Boomers, Take It from Woody or Iron Man: It’s Time to Pass the Torch

This summer’s blockbusters showcase the importance of transferring wisdom between generations.

Dear Baby Boomers: If there were ever a time to pay attention to what’s coming out of Hollywood, it would be now.

I’m not saying that just because the Beatles-themed movie Yesterday is holding steady at the box office. From superhero flicks to kid’s movie reboots, many of the summer blockbusters of 2019 are voicing a deep longing to learn from the wisdom of previous generations. But this common impulse isn’t just about our favorite characters—it’s a wakeup call for everybody.

The immediate backdrop for these cinematic stories is the public maligning Boomers in particular have recently faced. Some have gone so far as to suggest that Boomers have “ruined everything” for younger Americans. To their credit, certain Boomers have responded by apologizing for the world they’ve handed to younger generations.

As a newly 40, card-carrying member of Generation X, I’ve always found myself somewhere in the middle—a generational interloper between the graying Boomers and hipster millennials and members of Gen Z. Gen Xers can be self-deprecating, apathetic, and downright cynical, but as we’ve aged, we’ve also come to embrace our unique role as interpreters and bridge-builders, mentoring our millennial friends and colleagues while “leading from below” in support of our Boomer bosses.

From that perspective, I see the big screen reflecting a cultural shift when it comes to inter-generational relations. (Spoilers to follow.)

Take Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel movie that kicked off the summer season and is now the highest grossing film of all time. The movie concludes with the sacrificial death of Tony Stark (Iron Man). Released a mere two months later, Spiderman: ...