Essential Films for Economics and Business Majors

Citizen Kane, a timeless masterpiece, tops the list of must-watch films for economics and business enthusiasts. This fictional narrative chronicles the life of media mogul Charles Foster Kane, inspired by the real-life media tycoon William Randolph Hearst. From humble beginnings, Kane, separated from his family, is raised by a wealthy banker guardian, Walter Parks Thatcher. He eventually builds one of the most powerful newspaper empires in the U.S.

Film Details:

• Release Year: 1941
• Production Company: RKO
• Director: Orson Welles
• Stars: Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Agnes Moorehead
• IMDb Rating: 8.4

The Pursuit of Happyness narrates the inspiring journey of Chris Gardner and his son as they navigate through extreme financial hardship to a life of success. Despite initial failures in investments, Gardner discovers his knack for stockbroking, a field where academic degrees are less significant than analytical skills and effective communication. His internship at a brokerage firm sets him on a path to secure a stable job, enabling him to proudly pick up his son from daycare and eventually achieve success as a stockbroker. The film is not just about financial triumph but also a touching story on hope, the father-son bond, and the essence of happiness.

Movie Details:

• Release Year: 2006
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• Director: Gabriele Muccino
• Stars: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton
• IMDb Rating: 8.0

The Wolf of Wall Street captures the dramatic rise and fall of Jordan Belfort, dubbed the 'Wolf of Wall Street,' based on his 1998 memoir. The film portrays Belfort's rapid ascent to wealth through deceitful stock sales tactics, leading to a life of luxury, illegal activities, and eventually, his downfall as the FBI closes in. Agreeing to inform on his colleagues and network in exchange for leniency, Belfort's actions shake the foundations of Wall Street, the global financial hub.

Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street made a significant impact upon its 2013 release. Beyond the film, Belfort has found success with his books and as a motivational speaker, admired worldwide for his salesmanship.

Film Details:

• Release Year: 2013
• Studio: Paramount
• Director: Martin Scorsese
• Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey
• IMDb Rating: 8.2

Glengarry Glen Ross, a tale of cutthroat competition within a real estate office, showcases the lengths to which salesmen will go for success. With lucrative rewards for the top performers and severe consequences for the rest, the film unravels the intense struggle among four real estate agents. These agents are provided with leads to potential clients, igniting a fierce battle marked by unethical tactics to clinch sales.

Movie Details:

• Release Year: 1992
• Production Company: New Line Cinema
• Director: James Foley
• Stars: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey
• IMDb Rating: 7.8

The 2007-2008 global financial crisis, originating from the US, sets the stage for The Big Short. In the face of economic downturn and the looming threat of a global crisis, four visionary entrepreneurs devise a contrarian strategy named The Big Short to profit from the impending economic collapse.

The Big Short blends comedy with financial drama, making complex financial terms and scenarios accessible and entertaining, allowing viewers to easily engage with a deeply specialized subject matter.

Movie Details:

• Release Year: 2015
• Production Company: Paramount
• Director: Adam McKay
• Stars: Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Steve Carell
• IMDb Rating: 7.8

Wall Street, a quintessential American film from 1987 directed by Oliver Stone, stars Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, and Daryl Hannah. It chronicles Bud Fox (Sheen), an ambitious stockbroker who becomes entangled with Gordon Gekko (Douglas), a ruthless and wealthy corporate raider.

Oliver Stone crafted this film as a tribute to his father, Lou Stone, a stockbroker during the Great Depression. The character of Gekko is said to be inspired by several real-life figures, including Dennis Levine, Ivan Boesky, and others, with the character of Sir Lawrence Wildman modeled after the British financier Sir James Goldsmith. Initially, Warren Beatty was sought for Gekko, but the role ultimately went to Douglas, who won an Oscar for Best Actor.

The film received critical acclaim, celebrated for its portrayal of 1980s excess, famously encapsulating the era with Gekko's credo, 'Greed is good.' It has since influenced many to pursue careers on Wall Street, as shared by Sheen, Douglas, and Stone.

Film Details:

• Release Year: 1987
• Production Company: 20th Century Fox
• Director: Oliver Stone
• Stars: Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Daryl Hannah
• IMDb Rating: 7.4

The Social Network, a biographical drama, unfolds the story of Facebook's founder, Mark Zuckerberg, from his days as a Harvard student creating a campus-exclusive blog to rank female students. This venture quickly evolved into the global social networking behemoth used by billions today. The Social Network clinched 3 Oscars, including Best Adapted Screenplay.

Movie Details:

• Release Year: 2010
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• Director: David Fincher
• Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Rooney Mara, Andrew Garfield
• IMDb Rating: 7.7

Too Big To Fail, a gripping narrative not released in cinemas but broadcasted on TV by HBO, explores the 2008 financial meltdown on Wall Street that precipitated a global financial crisis. The film centers on the key figures navigating this tumultuous period: Finance Secretary Hank Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, and New York Federal Reserve Bank President Timothy Geithner, offering viewers a comprehensive look into the 2008 financial crisis and the valuable lessons it imparted.

Film Details:

• Release Year: 2011
• Production Company: HBO
• Director: Curtis Hanson
• Stars: James Woods, John Heard, William Hurt, Erin Dilly
• IMDb Rating: 7.4

Adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald's monumental novel, The Great Gatsby unfolds the tale of a mysterious tycoon known for throwing lavish parties for the elite. Speculations abound about Gatsby's wealth origin, his profession, and his intentions. In reality, Gatsby, an immigrant who made his fortune through bootlegging, attempts to shed his notorious past and win over his love, Daisy. Tragically, Gatsby's story ends in loneliness, abandoned by the party-goers he considered friends, and maligned by the press. Unlike the economically educative films previously mentioned, The Great Gatsby offers a profound lesson on the dark side of money, the American Dream's fallacy, materialism's cult, and how wealth can't buy true friendship or love.

Movie Details:

• Release Year: 2013
• Producer: Warner Bros.
• Director: Baz Luhrmann
• Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Amitabh Bachchan, Adelaide Clemens
• IMDb Rating: 7.3

Concluding our Top 10 Must-Watch Movies for Economics and Business Aficionados is the biographical film about Apple's founder: Steve Jobs. The narrative kicks off with Steve Jobs in a heated argument with Apple's marketing head Joanna Hoffman and software engineer Andy Hertzfeld. Set across the years 1984, 1988, and 1998, the film captures pivotal moments before the launches of the Macintosh, NeXTcube, and iMac. Differing from The Social Network, it focuses on the personal aspects of Steve Jobs rather than the inception of Apple.

The film portrays Jobs' frequent conflicts with those around him, including his daughter. Amidst these tensions, the movie presents a Steve Jobs who is both resilient and internally conflicted, eventually reconciling with his beloved daughter and colleagues. Despite its box office success and critical acclaim, the film sparked debate over its factual accuracy.

Movie Details:

• Release Year: 2015
• Production Company: Universal
• Director: Danny Boyle
• Stars: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels
• IMDb Rating: 7.2