Outstanding list. I don’t know that I ever saw The River’s Edge. All the other ones I would say definitely define our generation. Pump Up The Volume is one of my absolute favorite movies that I would rent out and rewatch over and over. I still own a copy which I will on occasion watch, and I think I might quote High Fidelity more than any other movie.
Thank you! River's Edge is good, definitely worth watching. Early Keanu also, he was great. Love Pump Up The Volume, one of those films that I find a lot of folks have not watched. High Fidelity is an absolute gem for sure!!
This is a good list, but I would mention movies that we watched but represented someone older than us. I will use Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire as an example. I was 12 when these came out but watched them a lot. My buddies and I still quote St. Elmo's Fire.
All of the National Lampoon's movies may have been created by Boomers, but were very influential in shaping the guys I knew. Again, I don't think they are an example of how Gen X lived but they do explain a lot about our sense of humor.
Solid additions. I like both BF and St. Elomo's Fire for sure. They have a place in this conversation indeed. I wanted to focus on grittier films. Love the National Lampoon flicks also!
My 18 year old loved Fight Club when I showed him. It still rides hard into today! And I love to through on Empire Records at anytime, even just in the background, as it brings me all the 90’s nostalgia.
really enjoyed this. I often think that Gen X is reduced to a few pop hits and feel good movies (and neon colors)—but there were deep cuts and disturbing narratives that said a lot about us, like this list you’ve put together here!
Boomers were selling us the American dream to us then, but it had a dark side that not everyone could handle or wanted to see.
(it’s demonstrative of Crispin Glover’s talent that to this day I have a hard time watching any film he’s in).
Glad you enjoyed the list. Totally agree, I think some of these grittier films are missed in the conversation so I wanted to highlight them. Totally agree about Crispin Glover. Did you know he voiced one of the rag dolls in the movie "9" (2009)?
no, I didn’t! (but I’m not putting it on my watchlist, I’ll tell you that). his death scene in the film ‘Teachers’ freaked me out as much as the death of the young cadet in ‘Taps.’ River’s Edge was all I could take. I can’t get over it, which is to say, he’s an actor of haunting ability.
Outstanding list. I don’t know that I ever saw The River’s Edge. All the other ones I would say definitely define our generation. Pump Up The Volume is one of my absolute favorite movies that I would rent out and rewatch over and over. I still own a copy which I will on occasion watch, and I think I might quote High Fidelity more than any other movie.
Thank you! River's Edge is good, definitely worth watching. Early Keanu also, he was great. Love Pump Up The Volume, one of those films that I find a lot of folks have not watched. High Fidelity is an absolute gem for sure!!
Don’t forget Blade Runner
https://open.substack.com/pub/kennetheharrell/p/the-rain-drenched-beauty-of-cyberpunk
Definitely one of the greatest flicks of all time!
This is a good list, but I would mention movies that we watched but represented someone older than us. I will use Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire as an example. I was 12 when these came out but watched them a lot. My buddies and I still quote St. Elmo's Fire.
All of the National Lampoon's movies may have been created by Boomers, but were very influential in shaping the guys I knew. Again, I don't think they are an example of how Gen X lived but they do explain a lot about our sense of humor.
Solid additions. I like both BF and St. Elomo's Fire for sure. They have a place in this conversation indeed. I wanted to focus on grittier films. Love the National Lampoon flicks also!
My 18 year old loved Fight Club when I showed him. It still rides hard into today! And I love to through on Empire Records at anytime, even just in the background, as it brings me all the 90’s nostalgia.
Fight Club is essential young adult viewing imo... my wife would disagree, lol
I watch Empire Records once a year I think!
really enjoyed this. I often think that Gen X is reduced to a few pop hits and feel good movies (and neon colors)—but there were deep cuts and disturbing narratives that said a lot about us, like this list you’ve put together here!
Boomers were selling us the American dream to us then, but it had a dark side that not everyone could handle or wanted to see.
(it’s demonstrative of Crispin Glover’s talent that to this day I have a hard time watching any film he’s in).
Glad you enjoyed the list. Totally agree, I think some of these grittier films are missed in the conversation so I wanted to highlight them. Totally agree about Crispin Glover. Did you know he voiced one of the rag dolls in the movie "9" (2009)?
no, I didn’t! (but I’m not putting it on my watchlist, I’ll tell you that). his death scene in the film ‘Teachers’ freaked me out as much as the death of the young cadet in ‘Taps.’ River’s Edge was all I could take. I can’t get over it, which is to say, he’s an actor of haunting ability.
I haven't seen Teachers in ages... I remember Ralph Macchio in that!