchise represents the ultimate coming-of-age story for Millennials. The characters grew with us, becoming more relatable along the way.
(Photo: Columbia Pictures)
Spider-Man (2002)
Of all the superhero movies to come along over the past 15 years, none represented an updated take on the genre, previously topped by 1978’s “Superman,” better than Spider-Man. The title character, played brilliantly by Tobey Maguire, speaks to Millennials the most. He’s a flawed, emo geek who has to come to terms with his new power.
(Photo: Universal Pictures)
8 Mile (2002)
“8 Mile” stars the biggest solo music artist of this generation and plays out as a modern-day “Rocky,” but in the more Millennial-focused hip-hop forum.
(Photo: Focus Features)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Feeling lost and lonely in a strange world. They’re two themes that hit hard with Millennials, captured brilliantly in director Sofia Coppola’s 2003 film. Perhaps no film’s title sums up the Millennial generation more than “Lost in Translation.”
(Photo: Paramount Pictures)
Mean Girls (2004)
If you were to take a poll of the film most Millennials relate to the most, “Mean Girls” would win out. In terms of the way the characters act, speak and look, “Mean Girls” is the ultimate guide to how Millennials, especially women, see themselves and their friends in film.
(Photo: Lionsgate)
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
What’s lacking from this list is a war movie, mainly because Millennials don’t have a war they can relate to or, more so, agree with. The closest thing is Michael Moore’s 2004 documentary, which tackles the aftermath of the biggest event of this generation. It explores the meaning of war and the impact of politics (good and mostly bad) on contemporary society.
(Photo: New Line Cinema)
The Notebook (2004)
Much of “The Notebook” is set in the 1940s. Yet, Millennials relate to it more than any love story. It helps that it lays the blueprint for the modern-day, mindless romance, highlighted by big scenes and a love you’re willing to die for. “The Notebook” even became a verb used when a girl you were dating invited you over only to make you sit, watch and cry along with Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.
(Photo: Lionsgate)
Saw (2004)
Few people anticipated the huge impact of “Saw.” The original film spawned a lucrative franchise, while also laying the groundwork for the visually brutal and psychological horror that came to define the Millennial horror landscape.
(Photo: MTV Films)
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
“Napoleon Dynamite” shows how big things can come from little money. The film was crafted on a limited budget and became a massive success, as one of the most quotable and meme-friendly films of the Millennial generation. It also became a benchmark for aspiring filmmakers.
(Photo: Fox Searchlight)
Garden State (2004)
There have been entire essays written about how Zach Braff’s indie hit brilliantly captures the zeitgeist of Millennials. Braff’s vision of a twenty-something struggling to find his place in the world (or inside his own head) may be a bit over the top. But it’s emo tendencies (and amazing soundtrack) hit the right spot in crafting what is the Millennial version of “Reality Bites.”
(Photo: DreamWorks)
Anchorman (2004)
Why does “Anchorman” resonate so much with Millennials? Essentially it’s the legend of Will Ferrell. But it also foreshadows the future impact of Judd Apatow and the comedies that would come to define the generation.
(Photo: Focus Features)
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
“Brokeback Mountain” is the film that represents Millennials' stance as being more progressive on LGBT issues than any previous generation. It wasn’t just having two big-name movie stars in the lead roles as cowboys; it was the generation’s willingness to accept the film and praise it as a piece of groundbreaking art.
(Photo: Paramount Classics)
An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
Most of us assumed former Vice President Al Gore would run for President again. Instead he went on a crusade to educate everyone about global warming. By doing so, he may have made more of an impact on the Millennial generation than he could have by running for office.
(Photo: Fox Searchlight)
Juno (2007)
The topic of teen pregnancy would take center stage on TV in the form of MTV’s disastrous “Teen Mom.” But a few years earlier, the indie hit “Juno” really hit the mark with an intelligent take on Millennials struggling to understand what having a baby and parenthood truly means.
(Photo: Universal Pictures)
Knocked Up (2007)
2007 was a big year for the concept of parenthood. “Knocked Up” featured Seth Rogen, a central figure for Millennials, as a common slacker who has to grow up faster than he expected in order to become the father he never saw himself being.
(Photo: Columbia Pictures)
Superbad (2007)
It’s fitting “Knocked Up” and “Superbad” were released so closely together, because they each tackle two important, yet different aspects of being a Millennial. “Knocked Up” is about growing up, while “Superbad” is about coming to terms with one's awkward teenage years while living them.
