The best Spanish films of all time

To be considered for this list of best films in spanish, it must be one of the most important languages ​​spoken in productions. Check out the selection below and find the best titles by Pedro Almodóvar, such as Back e The Law of Desire, the striking Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo Del Toro and many other feature films with fascinating stories, whether fiction or based on facts. 

Las chicas are good (2023)

7,2 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

In the history of the girls are fine, four actresses and a writer spend a summer week in an old mill to rehearse a play. During these days, the girls will have the chance to get to know each other better through work. 

Argentina, 1985 (2022)

7,6 on IMDb | 96% Rotten Tomatoes

One of the best films in Spanish in recent times follows the true story of public prosecutors Julio Strassera (Ricardo Darín) and Luis Moreno Ocampo (Peter Lanzani), who dared to investigate and prosecute Argentina's bloodiest military dictatorship in 1985.

Five Lobitos (2022)

Original title: Lullaby

7,2 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

Em five wolves, Amaia (Laia Costa) has just become a mother and realizes that she doesn't really know how to be a mother or develop her maternal instinct. When her partner travels for several weeks because of work, she decides to go to her parents' house, in a lovely coastal village in the Basque Country, and thus share the responsibility of looking after the baby. 

Voy a pasármelo bien (2022)

6,6 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, a couple of childhood sweethearts have another chance at love after spending years without seeing each other. Everything is different, but your feelings remain the same.

Two Stations (2022)

6,2 on IMDb | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

The film in Spanish Two seasons follows 50-year-old businesswoman María García (Teresa Sánchez), owner of Dos Estaciones, a once booming tequila factory that is now struggling to stay afloat. The factory is the last remnant of generations of Mexican-owned tequila factories in the highlands of Jalisco, because the rest have been sold to foreign corporations. 

María was once one of the richest people in the city, but she knows that her current financial situation is unsustainable. When a persistent blight and an unexpected flood cause irreversible damage, she is forced to do her best to save her community's main economy and source of pride.

Parallel Mothers (2021)

Original title: Parallel mothers

7,1 on IMDb | 96% on Rotten Tomatoes 

Em parallel mothers, Janis (Penélope Cruz) and Ana (Milena Smit) meet in a hospital room when they are about to have their children. Even though the two have solo motherhood in common, the first is already a mature woman, while the second is a lost and scared young woman. Both form a strong bond that transforms their lives. 

No private passwords (2020)

7,3 on IMDb | 99% Rotten Tomatoes

In one of the best Spanish-language films of all time, a mother travels through Mexico in search of her son, who authorities say died trying to cross the border into the United States.

Double Agent (2020)

Original title: The rat agent

7,5 on IMDb | 95% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Agent Duplo, a Chilean production that was nominated for Best Feature Documentary at the 2021 Oscars, an 83-year-old man poses as a resident in a Chilean nursing home to see if he can find signs of abuse.

I'm not here (2019)

7,3 on IMDb | 98% Rotten Tomatoes

In the history of I'm not here, in Monterrey, a gang of young people spend their days partying and listening to cumbia. After a run-in with a local cartel, the gang leader had to emigrate to New York, but soon discovers that he wants to return home as quickly as possible.

Pain and Glory (2019)

Original title: Pain and Glory

7,5 on IMDb | 96% on Rotten Tomatoes

In one of the best Spanish-language films of all time, Salvador Mallo (Antonio Banderas), a declining film director, recalls his life and career since his childhood in the city of Valencia in the 1960s. Salvador has vivid memories of his first loves , his first desire, his first adult passion in 1980s Madrid and his early interest in cinema.

The Crying Girl (2019)

Original title: La Llorona

6,6 on IMDb | 96% Rotten Tomatoes

Em The Weeping One, Alma (María Mercedes Coroy) and her children are murdered in the Guatemalan armed conflict, but thirty years later, when the general who oversaw the genocide is acquitted, Alma's spirit returns to torment him.

Monos – Between Heaven and Hell (2019)

Original title: Jumpsuits

6,8 on IMDb | 93% Rotten Tomatoes

Amid weapons and names of war, teenage soldiers, who are part of a rebel group called “The Organization”, occupy an abandoned ruin on the top of a mountain, where they train and hold an American engineer hostage. But after an attack, they are forced to leave the place and the game ends for the young gang.

End of the Century (2019)

Original title: End of siglo

6,9 on IMDb | 92% Rotten Tomatoes

In the film in Spanish End of Century, two men meet in Barcelona and, after spending a day together, realize that they have known each other twenty years ago.

From Lo Mio (2019)

6,5 on IMDb | 88% Rotten Tomatoes

In the Spanish language film Of mine, two sisters raised in New York reunite with their estranged brother in the Dominican Republic to clean out their late father's childhood home. The brothers revel in nostalgia, fight over past issues, and face their demons as they come to terms with letting go of their last connection to their homeland.

Los lobos (2019)

7,2 on IMDb | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

In the film in Spanish Los Lobos, in search of a better life, Max (Maximiliano Nájar Márquez) and Leo (Leonardo Najar Márquez) are taken by their mother, Lucia (Martha Lorena Reyes), from Mexico to Albuquerque, in the United States. While waiting for her to return from work, the children listen to stories, rules of conduct and English lessons recorded by Lucia on an old tape recorder. They also build an imaginary universe with their drawings and dream about their mother's promise to go to Disneyland.

The Chambermaid (2018)

Original title: The chambermaid

7,0 on IMDb | 99% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, a young chambermaid who works at one of Mexico City's most luxurious hotels enrolls in the hotel's adult education program to help improve her life.

The Heiresses (2018)

Original title: The heiresses

6,6 on IMDb | 98% Rotten Tomatoes

Em the Heiresses, Chela (Ana Brun) and Chiquita (Margarita Irun), heiresses of wealthy families in Paraguay, live by selling their possessions. When Chiquita ends up in debt, Chela starts working as a driver for rich ladies.

