This article contains mention of police brutality.
Summary
- Gen-Z movies explore the impact of the internet on social rules and young minds, making trends shift quickly.
- Millennials are creating promising films for Gen-Z, with movies that transcend their target audience.
- Contemporary Gen-Z films like “Bottoms” and “Theater Camp” reflect the generation’s humor, style, and interests.
Gen-Z humor, style, and language are notoriously difficult to replicate in cinema, leading to the ridicule of many movies about the generation across the internet. However, there are a decent number of films that capture the essential elements that make the generation one that’s unlike the ones that came before. Much of this boils down to the impact of the internet in redefining the social rules and capital of young minds. This makes trends and ideologies change faster than ever, making movies feel dated more quickly. However, many promising Millennial directors with futures in cinema have taken on the challenge.
The best movies by and for Gen-Z transcend their target audience and entertain everyone.
While plenty of relatable Millennial movies have been in circulation since the generation earned their name, more Gen-Z movies have been rising to prominence. This is exciting, as a new generation of Gen-Z filmmakers and actors has been dominating Hollywood and establishing themselves as the future of cinema. With the influx of content from this younger generation, the older ones are sometimes hesitant to accept the change in themes and plot in their stories. However, the best movies by and for Gen-Z transcend their target audience and entertain everyone.
Related 10 TV Shows That Perfectly Capture Gen Z Culture
A wave of television shows focusing on Gen Z and their culture have taken over streaming services in recent years, and these are ten of the best.
10 To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Directed by Susan Johnson
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before TV-14RomanceComedy Where to Watch
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Based on the novel by Jenny Han, To All the Boys I Loved Before sees high-school student Lara Jean Covey caught in a terrifyingly awkward situation when her deepest secrets leak out. Lara, who has many passionate crushes, has written confession letters to all of them – with no intention of ever sending them. However, when all five letters somehow reach her five loves, Lara’s high school life becomes an exercise in crisis management as she desperately attempts to gain control of it all.
Director Susan Johnson Release Date August 17, 2018 Studio(s) Netflix Cast Lana Condor , Anna Cathcart , John Corbett , Janel Parrish , Israel Broussard , Noah Centineo Runtime 102 minutes Franchise(s) To All the Boys Expand
Han’s rise to fame began in 2018 when Netflix released the first
To All The Boys
movie, in an early example of Gen-Z’s take on the traditional rom-com.
The author of the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before books, Jenny Han, has her finger on the pulse when it comes to what Gen-Z readers are interested in. This made her works an obvious choice for film and TV adaptations, as her other series, The Summer I Turned Pretty, has been a hit TV series on Amazon Prime for the past few years. However, Han’s rise to fame began in 2018 when Netflix released the first To All The Boys movie, in an early example of Gen-Z’s take on the traditional rom-com.
Starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo, who have both become recurring actors in the Gen-Z canon, To All The Boys is set on fire by their hesitant and innocent chemistry that lets the teenagers be regular kids. A common mistake in Gen-Z media is that filmmakers make the characters act too mature for their age, but the cast of the film genuinely seems like teenagers. Additionally, though they use their phones and let the internet interfere with their relationships, they’re not the stereotypical “screenagers” that some films depict them as.
9 Booksmart (2019)
Directed by Olivia Wilde
Booksmart RComedy Where to Watch
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Booksmart is a comedy film directed by Olivia Wilde and follows two studious and by-the-book high school seniors who decide on their final day of school to shake up the formula and break some rules. Having lamented missing four potential years of fun and friendship, the best friends attempt to cram four years of the “high school experience” into a single night.
Director Olivia Wilde Release Date May 24, 2019 Studio(s) United Artists Cast Lisa Kudrow , Michael Patrick O’Brien , Beanie Feldstein , Diana Silvers , Will Forte , Eduardo Franco , Kaitlyn Dever , Mason Gooding , Jessica Williams , Molly Gordon , Noah Galvin , Jason Sudeikis , Billie Lourd , Skyler Gisondo Runtime 105 minutes Expand
Booksmart was Olivia Wilde’s debut, and it showed that girlhood and the transition from high school to college might look different for each generation, but many of the experiences are universal. Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever are believable best friends in the movie that sees their characters navigate their last few days of high school before leaving for college. Many actors who have starred in the other favorite movies of Gen-Z are featured in the cast as well.
The film’s story is memorable predominantly because it features such a strong female friendship but also because it’s a high school movie that makes the cool kids good, as the protagonists’ viewpoints on their peers vastly change throughout the narrative. While the classic cliques of high school are present in the film, they’re subverted, and the message that everyone has fears and insecurities is communicated. Booksmart also touches upon the intense pressure many kids feel to get into an elite college.
