Issue v1.1 – WANT: Movies

We selected 5 movies that may or may not inspire your entrepreneurial spirit. Play the trailers, read our reviews and then download the movies straight to your iPad or iPhone. But don’t watch them until after you’ve finished reading our magazine!

The Social Network

After its release in 2010, critics scorned this flick by saying that the real-life Mark Zuckerberg isn’t the icy isolationist that actor Jesse Eisenberg makes him out to be in The Social Network. He gives to charity, for goodness’ sake, and talks about it on Oprah! (The guy does wear a T-shirt every day though.) Others say that Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker’s impersonation is a little too uncanny when you compare Parker in real life. Either way, this one is a must-see – and we don’t say that too terribly often anymore. The raw energy and excitement you feel for the Harvard co-founders of 2012’s most-used app on any mobile device (Facebook, duh) is so real it’s almost tangible. Plus, look out for the Winklevoss twins – it’s really one actor rolled out into two parts. But isn’t he convincing?

Pirates of Silicon Valley

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It’s a little odd that a movie filmed in 1999 could still hit home for us; us being consumers entranced by a digital world that’s so plugged in we practically need an app to fall asleep. But this documentary painstakingly walks you through the trials and accomplishments of some of the world’s greatest tech founders: Steve Jobs and Wozniak, Bill Gates and other insiders from the companies who changed it all. Jobs calls himself and the rest of the geeks like him ‘software hobbyists’. We call him a genius.

Dare you to pause this (it’s 45 minutes!).

Rocky

Cue the cinematic theme music that’s (over) played . You know the one: a boxer gets offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to fight against the reigning heavyweight champ for the national title.

It’s not TOO far off from all our lives…right? Small startup idea takes on the titans in a battle to the next stock valuation…okay, way different. Still a 1976 classic. Watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL-SxArNcGk

Flash of Genius

Greg Kinnear acts Bob Kearns proves that little guys can pack a big punch when it comes to fighting back for a product created from an idea you had. Kearns’ character claims Detroit automakers stole his automated windshield wiper ‘flash of genius’, and he’s determined to get some part of it back. Just a windshield wiper? Ford Cars has nothing on this dude’s remarkable drive and spirit.

Promise you’ll be inspired, at least a little bit.

Something Ventured

This documentary puts the ‘Silicon’ in Silicon Valley. Released in 2011, Something Ventured is a story about hundreds, if not thousands, of accidental entrepreneurs who realized one very important thing: they had to be frugal and they had to take big risks in order to get ahead. But this time, watch through the eyes of venture capitalists who made dreams of companies like Apple, Intel and Cisco come to life, crisp thousand and million-dollar checks not withstanding. You’ll see a little bit of fire in those shrewd VCs eyes, too.