Roma (2018)

7,7 on IMDb | 96% on Rotten Tomatoes

Em Roma, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) is Antonio's (Fernando Grediaga) and Sofía's (Marina de Tavira) maid and helps the family look after their four children in 1970s Mexico City. Complications soon arise when Antonio suddenly runs away with his lover and Cleo discovers she is pregnant.

Too Late to Die Young (2018)

Original title: Too Late to Die Young

6,4 on IMDb | 96% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Too Late to Die Young, during the summer of 1990 in Chile, people begin to feel a growing sense of freedom, as three teenagers face their first loves and fears.

The Wolf House (2018)

Original title: The Wolf House

7,5 on IMDb | 96% Rotten Tomatoes

In one of the best films in Spanish, a young woman takes refuge in a strange house in the forest after escaping from a German colony in southern Chile.

Miriam Mente (2018)

Original title: Miriam Lies

6,5 on IMDb | 91% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, Miriam (Dulce Rodríguez) is the daughter of a black father and a white mother and the family lives in the Dominican Republic. She's about to deal with two big events in her life: celebrating her 15th birthday and introducing her boyfriend to her parents.

With so many events going on and the emotions that adolescence brings, Miriam doesn't know how to deal with her mother's expectations regarding her love life. Furthermore, despite her origins, she fears what her reaction will be when meeting the boy – who is black.

Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017)

Original title: Vuelven

6,9 on IMDb | 97% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Tigers Are Not Afraid, when a girl's mother disappears, leaving her alone, she joins a gang of street children, leading to a tragic chain of events.

Zama (2017)

6,7 on IMDb | 96% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Zinc alloy, at the end of the XNUMXth century, Don Diego de Zama (Daniel Giménez Cacho) is an official of the Spanish Crown who wants to leave for Buenos Aires. He joins a group of soldiers hunting a dangerous bandit and explores distant lands inhabited by wild Indians.

Nobody's Watching (2017)

Original title: Nadie looks at us

6,6 on IMDb | 89% Rotten Tomatoes

In the Spanish-language film, Nico (Guillermo Pfening), a 30-year-old actor, made a decision that could change his life forever: after abruptly breaking off the relationship he had with his producer, he decided to abandon his promising career in Argentina to start from scratch in New York. The problem is that, amid the challenges in your new reality, a ghost from the past insists on reappearing.

Carpenters (2017)

7,0 on IMDb | 80% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Carpenters, Julián (Jean Jean) finds love and a reason to live in the last place imaginable: Najayo prison in the Dominican Republic. His romance, with fellow prisoner Yanelly (Judith Rodríguez), must develop through sign language and without the knowledge of dozens of guards.

Tropical Virus (2017)

6,8 on IMDb | 78% Rotten Tomatoes

In the film in Spanish Tropical Virus, Paola (María Cecilia Sánchez) was born into a traditional Colombian family, or at least that's what they try to be. Her father is a priest, her mother tries to convince herself and everyone that she is a clairvoyant and her sisters are not what her parents expected.

Our protagonist is a young Latin American woman who fights for her independence in a difficult context, full of stereotypes and appearances, without being able to fit into any mold. With a uniquely feminine view of the world, she learns to live while witnessing a series of small crises that shape her personality.

Cocotte (2017)

6,5 on IMDb | 76% Rotten Tomatoes

Em coconut, Alberto (Vicente Santos), a kind-hearted gardener, returns home to the Dominican Republic to attend his father's funeral. When he discovers that a powerful local figure is responsible for his father's death, Alberto realizes that he has been summoned by his family to avenge the murder. It is an unthinkable act, especially for him, an evangelical Christian. But as the pressure mounts, he sees few ways out.

Neruda (2016)

6,0 on IMDb | 92% Rotten Tomatoes

In the late 1940s, an inspector persecutes Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (Luis Gnecco) for being part of the Communist Party.

The Wilderness (2016)

Original title: The salvage region

6,1 on IMDb | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Wilderness, a couple in a troubled marriage locates a meteorite, triggering an encounter with a mysterious creature. Their lives are turned upside down by the discovery of the creature, which is a source of pleasure and destruction.

Los kings of the pueblo that doesn't exist (2015)

7,5 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Los kinges of the pueblo that does not exist, three families live in a village partially submerged by water in northwestern Mexico. Despite their loneliness and fear, they refuse to leave.

The Serpent's Embrace (2015)

Original title: The snake's embrace

7,8 on IMDb | 96% Rotten Tomatoes

In the film in Spanish The Serpent's Embrace, Théo (Jan Bijvoet) is a European explorer who counts on the help of the shaman Karamakate (Nilbio Torres) to travel the Amazon River. Seriously ill, he searches for a legendary flower that can cure his illness.

The Clan (2015)

Original title: The clan

6,9 on IMDb | 84% Rotten Tomatoes

In the Spanish-language film, set in the 1980s, an upper-middle-class Argentine family becomes known for kidnapping and killing people. Archimedes Puccio (Guillermo Francella), the family patriarch, leads the clan with an iron fist under apparent normality.

The Fire Girl (2014)

Original title: Magical Girl

7,2 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

Em the fire girl, Alicia (Lucía Pollán) has leukemia and leads a very regimented life. Her father, Luís (Luis Bermejo Prieto), discovered that one of her wishes is to have a very expensive dress. Deciding to give her a gift, her father gets help from a troubled woman.

Wild Tales (2014)

Original title: Wild tales

8,1 on IMDb | 94% Rotten Tomatoes

The film in Spanish Wild reports brings together six stories of revenge experienced by characters who are faced with situations that leave them on the brink of losing control.

Suitcase (2014)

6,7 on IMDb | 94% Rotten Tomatoes

This documentary portrays the intimate moments, performances, friendships and activism of transgender people, drag queens and people who challenge traditional gender identities in Puerto Rico.

