“Discover the Cinematic Gems That Captured Gen Z’s Heart and Shaped a Generation!”

Ah, Gen Z, the generation that turned Zoom calls into a high school pastime and TikTok into a life skill! Born between 1997 and 2012, this cohort is stepping into adulthood equipped with a unique blend of resilience, digital savvy, and—let’s be honest—a healthy dose of sarcasm. They’ve navigated the treacherous waters of online schooling during a pandemic, witnessed environmental crises, and grappled with privacy concerns in a hyper-connected world — all before they even hit their twenties! But if there’s one thing they know how to do amidst chaos, it’s find joy in film. From animated classics that’ve transcended generations to indie gems that hit a little too close to home, their love for cinema is as diverse as their experiences. So, grab your popcorn and get ready to explore 15 films that have captured the hearts of Gen Zers. Are you ready for a cinematic journey that just might make you rethink what you thought you knew about this generation? Click here to **[LEARN MORE](https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/609811/age-ranges-millennials-and-generation-z)**!

Born loosely between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z is distinct for a number of reasons, but one of the defining factors is that the generation was forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to experience middle school, high school, and/or college through their computer screens.

This generation has already faced plenty of challenges, from a host of “adults” who aren’t doing anything about climate collapse to the erosion and commodification of their privacy online and a whole slew of maladies with cyber- at the start of their names. Their resiliency, sense of humor, and social awareness have blossomed from these obstacles, and it’s also given them fantastic taste in films. Here are just 15 of the best movies that Gen Zers love.

1. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
2. The Hate U Give (2018)
3. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
4. Shrek (2001)
5. Moonlight (2016)
6. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
7. Clueless (1995)
8. Booksmart (2019)
9. Spirited Away (2001)
10. Eighth Grade (2018)
11. The Hunger Games (2012)
12. Get Out (2017)
13. The Truman Show (1998)
14. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
15. Dune (2021)

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

After struggling with the iconic character for years, Sony finally turned to Marvel to partner on a new version that would blend smoothly into the MCU. The result was a Peter Parker (Tom Holland) who faced tons of real-life teen problems alongside the pressures of catching bike thieves and saving the entire world.

It was a smartly scaled-down super story: After the Battle of New York, salvage company chief Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) uses collected alien tech to seek revenge for being pushed out of business by Tony Stark, becoming the Vulture. Meanwhile, Peter has been sent back down to the JV team after fighting Captain America during Civil War at the airport in Germany, so he juggles a budding romance with Liz (Laura Harrier), studying for his academic decathlon team alongside MJ (Zendaya), and digging into the Vulture’s twisted plans with his best friend and guy-in-the-chair Ned (Jacob Batalon).

The Hate U Give (2018)

Based on Angie Thomas’s young adult novel, this is a coming-of-age tale told in a pressure cooker. It follows Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), a 16-year-old girl who witnesses her friend being shot and killed by a police officer from the passenger seat of the pulled-over car. Even though her identity as the witness is kept secret at first, she is soon stuck between an anti-racist public outcry, infuriated friends, and the King Lords gang, which she names as the real major threat to her neighborhood. Directed with a clenched fist by George Tillman, Jr., the film expertly dissects social justice appeals and the dangers of abusers walking free.

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Elio (Timothée Chalamet) is on the cusp of adulthood, living in his family’s gorgeous home in Northern Italy, where he mostly keeps a low profile and enjoys reading. When his archeology professor father (Michael Stulhbarg) invites a graduate student named Oliver (Armie Hammer) to live and work with him, Elio develops a friendship and feelings for this outgoing, vibrant spirit. As they bike and roam and dance across the postcard landscape, Oliver decides they shouldn’t take their relationship any further—so of course, they take their relationship immediately further, resulting in a swirl of passion, care, and dread of the eventual moment when they will have to part. 

Shrek (2001)

The love is real. In a chicken versus egg situation, this movie is either beloved by Gen Z because it’s a snarky nostalgia pick about a sarcastic misanthrope that’s cool enough to become a meme, or it was because of a widespread meme that snuck its way (unironically) into their hearts. The animated ground-breaker features Mike Myers as the titular ogre, grumbling his way through saving the day to get his swamp back. Along the way, he hates that he’s joined by Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and groans about rescuing Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) but soon learns to love while Smashmouth blasts in the background.

Moonlight (2016)