8 Do Revenge (2022)
Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Do Revenge TV-MAComedy Where to Watch
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Camilla Mendes and Maya Hawke star in Do Revenge, a Netflix comedy film about two high schoolers that after experiencing social bullying on a spectacular scale, become social outcasts. When Drea (Mendes) has a private video of hers leaked out across the internet by her boyfriend, her social life and brand are irreparably tarnished, leaving her outside her prior social circle. Eleanor (Hawke) experiences a similar situation when her bully, a girl named Carissa (Ava Capri), spreads a rumor that she tried to hold her down and kiss her. When the two form an unexpected friendship, they plan to “do revenge” against each other’s bullies in an elaborate scheme to tear them down.
Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson Release Date September 16, 2022 Studio(s) Netflix Cast Camilla Mendes , Maya Hawke , Sophie Turner , Rish Shah , Sarah Michelle Gellar , Austin Abrams , Eliza Bennett , Ava Capri Runtime 118 minutes
One of the more fun aspects of Gen-Z culture that films aren’t afraid to mine is the generation’s interest in vintage fashion and trends from decades past, which influences their clothing and style.
Two iconic stars of Gen-Z television head up Do Revenge, with Camila Mendes from Riverdale and Maya Hawk from Stranger Things playing the leads. One of the more fun aspects of Gen-Z culture that films aren’t afraid to mine is the generation’s interest in vintage fashion and trends from decades past, which influences their clothing and style. This comes through in Do Revenge, allowing the teen comedy to be in conversation with the classic high school films from the 1990s and ’80s.
The web of lies, secrets, and betrayals that slowly unfold in Do Revenge are often outlandish in nature, but this shows that Gen-Z is just as capable of melodrama and stylization in cinema as earlier filmmakers. Like many movies of its genre, Do Revenge was released directly to streaming on Netflix, but this hasn’t hindered its popularity. Since social media is such a large part of Gen-Z life and culture, every aspect of life is curated to a certain extent, and Do Revenge captures this well.
7 Love, Simon (2018)
Directed by Greg Berlanti
Love, Simon (2018) PG-13ComedyDramaRomance Where to Watch
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Love, Simon is a 2018 romantic comedy-drama directed by Greg Berlanti and based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. The film follows Simon Spier, a high school student navigating life while keeping his sexual orientation private. When an email falls into the wrong hands, Simon faces the challenges of coming out to his friends and family and finding his anonymous online crush.
Director Greg Berlanti Release Date February 16, 2018 Studio(s) Temple Hill Entertainment , Fox 2000 Pictures , New Leaf Literary & Media , 20th Century Fox , Twisted Media Cast Nick Robinson , Jennifer Garner , Josh Duhamel , Katherine Langford , Alexandra Shipp Runtime 110 Minutes
Many of the most underrated LGBTQ+ coming-of-age movies have come out in the last few decades, as Gen-Z has had more of a platform and opportunity to center voices that go unheard. Love, Simon takes the classic rom-com formula and centers on a young queer teenager, Simon, who still struggles to come out and accept himself even though it’s a generally more tolerant era. However, his sexuality is only one facet of his life and personality, as his relationships with his friends and family also play a large role in the film.
Even less than ten years later, it would be inconceivable to make a teen movie without including an LGBTQ+ character, but when Love, Simon was released, the fact that it centered on a gay love story was a big deal. It was one of the first to be backed by a major studio, and its strong theatrical performance shows how much Gen-Z appreciates having their stories told on film. The warm critical reception it received has paved the way for the more recent Gen-Z movies that focus on LGBTQ+ stories.
6 Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Directed by Halina Reijn
Bodies Bodies Bodies RComedyHorrorThriller Where to Watch
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Bodies Bodies Bodies is a comedy/horror/thriller from 2 AM. When Bee (Maria Bakalova) travels to a hurricane party with her girlfriend Sophie (Amanda Stenberg), they find themselves surrounded by affluent 20-somethings with very different world views. When the party finally kicks off amidst the coming storm, the debauchery leads to a game of “Bodies Bodies Bodies.” However, when a power outage occurs during the game, and a murder occurs in its stead, the party takes a turn for the deadly.
Director Halina Reijn Release Date August 5, 2022 Studio(s) A24 Cast Pete Davidson , Maria Bakalova , Rachel Sennott , Chase Sui Wonders , Amandla Stenberg , Lee Pace , Myha’la Herrold Runtime 95 minutes
These creative choices, combined with the soundtrack and the conversations surrounding class and identity, put it firmly in the Gen-Z genre.