(Photo: Paramount Pictures)
Paranormal Activity (2007)
The “Paranormal Activity” franchise would take the found-footage style of “The Blair Witch Project” to new heights by making it more relatable through technology. With each installment, the franchise got more modern, working its way up to frights created by the Internet.
(Photo: Warner Bros.)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Christopher Nolan may be the most important and influential director for Millennials. His masterpiece remains “The Dark Knight” trilogy, highlighted by the second film in the series, Heath Ledger’s mesmerizing performance and the movie’s showcase of how society searches for heroes in the wrong places, when ultimately its success or failure rests within.
(Photo: Fox Searchlight)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
When we think of things that affect Millennials, we think of them in American terms. But “Slumdog Millionaire” was one of the rare times when a film could turn the contemporary outlook on another part of the world and make it completely relatable.
(Photo: Summit Entertainment)
Twilight (2008)
You can say it’s a vampire obsession, but “Twilight” is the ultimate romantic fantasy story that Millennials just couldn’t get enough of. There’s also the bad-boy vibe of falling in love with a vampire that has been a cornerstone of cinema for quite some time.
(Photo: Fox Searchlight)
500 Days of Summer (2009)
Given their love of all things emo, Millennials are perhaps the only generation that can truly appreciate a chick-flick from the male perspective. Not to mention, the two lead characters represent different Millennial outlooks on love – from the hopeless romantic to the person who doesn’t believe in the concept altogether (until meeting the right person, of course).
(Photo: Warner Bros.)
The Hangover (2009)
The idea of getting married isn’t something Millennials have latched on to, especially when it comes to film. In fact, the most successful wedding movies also involve aggressive comedy. It’s far easier for Millennial men to relate to “The Hangover’s” adventures of a bachelor party gone wrong than an actual wedding.
(Photo: Columbia Pictures)
The Social Network (2010)
“The Social Network” may be the most Millennial of all Millennial movies. Yes, the characters represent relatable Millennials, but let us not forget the film is about the creation of one of the most impactful entities of this generation – Facebook. Throw in the fictional storyline about a girl who dumped Mark Zuckerberg being the motivating force behind Facebook, and you have a movie every Millennial can relate to in multiple ways.
(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Inception (2010)
Much like “The Matrix,” “Inception” is a dark, science fiction film that relates to Millennials in the same way. Both films tap into our willingness to look for some other explanation for how the universe operates. Are we dreaming or is this really happening?
(Photo: Universal Pictures)
Catfish (2010)
Most people are probably more familiar with the MTV show it spawned, but rest assured, catfishing and its place in pop culture began with the 2010 documentary about someone pretending to be something they’re not on the Internet. The film became far more relatable than we anticipated.
(Photo: Pixar)
Toy Story 3 (2010)
“Toy Story 3” shows how far Millennials have come, both in terms of life and technology. The franchise has given us a look into the 'lives' of a group of toys, and how they're affected when their owner, who is going away to college, must let them go.
(Photo: Universal Pictures)
Bridesmaids (2011)
“Bridesmaids” is the female version of “The Hangover.” It focuses on the struggles the most recent generation has with growing up, the decision to get married and the reality that life may not turn out the way we want. It’s also absolutely hilarious.
(Photo: Lionsgate)
The Hunger Games (2012)
No franchise is better suited to be the ultimate Millennial blockbuster than “The Hunger Games.” Katniss Everdeen is the perfect Millennial hero – a woman defiant based on her own beliefs. It’s no stretch to say “The Hunger Games” represents the Millennial generation both coming to terms with and then overcoming the most recent recession.
(Photo: IFC Films)
Boyhood (2014)
It wasn’t a huge success at the box office, but no film is more literally for Millennials than last year’s “Boyhood.” The movie was shot over the course of 12 years with the same actor growing up in a world that sees him listening to Blink-182, attending the premiere of “Harry Potter” and having his date force a Beatles mix-CD on him.
(Photo: 20th Century Fox)
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
The concept of death isn’t something that goes down easy for Millennials, which is what made John Green’s novel and its popular film adaption so poignant. “The Fault in Our Stars,” a story about love and growing up way faster than you have to, is the cancer movie for a younger generation that struggles to relate to the end of life.
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