Sure, everyone has heard of Coppola and Scorsese and Spielberg. But those guys are two silent generations and a Boomer!

What about those Gen X filmmakers that have really made an impact on Hollywood? It turns out that there were way more notable directors from our generation than I had originally expected. This is only part one.

Part 1 covers those directors born between 1965 and 1969. You may recognize names like Michael Bay, Wes Anderson, Antoine Fuqua, James Gunn, Zack Snyder, and Denis Villeneuve. Billions of dollars in box office between them, with some more “artistic” projects in their filmographies as well. 

We can also get so caught up the “big name” directors, that it is forgotten how the Pixar films have been - up until very recently - very high quality films, regardless of being animated. So guys like Byron Howard and Andrew Stanton, who have made some of the best of the Pixar flicks, are not household names outside the hardcore animation fans. 

It should come as no surprise that the movies that have most resonated with me in recent years have been Gen X directed. What are some of your favorites?