Contemporary horror movies are a great place to look when discussing how cinema has evolved in the modern era. Bodies Bodies Bodies is as much a dark satire as it is a horror film, and it clearly drew inspiration from the classics that define the genre. The star-studded cast speaks to how on the pulse the movie and its director, Halina Reijn, are. These creative choices, combined with the soundtrack and the conversations surrounding class and identity, put it firmly in the Gen-Z genre.
Few films have captured the rhythm and nuance of Gen-Z language and communication the way Bodies Bodies Bodies has. It helps that the actors were all familiar with the vernacular and slang of the internet, but Bodies Bodies Bodies also works hard not to date itself with any elements that are too rooted in the early 2020s. Many successful modern horror films are class commentaries and are part of the “eat the rich” genre, and Bodies Bodies Bodies pokes fun at this trope for its often hypocritical moral condemnations.
5 Eighth Grade (2018)
Directed by Bo Burnham
Eighth Grade RComedy Where to Watch
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Written and directed by Bo Burnham, marking his first directorial debut, Eighth Grade is a Drama and Comedy starring Elsie Fisher and Josh Hamilton. The 2018 release follows a young girl with anxiety that tries to gain the favor of her classmates during the last week of Eighth Grade.
Director Bo Burnham Release Date July 13, 2018 Studio(s) A24 Cast Emily Robinson , Nora Mullins , Fred Hechinger , Greg Crowe , Josh Hamilton , Catherine Oliviere , Daniel Zolghadri , Shacha Temirov , Elsie Fisher , Luke Prael , Jake Ryan , Missy Yager , Imani Lewis , Thomas J O’Reilly Runtime 93 Minutes Expand
Eighth Grade was the project that transformed Bo Burnham from a comedian to a filmmaker. While it’s expected to make a movie about teenagers of every generation, it’s much more difficult to tackle the rife and insecurity period of the middle school years just before a child makes the jump to adolescence. Painfully anxiety-inducing and cringe-worthy, Eighth Grade pulls no punches about how hard it is to be a thirteen-year-old girl and how much worse it’s become because of the influx of technology and social media.
The protagonist, Kayla, played by Elsie Fisher in their breakout role, is constantly on her phone and struggles to connect with anyone outside of it because of her anxiety. Issues of anxiety being linked to an increase in the prevalence of the internet are defining aspects of the Gen-Z experience. However, Eighth Grade doesn’t villainize or blame Kayla for her inexperience with the world and connection to her phone because this is all she’s known.
4 The Edge Of Seventeen (2016)
Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig
The Edge of Seventeen RComedyDrama
The Edge of Seventeen is a 2016 coming-of-age story starring Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, and Haley Lu Richardson. Steinfeld stars as Nadine Franklin, who is struggling her way through high school as a 17-year-old. But things get more complicated when her best friend starts dating her older brother.
Director Kelly Fremon Craig Release Date November 18, 2016 Studio(s) STX Entertainment , H. Brothers , Tang Media Productions , Gracie Films , Virgin Produced Cast Nesta Cooper , Kyra Sedgwick , Eric Keenleyside , Haley Lu Richardson , Woody Harrelson , Alexander Calvert , Blake Jenner , Daniel Bacon , Hailee Steinfeld , Hayden Szeto Runtime 104 minutes
The Edge of Seventeen
takes on a darker tone than a typical comedy, as Nadine is an imperfect protagonist who is genuinely struggling in life.
Hailee Steinfeld has proven herself to be one of the best actresses of her generation through her roles in True Grit and the TV series Dickinson, and she brings Nadine to life with great empathy in The Edge of Seventeen. Like many Gen-Z protagonists, Nadine has difficulty connecting with and communicating with others, leading to intense feelings of isolation that are compounded by how people interact with each other over social media. Steinfeld is joined by Woody Harrelson, who juxtaposes Nadine’s Gen-Z tendencies with his maturity and knowledge.
The Edge of Seventeen takes on a darker tone than a typical comedy, as Nadine is an imperfect protagonist who is genuinely struggling in life. Her dependency on her only friend, Krista, is a source of discomfort and anxiety when Krista begins dating Nadine’s older brother, sending her on a spiral. Praised for Steinfeld’s performance and its well-written script, The Edge of Seventeencharacterizes Nadine as a member of Gen-Z with all the information and language of an adult but none of the experience and perspective.
3 Bottoms (2023)
Directed by Emma Seligman
Bottoms RComedy Where to Watch
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Bottoms is a sex comedy film that follows two high school girls determined to hook up with cheerleaders before they graduate. To accomplish this, they decide to start a fight club to power their way up to the top of the food chain.
