For over a decade, I have been teaching communications at colleges and universities, including across a variety of sub-disciplines: public relations, social media, public speaking, professional writing, and so on. Every semester, I provide a list of discipline-relevant films—as well as a few TV series—students might choose to watch if they need to relax for a couple of hours instead of read textbooks or study for exams. And now, I am posting that full list here, organized by sub-discipline, for the enjoyment of any communications student who is looking to kick back and watch some excellent film, with the added benefit of gaining some insight and context about their chosen field of study.
Public Relations
Thank You for Smoking (2005)
In the public relations category on this list, Thank You for Smoking is by far the most important for PR students to watch. I would almost consider it mandatory viewing. Following the brief odyssey of a tobacco lobbyist unsure of the example he is setting for his son, but sure he can pitch anything to anybody, this film provides an amazing insight into the thinking and messaging of a PR agent who has one of the most challenging possible clients to represent: big tobacco.
Mad Men (TV Series, 2007–2015)
The Special Relationship (2010)
Wag the Dog (1997)
Primary Colors (1998)
Miss Sloane (2016)
The Candidate (1972)
The West Wing (1999-2006)
Crisis Communications
Too Big to Fail (2011)
Following the experience of Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson during the 2008 American financial crisis, the story is minute-by-minute public relations and crisis management. Near the end, there is a masterclass in how to make the complex story of the crisis accessible for the average American.
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
The Big Short (2015)
Thirteen Days (2000)
Apollo 13 (1995)
United 93 (2006)
The American President (1995)
Social Media
Black Mirror (TV Series, 2011- )
Although some of the episodes in Black Mirror are a “miss,” especially in the first episode, this prescient fictional series anticipates many of the benefits and—far more importantly—the dangers of increasing invasiveness and reliance on technology in our everyday lives. If students have time to view only three episodes, I rank these as the most relevant for studying social media: S3E1 Nosedive, S3E6 Hated in the Nation, and S2E1 Be Right Back.
The Social Network (2010)
Lo And Behold, Reveries Of The Connected World (2016)
The Social Dilemma (2020)
Not Okay (2022)
The Great Hack (2019)
Journalism
Spotlight (2015)
Many of the below films are essential viewing and many have important historical context that needs to be honoured and appreciated, but Spotlight is my top recommendation in this category because of its revealing depiction of investigative journalism in the 21st century and the meaningful struggles that come with learning the truth and bringing that truth to light through storytelling. Having said that, communications students would be wise to watch each and every movie in this list, especially if studying public relations, journalism, or media theory.
All the President’s Men (1976)
Network (1976)
Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)
Frost/Nixon (2008)
The Post (2017)
The Newsroom (2012)
The Insider (1999)
Public Speaking
The Great Debaters (2007)
On this list, The Great Debaters stands alone as the only film that is actually required viewing in any of my courses. This film, aside from being a hidden gem in the canon of American cinema, is almost a crash course in public speaking and debate, unto itself.
The King’s Speech (2010)
Larry Crowne (2011)
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
12 Angry Men (1957)
A Few Good Men (1992)
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Malcolm X (1992)
Milk (2008)
Mass Media & Culture
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Undoubtedly Michael Moore’s best work and an important film in its cultural moment, Bowling for Columbine studies gun culture in America, connecting with dark truths and trends that only worsened after it was released.
Citizen Kane (1941)
The Truman Show (1998)
The Fog of War (2003)
Merchants of Doubt (2014)
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
Don’t Look Up (2021)
More to Come
As more relevant films are released, I’ll aim to continue adding to this list. Also, if anybody wants to recommend any films, or new categories (Intercultural communication? Interpersonal communication?), please feel encouraged to reach out to me with ideas.
Thanks for reading the list. I hope you enjoy some quality cinema as you study communications.
Sam Schechter | schechter.ca 