Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon have revolutionized how we watch movies, letting people worldwide access thousands of outstanding titles from home.
This online blooming has coincided with the rebirth of Mexican cinema movies like “Amores Perros” and “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Nowadays, Hollywood gossip is all about talented Mexican directors like Patricia Riggen or the so-called Three Amigos, Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, and Alfonso Cuarón.
Mexican actors Salma Hayek and Gael García Bernal are among many who switch seamlessly from English-language Hollywood blockbusters to Spanish-language movies. Indeed, Mexican influence is everywhere.
But Mexican cinema movies are not a recent phenomenon. The country has a rich cinematic history. We’ll take you through its history and recommend the unmissable performances that will enrich your appreciation of Mexico’s incredible movie industry.
A Brief History of Mexican Cinema Movies
Mexicans first saw moving pictures on August 14, 1896, in Mexico City. Soon, their popularity spread with reels showing everything from news items to silent films. Local filmmakers took up the new medium, helping movies blossom.
The Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) brought down the country’s dictatorship and birthed the modern constitutional republic of today. Movies formed a vital role in communications and propaganda. Indeed, one of the revolutionary leaders, Pancho Villa, recorded actual battle footage during the Civil War and starred as himself in the biopic “The Life of General Villa.” He even became one of Mexico’s most famous actors.
Filmmakers looked to shoot different movies once the revolution was over, leading to the Golden Age of Mexican cinema from the 1930s-1950s. Next, television barged into the cinema market, but the movies continued. During Mexico’s Dirty War (1968-1982), censorship of movies became commonplace if they dealt with themes like political decay or social issues that were uncomfortable for the powers that be.
Then came the New Mexican Cinema movement (“Nuevo Cine Mexicano”), which exploded onto screens, bringing many modern classics like “Amores Perros” to movie buffs in America and beyond.
What Was the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema?
The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema saw the country’s film production rise from 24 films a year in the 1930s to more than 100 annually by the 1950s. Mexico was the center of Latin American film production, with illustrious studios and a vast pool of talented actors.
A film called “Santa” (or just “St.”) revolutionized Mexican cinema movies. It was released in 1932 as the first Mexican movie with sound. The addition of sound saw an explosion of movies carrying messages that resonated with the public. Popular themes included the country life struggles of peasants, the poor’s travails in encounters with upper or middle-class citizens, and gothic horror.
Melodramas, often based around brothels, came to the fore and dominated the Golden Age. Film noir also developed a niche, as did movies that celebrated indigenous and usually conservative rural Mexico.
A History of Mexican Cinema Movies: Who and What to Watch
Below, we’ve selected some of the best films made in or about Mexico, starring Mexican actors, or directed by Mexicans. These movies showcase Latin America’s talent to its fullest.
Be sure to look for these classics to get a greater understanding and insight into Mexican cinema movies. Let’s start with the people behind the camera because there are many brilliant directors of Mexican movies.
Who Was Juan Bustillo Oro?
Writer, director and producer Juan Bustillo Oro (1904-1989) worked through the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.
His 1934 movie “Dos Monjes” (“Two Monks”) is considered a gothic horror classic. Oro’s inventive use of shadows and costumes makes it stand out. The story centers around a devil-haunted brother who assaults his exorcist. This exorcist was also involved in a romantic betrayal of the brother. Oro uses different point-of-view narrative techniques to explain the movie’s plot triangle.
Fernando de Fuentes Carrau: A Mexican Cinema Classic
Fernando de Fuentes Carrau (1894-1958) was a pioneering Mexican film director with more than 35 films to his name from 1932 to 1953.
He is accredited as the first Mexican film director to harness the potential of sound and the moving image. The 1936 war drama “Vámonos con Pancho Villa” (“Let’s Go with Pancho Villa”) remains one of de Fuentes’ endearing (and enduring) movies, depicting ranchers joining the rebel leader Pancho in the fight for the Mexican revolution. Unappreciated at the time, it’s now considered de Funetes’ masterpiece.
The Godfather of Mexican Cinema Movies: Emilio Fernández, El Indio
Emilio “El Indio” Fernández Romo (1904-1986) was and remains Mexican cinema’s heavyweight. Born to a Kickapoo Native American mother and a Mexican father, Emilio took the nickname El Indio (The Indian). He ran with his own brand of muscular Mexican nationalism.
He made his acting debut in 1928 in “El Destino” and appeared in several U.S.-based westerns. By 1942, he had turned to directing, debuting with “La Isla de la Pasión” (“Passion Island”).
Within two years, his 1944 masterpiece, “María Candelaria,” won the best film at the Cannes Film Festival and sealed Emilio’s place as the king of the Mexican populist drama. He went on to promote Mexican culture throughout his directing career. He was still appearing as an actor in his movies at 75.
Current Successful Mexican Movie Directors
Here are a few modern Mexican film directors whose works have been wowing crowds thanks to their cinematography skills.
Patricia Riggen: “Under the Same Moon,” “Miracles From Heaven”
Guillermo del Toro: Multiple Oscar winner for “The Shape of Water,” “The Hobbit” trilogy, “Pinocchio” (2022 version), “Pan’s Labyrinth”
Alejandro G. Iñárritu: “Amores Perros,” “Birdman,” (which won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director), “The Revenant,” “Babel”
Alfonso Cuarón: “Gravity,” “Roma” (Oscar winner for Best Cinematography and Best Director), “Y tu mamá también”
Important Actors From the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema
Pedro Infante Cruz (1917-1957) was a Latin American idol and star of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Known as Pedro Infante, he died in a plane crash at 40 years old, having already recorded more than 60 films and recorded over 350 songs.
