Here in the U.S., it’s the start of the school year. Transitioning back to structured time after a long summer of freedom can be hard. Sometimes, after a long day or week at school, all we need is time on the couch or in bed with a good movie. Oftentimes, we do this together, as a family. With all these streaming platforms, and the many generational differences between parents and teens, it can be hard to figure out what to watch.
Have you ever sat down to watch a movie with your parents and wondered, ‘how could they have loved this movie?’ It’s so out of touch and features weird racist and sexist overtones. This kind of reaction happened when I watched Grease for the first time. There are some good songs but the plot is really weird, when you think about it. It goes like this: a summer romance between an academic good girl and a leather-jacket wearing bad boy. He sucks, she’s offended, but then she changes her whole persona to be with him. How could this have been one of my mom’s favorite movies? Sometimes movies just don’t stand the test of time so it’s hard to find movies or TV shows parents and teens can watch together; without having parental nostalgia replace quality and substance. So, here’s a list of Gen X movies for Gen Z kids, and then a list of Gen Z movies for Gen X parents.
Gen X Movies for Gen Z Kids:
9-5: Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda fighting a misogynist boss! What could be better? I was probably too young when I watched this movie, I certainly didn’t understand half of the references, but even then I knew I was watching goddesses in action.
Working Girl: also a story of an awesome woman taking on her boss. I just watched this movie for the first time this summer, with my mom. To be honest, the suspense stressed me out, but almost anything makes me anxious so I’m not sure that’s a good gauge of stress. Still, it’s a fabulous movie.
When Harry Met Sally: A classic New York romance movie. The relationship is a bit cliche in some ways, but it makes your heart full. I watched this late at night with my friend Laila and we kept squealing at how sweet it was.
The Princess Bride: another all ages classic fairy-tale, good for literally anyone of any age. I’ve seen this movie more times than I can count, and regularly use quotes from it.
Legally Blonde: Bend, and snap! The first time I watched this I didn’t realize Jennifer Coolage was in it, and now I understand why it’s such a good movie.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: A combination of hilarious comedy and self-realization, I watched this movie for the first time with my childhood best friend and his two brothers. Since then I’ve watched it at least three times.
Stand By Me: Four boys go on a really long walk to find a dead body, and they’ve got a really good friendship. Another movie I watched with my mom, this one is sad.
Breaking Away: Once again a friendship story of four boys and a bike race. Another, ‘my mom made me watch this movie I didn’t want to watch but I loved it’ movement.
Pretty in Pink: This is the only Molly Ringwald/John Hughes movie that still holds up. At the end of the movie I said to my mom how sad I was that Duckie didn’t end up with Andie and she said “don’t worry honey, Duckie is gay”.
Hairspray, the original version: A satirical comedy with a dark political edge. Me, my best friend Lucy and my mom watched both the original and remake at a sleepover when we were eleven. Not your typical sleepover movie, but very good.
Top Gun: Need I say more?
Gen Z Movies for Gen X Parents:
Fantastic Mr. Fox: Beautiful clay animation, a fabulous soundtrack and is accessible for all ages. One of my all time favorites. Plus, Meryl Streep voices Mrs. Fox.
Ocean’s 8: Another one of my favorites. An all female spin on Ocean’s 11, but better. And what a cast! Rihannah, Anna Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Awkwafina, Sarah Pulson,
The Holdovers: A kid gets stuck at his boarding school over the holidays with only his grouchy history teacher and the school cook. I loved this movie so much, one of my favorites of 2024.
The Boy and the Heron: This is the most recent Studio Ghibli movie, and the illustrations are amazing. Miyazaki has some of the most poignant narratives to his movies. Many of them are about political issues, and he does it beautifully.
The Perks of Being A Wall-Flower: A wall-flower gets new-found confidence after two other kids decide to mentor him. People I know love the book just as much as they love the movie.
Everything Everywhere All At Once: Who could have asked for a better cast? This movie is amazing, through and through. If you’re sensitive to flashing lights it might not be right for you, but otherwise this should be at the top of your list. I also watched this in the movie theater with my friend Lucy and her dad.
Thunder Force: Consider this a door opening to the incredible team of Mellisa McCarthy and Jason Bateman. My whole family was crying at the end of this movie, we just couldn’t stop laughing.
Enola Holmes: Millie Bobby Brown and Helena Bonham Carter fighting for women's rights in 1890s England. The best part is that there are two of them!
Joy Ride: Four friends go on a road trip through China, it’s hilarious and very raunchy.
Summer of Soul: In the same summer as Woodstock, an all star music festival took place in Harlem and nobody talked about it. Forty years later the footage was found and this documentary was made.
I just finished my first week of school, and already I’m feeling the longing for summer, and the jobs I had. So, I’m going to take my own advice and watch a great movie (probably Enola Holmes or Ocean’s 8, two of my comfort movies). If you feel inspired, check one, or many, of these out. Feel free to put your favorite intergenerational movies in the comments below!
How does “ Dirty Dancing” hold up, a 1987 film about 1963? Your mom and my daughter spent a weekend watching that movie 7 times (best guess) when they were maybe 12 or 13. My mom like Lila would have my sister and me watch movies she had loved (the Greatest Generation picking movies for Baby Booners) which I think are worth watching. Have you seen Casablanca?