Sand Dollars (2014)

Original title: Sand dollars

5,9 on IMDb | 94% Rotten Tomatoes

Em sand dollars, an older European woman is enchanted by a young Dominican woman who needs to fight for her ideals and the reality she lives. Love brings a flow of involvements in a drama that unfolds in unexpected ways.

Güeros (2014)

7,5 on IMDb | 93% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, three restless teenagers look for folk-rocker Epigmenio Cruz (Alfonso Charpener) on the streets of Mexico City during the 1999 student strikes.

Dirty Hands (2014)

Original title: Dirty hands

7,2 on IMDb | 92% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Dirty Hands, a fisherman and a naive young man begin trafficking drugs on the Pacific coast of Colombia. While towing a drug-filled torpedo, they are forced to navigate the war-torn region and the growing tension between them.

Glory (2013)

6,9 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

In one of the best Spanish-language films of all time, to avoid spending her days alone at home, divorced Gloria (Paulina García) usually goes to senior dances, where she meets several single men. At one of these events, she meets Rodolfo (Sergio Hernández), a former Navy officer, with whom she begins to become romantically involved. However, she will soon be forced to face her secrets.

By the way (2013)

6,9 on IMDb | 95% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, Junior (Samuel Lange Zambrano) is a boy with curly hair and suffers prejudice because of it. Because of this, his dream is to straighten his school photo, look like a singer and make his mother proud. But instead, it will provoke a serious argument with her.

Snow White (2012)

Original title: Snow White

7,5 on IMDb | 95% Rotten Tomatoes

A creative and alternative version of the classic Snow White. During her childhood, Carmen (Macarena García) lived with her terrible stepmother Encarna (Maribel Verdú). Tired of being repressed, she decides to run away to be a bullfighter and have a life full of adventures. On the way, she meets seven dwarf bullfighters who will protect her.

No (2012)

7,4 on IMDb | 93% Rotten Tomatoes

Set in Chile in 1988, the dictatorial government calls a plebiscite to ask whether the population supports the military. An advertiser is then responsible for the campaign No, with bold ideas to convince the people to end the military regime.

Narco Cultura (2012)

7,2 on IMDb | 89% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Narco Culture, filmmaker Shaul Schwarz exposes the cycle of addiction to money, drugs, and violence that surrounds the war on drugs.

One Night (2012)

Original title: One night

6,7 on IMDb | 83% Rotten Tomatoes

In the synopsis, in Havana, Raul (Dariel Arrechaga) dreams of escaping to Miami. Accused of robbery, he asks Elio (Javier Nuñez Florian) to help him reach the forbidden world 90 miles from the ocean. One night, full of hope, they face the biggest challenge of their lives.

White Elephant (2012)

Original title: White elephant

6,5 on IMDb | 95% Rotten Tomatoes

Em White elephant, priests Julián (Ricardo Darín) and Nicolás (Jérémie Renier) and social worker Luciana (Martina Gusmán) fight to improve living conditions in a slum on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. But its objectives conflict with the interests of the government, drug trafficking and the Church itself.

While You Sleep (2011)

Original title: As you sleep

7,2 on IMDb | 92% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, César (Luis Tosar) is the superintendent of a building who loves to torment residents, and his newest target is the resident of apartment 5B. But now he's going to have to work hard to terrorize this happy tenant.

Miss Bala (2011)

6,5 on IMDb | 88% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Miss Bala, Laura Guerrero (Stephanie Sigman) is a young Mexican woman from Tijuana who dreams of winning a beauty contest. Living in a region dominated by organized crime, her life changes when she ends up witnessing a violent massacre.

Juan dos Mortos (2011)

Original title: Juan of the Dead

6,4 on IMDb | 83% Rotten Tomatoes

In the film in Spanish Juan dos Mortos, when the dead rise and attack the living, Juan (Alexis Diaz de Villegas) starts a zombie-killing business, until he has to save his small group from being devoured.

Nostalgia for Light (2010)

Original title: Nostalgia for light

7,6 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

One of the best films in Spanish is a documentary about two different searches carried out in the Chilean Atacama Desert: one by astronomers looking for answers about the history of the cosmos and another by women looking for the remains of loved ones killed by the Pinochet regime.

Chico & Rita (2010)

7,2 on IMDb | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

Set in Havana, Cuba. In the story, Chico (Eman Xor Oña) is a talented pianist who has big dreams. One day, he went to watch a performance by a beautiful singer, Rita (Limara Meneses), and they ended up falling in love. After a night together, Rita is surprised by one of the pianist's girlfriends. Separated, Chico continues touring Europe and Rita becomes a big movie star.

We Are What We Are (2010)

Original title: We are what we are

5,7 on IMDb | 72% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, young Alfredo (Francisco Barreiro) needs to take over as man of the house after his father's death and put food on the table. This task will not be simple, as his family has cannibalistic habits and needs victims for their sacrifices.

The Milk of Sorrow (2009)

6,7 on IMDb | 78% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, Fausta (Magaly Solier) is suffering from a rare disease called Milk of Sorrow, which is transmitted through the breast milk of pregnant women who have been abused or raped during or shortly after pregnancy. 

While living in constant fear and confusion due to this illness, she must face the sudden death of her mother. She chooses to take drastic measures to avoid the same fate.

Overboard (2009)

Original title: Alamar

7,2 on IMDb | 92% Rotten Tomatoes

At just five years old, little Natan (Natan Machado Palombini) realizes that the trip he is taking with his father is very special. On their journey to the Banco Chinchorro coral reef, the bond between them grows at the rhythm of their contact with nature.