Director Emma Seligman Release Date August 25, 2023 Studio(s) Orion Pictures , Brownstone Productions Cast Rachel Sennott , Ayo Edebiri , Havana Rose Liu , Kaia Gerber , Nicholas Galitzine , Dagmara Dominczyk , Marshawn Lynch Runtime 92 Minutes
The funniest scenes from Bottoms all illustrate what defines Gen-Z humor and writing, as its absurdist aspects coincide with a sense of humor born and bred on the internet. The director, Emma Seligman, made their directorial debut with Shiva Baby in 2020, which also stars her frequent collaborator, Rachel Sennott. Sennott co-wrote Bottoms with Seligman, and it’s been hailed as one of the best contemporary additions to the sex comedy genre and a hilarious interpretation of how Gen-Z deals with intimacy and sexuality.
Ayo Edebiri and Sennott are a perfect pair in Bottoms, and their fantastic chemistry is what makes so many of the jokes work. Edebiri and Sennott will likely come to be known as two of the biggest stars of Gen-Z, as their contributions to film and television have already earned them plenty of critical praise and nods during awards season. Though Bottoms primarily caters to LGBTQ+ audiences, it’s a comedy for viewers of all kinds, as its themes and messages are universal in terms of love and friendship.
2 Theater Camp (2023)
Directed by Nick Lieberman & Molly Gordon
Theater Camp Not Yet RatedComedy Where to Watch
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Theater Camp (2023) is a comedy about a scrappy summer theater camp run by Amos Klobuchar (Ben Platt) and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon). When their beloved founder falls into a coma, her son Troy Garver (Jimmy Tatro) steps in to run the camp, leading to a series of chaotic and comedic efforts by the staff and campers to keep the theater camp afloat. The film highlights the struggles and triumphs of a close-knit artistic community.
Director Molly Gordon , Nick Liberman Release Date January 21, 2023 Cast Molly Gordon , Ben Platt , Noah Galvin , Jimmy Tatro , Patti Harrison , Ayo Edibiri , Amy Sedaris Runtime 94 minutes
The original songs and the plot’s discussion of niche topics of theater and film appealed to a specific but dedicated audience base.
Molly Gordon co-directed and stars in Theater Camp alongside Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, Ebebiri, and many other talented rising stars of the Gen-Z genre. The film was particularly impactful for younger generations. The experience of heading upstate and going to theater camp is one shared by many young adults who seek out new and independent movies. The original songs and the plot’s discussion of niche topics of theater and film appealed to a specific but dedicated audience base.
Though Theater Camp didn’t have a wide release, it was made popular by the viewers who communicated their interest and enjoyment of the film over the internet. Though the visual aesthetics of Theater Camp are more similar to decades gone by rather than the present day, this tracks with the style and interests of Gen-Z. Additionally, many of the jokes that transcend the theater context are pulled directly from contemporary pop culture.
Related 10 Best Movies About Gen Z Characters
There are plenty of great movies that include Gen Z characters, depicting all the struggles and strengths of this generation in their stories.
1 The Hate U Give (2018)
Directed by George Tillman Jr.
The Hate U Give PG-13Drama Where to Watch
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The Hate U Give is a drama film adapted from Angie Thomas’ novel, which tells the story of Starr Carter, a teenager from a poor and mostly black neighborhood who witnesses her childhood friend being shot by a white police officer and must find her voice to stand up for what’s right.
Director George Tillman Jr. Release Date October 19, 2018 Studio(s) 20th Century Cast Issa Rae , Amandla Stenberg , lamar johnson , Russell Hornsby , Common , Algee Smith , Regina Hall , Sabrina Carpenter , Anthony Mackie , kj apa Runtime 132 Minutes
Based on the novel of the same name by Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give tackles the darker side of the world that Gen-Z has grown up experiencing. The movie predominantly focuses on the murder of a young Black man, Khalil, who’s best friends with Starr, the protagonist. He’s killed by a police officer, leading to public outcry from Starr and her community, which is in direct conversation with the real-life instances of police brutality that have been protested for years in the United States.
Amandla Stenberg gives a career-making performance in The Hate U Give as Starr, and this has made her one of the most sought-after Gen-Z stars in Hollywood. Starr stands up for herself and her community throughout the film, becoming a beacon for the issue of combating racial prejudice in governmental institutions. Though The Hate U Give is an emotionally intense and serious film, it’s culturally relevant and vital that these stories are told as they reflect the realities of our time.