We have gotten quite a few nominations for films from the Media Education Foundation. Consuming Kids and Blood and Oil are both high on my list. Unfortunately, Generation M: Misogyny in Media and Culture is not in the same league with these other titles. Because it tries to present a rather general overview of some of the gender issues that traditionally plague visual media, Generation M seems to be geared to a high school audience, which makes me wonder if this should even be considered for the Notable Videos for Adults Committee.

As more of a general overview, Generation M does not cover any new ground and seems to lack proper focus and organization as it jumps from topic to topic. Relying on talking heads and examples from movies, TV shows, music videos and video games, Generation M successfully outlines the negative ways women are portrayed in these venues. However, it often follows these examples with statistics that imply a connection between media and society without making any actual connections, thereby suggesting a cause and effect that may not exist.

On a few occasions, the film interviews teen-aged girls. The infrequent use of these interviews only highlights how helpful more interviews such as these would have been. One sequence involves a group of 11 and 12 year-olds preparing to go to the mall. The film shows them getting ready but never lets them speak. I found myself wanting to hear their thoughts.

Generation M may be a useful introduction to media issues at a high school level, but better choices (many from the MEF) exist.