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From Selena to Father of the Bride, this list has it all.
While our Hispanic and Latinx roots should always be celebrated, Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect time to indulge in all your favorite things about your culture. Whether you’re chowing down on Abuela’s amazing arroz con pollo or listening to your favorite Spanish music with your parents, there are so many ways to appreciate the history, achievements, and cultural movements that Hispanic heritage brings us. One of the best ways to dive deep and learn about your history is by watching Hispanic movies and Latino movies.
If you want to learn more about pop culture icons like Selena Quintanilla (a.k.a the namesake of another Latina queen, Selena Gomez), feel inspired by flicks that are based on true stories, or even just appreciate the music, fashion, and visual arts that come from your culture, look no further. Ahead, find 15 of the best Hispanic movies to watch this Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond.
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Based on the life and legacy of Tejano singer, Selena Quintanilla, this biopic shows her humble beginnings in Corpus Christi, Texas and the tragedy leading up to her death in 1995. The movie also gave Jennifer Lopez her first breakout role.
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Disney brought us this stunning musical fantasy film that follows the magical Madrigal family in Colombia. Their casita, or house, possesses magical powers and blesses each child with their own unique gift — but what happens when Mirabel doesn’t have her own fantastical gift? This movie also spawned the TikTok-viral hit, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.”
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Gina Rodriguez stars as Jenny, a music journalist who faces her first tumultuous heartbreak when she has to leave her relationship to move across the country and start her dream job. In one scene, she wears an *iconic* “Latina AF” shirt and she even performs a moving rendition of Selena’s “Dreaming of You” at a bodega. Fun fact: Someone Great also inspired Taylor Swift to write “Death by a Thousand Cuts” on her 2019 album, Lover.
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This Disney Channel Original Movie is based on a true story about a middle school dance team that overcomes setbacks and finds rhythm within their Latin American roots.
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A Cuban drag performer named Jesus begins to clash with his estranged father once his dreams of performing become reality. While he expects his dad to be supportive of his passion, his father struggles to come to terms with it in this moving film.
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Before Hamilton gained international recognition, Lin Manuel-Miranda’s inaugural musical, In The Heights, made waves in the theater community. The film encapsulates the essence of the NYC neighborhood, Washington Heights, and its melting pot of Hispanic cultures.
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This goes down as one of the best movie sequels of all time, and with good reason. Aqua, Chanel, Dorinda, and Galleria — a.k.a The Cheetah Girls — spend the summer in Barcelona to gear up for a music festival highlighting undiscovered talent. While Spain is a European country, the Cheetahs tap into Chanel’s Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican roots to put on epic performances of Spanish songs. Plus, Mexican singer Belinda stars as their foe-turned-friend, Marisol.
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This sports drama is based on a true story that follows the coach of a predominantly Latino high school track team. When Coach White is hired at the Central Valley school, he realizes his students are exceptionally fast runners and learns a lot about them and their lives outside of their school’s halls, which consist of working in fields. This inspiring movie shows that with enough hard work and self-belief, anyone can become a champion.
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Pixar’s Coco follows a kid named Miguel who has big dreams of becoming a musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. The only problem? His family has a generations-old ban on music. Miguel winds up in the colorful Land of the Dead and meets Héctor, who he embarks on a journey with to unravel the story behind his family’s history. Warning: you will cry at this heartfelt story, so make sure you have some tissues on standby.
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Camila Cabello stars in this musical retelling of the classic fairytale. Cinderella — also known as Ella, in this version — has big dreams of becoming a fashion designer who specializes in ball gowns. Camila’s co-star Billy Porter puts it best: “She is Latina, she is the CEO of her own destiny. She’s a businesswoman, she’s an entrepreneur… she doesn’t need a man to do any of those things.” Period!
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Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez has graced us with dozens of amazing movies over the years, but Instructions Not Included pulls at your heartstrings in the right way. He takes on the role of Valentin, a bachelor who learns the ropes of parenting when one of his exes leaves him their daughter to raise on his own. He not only learns about his daughter but himself in the process.
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In the fifth movie of the Bring It On franchise, Christina Milian plays Lina, a head cheerleader who has to leave her East LA squad behind when her mom marries a wealthy man in Malibu. After she struggles to fit in with the snooty cheerleading captain at her new school, Lina recruits her besties from her old school and new recruits to create the ultimate all-star dream team.
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This documentary follows four wrongfully-convicted lesbians who were accused of sexually assaulting two children during the Satanic Panic era that took over the ’80s and ’90s. Not only did the San Antonio four fight against mythology and homophobia, but they had to face an intense legal battle in hopes of being let free.
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A high school teacher in LA faces pressure by faculty to control his rambunctious class while also being hassled by his tough students. In an attempt to calm them down and positively influence his students, he decides to teach them higher math, which results in the students acing the state’s calculus test. Once their scores are questioned, they must retake the exam to prove the naysayers wrong.
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Based on the 1949 novel of the same, Father of the Bride stars a slew of iconic Hispanic actors like Andy Garcia, Gloria Estefan, Isabela Merced, and Diego Boneta. Andy plays Sophie’s dad, who must come to terms with her upcoming wedding and balance relationships in his Cuban-American family.
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