The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)

Original title: The Secret in Their Eyes

8,2 on IMDb | 89% Rotten Tomatoes

Em The Secret of Your Eyes, Benjamín Esposito (Ricardo Darín) retires from his position as a bailiff and decides to write a book. His inspiration is a real case of rape and murder of a young girl. On his journey, the retiree meets the victim's husband and promises to help him find the culprit.

Without Identity (2009)

Original title: Sin Nombre

7,5 on IMDb | 88% Rotten Tomatoes

In the plot, in Honduras, Sayra (Paulina Gaitán) meets the father she hasn't seen for a long time and her uncle. Together they will try to enter the United States illegally, crossing the Mexican border. During the trip, they meet Casper, a boy trying to escape his past.

Against the Current (2009)

Original title: Countercurrent

7,7 on IMDb | 88% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Against Current, Miguel (Cristian Mercado) is a respected fisherman in the village where he lives and works. Married to Mariela (Tatiana Astengo), he is about to have his first child, but he is having a romance with Santiago (Manolo Cardona), an artist called Prince Charming by the locals.

Broken Hugs (2009)

Original title: Broken Embraces

7,2 on IMDb | 82% Rotten Tomatoes

In the film in Spanish Broken Hugs, before he became blind, Harry Caine (Lluís Homar) was Mateo Blanco, a film director who worked with Ernesto Martel (José Luis Gómez). Ten years earlier, their friendship became a battle for the same woman, Lena (Penélope Cruz). Ernesto's death forces Mateo to confront his past.

Tony Manero (2008)

6,8 on IMDb | 85% Rotten Tomatoes

In the late 1970s, in Chile, Raúl Peralta (Alfredo Castro) is obsessed with the film “Saturday Night Fever” and John Travolta's character Tony Manero. But he goes overboard when he decides to participate in a copycat contest.

Leonera (2008)

7,0 on IMDb | 91% Rotten Tomatoes

Em lioness, Julia Zárate (Martina Gusmán) is arrested, accused of having killed her boyfriend, who was involved with a man. But she is pregnant and will have to raise her child in a special wing of the prison.

The Headless Woman (2008)

Original title: The Headless Woman

6,6 on IMDb | 77% Rotten Tomatoes

In this suspenseful Spanish-language film, in a moment of distraction, a woman drives her car into something she can't identify. After a few days, she tells her husband that she ran over someone on the road. Together, they retrace the path where they find a dead animal.

There is no news of any accidents in the region. Everything is back to normal and the bad times seem to have been overcome. However, the news of a macabre discovery worries everyone again.

[Rec] (2007)

7,4 on IMDb | 90% Rotten Tomatoes

There are those who prefer Rec a Paranormal activity. In fact, this Spanish feature film directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza ended up becoming a reference in the genre mockumentary (fake documentary). Combining unpredictable shaky footage with constant scares, the audience is immersed in the cameraman's vision – who never knows where to point his camera, experiencing a tense atmosphere that implies that at any moment it could be too late.

The Orphanage (2007)

Original title: The Orphanage 

It's as if the aesthetics of Pan's Labyrinth extended into a new scenario of maternal horror. The Orphanage, by JA Bayona, follows a woman returning to the orphanage where she grew up and having to deal with the ghosts of her past. 

With scary children and invisible forces, the film offers a range of references that are still used today to portray scenes of how to deal with the scary moments that happen at dusk.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Original title: Pan's Labyrinth

8,2 on IMDb | 95% Rotten Tomatoes

Pan's Labyrinth is one of the scariest and most bizarrely beautiful films ever made. In 1944 Spain, young Ofélia (Ivana Baquero) and her sick mother arrive at the post of her mother's new husband, a sadistic army officer who is trying to suppress a guerrilla fighter. While exploring an ancient labyrinth, Ofelia encounters the faun Pan (Doug Jones), who tells her that the girl is a legendary lost princess and that she needs to complete three dangerous tasks in order to become immortal.

Back (2006)

7,6 on IMDb | 91% Rotten Tomatoes

In one of the best series in Spanish, upon learning of their aunt's death, Raimunda (Penélope Cruz), her daughter Paula (Yohana Cobo) and sister Sole (Lola Dueñas) return to their hometown in the interior of Spain. Their lives are transformed when the ghost of their dead mother appears to help them resolve issues from the past.

aura (2005)

Original title: the aura

7,1 on IMDb | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

In the film in Spanish Aura, the introverted taxidermist Espinosa (Ricardo Darín), who has epilepsy, dreams of committing the perfect crime. Unexpectedly, the chance arises when he accidentally kills. The victim had planned to rob an armored car transporting profits from a casino, and Espinosa takes over the scheme. But his lack of criminal experience and his illness put his life in real danger.

Deep Sea (2004)

8,0 on IMDb | 85% Rotten Tomatoes

In the plot of the film in Spanish out to sea, Ramón Sampedro (Javier Bardem) is a Spanish ship mechanic and poet in his spare time who became quadriplegic after a diving accident. 

This is a story based on facts and tells the life and years-long struggle that Sampedro fought for the legal right to euthanasia. In the process, he develops a close relationship with his longtime lawyer Julia (Belén Rueda) and her friend Rosa (Lola Dueñas), who try to convince him that his life is worth living. 

Bed Inside (2004)

7,0 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Inside Bed, during the Argentine economic crisis of the early 2000s, Beba (Norma Aleandro), who was once rich, does not have enough money to pay her maid, Dora (Norma Argentina). 

Without her husband's financial support, Beba starts selling cosmetic products door to door and desperately looks for a way to pay off her debts. Meanwhile, when Dora leaves her apartment to live with her boyfriend after decades of service as a maid, Beba learns that friendship is invaluable.

Days of Santiago (2004)

7,2 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, Santiago Roman (Pietro Sibile), a retired soldier who fought for his country, Peru, has difficulty adapting to society while dealing with PTSD and family problems.

