The Cinema of Generation X

<p> When Steven Soderbergh exploded onto movie screens with <I>sex lies and videotape</I> in 1989 it represented more than the arrival of an important new director--it heralded the arrival of an entire generation of important new directors. Quentin Tarantino (<I>Pulp Fiction</I>) Kevin Smith (<I>Dogma</I>) David Fincher (<I>Fight Club</I>) M. Night Shyamalan (<I>The Sixth Sense</I>) Ben Stiller (<I>Reality Bites</I>) Michael Bay (<I>Pearl Harbor</I>) and dozens of others are all members of Generation X the much talked about but much misunderstood successors to baby boomers.</p><p> This book is a critical study of the films directed by Gen Xers and how those directors have been influenced by their generational identity. While Generation X as a whole sometimes seems to lack direction its filmmakers have devoted their careers to making powerful statements about contemporary society and their generation's role in it.</p><p> Each section of the book deals with an aspect of Gen X filmmaking including the influence of popular culture postmodern narrative devices slackerdom and the lack of direction disenfranchisement and nihilism the ever-evolving role of technology gender issues and sexuality the question of race the influence of older filmmakers and visions of the future.</p>