Reality Bites

Reality Bites was on in Star Movies tonight.

I must admit, that is one of the movies that I can keep watching over and over and never tire of. It's catching.

I never saw Singles when it was released, the supposed generational movie of the early nineties. That movie marked the era of grunge and acted pretty much like a cinematic "fuck you" sign to St. Elmo's Fire--which is, ostensibly, the 80's generational film.

The eighties were the yuppies. All around yuppies. I never would have thought of it until Luis mentioned it. Must be why everyone was in a suit, even in films where the stars were supposed to be in high school. Broad shouldered monstrosities in Matte or Malibu colors (good grief, Miami Vice, anyone?)

But Reality Bites...that movie gave birth to a new generation. It was a foreshadowing to Generation X: Apathy. They popularized the plain white t-shirt and how not to give a care in the world. They moved out of grunge-where people spent their time running away from 80's excess-to a place where they ran away from nothing at all.

Then there's US, Generation Y+. Or Z. (Does this mean we go back to A after this?)

Technically, your generation doesn't start until you're in college and lasts until your mid 20's--that wonderful age range considered to be your second formative years, the one that the US Markets are tripping over themselves trying to snare. (Because as soon as you hit thirty you're no longer prime spot, you've developed loyalty and taste and will not be bothered by such things as mind candy advertising! Otherwise known as POP)

Which makes my generation the late 90's and the turn of the century (ha!) So what is our generational movie-that piece of film where a group of kids from all social (and now racial) representations get together and try to live life.

We have:

Cruel Intentions: One of the few teenaged movies that I actually liked, where the kids were believably smart and there was major angst and a complicated plot. Who cares if it's a remake?

But what does this say of my generation: that we are all well dressed, verbose, over-sexed individuals who like screwing other people's minds behind their backs? (for some of the people I know, that is pretty accurate)

Scream: ...Plus it's sequels and brethren of urban slasher films. Where everyone gets killed by some kid they unknowingly bullied or tortured in the past. Lots of screaming involved. Lots of believable blood.

But what does this say of my generation: that we like blood. We like gore. We like to see people being cut up. But we all learn from the mistakes of Columbine, which would make a really boring feature film, so let's repackage and revitalize that old slasher genre and hope for the best.

American Pie: To be honest, I didn't watch any of the movies. Maybe this series is better left to the generation next to mine (you wish) All I can gather is that it's a horny kid who dipped his thing in a pie, got caught by his parents, weird foreign girls and local girls doing nasty things with their musical instruments, and has a bunch of friends who do just...do really stupid things.

But what does this say of my generation: Look dude! It's Jackass--with a plot!

Ah well, I guess we just haven't hit on one yet. But there's always hope. Let's just wish that ten years from now, we don't look back and say: my generational film was marked by teenage kids walking around making dicks of themselves while having too much (protected--let's not forget that) sex while wearing designer clothing.