Maria Full of Grace (2004)

Original title: Maria Full of Grace

7,4 on IMDb | 97% Rotten Tomatoes

In the story, Maria (Catalina Sandino Moreno), a 17-year-old Colombian, discovers that she is pregnant and needs to find a new job urgently. She becomes involved with the seductive Franklin (John Alex Toro), who offers her a dangerous job transporting drugs.

Duck Season (2004)

7,2 on IMDb | 91% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Duck Season, Flama (Daniel Miranda) and Moko (Diego Cataño) are two teenagers excited to spend the day at home playing video games and eating various junk foods – until the moment the electricity goes out. Soon after, they meet neighbor Rita (Danny Perea) and pizza delivery man Ulisses (Enrique Arreola). When they least expect it, the four end up spending a much funnier day together.

Bad Education (2004)

Original title: Bad Education

7,4 on IMDb | 88% on Rotten Tomatoes

In the synopsis of this incredible Almodóvar film, initially set in Madrid, 1980, Enrique Goded (Fele Martínez) is a filmmaker who is going through a creative block and is having trouble coming up with a new project. It is at this moment that an actor looking for work approaches him, identifying himself as Ignacio Rodriguez (Gael García Bernal), who was Enrique's closest friend and also the first love of his life, when they were still boys and studied at the same school. . 

Goded receives a script from his former friend entitled “The Visit”, which was partially drawn from life experiences they both had. Goded reads the script with deep interest. This reports on the strong pedophilic tendencies of their literature teacher, Father Manolo (Daniel Giménez Cacho), who, seeing Ignacio and Enrique getting closer, says he is going to expel Enrique. Ignacio, knowing that Manolo was in love with him, says he will do anything if he doesn't expel Enrique. The unfolding of the story is used by Goded as the basis of his next film and, because of a lighter, he goes to Ignacio's house and discovers a surprising truth.

Hurt (2004)

7,7 on IMDb | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, Gonzalo Infante (MatIas Quer), one of the richest students at school, meets Pedro Machuca (Ariel Mateluna), a humble boy from the suburbs, who shows him an unknown reality and leads him to question his own situation. .

The Dead (2004)

Original title: The dead

6,7 on IMDb | 86% Rotten Tomatoes

Em The deads, a 54-year-old Argentine man is arrested for killing his brothers. After being released, he travels great distances in a small boat on the Paraná River to find his adult daughter.

Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

Original title: Motorcycle Diaries

7,7 on IMDb | 83% Rotten Tomatoes

In the film in Spanish motorcycle diaries, before starting his last semester of medicine, Ernesto “Che” Guevara (Gael García Bernal) travels with his friend Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna) from Brazil to Peru by motorcycle. 

The two see the disparities of South America up close, encountering poor peasants and observing the exploitation of labor by wealthy industrialists. Upon arriving at a leper colony in Peru, Ernesto realizes that his values ​​have changed.

The Holy Girl (2004)

Original title: The holy girl

6,7 on IMDb | 78% Rotten Tomatoes

In this story, Amália (María Alché), a young Catholic woman who is entering puberty, finds herself torn between sexual desire and her religious devotion. When she has an unconventional meeting with a doctor passing through her city, she takes on the mission of saving her soul from sin.

Chronicles (2004)

6,8 on IMDb | 71% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, reporter Manolo Bonilla (John Leguizamo) goes to a prison in Ecuador to interview Vinicio Cepeda (Damián Alcázar), a driver who ran over someone and fled – the crime incited a riot. 

After Cepeda tells him he knows where a killer named Monster of Babahoyo buried a young victim, Bonilla posts bail in hopes of learning more about the crime. Bonilla finds the girl's body, but as he approaches the high point of his career, it appears that Cepeda may be withholding some important details.

Talk to Her (2002)

Original title: Talk to her

7,9 on IMDb | 91% on Rotten Tomatoes

In the premise of this film on Netflix, nurse Benigno (Javier Cámara) falls in love with a student at the ballet academy, Alicia (Leonor Watling). When she has an accident and falls into a coma, Benigno ends up becoming her nurse. At the hospital, he meets Marco (Dario Grandinetti), who is also taking care of the woman he loves: Lydia (Rosario Flores).

Minimum Stories (2002)

7,4 on IMDb | 88% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Minimal Stories, three strangers are on the road to the same destination: San Julián, Argentina. The city is a symbol that represents different dreams for travelers. Salesman Roberto (Javier Lombardo) wants to buy a birthday cake for his widowed love interest's son. Don Justo (Antonio Benedicti), on a quest to find his dog, entrusts his grocery store to his children in his absence. Finally, María Flores (Javiera Bravo) leaves with her baby in hopes of winning prizes during an appearance on a game show.

Monday in the Sun (2002)

Original title: Mondays in the Sun

7,5 on IMDb | 80% Rotten Tomatoes

In the story of the Spanish-language film, Vigo, a port city in Spain, has fallen on hard times. The shipbuilding sector, which was the main source of jobs, laid off many workers. Several of these former shipbuilders even spend their new free time at a local bar owned by Rico (Joaquín Climent). 

The group is led by Santa (Javier Bardem), an unwavering pragmatist who tries to keep the men's spirits high. However, there are many difficulties, including the marital problems of Amador (Celso Bugallo) and José (Luis Tosar).

Bolivia (2001)

100% Rotten Tomatoes

In the synopsis, without a job due to the American war on drugs in his native Bolivia, Freddy (Freddy Flores) crosses the border to Argentina, where he gets a job as a cook in a restaurant run by Enrique (Enrique Liporace), who It is cruel and compassionate. With his meager salary, Freddy witnesses the racism of his clients, who consider other South Americans inferior. His only friend is Rosa (Rosa Sanchez), a waitress from Paraguay who is also there illegally.

