Screening Generation X: The Politics and Popular Memory of Youth in Contemporary Cinema examines popular representations of Generation X in American and British cinema. It argues that the various constructions of youth are marked by major cultural shifts and societal inequalities. Through an analysis of iconic "Gen X" figures-from the slacker, the teenage time traveler, and third wave feminists, to the oeuvre of Molly Ringwald and Richard Linklater-this book explores the important cultural work performed by films that mediate the experiences of Generation X, and critiques the ongoing marginalization of youth who struggle to find a voice and identity in increasingly unstable times. The book includes analyses of such films as Pump Up the Volume, The Breakfast Club, Heathers, Donnie Darko, and Waking Life. Book jacket.