If you think about it, the Seventies are strikingly similar to the 2010s for young people. Both generations either have experienced or are experiencing what I like to call the 'Wondrous Listlessness.' What I mean by that, is that both generations of young people seem to be plagued by attempting to fit into an ever-changing world. The social and political climate of both times have bred counterculture movements and restlessness among youth. This being said, I think there are a few films from the Seventies that Millennials could benefit from watching, if not for their excellence, but for the mere fact that we can relate immensely to such films.

7. "The Passenger" (Michelangelo Antonioni 1975)

In "The Passenger," Jack Nicholson brilliantly portrays a depressed man who has faked his own death, abandoning his previous life for a new persona. The themes of this film reflected how youth in the Seventies were struggling to find their own identity and place in the world. I believe that Millennials are facing the same problem, and "The Passenger," although not a "how-to guide" on what to do when one is depressed, has provided me comfort in the fact that my confusion is shared by many others.

6. "Hearts and Minds" (Peter Davis 1974)

"Hearts and Minds" differs from the rest of the films on this list in that it is a documentary. Though absent of witty narrative structure or quirky relatable nature, this film is important for Millennials to view because it captures the devastation of the Vietnam War. "Hearts and Minds" was one of the first war documentaries to be produced in the United States, and it understandably shocked people. Until then, the general public had not seen footage of what the Vietnam War was actually like, and the film helped immensely with the anti-war effort as people saw the atrocities occurring in Vietnam. Though we can see footage from modern wars, I still believe it is important to watch "Hearts and Minds" to get a true look at the cost of war. Too often in war the enemy can be demonized, but this film humanizes the Vietnamese and gave me a new perspective on war in general.

5. "All the President's Men" (Alan J. Pakula 1976)

"All the President's Men" is a take on the Watergate scandal of the Nixon administration. Political corruption was a cornerstone of restlessness for the youth of the Seventies, so I thought this film was vital to include in the list. Not only does Pakula do a fantastic job of portraying historical events interestingly, but he does it accurately. Too many young people do not fully understand the politics that shaped the world we live in, so Millennials should watch this film to gain insight into the politics of the Seventies, so that perhaps we can avoid re-living such corruption.

4. "The Stepford Wives" (Bryan Forbes 1975)

I'll regard this as my token feminist film of the list, but "The Stepford Wives" is an incredibly vital film to watch in order to understand the issues women faced in the Seventies, which are issues that continue to persist today in some ways. "The Stepford Wives" is about a free-spirited woman who moves to a planned community for the sake of her husband. There she realizes that the men have killed all their wives and replicated them as cooking, cleaning, sexually gratifying robots. This film is important because it portrays some of the real expectations men had for their wives before the Seventies, and how the feminist movement abolished these expectations. Overall, this is a good film for any young feminist who wants to understand what social values gave the movement momentum.

3. "The Graduate" (Mike Nichols 1967)

Though not technically a Seventies film, "The Graduate" still plays an important role in shaping a generation. In the Seventies, this is the film the youth needed. Dissatisfied with the corporate world, young graduates felt like they were just floating through life. They didn't know what to do with their lives, and "The Graduate" spoke to them, giving them a character that was just like them. Gone are the days of Rock Hudson's, because now is the age of the average Dustin Hoffman, here to reassure you that life will be okay. This film spoke to me a lot, and I would dare say it is one of the quintessential films of Seventies youth.

2. "Taxi Driver" (Martin Scorsese 1976)

This film should be viewed just because it's a classic (and de Niro in his prime!) but it also has relevant themes about the Seventies which carry on to 2016. In "Taxi Driver," lonely Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle goes through a mental breakdown and plans to kill a political candidate in hopes that it would win the love of the woman of his dreams. Though his plan doesn't end up working, the fact that the film is about a Vietnam vet trying to kill a political figure is jarring. It speaks to the paranoia and distrust young people had for the government in the wake of the Nixon administration and the tail end of a quagmire of a war. I think Millennials could relate because we are also in a quagmire of a war, and fostering distrust of the government through scandals like the NSA leak. Now I'm not telling anyone to go out and be a Travis Bickle, just watch the movie.

1. "Easy Rider" (Dennis Hopper 1969)

I find this film quite underrated. Though "Easy Rider" was not as popular as films such as "Taxi Driver" or "Star Wars," I thought it was revolutionary in terms of production, and it captures the essence of the wayward Seventies youth perfectly. Though made in 1969, I regard it as the quintessential Seventies film because of it's style and themes. A celebration of drugs, sex and the open road, "Easy Rider" is about two young motorcyclists who embark in a road trip to see America, eventually to end up in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. I think most young people could relate in 1969, as they can in 2016. A life of freedom and hedonistic pleasure sounds pretty good, but evading "the man" and societal values seems even better. "Easy Rider" captures the dreams of every restless youth, even if they are too afraid to embark on such a journey themselves. But the themes of this film aren't the only reason it is, in my opinion, one of the greatest films of the Seventies' generation. Dennis Hopper, who starred in the film as Billy, used little to no script. Most dialogue was improvised, and improvised by actors who were actually on drugs during filming. Hopper stated that instead of a professional crew, he hired friends and hippies in communes to do most of the filming for the movie. All of these tactics were completely revolutionary, and haven't been replicated with such success since. "Easy Rider" is truly one of a kind, and I think it could gain popularity with Millennials.

"Like all artists, I want to cheat death a little and contribute something to the next generation" - Dennis Hopper