Are in a good relationship with data analytics or use it during your everyday work? Is watching films one of your favorite hobbies? If so, check out our list of the best data science-related films. Grab the popcorn and enjoy any of the following movies. Any of them will be a good pick.
A Beautiful Mind
Release: 2001 | Playtime: 2h 15m | Genre: Biography, Drama
Have you ever doubted the power of mathematics? If so, you must watch this movie. If you have ever played a game against a computer, you have played against an algorithm that used at least some math laid down or inspired by John Nash.
In short, what he did was interpret how people behave in a non-zero sum game situation. Occasionally, in a game (or in economics) we try to minimize the maximum damage someone could inflict on us by preserving something for ourselves. That is minimax minimizing the maximum. It sounds trivial, but until
**Nash pointed it out and the math behind it, no one knew how to look at the way people mathematically made decisions. **
| Starring: | Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly |
|---|---|
| Director: | Ron Howard |
| Awards: | Won 4 Oscars |
| IMDB.com rating: | 8.2/10 |
Moneyball
Release: 2011 | Playtime: 2h 13m | Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
What is this film about? The thrill and triumph of data mining. This film put data science on the map. The protagonist of this film points out that the art of data science is to ask good questions. He also shows and feels the difficulty of explaining and selling analytics and data-based conclusions to his peers.
Many people in an organization are used to making decisions based on their intuition and experience. Sometimes, they may be using data, but they may not be using the right analytics or asking the right questions. When a data scientist comes out with a new perspective, he or she will be the first person to challenge the analysis, followed by its messenger, and finally, the overall strategy.
Making good decisions means stripping away those biases.
| Starring: | Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman |
|---|---|
| Director: | Bennett Miller |
| IMDB.com rating: | 7.6/10 |
The Imitation Game
Release: 2014 | Playtime: 1h 54m | Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller
This film a highly recommended movie for data scientist and analysts. This movie aptly depicts the incredible power of mathematics, computer science and logical thinking.
The most interesting thing is that we have only created or invented new terminology for the same old problems. Big data, analytics, predictive analytics, neural networks – all of this was being discussed at Bletchley Park back in WWII. What we do and our challenge as IT professionals is the same as that of the brilliant British genius team. We are researching and developing new technologies to solve the same problems they had about 70 years ago.
Essentially, the group at Bletchley Park was dealing with a big data problem even though their idea of “big data” is a fraction of what we process today.
| Starring: | Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Mark Strong |
|---|---|
| Director: | Morten Tyldum |
| Awards: | Won 1 Oscar |
| IMDB.com rating: | 8.1/10 |
Margin Call
Release: 2011 | Playtime: 1h 47m | Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller
Margin call is an interesting thriller film written and directed by J.C. Chandor. The strong cast guarantees fun for viewers.
A rollercoaster ride through a 24-hour period in the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis is triggered when junior risk analysts discover a flaw in the risk models that have led their investment firm to the brink of financial disaster. How will the experienced financial experts react to this situation?
If you watch this movie, you will experience the unbelievable power of data and mathematics.
| Starring: | Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci, Zachary Quinto, Demi Moore |
|---|---|
| Director: | J.C. Chandor |
| IMDB.com rating: | 7.1/10 |
21
Release: 2008 | Playtime: 2h 3m | Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
This film is a bit lighter than the other ones, but it is also very good for entertainment.
21 is a fact-based story about six MIT students who were brilliant with numbers who decide to step into the fast-paced Vegas casino action to make some money at the blackjack tables. They create a scheme using numbers, codes, and hand gestures that opens up their fortunes. However, somebody catches sight of their tricks…
Get your popcorn ready!
| Starring: | Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne |
|---|---|
| Director: | Robert Luketic |
| IMDB.com rating: | 6.8/10 |
Other Comments
Netflix is one of the greatest streaming video providers in the world. It has about 81 million subscribers all over the world. It used data analytics solutions to create the perfect series. Netflix analyzed the different elements of user behavior such as searching, scrolling, and rating.
The result is the first-ever series that based its factors (cast, action, etc.) on data analytics: House of Cards. House of Cards is one of the most popular TV series right now. It is a political drama that deals with themes of power, manipulation, and pragmatism.
“If you don’t like how the table is set, turn over the table.” - Frank Underwood (Season 2, Episode 2)
Pick one of these, and have some good fun!
