Oscar-Worthy Movies Entrepreneurs Should See

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Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill star in Moneyball.

The Academy Award nominations were announced Thursday, and leave it to a small-business group to find an entrepreneur angle in Hollywood's awards season.

In a fun post, the National Federal of Independent Business listed 10 Oscar-worthy movies every entrepreneur should see. The list features films that showcase independent thinkers and leaders — qualities found among successful business owners. Highlights include:

'Moneyball' (2011)

The film features Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) who has the lowest salary available for baseball players. He's left to figure out how to create a winning team without deep pockets. The solution lies in statistical data and picking players based on their statistics to fill team gaps.

Why entrepreneurs should see it: Entrepreneurs know a thing or two about bootstrapping operations. This movie shows how taking an innovative approach to an existing business challenge can help you beat the competition — even with limited funds, the NFIB says.

(Read more: NYC Grows as Hub for Small Digital, Entertainment Businesses)

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The Social Network star Jesse Eisenberg.

'The Social Network' (2010)

The story follows Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) as he creates Facebook in his dorm room. He's eventually sued by classmates who claim he stole their idea.

Why entrepreneurs should see it: There's no denying the reach of Facebook and social media in our everyday lives. This is a dramatic story about taking good ideas and transforming them into profitable ventures, according to the NFIB.

'Up in the Air' (2009)

The movie is about Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) who travels the country and lays off people for a living. He's then joined by a young, chipper employee Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) who wants to revolutionize the business model and rely solely on technology, which backfires.

Why entrepreneurs should see it: Ideas for efficiency are welcome, but sometimes you need to take a step back and consider the big picture before seeking ways to improve existing practices, according to the NFIB.

Click here for NFIB's full list of movie recommendations. (Read more: 2013 Small-Business Trends to Watch)

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Daniel Day-Lewis and Steven Spielberg at the "Lincoln" premiere in November in Hollywood.

'Lincoln' Leads 2013 Oscar Race

The Civil War saga "Lincoln" is leading this season's Academy Awards race with 12 nominations. There's got to be some entrepreneurial lessons in this movie about leadership against incredible odds. As the Civil War rages in the film, America's president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield and as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to free slaves.

Eight other movies were nominated for best picture: the old-age love story "Amour," the Iran hostage thriller "Argo," the independent hit "Beasts of the Southern Wild," the slave-revenge narrative "Django Unchained," the musical "Les Miserables," the shipwreck story "Life of Pi," the lost-souls romance "Silver Linings Playbook" and the Osama bin Laden manhunt chronicle "Zero Dark Thirty."

(Read more: Entrepreneurs Wary of IPOs: SecondMarket CEO)

Awards Season and Ticket Sales

Beyond films with entrepreneurial lessons, it's no secret that Oscar nominations can lift box-office and DVD sales.

"This is the Super Bowl, the World Cup of Hollywood," Ron Grover, Los Angeles bureau chief for Reuters told CNBC early today. "The box-office bounce is probably 20 percent, 25 percent if the film is still in theaters," he said.

Winners for the 85th Oscars will be announced Sunday, Feb. 24. (Read more: 'Lincoln' Nabs 12 Oscar Nominations)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

— Written by CNBC's Heesun Wee. Follow her on Twitter @heesunwee