5 Must-See Movies About Software Coding

Are you looking to learn some coding basics without getting too bored? We’ve brought you the perfect way of passing your time: coding movies!

Hollywood may be tinkering around with dinosaurs and superheroes, but that doesn’t mean coding fans have to face disappointment.

There are plenty of movies out there extensively based on software coding. Be it an immensely dangerous hacker on the loose or two coders falling in love, coding stories are always there to amp up your day.

Finding the right software coding movie can be a real task. Buckle up, because we have prepared this guide to help you develop interest in coding through popular coding movies. Intrigued already? Without further ado, let’s dive in!

1. The Social Network (2010)

All of us spend a considerable amount of our day surfing Facebook. Life events and achievements are mandatory on our profiles, and there’s nothing more heartwarming than staying in touch with your friends via timelines and messages. However, did you know where it all began? How was Facebook conceived? Well, tune in to this movie and find out!

The story comprises Mark Zuckerberg’s adventures which lead to the creation of the popular social media platform. You might be under the impression that all it took was a spark of an idea and some coding nights, but that’s not the case! The creation of Facebook was a journey full of ups and downs, which is what this movie is about.

You’ll get a deep insight into the lives of Facebook founders to know exactly how they made a breakthrough with the platform. You’d also get to see some controversial elements of the story where a pair accused Mark of twins of stealing their idea. While Mark and his friends are busy programming and coding in their tiny dorm, one of his friends decides to make things difficult.

After a long struggle, Mark can finally achieve his goal, but little does he know that his brainchild will be the world’s most-used social media platform in the coming years. If you’re a fan of coding and wish to watch a movie that keeps you hooked till the end, The Social Network will be a perfect choice!

2. War Games

Want to know what the world of computers was like three decades ago? Put up this movie on your screen and sit back to enjoy coding in the 80s!

The story is about a young boy who spends most of his days messing around with his computer. All he wants is to play a game. However, his clicks lead him to be connected to a military computer. This computer has complete control over the U.S. nuclear arsenal, which obviously means trouble for the little kid. In his eagerness to play a game, he initiates a feud between America and Russia.

What follows is a chaotic turn of events where both the militaries are preparing against each other, having no idea of the initiator. This movie is a must-watch if you’re a fan of wars and chaotic events!

3. The Net

Love Sandra Bullock? Watch this movie, and you’ll have more reasons to love the star! The Net is a story about an intelligent computer scientist, played by the heartthrob Sandra Bullock. This young computer enthusiast is so passionate about machines and the internet that she’s rarely found out of her seat, except when she has to visit her mother.

One random day, she gets approached by her friend, Dale Hessman. Dale has a glitchy program that needs debugging. Angela, the computer scientist, decides to help Dale with this program and immediately sets to work. However, soon after Dale hands over the program, he dies in a plane crash. Still trying to digest her friend’s death, Angela unearths confidential information on the program. In a certain chain of events, Angela has all her records wiped off and even gets assigned a new identity. Struggling to understand what exactly is happening around her, Angela has to deal with all the chaos that has risen because of the criminal records on her new name.

4. Codegirl

Coding and programming, in general, is a profession dominated by males. This documentary proved to be a breakthrough in the digital world because it showed women actively participating in the field.

This documentary is regarded as one of the most inspirational movies when it comes to coding. The movie is set in 2017 and consists of a group of high-school girls who’re struggling to leave a mark in the coding world. The girls decide to participate in an international competition in app development. What should be a healthy competition is filled with hurdles for these girls because of the dominant male community and their lack of expertise. However, these girls put their hearts and souls into producing something worthwhile. Along the journey, each girl also unearths a unique quality of herself. Will the girls be able to win the competition? Find out on your next movie night!

5. The Internet’s Own Boy

Programming prodigies are often burdened by their capabilities but did you ever think that it can lead to suicidal attempts as well? That’s right, this movie is a story about a talented coding enthusiast, Aaron Swartz.

Aaron keeps excelling in the world of coding, which means that he’s always sought after by big names. A few of his achievements also include being the co-founder of the popular platform Reddit. However, Aaron’s success is short-lived.

The youngster dedicates his life to work for social justice and political organizing, where all hell breaks loose. Aaron also simultaneously keeps aggressively working for information access which lands him in two years of legal trouble. During the tough battle, Aaron decides to take his life and leaves his fans and disciples in a constant mourning state. This film attempts to portray Aaron’s life more humanely so that people can understand the banes that come with technology. It also aims to create awareness about how social responsibilities often get neglected because of technological advancements. If you’re a fan of gripping storylines, this movie won’t disappoint!