In case you haven’t heard, Netflix has its new original series GLOW, based on the short-lived but beloved all women’s wrestling promotion, Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.
And in case you’ve been living under a rock, The Rock is releasing a movie about troubled WWE Superstar Paige’s life, Fighting with My Family.
In anticipation of those exciting projects, here’s a list of some of the best — and worst — pro wrestling movies and TV shows you can watch now.
Good: The Wrestler
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV3i2SeXhSM]
The Wrestler is without a doubt the most notable fictional take on pro wrestling. The 2008 film starring Mickey Rourke tells the story of Randy “The Ram” Robinson. He’s an aging professional wrestler who tries desperately to cling to his waning fame despite his failing health and broken familial relationships.
The movie was released to high critical acclaim. Rourke’s performance won him Best Actor at both the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes, and he was nominated for an Academy Award. His co-star Marisa Tomei also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Vince McMahon reportedly liked the film so much that he personally called both Rourke and director Darren Aronofsky to tell them how much he loved it.
Bad: Ready to Rumble
If The Wrestler is notable for how good it is, Ready to Rumble is notable for how bad it is.
Directed by Brian Robbins, this train wreck of a film follows two dimwit fans (played by David Arquette and Scott Caan) who embark on a completely ridiculous quest. They want to help their favorite wrestler, Jimmy King (played by Oliver Platt), win back the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from the dastardly Diamond Dallas Page (played by himself).
The movie features many big-name WCW wrestlers. Overall, it was nothing more than a promotional tool for World Championship Wrestling. WCW was losing badly to WWE in the Monday Night Wars when the movie was released in 2000. It also birthed one of the most infamous WCW storylines of all time, in which Arquette became the WCW Champion after pinning Eric Bischoff in a tag team match. Wrestling fans have been trying to forget ever since.
Good: Nacho Libre
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA4ueJ7Dwj8]
I’ll admit this might be a rather subjective “good,” but I enjoyed Nacho Libre. It probably has something to do with the fact that it comes from Jared Hess. Hess is the same director who gave the world Napoleon Dynamite — and I can’t not watch that movie when it’s on TV.
In Nacho Libre, Jack Black plays Ignacio, a kindhearted monastery orphanage cook who secretly fights as a luchador named Nacho to help provide for the orphans. One thing the film has going for it: Nacho’s fiercest rival, a luchador named Ramses, is played by real-life luchador Silver King, son of the renowned Dr. Wagner.
Bad: No Holds Barred
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wYs-0EO0ts]
Much like Ready to Rumble was a failed promotional tool for WCW, WWE released 1989’s No Holds Barred as a futile attempt to boost Hulk Hogan’s acting career. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work.
The movie is a cheeky nod to the Monday Night Wars: Hogan plays Rip Thomas, the heroic WWF Champion who refuses to jump ship and wrestle for WWF’s immoral rival, the World Television Network. But all anyone can remember about it is the infamous “dookie” scene. Watch above.
Good: “Southpaw Regional Wrestling”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4RFCRpp9P0]
“Southpaw Regional Wrestling” is a YouTube miniseries that parodies 80’s southern wrestling. It stars a cast of current WWE Superstars like John Cena, Luke Gallows, and Rusev. If you haven’t watched it yet I recommend that you do so immediately.
Seriously, go watch it. The entire series is about 25 minutes long, and it’s brilliant.
I need “Lethal Leap Year” now.
Bad: Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiF3BRRiZgg]
Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies might be one of those films that’s so bad it’s good. Think Sharknado — or any other SyFy original movie.
The plot of Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies is exactly what is sounds like, with a dash of necromancy and revenge thrown in. Despite its utter campy-ness, it boasts an impressive cast including Kurt Angle, the late great Roddy Piper, and the one and only Matt Hardy.
Unfortunately, the movie was released in 2013 — long before Hardy brilliantly reinvented himself. Now, Broken Matt and King Maxel vs. zombies? That’s something I’d love to see.
Thanks to GLOW and Fighting with My Family, pro wrestling may be more relevant in Hollywood now more than ever. But hopefully moving forward, film and television will trend more in the direction of The Wrestler — and not Ready to Rumble.