13. Spree (2020)
“Social media is dangerous” is the message behind many modern films. ThinkThe Circle(2017) or basically any episode ofBlack Mirror.
Spreetakes this warning to the extreme with its hyperbolic satire of what people are willing to do in order to go viral.
In the case of Kurt Kunkle (played by Joe Keery), that means livestreaming the murders of his passengers. It’s a lot like Uber, if Ted Bundy was driving.
Get ready for Eugene Kotlyarenko’s frenzied fish-eye feature film that was surprisingly produced by Drake!
Related:The Best Serial Killer Movies of All Time, Ranked
12. Blockers (2018)
“Yas queen!” is the sound of a middle-aged dad trying to decode Gen Z language. Spying on their kids, the parents of some prom seniors are stuck trying to decipher what the eggplant emoji means.
Once they realize, it’s time to get blocking! John Cena, Leslie Mann, and Ike Barinholtz star inBlockers, a crowd-pleasing American comedy that’s open-minded about sexuality, identity, and adolescence.
Related:The Best Young Adulthood Movies About Teens Coming of Age
11. Not Okay (2022)
You can tell thatNot Okayhas a Gen Z protagonist just from the wardrobe alone (thanks to costume designer Sarah Laux).
Director Quinn Shephard stays on-trend with money piece hair highlights, chunky rings, and colorful beaded iPhone cases, showing an acute attention to detail that makes up for the fact thatNot Okayreally doesn’t add anything new to the social media discussion.
Still, Zoey Deutch is fun to watch as a fake influencer who photoshops Paris into her selfies, introduced to us with a trigger warning: “Unlikable female protagonist.”
Related:The Best Female Anti-Heroes in Movies, Ranked
10. Teen Spirit (2018)
Sure, there are tons of talented singers out there. But without the public’s vote, talent is a complete waste of time. It’s crazy how much power a TV audience can wield in the modern day!
This is unfortunate for Violet (played by Elle Fanning), who’s a shy, awkward teenager from a small village on the Isle of Wight. She’s underaged, has no real experience, and possesses a surname that most viewers can’t pronounce.
Still, Violet enters the Teen Spirit UK singing competition, and her obsession with stardom mirrors the fame-hungry aspect of Gen Z.
Related:The Best Movies About Singing Competitions, Ranked
9. Ingrid Goes West (2017)
Instagram influencers are the epitome of zoomer culture. Pics or it didn’t happen. #ootd. People can earn thousands from a single selfie, if they’re photogenic enough.
This is perilous for someone like Ingrid (played by Aubrey Plaza), who’s so unstable that she crashes her Instagram idol’s wedding and genuinely believes they’re besties.
In reality, Ingrid is fresh from a mental hospital and already locating her next influencer target. Scary how easy it is to track someone down and know everything about them from a single app…
Related:The Best Movies About Social Media (And Its Dangers), Ranked
8. Do Revenge (2022)
If a zoomer isn’t carrying a Starbucks iced coffee, they’re probably sporting a straw tumbler cup, reused to save the planet and bank an extra accessory at the same time.
You can evenbuy the same daisy tumblerfound inDo Revenge, which stars Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke as two high schoolers out for—you guessed it—revenge.
Summed up,Do Revengeis likeFatal Attraction(1987) meetsStrangers on a Train(1951) meetsHeathers(1988). Gen Z is all about mixing Y2K with the 80s and 90s, as we see done perfectly inDo Revenge.
Related:The Best Revenge Movies About Vengeance and Payback
7. The Hate U Give (2018)
The Black Lives Matter protests that broke out during the COVID-19 pandemic was a pinnacle moment for Generation Z. In reaction to the murder of George Floyd, people worldwide gathered to make a change.
Just two years prior,The Hate U Givecame out, stirring up the rage that would eventually spill into lockdown riots.
Any contemporary movie that begins with a black driver being stopped by a white policeman is sure to end badly, and George Tillman Jr.’s powerful drama is one of the first (and best) examples.
Related:The Best Movies by Black Directors and Filmmakers, Ranked
6. Love, Simon (2018)
From the outside,Love, Simonlooks like a complete cheesefest. However, it’s a lot more engaging and affectionate than the trailer might lead you to believe, often compared to a John Hughes classic (The Breakfast Club,Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) by critics.
Love, Simontakes place in everyday American suburbia, where Simon Spier (played by Nick Robinson) drinks iced coffee and goes cruising with his mates like every other Gen Z-er. Oh, and he’s also pretending to be straight…
Related:The Best Feelgood Movies for When You Need a Pick-Me-Up
5. The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
Kelly Fremon Craig’s directorial debutThe Edge of Seventeenshows the harsh-but-true, not-so-romantic life of a teenager, played by Hailee Steinfeld (who received critical acclaim for her performance).
This coming-of-age comedy-drama follows the life of Nadine Franklin, whose best friend and popular brother start dating.
What first appears to be just another teen dramedy surprises us with a razor-sharp script in the window of time right before centennials were overwhelmed by social media.
Related:The Best Movies About Self-Discovery and Finding Oneself
4. The Fallout (2021)
Mia (played by Maddie Ziegler) is bronzing her stomach with fake abs moments before hiding in a toilet stall from a school shooter. Sadly, both of these things are common to the Gen Z experience: body image issues and school shootings.
Megan Park’s directorial debutThe Falloutwas met with universal acclaim for its stark exploration of trauma in young teens, focusing on high schooler Vada (played by Jenna Ortega) who struggles with PTSD while discovering her own identity and sexuality.
Related:The Best Girlhood Movies About Being a Teenage Girl
3. Booksmart (2019)
The rigid high school hierarchy (boiled down to nerds versus popular kids) plays a part in basically every coming-of-age movie.
InBooksmart, however, we get the Gen Z version in which best friends Amy and Molly (played by Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein with sparking chemistry) realize they’ve wasted their teen years on reading and studying instead of actually living.
So, they’re going to attend a graduation party and live it up. But when you’re new to drugs, beer pong, and first kisses, things can get a little rocky and awkward—in a hilarious yet endearing way.
Related:The Best Movies About Nerds That Break Classic Nerd Stereotypes
2. Eighth Grade (2018)
The irony of social media making people less sociable isn’t lost on anyone. It’s a tired trope nowadays, but one that filmmaker/comedian Bo Burnham revives in his critically acclaimed film debutEighth Grade.
Self-discovery has always been a difficult part of growing up, but even more so for Gen Z thanks to Instagram and influencers.
Despite YouTube vlogging about her confidence, Kayla Day (played by Elsie Fisher) is voted “Most Quiet” in real life, illustrating the chasm between people’s reality and online presence.
Related:The Best Movies About Social Anxiety and Awkwardness
1. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Bodies Bodies Bodiesisn’t the greatest movie on our list, but it’s certainly the most Gen Z because it’s an explicit satire of the culture. It’s a zoomer whodunit, a slasher flick with iPhones.
Bodies Bodies Bodiesis about a murder mystery game that goes wrong. The A24 black comedy shows the dark, selfish side of the post-millennial age, where everything is a “trigger” or “gaslighting.”
In fact, the overuse of these buzzwords is exactly what makes their meanings—and the people who say them—so hollow. It’s the best and worst of Gen Z in a nutshell.
Read next:The Best Whodunnit Murder Mystery Movies, Ranked
