The Indicator from Planet Money The Indicator from Planet Money

What the movies teach us about recessions, memestocks and gold

May 27, 2026 · 9m

Summary

Hosts Adrian Ma and Waylon Wong discuss their favorite films about business and economics, ranging from The Insider and It’s a Wonderful Life to The Big Short. They analyze how these movies balance factual complexity with engaging storytelling to explain concepts like fractional reserve banking and the 2008 financial crisis. The episode also highlights documentaries like American Factory and unexpected picks like Die Hard with a Vengeance to show how business impacts daily life.

Topics discussed

Intro and ads for Grainger and Tiny Desk Tour Waylon's picks: The Insider and It's a Wonderful Life Adrian's picks: The Big Short and Inside Job Why business movies work: Nerdy facts plus jazz hands Waylon's recommendations: Dumb Money and Die Hard Adrian's recommendations: Brandy Hellville and American Factory Credits and promos for Up First and It's Been a Minute
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