Got milk? Or even some spare time? I’m assuming you do if you are reading this post. No worries! You’ve come to the right place. I’ve compiled a list of the best business movies & TV shows (that I’ve seen).
Best Business Movies:
Pirates of Silicon Valley
Good artists create…great artists steal. Mac vs PC. Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates the battle that started it all!
What you learn: Stealing is good? Lock down your intellectual property. Get to the market first.
The Social Network
The Social Network is about the birth of some new social network called Facebooks or Facingbooks, I forget. Anyway, it follows whiz kid Mark Zuckerberg and the rise of his internet juggernaut. It also takes you through some of the fierce courtroom battles he had. A very interesting point of view!
What you can learn: There are a lot of what not-to-do’s in there.
Rogue Trader
Based on a true story, Ewan McGregor plays Nick Leeson who ended up losing £800 million by gambling on stocks. Crazy true story!
What you can learn: Get inspired by stock trading. Learn a bit of what not to do.
The Joneses
From posters it looked like a movie about the cheesiest happy family. Hugh Grant would have fitted in well. I was guilty of judging this book by its cover (it’s actually still a movie just seemed like a suitable saying to use). This movie is about a fake family hired by a marketing company to infiltrate middle-class suburbia . There is laughter, there are tears, and a drop of brutal killing.
What you can learn: Subtle marketing. A.k.a undercover marketing.
Clotaire Rapaille Reptilian Marketing
A scary insight into the deep, deep, psychological capabilities of marketing. Clotaire Rapaille is a marketing freak (actual freak, both good and bad).
What you can learn: The psychology of marketing.
Startup.com
Raw footage following an internet start-up during the year 2000 internet bubble. Tense and inspiring.
What you can learn: What goes up, sometimes comes down fast…really fast. As well as the importance of structure when scaling a company.
Boiler Room:
Slick talking, cash monies, and fast cars. A few bits and pieces in between.
What you can learn: Hmmm nothing much…you might get a little inspired. But this is just an easy sit back on a Sunday afternoon movie to get you motivated for the next working week.
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*Updated due to an overwhelming recommendation.*
Glengarry Glen Ross
Never seen it before! With the amount of recommendations it must be awesome.
What you can learn? Not sure yet…
Wall Street (1987)
About a rookie stockbroker who spends his days cold-calling from a cubicle and his nights in a roach invested motel. He then meets his idol the infamous trader Gordon Gecko…things go nuts.
What you can learn? How messed up the economy is. Greed is good?
- Am I missing any good ones? (Wall Street (2010) doesn’t make the cut I’m sorry.)
Rogue Trader, Social network, Boiler room are my favorite biz movies!
Glengary Glen Ross?
I've seen a few of these movies such as the recent Social Network. I'll check out the others as well if I have time. Thanks for the conpliation.
LOL only 7 movies. I would add one "The Godfather"!!!!
Fixed.
The Godfather is a great flick but I don't think it belongs on this list…Maybe in my top drug business movies list
Yeah, you should compile a list of drug biz movies. Add scarface.
Very inspiring quote, bring it on!
The Joneses is a damn cool film. Loved it!
I agree. I didn't know what it was about before watching it. When I put it in the dvd player I thought it was going to be some sort of family flick.
Glengarry Glen Ross!!
Glengarry Glen Ross and Two for the Money are a couple of my favs
Also, Pirates of Silicon Valley is an amazing flick. As is Social Network. Sweet list!
Glengarry Glen Ross. Good movie, great cast, best business motivation scene ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI
Scarface!
Glengarry Glenross
wow…no mention of Glengarry Glen Ross???- arguably the best business movie of all time
and what about Wall Street? c'mon Green get your shit together
glengarry glen ross!
gotta throw wall street in there too (the first one)
Pirates of Silicon Valley is the best!
Missing:
- GlenGary Glen Ross
- Wall Street (original)
What!? No Wall Street??
Boiler Room is a classic.
Glengarry Glen Ross FTW
Not really a business movie, but I think what motivated me the most was The Pursuit of Happiness. Forget the acting, just look at the story behind it.
not a movie, but how about the entire Sopranos series?
Some memorable money making schemes included:
1. pump n dump stocks complete with Christopher getting his series 7
2. car thefts
3. Paulie Walnuts trying to extort protection money from a starbucks
4. construction / union rackets
5. loan sharking including the complete liquidation of some idiot's business
6. hookers and strip clubs
7. fake psychic mediums (think tara medium offers in the real world)
the list goes on and on.
TV series list in the works!
Maybe "the office" would make the cut.
i havent seen some of these movies though – thanks for this list i shall now lose many hours of time and productivity if these are on netflix on demand.
The Social Network and Joneses were a good movie.. Definitely will find the time to watch startup.com and Wallstreet
Added Glengarry Glen Ross and The Joneses to my Netflix queue. Thanks Lorenzo.
I would add The Network, which was filmed in 1974
Dude. Reptilian marketing all the way. Wow.
Brilliant compilation! Thank you!
It didn't come out in my area so I didn't get to see all of it but Middle Men looks great also. Comes out on DVD on Feb. 15th, 2011.
http://www.middlemenmovie.com/
Maybe you could add "Network, Mas As Hell" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_%28film%29
A very clever movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_qgVn-Op7Q&fe…
If you're doing a TV series list, do include Mad Men. Lots of good marketing tid bits in the dialogue.
Damn right!
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Can't forget Crazy People with Dudley Moore and Darryl Hannah. A hilarious spoof on advertising with a serious messages about truth in marketing. Definitely a must see in my books.
The Big Kahuna with Kevin Spacey and Danny Devito belongs on the list…
Way to fuck up the reputation of a movie like Glengarry Glen Ross, by putting a trailer that was edited by a 13yr old child.
It was edited by a 13yr old adult.
Link me to a better trailer
.
Just put this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7zHF19n2qE
Recommended 10 Movies You Should Watch If you want to become a good entrepreneur, the best advice I can give you is that you should read good books, the second best method to learn the business language is by watching some good business movies.
Movies made on the subject of business are few. Here is a list of some of the best business and inspirational movies of all time.
10. Other People’s Money.
This is a very interesting story of an investor whose main business is to search for bargain companies to take them over and then sell their assets separately on profit. One day, he found this company named New England Wire and Cable Company. But the owner of the company refused to sell his company……..
9. Working Girl
It is a story of a girl (Tess) who works as a secretary. She is very intelligent and hard-working. One day she shares an business idea with her boss (Katharine) but her boss steals this idea and presents it in front of others as her own idea. Fortunately, Tess get an opportunity to get her idea back when her boss get sick and …….
8. The Pursuit Of Happiness.
This is a very inspirational story of a struggling salesman who is homeless and wants to keep his family together during hard time. By taking full advantage of rare opportunities, the life offers, he becomes a stock market superstar. The salesman role played by famous actor Will Smith.
7. Wall Street
In this movie, Gordon Gekko is a stock market veteran. A young guy named Bud Fox is willing to do illegal activities for him to make a lot of money fast. But Bud Fox’s father is an honest employee and he suggests his son to find a good job….
Where's 1-6?
Latest addition to the list 'MARGIN CALL' , should go straight to the top.
The one nobody's added: BLOW (Excellent business film)
Gung Ho
Margin Call for sure!!
Too Big to Fail
Pursuit Of Happiness
I think social network is the best movie for me, thanks for the good insight here and keep posting more
The Social Network is the best one in my opinion. It can give some people the motivation to do stuff and not be afraid of them, such as creating an online business like facebook.
If you're doing a TV series list, do include Mad Men. Lots of good marketing tid bits in the dialogue.