The most memorable wrestling feature films and documentaries

Two years after Sylvester Stallone earned fame with Rocky, he wrote, starred and made his directorial feature debut with this drama about a family involved in professional wrestling. Essentially forgotten among Stallone's resume of work, the movie was panned critically, notably because none of the main characters seem all that likable. Notably, Stallone's Cosmo, who gets bulkier, younger brother Victor (Lee Canalito) into the wrestling business, only to eventually regret the decision. Several real-life wrestlers made cameos in the film, including Terry Funk.

The final film directed by Robert Aldrich (The Dirty Dozen; The Longest Yard). And, one perhaps lost amid the greatness of the legendary director. The comedy-drama tells the story of a female wrestling tag team — the California Dolls — comprised of Iris (Vicki Frederick) and Molly (Laurene Landon) managed by "self-made" showman and smooth-talker Harry Sears (Peter Falk, best known and remembere for Columbo) and the ordeals they face trying to get to Reno for a prestigious match. As far as the wrestling footage goes, ...All the Marbles more than holds its own. Having a Hollywood favorite like Falk also helps with credibility.

With high school wrestling at the forefront, Vision Quest remains one of the great sports movies of all time. Quirky, overachieving dreamer Louden Swain (Matthew Modine) is determined to beat the best prep wrestler in the state of Washington, but falls in love with an older woman (Linda Fiorentino) during the journey. It also helped that this coming-of-age drama was backed by a stellar soundtrack that featured Madonna's "Crazy for You," Dio's "Hungry for Heaven," "Only the Young" by Journey and "Lunatic Fringe" from Red Rider. 

Trying to build on the massive success of Hulk Hogan and the WWE (then known as WWF), this action picture was created and owned by the company, and co-produced by Vince McMahon. Hogan plays Rip Thomas, a popular wrestler and ratings draw, who is courted by Tom Brell (Kurt Fuller), a sleezy exec of a floundering television network to help generate some needed success. However, Rip won't budge no matter how difficult and dangerous his life becomes because of that decision. Ultimately, Rip finds himself in a touted bout against Zeus (Tiny Lister), a heel hired by Brell to get back at Rip. A critical flop, there is a guilty pleasure aspect to the movie. 

The Harts are among the most prominent, successful and controversial families in the history of professional wrestling. Bret "The Hitman" Hart remains the most lauded and celebrated of the group, an icon who has been through many trials and tribulations during his career in the business. This critically acclaimed documentary covers everything from Hart's rise from a promising Canadian wrestler to WWF champion to being betrayed during the infamous Montreal Screwjob in 1997. 

When it comes to professional wrestling documentaries, this Barry W. Blaustein project has long been considered the gold standard . It follows the lives and careers of stars Mick Foley (then known as Mankind),  Terry Funk, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts, plus those aspiring for success in the sport, and does so in a genuine and brutally honest approach. It also goes behind the scenes of the WWF — which the McMahons didn't take kindly to upon release — and other wrestling federations and companies. It's also considered to be the first film presence of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. 

At the time, Ready to Rumble was made to cater to the dedicated fans of the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling  (WCW). The general goofiness of the plot (where a couple of city workers — Scott Caan and David Arquette — try to get their favorite wrestler Jimmy King (played by Oliver Plat) another shot at a world championship title) is almost an afterthought. Some of the biggest wrestlers on the planet at the time — Goldberg, Randy Savage, Booker T, etc. — are featured. It's a celebration of this particular era of the sport, and not meant to be taken seriously.

Lukewarm with critics but popular with audiences, Nacho Libre stars Jack Black as Ignacio, a Catholic friar who moonlights as a wrestler in the famed Mexican  lucha libre to raise money for the orphanage where he's employed. It's actually somewhat based on a real-life story of Fray Tormenta, a Catholic priest who wrestled secretly to financially support his orphanage. The plot and comedy is good enough to make watching the comedy time well spent. And, of course, Black is usually a good reason to have a look. 

Even modest mockumentaries are fun to watch. This one, about a small, independent wrestling organization that features average folks dreaming of stardom in the business, probably remains well under the radar for most fans of the sport. However, Kayfabe is goofy and funny enough to be enjoyable. There aren't many standout moments, but consider it the wrestling version of a poor man's Waiting for Guffman. Is that reason enough to watch?

A remarkable film, this Darren Aronofsky-directed drama remains one of the most celebrated sports movies of all time . Notably for the performance from Mickey Rourke, who plays aging wrestler Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, a man trying to recapture his ring success from the 1980s in order to simply survive in the present. Rourke's physical transformation was another memorable aspect of this enthralling and heartbreaking movie that also includes an exceptional acting performance from Marisa Tomei. Both she and Rourke earned Academy Award nominations.

