Latest news with #GenX-ers
San Francisco Chronicle
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Review: Netflix's ‘The Four Seasons' is overprivileged and out of touch
'The Four Seasons' was a 1981 film about growing old together, not only with one's spouse but also alongside one's dearest friends. Yet, while the new Netflix adaptation brings together a new cast of aging stars, it's not the bodies onscreen that feel dated. Featuring Gen X-ers Tina Fey, Colman Domingo and East Bay's own Will Forte, plus at least on-the-cusp boomer Steve Carell, the series-long expansion of the movie by the same name — written and directed by its original star Alan Alda of 'M*A*S*H' fame — actually regresses the older narrative. Updating the story for 2025 requires a heavy lift, and an acclaimed trio of showrunners — Fey, Lang Fisher (' Never Have I Ever,' ' Brooklyn Nine-Nine ') and Tracey Wigfield ('30 Rock,' ' The Mindy Project ') — certainly make an effort. Unfortunately, it turns out that these three very successful TV writers don't exactly live on the cutting edge of storytelling for the streaming era. The original film's premise is that three middle-class couples of mostly white people navigate love's changing nature through middle age over the course of four seasonal vacations within one year, all to the tune of Vivaldi's famous violin concerto. Here, over the course of eight episodes, we see some beat-for-beat repeats: On the first vacation in spring, everyone jumps impishly from their leisure boat into the water, fully clothed! On a later vacation in summer, one of the wives is replaced awkwardly by a younger blond who sports a fetching white bikini! Yes, there is, once again, so. Much. Vivaldi! The remake gets a small diversity update by casting one of the couples as San Francisco theater veteran Domingo and Marco Calvani, a pair of gay men — although the former is forced unfairly into a 'two-fer' role as the sole person of color. (In the original, that place went to the great Rita Moreno, the East Bay's beloved EGOT.) Gone is a critical confrontation when the younger blond would have stood up for herself against the withering disdain of her partner's older friends. Such a scene would have added much-needed dimension to the role of Ginny (Erika Henningsen), but there's not much to her here beyond the pejorative label 'Yoga Barbie' that another character assigns to her. And rather than keeping the couples middle class, they're rewritten as much wealthier. Carell's Nick is referred to as 'king of the hedge fund,' while Domingo's Danny appears to be a jet-setting interior designer. The other characters are so thinly written in this update, that unlike the original, work rarely enters their banal conversations that drip with privilege and not much else. Particularly grating is when the two — beautiful — middle-aged actors, Fey and Kerri Kenney ('Reno 911!') crack fatphobic jokes, especially at their own expense. It's not funny, and it's not believable in the least, especially when, in one scene, Kenney is a vision clad in a sleeveless, backless gown. Love and the dilemmas of aging are both meaty subjects, as audiences have seen recently in far edgier, envelope-pushing narratives like ' Babygirl ' and ' The Substance.' I'm not at their protagonists' age bracket yet, but those stories dared to stir up dreams of what my menopause era could look like, even if they were fantasies that starred impossibly well-toned, rich white women. Despite all the undeniable talent involved in 'The Four Seasons,' its real failure is one of untapped imagination.
Straits Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Forum: Gen X needs fair chance to continue to mentor, innovate and serve
I agree with the points raised in the Opinion piece 'Spare a thought for X – the 'forgotten' generation'' (May 11) and Forum letter 'Improve livelihood of Gen X-ers before they become a lost generation' (May 13). Gen X-ers were born in an era of transition, raised to be resilient, taught to follow rules, and quietly shoulder responsibilities. Many of us built our lives on the belief that hard work, loyalty and patience would be rewarded with dignity and security in our later years. Yet, many of us today find ourselves displaced, overlooked, and struggling to remain relevant. We entered the workforce before the digital age, adapted along the way, and stayed employed through discipline and hard work. Yet now, at a time when we should be at the peak of our professional contribution, many of us find ourselves sidelined – too old to be seen as agile, too young to retire, and quietly left to navigate this red dot alone. During job interviews, I have faced age bias, despite decades of experience, willingness to take on new challenges, upskilling, adjusting expectations, and offering flexibility. I know I am not alone. Many of my peers have quietly resorted to part-time jobs and freelance gigs, or volunteering, just to stay active and feel useful. Singapore cannot afford to waste this valuable human capital, especially in today's climate of economic uncertainty and global disruption. Are we under-utilising a generation that still has so much to offer? How will policy direction ensure that we are not left behind economically, professionally and socially? While much has been said about empowering the young and supporting seniors, Gen X remains under-represented in discourse and support schemes. We remain eager to contribute, mentor, innovate and serve, but we need a fair chance to do so. Ho See Ling More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Forum: Improve livelihood of Gen X-ers before they become a lost generation
Forum: Improve livelihood of Gen X-ers before they become a lost generation I refer to the Opinion piece 'Spare a thought for X – the 'forgotten' generation' (May 11). It raised many salient points about the members of Generation X, such as the career ceiling they face due to leadership posts occupied by baby boomers, the endless race in keeping up with the latest technological changes, as well as the challenges of caregiving, being the 'sandwiched generation'. Anecdotally, this has led to a palpable sense of angst among peers I know. Dealing with the rising costs of living while facing limited career progression and perhaps even retrenchment, many Gen X-ers are struggling. Now that the 2025 General Election has concluded, I believe Singapore's fourth-generation leadership can do more to improve the livelihood of Gen X-ers and the opportunities available to them, lest they become a lost and forgotten generation who continue to struggle into retirement. Ivan Phang More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gen Z men are more likely to attend religious services than millennials, study finds
Gen Z-ers — especially Gen Z men — are actually more likely to attend weekly religious services than millennials and even some younger Gen X-ers, according to a new survey. The New York Times' Ruth Graham joins Morning Joe to discuss.
Straits Times
11-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Spare a thought for X – the ‘forgotten' generation
Gen X-ers can play 'peacemakers' because of their ability to connect with Millennials and Boomers. ST ILLUSTRATION: MANNY FRANCISCO What to make of generational labels? While essentially broad-brush, they can be catchy tags that offer glimpses into the challenges and achievements that shape the attitudes and behaviour of people born during different eras. The silent generation, born between 1928 and 1945 (the actual years vary with different definitions, but the general timeframe is consistent), bore the horrors of World War II with grace and grit. Resilient and disciplined, they were known for their strong sense of duty, which probably explains their reluctance to rock the boat – unlike their successors. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
