11 best stock market movies every investor should watch

Here are some of the best stock market movies to fully immerse you in the financial world with all it's ups and downs. Get the popcorn ready!

1. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

This rollicking biopic, directed by Martin Scorsese, is based on the real-life rise and fall of Jordan Belfort, an infamous Wall Street scam man.

In 1989, Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and partner Danny Porush (Jonah Hill) founded an investment firm called Stratton Oakmont and made a fortune through "pump and dump" schemes that artificially inflated the prices of penny stocks.

This movie will teach you to be skeptical of investment sales pitches – and to consider alternatives to traditional investing, such as using an investment app.

2. Inside Job (2010)

So what really led to the financial collapse of 2008? This documentary explains that with clarity – and narration from Matt Damon.

"Inside Job" took the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary in 2011 thanks to its easy-to-understand breakdown of who was behind the crisis, how it was allowed to happen and the ensuing government bailout.

The only downside? Prepare to be a tad outraged that no financial executives involved were given jail time for their involvement.

3. Trading Places (1983)

"Trading Places" stars Eddie Murphy as a homeless, street-smart con man named Billy Ray Valentine, and Dan Aykroyd as a rich and well-mannered commodities broker, Louis Winthorpe III.

They're tricked into swapping lives by a pair of millionaire brothers – and take their revenge by bankrupting the brothers with the help of stolen inside government information that the two heroes use to short orange juice futures.

This fun film made a deep impression on some federal regulators. Nearly 30 years after its release, the “Eddie Murphy Rule” was enacted, outlawing the use of insider information in trading on commodities futures.

4. The Big Short (2015)

"The Big Short" is a star-studded film that exposes just how corrupt and arrogant the world of finance can get. It follows three groups of investors who try to warn their companies, the news media and the banks about the mortgage bubble in the late 2000s.

When no one will listen, they bet big against the housing market and gain millions of dollars as the world economy collapse around them.

This film was lauded for its ability to break down complex financial jargon to make it crystal clear why the economy tanked — and show audiences what to watch out for in the future.

5. Boiler Room (2000)

If you're new to investing, then "Boiler Room" is a must-watch. Vin Diesel, Ben Affleck and a host of young actors play out a captivating tale of greed and intrigue in high finance.

The film centers on a fictional firm of brokers who cheat customers into buying worthless penny stocks by hyping the investments as much better bets than they are. The unwitting investors lose big time, but so do the fraudulent brokers.

The lesson? Beware of any investment sounds that too good to be true – and you're better off doing your own research before buying into it.

More: Best investing books

6. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)

When energy trading company Enron imploded in 2001, 4,000 people lost their jobs and $2.1 billion in employee retirement benefits disappeared. Top executives would go to prison, and textbooks would use the scandal to explain accounting fraud.

In the film's telling, Enron was a massive con game involving complex and creative bookkeeping. Even Warren Buffett admitted he was baffled by the convoluted math in Enron’s financial statements.

Through interviews with former employees and the whistleblower who led to the company's downfall, the movie shows how fraudulent accounting works and how to spot the corruption when you’re investing.

7. Margin Call (2011)

"Margin Call" unravels over a 24-hour period during which a fictional investment bank finds itself on the verge of disaster.

The employees wrestle with tough decisions and moral questions, crack jokes under pressure, deal and double-deal – but often display little understanding of the complex financial instruments they're working with.

The similarities to what happened in the 2008 crash are hard to ignore.

8. Too Big to Fail (2011)

This HBO drama starring James Woods, William Hurt and Paul Giamatti offers a fascinating look at the idea that some corporations have become so large that their collapse would lead to widespread economic disaster.

When the mega-companies find themselves in trouble, the government must step in to provide a bailout, to keep the country’s economy from collapsing – much to the fury of taxpayers.

As it explores the 2008 crash and its outcomes, "Too Big to Fail" leaves you feeling that it all could very easily happen again.

More: What happens in a recession?

9. Freakonomics (2010)

The award-winning 2005 book "Freakonomics" and its sequel "SuperFreakonomics" have sold more than 8 million copies and inspired a blog and collaboration with The New York Times, a radio show, and this film adaptation.