The Devil's Backbone (2001)

Original title: El espinazo del diablo

7,4 on IMDb | 93% Rotten Tomatoes

During the Spanish Civil War, a 12-year-old boy is abandoned in a run-down orphanage. Received with hostility by the children and a cruel employee, he begins to receive visits from the spirit of a child murdered in the institution.

Nine Queens (2001)

Original title: Nine Queens

7,9 on IMDb | 92% Rotten Tomatoes

nine queens is the story of two con artists, Juan (Gastón Pauls) and Marcos (Ricardo Darín), who come together after meeting in a convenience store and become involved in a half-million dollar deal. As deception and duplicity increase, it becomes increasingly difficult to figure out who is deceiving who.

And Your Mother Too (2001)

Original title: Y Tu Mama Tambien

7,7 on IMDb | 91% Rotten Tomatoes

In the plot, Julio (Gael García Bernal) and Tenoch (Diego Luna) are two young people who, together with Luisa (Maribel Verdú), an older woman, embark on a journey to a paradisiacal beach. On a car trip through Mexico, the three end up getting involved and learn a lot about themselves and their relationships.

The Swamp (2001)

Original title: The swamp

7,0 on IMDb | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

In Argentina, a couple faces infernal heat in their country house, with their teenage children. A cousin brings her children too. When the woman suffers a domestic accident, the adults go to the city and the young people are left alone.

Son of the Bride (2001)

Original: The young girl

7,8 on IMDb | 86% Rotten Tomatoes

Em The Son of the Bride, Rafael (Ricardo Darín) is facing problems in his restaurant and is in crisis because he is unable to pay attention to his mother, son and girlfriend. During this period, he meets a childhood friend who helps him change his outlook on life.

Amores Pertos (2000)

Original title: Dog loves

8,1 on IMDb | 93% Rotten Tomatoes

Gross loves, one of the best Spanish-language films of all time, follows the personal stories of three characters intertwined after a car accident in Mexico City: Octavio (Gael García Bernal), the owner of a clandestine fighting dog who wants to escape with his sister-in-law Susana (Vanessa Bauche); Daniel (Álvaro Guerrero), who leaves his wife to live with a model; and the homeless man Chivo (Emilio Echevarría), who tries to return to his family.

El Bola (2000)

7,3 on IMDb | 91% Rotten Tomatoes

In the story, Pablo (Juan José Ballesta) is a 12-year-old boy who suffers emotional and physical damage due to the constant abuse of his father, Mariano (Manuel Morón). Until a boy named Alfredo (Pablo Galán) befriends Pablo, instills confidence in him, and exposes him to the true meaning of family by inviting him into his home. However, when Alfredo's family and Laura (Ana Wagener), an assistant society, try to give Pablo a new start, the tyrannical Mariano arrives on the scene to stop them.

Burnt Money (2000)

Original title: Burnt silver

7,0 on IMDb | 77% Rotten Tomatoes

Burnt Money is set in Argentina in 1965. The story follows the tumultuous relationship between two men who became lovers and, ultimately, ruthless bank robbers in a notorious and famous footnote in the annals of criminal history. After a large-scale robbery turns bloody, the two men must go on the run. It doesn't take long for the police to surround the building they are in and they have to face their demons to survive.

All About My Mother (1999)

Original title: All about my mother

7,8 on IMDb | 98% Rotten Tomatoes

Em All About My Mother, young Esteban (Eloy Azorín) wants to become a writer and also discover the identity of his father, which his mother Manuela (Cecilia Roth) has carefully hidden.

The Tongue of Moths (1999)

Original title: The tongue of butterflies

7,6 on IMDb | 96% Rotten Tomatoes

Little Moncho's (Manuel Lozano) world was changing drastically: he was starting his studies at school, he was making new friends and discovering new things, until the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, when he will come to know the harsh reality of his country. Fascist rebels open fire on the republican regime and the people are divided. The boy's father and teacher are republicans, but the rebels gain strength, turning the boy's life upside down.

Lovers of the Polar Circle (1998)

Original title: lovers of the polar circle

7,6 on IMDb | 82% Rotten Tomatoes

Even as children, Otto (Fele Martínez) and Ana (Najwa Nimri) become best friends, which leads to the marriage of Ana's mother, Olga (Maru Valdivielso), to Otto's father, Álvaro (Nancho Novo). When Otto and Ana become teenagers, they begin a relationship, which they hide from their parents. The two fall deeply in love and seem destined to spend the rest of their lives together.

Trapped in Darkness (1997)

Original title: Open your eyes

7,7 on IMDb | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

Original version that served as inspiration for Vanilla Sky, the Spanish-language film Trapped in Darkness follows César (Eduardo Noriega), a handsome 25-year-old boy who had everything: a successful career, expensive cars, a bachelor's house and an endless line of beautiful women interested in him. Suddenly, he is thrown into a strange psychological mystery after a car accident leaves his face disfigured and lands him in prison.

Death Live (1996)

Original title: Thesis

7,4 on IMDb | 83% Rotten Tomatoes

Em Live Death, Ángela (Ana Torrent), a film student, finds a home video in which a girl is tortured to death. She soon discovers that the girl was a former student at her college.

The Flower of My Secret (1995)

Original title: The Flower of My Secret

7,0 on IMDb | 85% Rotten Tomatoes

A popular writer, fed up with writing meaningless books and about to separate from her husband, goes to work at a newspaper under the pseudonym Amanda Gris, being tasked with criticizing her own novel.

Strawberry and Chocolate (1994)

Original title: Strawberry and Chocolate

7,4 on IMDb | 80% Rotten Tomatoes

In the history of Strawberry and Chocolate, David (Vladimir Cruz) is politically involved with Fidel Castro's regime, but goes into depression when his girlfriend leaves him. His life changes when he meets Diego (Jorge Perugorría), a young artist who meets his ideals.