Infante was one of the self-styled Tres Gallos Mexicanos (Three Mexican Roosters) along with Jorge Negrete and Javier Solís. Perhaps his best performances came in “Tizoc” and “Nosotros los Pobres” (“We Are the Poor”).
Notable mentions include the comic actor Cantinflas, Mexican-American film Pedro Armendáriz, Dolores del Río, and María Félix. Salma Hayek is one of Mexico’s most prominent current actors, famous for her roles in everything from “Frida” to “Black Mirror.”
What Are the Best Mexican Movies?
Here are some of the best Mexican movies, starting with the older and leading up to modern-day classics.
1944: “María Candelaria” was written and directed by El Indio Emilio Fernández and starred Mexican heavyweight actors Dolores del Río and Pedro Armendáriz. The story follows a Mexican peasant, played by del Río, whose life is ruined by a man whose advances she rejects and later by society’s prejudices.
1946: Once more, Emilio Fernández directs a classic, this time called “Enamorada” (“In Love”). An aristocrat, played by María Felix, falls in love with a rebel leader against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution. The leader has taken over the aristocrat’s towns and demands money to fund his cause. Still, his plans are disrupted by his newly found feelings for the wealthy aristocrat.
1950: Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel’s classic “Los Olvidados” (“The Young and the Damned”) depicts violence for young people living in the slums of Mexico City. Themes of betrayal and redemption exude from this masterpiece, which garnered Buñuel the best director title from the Cannes Film Festival.
1960: Director Roberto Gavaldón’s supernatural drama “Macario” focuses on an impoverished peasant of the same name. Macario is visited by God, the Devil, and Death at a meal cooked by Macario’s wife, that of a stolen turkey. His actions lead him to confront his mortality.
1993: “Cronos” was Guillermo del Toro’s debut feature film, a horror movie in which an ancient artifact can unlock everlasting life. However, its wielder develops a thirst for blood.
1995: Jorge Fon directs “Midaq Alley,” a movie that stars a young Salma Hayek. It follows the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortunes of people living in Mexico City, whose life paths cross. It features themes of desire, broken dreams, and anger. Midaq Alley was adapted from Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz’s novel.
2000: “Amores Perros” is possibly the film most people associate with Mexico. A massive crash in Mexico City is the entry point for three stories to weave around themes of loss, communism, and love, among others. Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu’s feature film debut features Gael García Bernal, Jorge Salinas, and Vanessa Bouche within the cast.
2001: “Y tu mamá también” (literally “And Your Mother, Too”) catapulted Alfonso Cuarón to Oscar nominations and Golden Globe Awards. As a road trip coming-of-age movie, it caused controversy because of its sexually explicit content. Three protagonists, Gael García Bernal as Julio, Maribel Verdu as Luisa, and Diego Luna as Tenoch, discover friendship, sex, and love when the two teenage boys meet Luisa, who has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
2006: Guillermo Del Toro appears again with “Pan’s Labyrinth,” a dark, magic-realism tale set during Spain’s Civil War. A young girl, loved by her mother but rejected by her sadistic military stepfather, befriends a fawn. A fairy tale unfolds against an unrelenting backdrop of violence perpetrated in Franco’s Spain.
2018: Alfonso Cuarón was back among the Oscar nominations with the drama “Roma.” The movie also won him a Goya, the equivalent of an Oscar in Spain, for the best picture from Latin America. Roma stars Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira and follows an indigenous live-in housemaid for a middle-class family. The movie has won praise for portraying indigenous characters through eschewing stereotypes.
Where Can I Watch Classic Mexican Movies?
“You’ll probably find some of the more recent Mexican movies mentioned above on Netflix, Amazon, and other streaming services.
For classic Mexican cinema movies, particularly those from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, Pantaya was traditionally the best choice. A good starting place now is ViX. Other options include:
What Types of Movies Are Popular in Mexico?
Some 85% of Mexicans watch a film weekly, and most watch them with kids as part of quality family time. The most popular movie genres in Mexico, according to a Paramount Pictures study, are:
- Action (80% popularity)
- Adventure (74%)
- Comedy (71%)
- Sci-Fi (67%)
- Thriller (65%)
- Animation (61%)
Further down the list are rom-coms (57%), followed by fantasy (55%), and mystery (54%). Less than half of Mexicans are fans of history movies or drama (48%) and romance (47%).
More Than “Amores Perros”: The Best Mexican Cinema Movies
Mexico’s film industry has seen many changes, enjoyed several resurgences, and provided some of the most memorable films ever made.
From its humble start to a starring role as an entertainment and propaganda tool, Mexican cinema was altered entirely by introducing sound. Innovative directors produced groundbreaking movies and high-quality actors working at home and in Hollywood.
The start of the 21st century saw an explosion of Mexican talent working for big-screen productions. Actors and directors of Mexican origin regularly form part of global blockbusters, filmed either in and about Mexico, Hollywood, or other countries.
Moreover, Mexican film directors keep ahead of the game for discerning audiences. Mexican filmgoers are far more likely to research what they will watch than most cinema fans. No wonder Mexico is a thriving cultural hotspot for creative screenwriting and film production.
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