25 Jul The Top 25 Movies About Social Media to Add to Your Watch List via @KristiKellogg
Looking for social media movies and television shows that hold up a mirror to our 21st century existence?
We’ve rounded up the top movies and TV show episodes that highlight how deeply social media has penetrated our culture.
Among them, you’ll find horror films where social media connections turn creepy, documentaries that explore topics like Facebook’s data collection, and movies where the reliance on social media has gone too far.
Read on to discover the best social media movies to add to your watch list now!
1. The Social Network
Jesse Eisenberg stars as Mark Zuckerberg in this 2010 movie depicting the creation and rise of Facebook.
In 2011, “The Social Network” was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three: best adapted screenplay, best original score, and best film editing.
2. The Circle
Based on Dave Egger’s book of the same name, “The Circle” takes place in a world where a single search and social company has taken over, eating up the market share and standing alone.
In this world, information is tightly controlled, cameras are always on, and sharing your life is all but mandatory.
3. Catfish
This 2007 documentary chronicles the nine-month ordeal were filmmaker Nev Schulman gets involved with a woman via Facebook, only to find out she is nothing like what she’s led him to believe.
4. Terms And Conditions May Apply
“Terms And Conditions May Apply” is a documentary that looks closely at the data that companies like Facebook and Google use.
Get insights into how it’s collect, how it’s used, and how it can hurt you.
5. #chicagoGirl: The Social Network Takes on A Dictator
This 2013 documentary chronicles teen Ala’a Basatneh as she helps fight the Syrian revolution from her bedroom in Chicago using Facebook, Twitter, and Skype to expose regime atrocities in Damascus and Homs.
6. Ingrid Goes West
Social media influencers live a very public life – and that can lead an assortment of interesting followers. In “Ingrid Goes West,” Instagram celebrity Taylor Sloane (played by Elizabeth Olsen) befriends seemingly normal Ingrid Thorburn.
In actuality, Thorburn is a stalker will do anything to become besties with the Insta-star – including moving across the country just to find Taylor.
This black comedy takes a deep dive into just how far people will go to obtain an Insta-worthy life.
7. We Live in Public
This documentary film explores the impact of the internet on mankind.
Josh Harris, an entrepreneur during the dot-com era, looks into the concept of ownership and the effects of media through a series of experiments – including broadcasting his day-to-day life on a webcam.
8. American Meme
This Netflix documentary follows celebrities like Paris Hilton and DJ Khaled as they analyze their online lives and debate whether follows and reposts bring can bring true happiness.
9. Inside
Christina (played by Emmy Rossum) wakes up in a room after being kidnapped, with no memory of how she got there.
She is left with two tools: a laptop and an audience on social media.
Will they be able to help her escape?
10. Me and You and Everyone We Know
“Me and You and Everyone We Know” weaves together the story of several characters trying to find connection and meaning in today’s world while navigating social media, online romance, and modern mores.
11. Disconnect
Several storylines come together to explore the negative side of social media and modern communication.
Whether it’s the workaholic lawyer, the high school bully or the couple with secrets, they all have one thing in common: that “everything (they) can do, someone out there can see.”
The ensemble cast includes Jason Bateman, Paula Patton, Frank Grillo Alexander Skarsgård, and even fashion designer Marc Jacobs.
12. #140 Characters: A Documentary About Twitter
This short documentary takes a closer look at the impact of Twitter – specifically in how it’s changed the lives of four ordinary people.
This short documentary explores how Twitter has changed the lives of four ordinary people.
Each used Twitter as a jumping board for finding love, growing a business, meeting an idol, and starting a foundation, respectively.
13. Unfriended
“Unfriended” is a horror movie that comes with one warning: uploading content online can have consequences.
The 2014 film revolves around a group of high school friends who don’t hesitate to post about their lives on the internet.
But when someone posts a video of their friend, Laura, extremely drunk, she commits suicide.
On the one year anniversary of Laura’s death, her friends are all chatting online and Laura’s chat account joins.
Soon, the group is tortured as the user posing as Laura demands to know who posted the video.
14. Friend Request
Social media meets horror in “Friend Request.”
It’s not uncommon to unfriend someone on Facebook, but Laura didn’t expect to be tortured by the spirit of a previous classmate, Marina, who committed suicide after being rejected by Laura.
After hearing the news of the girl’s death, Laura was bombarded with a video of Marina burning a picture of her before killing herself.
This ends up being posted on Laura’s Facebook page and is unable to be removed.
From that moment forward, Laura’s life takes a dark turn as Marina’s spirit does everything in her power to destroy Laura’s life.
15. Eighth Grade
Being a teenager is hard enough for anyone, but the pressure from social media to be perfect can take its toll.
Directed by comedian Bo Burnham, “Eighth Grade” follows middle school student Kayla Day through her last days of eighth grade.
Kayla works to maintain a certain image on her YouTube channel, but her life, in reality, is far different.
16. InRealLife
This 2013 documentary takes a close look at how the prolific use of the internet and social media is impacting modern teenagers, including the isolation, distortion, and addiction that can result from 24/7 connectedness.
17. 140
This film features 140 filmmakers located in 140 locations across the globe who were synchronized through Twitter to film 140 seconds at the same time.
Filmmakers had to film whatever it is that connects them to their home and do it in only 140 seconds of continuous footage.
18. The Black Mirror: Nosedive
The third season of “Black Mirror” premiered with “Nosedive” – a standalone episode set in a society where social networking and rating systems are even more ingrained than they already are.
Every person has a rating, which everyone else can see just by looking at them – and that rating is affected by everything from getting coffee to giving a speech.
Your value is equivalent to your rating, and the consequence is a world lacking authenticity and connection.
19. The Orville: Majority Rule
In this 2017 episode from the first season of “The Orville,” social media mob mentality takes center stage.
The fate of one man is decided by the votes he wins or loses in the court of public opinion via social media.
20. South Park: You Have 0 Friends
Friend a loser on Facebook and you’ll become a loser, too.
At least that’s the premise of this 2010 Season 14 episode of “South Park”.
21. Nerve
This social media-savvy cyber-thriller stars Emma Roberts, Dave Franco, and Juliette Lewis.
Vee, played by Roberts, is a high school senior who embarks on a social media-fueled, high-stakes game of truth or dare.
22. Searching
When 16-year-old Margot disappears, her dad will stop at nothing to find her.
He launches a full-blown investigation into his daughter’s disappearance, using her social media accounts to find out everything he can about the Margot he didn’t know.
23. Chef
Chef Carl Casper gets into a Twitter fight with a food critic, causing him to lose his job and gain a large Twitter following.
His next step?
Opening his own gourmet food truck and cooking what he wants to cook.
24. Noah
Last but not least among these social media movies is this 17-minute film. It is told entirely through the lens of a teen’s computer screen, and unsurprisingly, social media — particularly Facebook — plays a major role.
Things get particularly interesting after title character Noah hacks into his girlfriend’s Facebook account.
The film won the Best Canadian short film at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, as well as Best Live Action Short Drama at the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards.
25. You
This movie might make you think twice about having public social media profiles.
A book store manager uses social media to stalk a writer and start a relationship with her.
More Resources:
- How to Dominate Social Media: A Complete Strategy Guide
- 10 Lessons from the Micro-Stage of Social Media for the Main Stage of Life
- R.I.P. to the Top 10 Failed Social Media Sites
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