Chronos (1993)

6,7 on IMDb | 90% Rotten Tomatoes

In this film, antique dealer Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi) comes across Cronos, a 400-year-old scarab that, when used correctly, grants youth and eternal life, but also an uncontrollable thirst for blood. 

While Jesus enjoys his newfound vitality, he is unaware that a dying old man, Dieter de la Guardia (Claudio Brook), has sent his nephew, Angel (Ron Perlman), to find the scarab and bring it back to him. But Jesus will not give up easily on immortality, even risking the life of his orphaned granddaughter (Tamara Shanath).

Seducão (1992)

Original title: Belle Epoque

95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb 

In the synopsis, while Spain is on the brink of civil war, Fernando (Jorge Sanz) chooses to leave the army without any permission. He soon finds the country house of the rich Manolo (Fernando Fernán Gómez), who decides to shelter him.

Fernando is then introduced to Manolo's daughters: Clara (Miriam Díaz-Aroca), Violeta (Ariadna Gil), Rocio (Maribel Verdú) and Luz (Penelope Cruz) – and has intimate encounters with each of them, but a problem arises when he he cannot decide which of the suitors he will marry.

The Mariachi (1992)

Original title: Mariachi

6,8 on IMDb | 91% Rotten Tomatoes

In this film, Mariachi (Carlos Gallardo) is a popular singer, who goes from city to city to perform his repertoire in exchange for money to survive. Upon arriving in a small village, he believed this to be his lucky day, because in the second bar he visits he already finds work as a serenader. What he doesn't know is that, at the time of his arrival, local gunmen are waiting for a murderous enemy, who wears black and carries identical guitar cases. It doesn't take long for Mariachi to be chased.

Like Water for Chocolate (1992)

7,1 on IMDb | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

In the synopsis, two young people madly in love have to separate due to the decision of the young woman's mother. Between the smells and flavors of Mexican food, the suffering ends up being enormous and prolonged.

Cows (1992)

7,1 on IMDb | 60% Rotten Tomatoes

Set in the Basque Country, Cow tells the story of the rivalry of two families from 1870 to 1935.

Santa Sangre (1989)

7,5 on IMDb | 86% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film set in Mexico, the traumatized son (Axel Jodorowsky) of a knife thrower (Guy Stockwell) and a trapeze artist is grotesquely united with his now harmless mother (Blanca Guerra).

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

Original title: Women on the verge of a “nerve attack”

7,5 on IMDb | 92% on Rotten Tomatoes

Another Almodóvar classic, this film on Netflix follows a woman who is left by her lover, but cannot accept it and tries to contact him through his wife, who also does not know his whereabouts. Meanwhile, her friend thinks she is being chased by the police because of her terrorist boyfriend.

The Law of Desire (1987)

Original title: The law of Desire

7,1 on IMDb | 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

In the synopsis of this film by Almódovar, available on Netflix, a homosexual film director meets a handsome young man, and the two spend the night together. The next day, he is convinced it was a casual encounter and says he is still in love with his boyfriend. The lover doesn't understand and reveals his possessive side.

The Official History (1985)

Original title: La historia official

7,7 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

The Official History is a Spanish-language film centered on Alicia (Norma Aleandro), a high school history teacher who leads a comfortable life with her husband, Roberto (Héctor Alterio), a businessman linked to the armed forces, and their adopted daughter. 

When Alicia begins to wonder about the identity of the girl's biological parents, she begins to suspect that her daughter may be the daughter of people kidnapped or killed by the government's brutal repression of left-wing groups.

The Holy Innocents (1984)

Original title: The holy innocents

8,1 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

In Spain in 1960, during the Franco dictatorship, a family of peasants works under the orders of the masters of a farmhouse. They accept all types of humiliation with resignation, as they accept their condition as inferior beings as something normal. Only an unforeseen event can make them reconsider and break the chains to which they are subject.

The South (1983)

Original title: The South

7,8 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

For young Estrella (Sonsoles Aranguren), her father is part of a mysterious world that she is fascinated by. Living in northern Spain, she is obsessed with the secrets of the south, hidden in her father's traits and personality. When Estrella grows up, she discovers that the man is still in love with a past love.

El Norte (1983)

7,7 on IMDb | 92% Rotten Tomatoes

When a group of Mayan Indians decides to organize a union to improve conditions in their village, their community is violently destroyed by the Guatemalan army. 

From this, the young brothers Rosa (Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez) and Enrique (David Villalpando) manage to escape the massacre and decide to start a new life in The North, In the USA. The two travel through Mexico, meeting different people and facing many challenges on their journey towards life as illegal immigrants in Los Angeles.

Creates Crows (1976)

Original title: Breeding ravens

7,9 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

In the synopsis, in the twilight of Francisco Franco's dictatorship, an eight-year-old orphan and her two sisters find refuge in their aunt's house, doing everything possible to get used to a new reality.

The Spirit of the Hive (1973)

Original title: The spirit of the hive

7,8 on IMDb | 96% Rotten Tomatoes

Em The Hive Spirit, two little sisters Ana (Ana Torrent) and Isabel (Isabel Tellería) live in rural Spain in the 1940s. After watching the 1931 film “Frankenstein”, they become obsessed with the strange character and try to find him.

The Holy Mountain (1973)

Original title: The sacred mountain

7,8 on IMDb | 84% Rotten Tomatoes

In the film in Spanish the holy mountain, a Mexican master (Alexandro Jodorowsky) leads a Christ figure (Horacio Salinas) and other disciples to a mountain of immortal sages.

El Topo (1971)

7,2 on IMDb | 80% Rotten Tomatoes

In the plot, a black-clad gunslinger (Alejandro Jodorowsky) embarks on a symbolic quest in a Wild West version of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Tristana, A Morbid Passion (1970)

Original title: Tristana

7,4 on IMDb | 97% Rotten Tomatoes

At a young age, Tristana (Catherine Deneuve) was orphaned and became the guardian of Don Lope (Fernando Rey), a respected member of the community. However, Don Lope has a weakness for women and takes advantage of his innocent protégé. When Tristana falls in love with artist Horacio (Franco Nero), she must learn to be more assertive and stand up for herself more to become independent of her nefarious guardian, or her blossoming relationship with Horatio will be doomed.

