Movies are a great source of entertainment. But, some movies can go beyond. They potray some very interesting management concepts.

Here is a list of movies.

THE GREAT ESCAPE
The hallmark of this movie is that in the midst of the adversities of the war, it potrays a 'positive' outlook. Richard Attenborough plays the leader who plans the escape. He gets the best out of his team by enthusing, cajoling and even threatening. Some very interesting scenes in the film confirm this point.

THE GUNS OF NAVARONE
Another war movie, that illustrates the qualities of a leader when the team is out there on an almost impossible mission. Gregory Peck plays a leader who acts tough because of the overall goal but not because of any personal reasons.This contrast is well brought out in several scenes. In the last scene, when his team mate congratulates him on the success, and mentions that he did not think they would do it...he nonchalantly says 'Neither did I'. No matter what the leader thinks inside, it is always the message that goes outside that is important.

12 ANGRY MEN
How do you champion a cause knowing that everyone else is against you?
Get your buy-in by an open discussion. Henry Fonda plays the leader who gambles for his support first, and slowly drives his point across. He uses cold logic to win over while the majority of the jury members get emotional. As one of the character observes, Henry Fonda plays the 'soft-seller'...someone who is low-key, but effective as hell. A must see to observe the various characterizations, their conflict and a leader building his 'vote'

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Speaking of team building, and that too when the individual members are as different as chalk n'cheese, this movie offers a lot. Yul Bryner plays a leader who unifies the team for an audacious goal playing on the individual strengths and weaknesses.

THE CRIMSON TIDE
What happens when two different styles of Leadership collide?
Denzel Washington and Gene Hackmann play the two leaders who have a contrasting sytle of managmement. While Denzel is a harvard educated who spent less time in the field, Gene is a leader who has gone up the ranks the hard way. Both find themselves on a submarine capable of launching a nuclear missile. What follows is an explosive action between the two and has several interesting scenes that offer ideas on management.

MATRIX - Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
The Matrix, released in 1999, is an action thriller directed by Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachiwski. The film is about a computer hacker who learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against the controllers of it.

BRAVEHEART
Braveheart is a masterpiece directed by Mel Gibson and released in the May of 1995. William Wallace, a commoner, unites the 13th Century Scots in their battle to overthrow English rule.

WALLSTREET
Wallstreet is written by Oliver stone and Stanley Weiser. Directed by Oliver Stone this film was released in December of 1987. It is about a young and impatient stockbroker who is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless and greedy corporate raider whom takes the youth under his wing.

THE GLADIATOR
Written by David Franzoni and directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator was released in Sep, 2000. This action drama is about a Roman general who is betrayed and his family murdered by a corrupt prince. He comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge.

OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY
Released in 1991, this comedy drama was written by Jerry Sterner and directed by Norman Jewison.  The film is about a corporate raider who threatens a hostile take-over of a "mom and pop" company. The patriarch of the company enlists the help of his wife's daughter. The liquidator is an arrogant, self centered ruthless guy.

GUNG HO
Ron Howard directed this masterpiece comedy drama written by Edwin Blum and Lowell Ganz in 1986. The movie shows that When a Japanese car company buys an American plant, the American liason must mediate the clash of work attitudes between the foreign management and native labor.

WORKING GIRL
The working girl movie was directed by Mike Nicholas in December of 1988. The movie shows that  a secretary's idea is stolen by her boss. The secretary seizes an opportunity to steal it back by pretending she has her boss's job.

TIN MEN
Directed and written by Barry Levinson Tin Men is a comedy drama released in 1987.
A minor car accident drives two rival aluminum-siding salesmen to the ridiculous extremes of man versus man in 1963 Baltimore.

LAGAAN
This is a classic movie directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and released in June 2001. This is a musical drama which was nominated for Oscar from India. The people of a small village in Victorian India stake their future on a game of cricket against their ruthless British rulers. The film gives insight into aspects like team building and leadership.

ANGER MANAGEMENT
Peter Segal directed the Anger Management written by David Dorfman in 2003. The film is about Sandler who is a businessman and is wrongly sentenced to an anger-management program, where he meets an aggressive instructor.

GURU
The latest and one of the best releases of Mani Ratnam is Guru. Released in January 2007 this masterpiece is about a villager, Gurukant Desai, who arrives in Bombay 1958, and rises from its streets to become the GURU, the biggest tycoon in Indian history.