3 Movies That Make You Want to Code

We all have those movies from our youth (or even now) that just feel magical. They make you question what you want to be, or why you are doing what you do. Maybe you're a programmer or web developer and you feel lost about coding. You had a recent project that didn't go too well or you've been debugging a problem for weeks and you are just plain frustrated.

When I start to feel like this I watch a movie to regain that inspiration. To remind me of my "why".

Here is a list of movies that excite me every time. Maybe it's because they remind me of my childhood, when I would pretend to be a computer hacker, or maybe it's just because the movie gets you thinking. I hope they inspire you as they have inspired me.

1. WarGames (1983)

I actually didn't see this movie until I was an adult. I know, I can't believe it. If you haven't seen this movie, don't wait. It's an absolute classic. You have Matthew Broderick, a high school hacker, who accidentally hacks into a military supercomputer and starts the countdown to World War III.

"Hey, I don't believe that any system is totally secure."

2. We Are Legion: The Story of Hacktivists (2012)

I felt that this movie was about activism, in the different online forms. Yes, it's controversial - this movie will make you think and to me that is always a good thing. It takes us inside the complex culture and history of Anonymous. The film explores early hacktivist groups like Cult of the Dead Cow and Electronic Disturbance Theater, and then moves to Anonymous' own raucous and unruly beginnings on the website 4Chan. WE ARE LEGION traces the collective's breathtaking evolution from merry pranksters to a full-blown, global movement, one armed with new weapons of civil disobedience for an online world.

"We are legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget."

3. Hackers (1995)

A cult classic! Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller are two young hackers who discover a plot to unleash a dangerous computer virus. Not a crazy thriller, but it's fun. It shows us "computer nerds" in an enviable light instead of being shoved in lockers.

"We have just gotten a wake-up call from the Nintendo Generation."

For me, this list could on and on. There are so many great movies out there to get you interested in the world of code. Anything from The Net (1995) with Sandra Bullock to The Matrix (1999) with Keanu Reeves!

Maybe you're looking for some fun reading to get that inspiration. Check out the book Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. It takes place in the year 2044, where reality is a dirty, ugly place. Everyone lives inside a virtual utopia called OASIS. // This book is a geek fantasy. A nerd utopia. I loved it. This book is for fanboys and fangirls.

Did I miss your favorite? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll check it out. If I get enough suggestions I’ll post a second list in the future!