Memories of Underdevelopment (1968)

Original title: memories of underdevelopment

7,6 on IMDb | 92% Rotten Tomatoes

After the Bay of Pigs invasion, Sergio (Sergio Corrieri), a wealthy writer, decides to stay in Cuba while his wife and family flee to Miami. Sergio is pessimistic about the revolution's promise to bring radical change to his country and wastes his days wandering the streets of Havana in search of female companionship. Problems arise when his affair with Elena (Daysi Granados) almost ruins him after her family accuses Sergio of rape.

Lucia (1968)

7,1 on IMDb | 89% Rotten Tomatoes

During Cuba's war for independence from Spain, Lucia (Raquel Revuelta), a single woman from a wealthy family, betrays her brother, a Cuban revolutionary, when she inadvertently takes her lover to his secret hideout. 

Meanwhile, in the 1930s, an idealistic young pregnant woman, also named Lucia (Eslinda Núñez), leaves her family and becomes involved with an activist group. Finally, in the 1960s, a newly married woman named Lucia (Adela Legrá) fights with her husband (Adolfo Llauradó) for her own freedom.

The Hunt (1966)

Original title: The hunt

7,5 on IMDb | 86% Rotten Tomatoes

Three veterans of the Spanish Civil War and a teenager go rabbit hunting in the fields where they once exchanged gunfire. With tension rising between the three, the rabbits end up being mercilessly massacred in front of the appalled young man.

Simon of the Desert (1965)

Original title: simon of the desert

7,9 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, Simon (Claudio Brook) stands atop a stone column in the middle of the desert and prays for six years, six weeks and six days. During this period, he becomes something of a saint to his people, praised for his unwavering devotion and ability to perform great miracles in the name of God. 

Despite Simon's advice and incessant penance on their behalf, his followers seem doomed to succumb to temptation. And Simão continues to be tormented by concerns, uncertainties and the devil himself (Silvia Pinal).

I Am Cuba (1964)

Original title: I am cuba

8,2 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

The film profiles a period of transition in Cuba, between the overthrow of the Batista regime and the communist revolution, based on four different stories.

The Exterminating Angel (1962)

Original title: the exterminating angel

8,0 on IMDb | 94% Rotten Tomatoes

Mysteriously, after a luxurious dinner hosted by a rich bourgeois couple, none of the guests are able to leave the mansion. Over the next few days, all the masks created by virtue of social class fall away.

Placido (1961)

7,8 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

In the plot, in a small Spanish town, a group of ladies decide to celebrate Christmas Eve with a different dinner. Every wealthy family in town will have a homeless person dining with them that night. The celebrations also include a parade, and in the middle of it is Plácido (Cassen), the humble owner of a tricycle, whose family is forced to live in a public bathroom because they don't have money to pay the rent, and who needs to pay the second account for his vehicle before midnight, otherwise he will lose it.

Macarius (1960)

8,3 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

Three mysterious deities visit humble peasant Macario (Ignacio López Tarso) while his wife (Pina Pellicer) prepares him his favorite meal. After retaining the succulent bird from God (José Luis Jiménez) and the Devil (José Gálvez), Macario finally offers half to Death (Enrique Lucero), hoping that the gesture will prevent his own death. As a reward, Death offers Macario a saving water that will only work at Death's own discretion.

Nazarín (1959)

7,8 on IMDb | 86% Rotten Tomatoes

At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, Nazarin (Francisco Rabal), a priest of Hispanic origin, lives in a simple house in a poor neighborhood in a Mexican city. One night, a prostitute who runs away from the authorities after murdering a colleague, asks him for shelter.

Death of a Cyclist (1955)

Original title: death of a cyclist

7,7 on IMDb | 100% Rotten Tomatoes

In the story, professor Juan (Alberto Closas) is having an affair with Maria (Lucía Bosé), who is married to a rich man. After one of these encounters, while Juan is taking Maria home he accidentally runs over and kills a cyclist. But Juan is at a crucial stage in his career, Maria loves his luxurious lifestyle and the two lovers fear that this incident will cause a scandal that will disrupt their lives. Afterwards, they flee the crime scene, but Rafa (Carlos Casaravilla), one of Maria's rich colleagues, confronts the couple with psychological blackmail. 

A Crime Rehearsal (1955)

Original title: trial of a crime

7,6 on IMDb | 92% Rotten Tomatoes

Em A Crime Rehearsal, Archibaldo (Ernesto Alonso) is a potential serial killer. This is probably due to an incident in his childhood, when the housekeeper (Leonor Llausás) of the house he lived in caught him trying on some of his mother's clothes and scolded him for it. 

He wished the housekeeper dead, and she was immediately killed by a stray bullet from a revolution taking place outside the window. From this point on, his adult version plans to murder several women, but his elaborate schemes are constantly thwarted.

The Forgotten (1950)

Original title: The forgotten

8,3 on IMDb | 91% Rotten Tomatoes

In this Spanish-language film, after escaping from juvenile prison, El Jaibo (Roberto Cobo) resumes his role as leader of a group of somewhat troubled street children in the slums of Mexico City. 

Determined to find the man who supposedly sent him to jail, he asks for help from Pedro (Alfonso Mejía), one of the youngest boys. Before long, Pedro becomes involved in a criminal world that threatens to take away what little he has, no matter how hard he tries to leave this world behind.

See also other features

The best Asian-American movies of all time

The best Asian-American movies of all time

Best romantic comedy movies of all time

Best romantic comedy movies of all time

Source: R 

Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim (17 / 10 / 23)