Everything fans of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling want to know can be found in this acclaimed documentary. During the late 1980s, GLOW became quite popular, offering an outlet for female wrestlers to hone their skills and showcase their brand to a fan base that was ready to eat up anything the sport would throw at them. Some of the biggest women in the business are featured in his doc: Babe the Farmer's Daughter (Ursula Hayden, who was also the longtime owner of the company), Tina Ferrari (Lisa Moretti) and Mountain Fiji (Emily Dole), to name a few.

As noted, Foley is prominently featured in the aforementioned Beyond the Mat doc, but for the complete, in-depth story on the wrestling legend, this particular project is one-stop shopping. There is no more extensive look at Foley's life and career, and it was made in conjunction with WWE. While Foley, and his Mankind persona, became iconic for a presence in the squared circle, the best part of this film is chronicling Foley's upbringing on Long Island and how he's revered by his peers and fellow wrestlers.

The story of philanthropist, wrestling fan, and eventual murderer John du Pont is highly intriguing and severely disturbing. The movie details du Pont's interaction and obsession with Olympic-champion wrestlers Dave and Mark Schultz  at his infamous Foxcatcher wrestling training facility in Pennsylvania. Steve Carell is brilliant as du Pont, while Mark Ruffalo is equally good as Dave Schultz. Channing Tatum, meanwhile, holds his own in portraying Mark Schultz. The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards.

It's fair to place Andre the Giant among the greatest sports icons of all time, and not just wrestling. And, for the most extensive, in-depth look at the man's life, it's right here . Courtesy of HBO, the film documents every aspect of Andre's life, and features commentary from the likes of fellow wrestling legends like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. Though this doc is highly entertaining, and perhaps the most enthralling of any movie on our list, it's also quite sad, considering all the challenges and pain he endured in and out of the ring.

IMDB describes this highly acclaimed documentary as "Hoop Dreams goes to the mat." It chronicles the lives of four wrestlers from failing Huntsville, Ala., Johnson High School, three of whom are black. But for all it's about trying to succeed in the sport and simply survive the challenges and problems that they face off the mat. Gripping and enthralling, Wrestle easily sucks viewers in with its honesty and emotional intensity that earned the film an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Social Issue Documentary. 

A highly entertaining sports biopic based on the life of Saraya Bevis (aka Paige) and her rise to pro wrestling stardom, including a stint in the WWE. Notably, it's about how coming from a wrestling family — and her essential in-house competition with brother Zak (Jack Lowden) — affects her along the way. Florence Pugh earned rave reviews as Saraya, and the movie, based on the 2012 documentary The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family, was a hit with critics and audiences — making more than $41 million against an $11 million budget.

There is not a lot of wrestling action in this underdog indie comedy-drama starring Shia LaBeouf. That's OK, but pro wrestling is the basis for Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome who escapes an assisted-living facility to go train at the wrestling school of his favorite wrestler. Along the way he meets wandering fisherman Tyler (LaBeouf). A friendship develops during their travels in a heartwarming and funny picture. Gottsagen is exceptional in the starring role.

The ESPN "30 for 30" Nature Boy is a highly interesting, but for a real in-depth look at the flamboyant, legendary wrestler, this Peacock original doc is a must see. Especially for those who want to know how he went from Richard Fliehr to the over-the-top, in-your-face, arrogantly appreciated Ric Flair — for better or worse. Featuring interviews with the likes of other boisterous personalities such as Mike Tyson and Stephen A. Smith, this is as informative and entertaining as sports documentaries come.

This highly entertaining biopic is about gay Mexican-American wrestler Saúl Armendáriz (Gael García Bernal), who becomes a star on Mexico's lucha libre wrestling scene. That's after he takes on the identity of Cassandro, an exótico (a male Mexican wrestler who essentially performs in drag). The story is rather riveting, and intriguing while watching Armendáriz progress as a performer and his becoming more comfortable and confident as his true self becomes more evident to the public. 

The Von Erichs are one of the most successful, popular and tragic families in all of sports entertainment. This biopic dramatically chronicles the brothers rise to wrestling prominence , guided by demanding father and boss Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), who is trying to achieve the wrestling glory that alluded him through his sons. Zac Efron stars as Kevin Von Erich, who is the focus of the film and only son able to handle all the fame, pressure and tragedy. Jeremy Allen White also delivers a strong performance as Kerry Von Erich, the most popular member of the wrestling family.