Generation Y, Millennials, that group of entitled lazy spoiled brats: what are the films that have defined our generation and why?
10) Toy Story 3
Considering that millennials pretty much grew up with the Toy Story Series, the 3rd installment was a reminder of how far we had come. We watched a little boy named Andy who played with his toys grow up into a young adult that leaves those toys behind. My theory is that we’re really supposed to identify with the toys. Andy represents our parents. We grow up with one person (or two people) all of our lives, and then the time comes when that person is not going to be there anymore. We have to become independent and take hold of our own destinies. We make relationships (the other toys) and grow our support system so when that time comes, we’ll be ready for it. Plus who didn’t get all teary-eyed when all the toys held hands in anticipation of… well you know.
9) 40-year old Virgin
Judd Apatow, you comedic genius, you. You made a movie about a bunch of 40-year-olds having sex, and yet somehow got a bunch of young people to buy into it. What is supposed to be a slapstick, raunchy comedy, transcends into a reflection of the changing times. VCRs, Action Figures, watching Survivor? Slowly but surely, these items have all but become obsolete. What was once cool is no longer. It is now a sure indication of your virginity and therefore you haven’t “grown up yet”. The true moral of the story is that recognizing and accepting that you’re “uncool” does make you grown up. It’s called self-awareness, and apparently it gets you laid and into a rousing dance number to “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In”.
8) Slumdog Millionaire
Bollywood is given “western” street cred. Orphans are portrayed as straight hustlers. Knowledge of random facts can be life-saving. Every little decision that we make is directly related to our fate. You treat those closest to you like crap, you die in a bathtub. This film teaches millennials that with staying true to yourself, never giving up, and a little bit of luck, you can overcome almost anything. In terms of realism, the film also gives us “westerners” a glimpse into another part of the world’s economic and social issues. If you haven’t re-evaluated how good you have it, watch this movie. And what a peppy dance number at the end.
7) Wedding Crashers
Ah yes, the only film that has made Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson relevant. Aside from adding countless quotes to our jargon, Wedding Crashers makes buddy movies fun again with an interesting tactic. Typically, the goals of the buddies in buddy films are to get laid, get rich, or stop the bad guy. This buddy film obviously incorporates the goal of “getting laid” but the genius lies in the ridiculous premise of two random creeps crashing weddings. What these guys discover is that you do need to grow up slightly if you want the bigger “catch”. And while we young’ins would love to be at a kegger every Saturday, if you want a bigger reward, you’re going to need to set your goals higher. But no matter what, remember “Rule Number 71, no excuses, play like a champion”.
6) Batman Trilogy a la Christopher Nolan
If you ignore Christian Bale’s man-freak voice, you’ll view the Batman trilogy as an epic portrayal of the breakdown of society. If you’ve seen previous Batman movies, you wonder why you should feel sorry for Bruce Wayne. He has money, good looks, sweet rides, and hot chicks. No parents? Well, neither does Superman, Spiderman, or The Hulk (Comic Books = Cheerleader for Orphans). With this trilogy, you empathize with Bruce Wayne/Batman because his enemies are our enemies. Gangs, mafias, terrorists, are who we should fear. The enemies featured in these films don’t have any magic superpowers or weird abnormalities. They’re basically crazy m-effers with access to weapons of mass destruction. Sound familiar? But privileged little rich boy takes it upon himself to right the wrongs. As you see more and more with our generation, we’re not afraid to speak up when we see injustice. There you are. I just compared you to Batman. You’re welcome.
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