6 Best Spanish Movies of All Time

While Spanish TV shows and dramas have always been somewhat popular, the interest in them especially boosted after Money Heist’s popularity. Of course, there are many more Spanish shows that are equally as good, although they did not garner enough attention to be a worldwide hit series like Money Heist. Due to this success, many people around the world wanted to learn Spanish and got into Spanish entertainment. This, of course, led to a boom of viewers for Spanish movies and TV shows. This is the reason we decided to write an article on this and give a list of the best Spanish movies you can watch! 

Before we move on to the list, let’s talk a bit about where you can watch and enjoy these movies. Well, the answer is pretty simple. You can access some of them on the internet on streaming sites, or you can get them exclusively on Spanish entertainment channels. If you are interested in subscribing to a complete Spanish cable TV, then you should consider Spectrum. Spectrum Espanol gives viewers access to Spanish channels including sports, entertainment, and much more. This way, viewers can enjoy content in their native language! Now, let’s move to the list:

• El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth)

Released in 2006, this dark fantasy film follows a girl named Ofelia, who has recently moved in with her mother to a small town. This Spanish movie is along the lines of dark fantasy and it is quite popular among North-American audiences. In the film, Ofelia interacts with a mysterious faun creature and as the movie progresses, she meets other strange and magical creatures as well. Guillermo Del Toro, the director, and writer of the film said that the story is influenced by fairytales. 

If we break down the movie and the name a little, we will find that the fauns were inspired by Roman mythology, while Pan was inspired by Greek, English, German, and French titles. The movie was a success and went on to win three Academy Awards and three BAFTA Awards. The film is often described as Alice in Wonderland for adults and while it is not horror, there might be a few scary-looking fauns here and there.

• No Se Aceptan Devoluciones (Instructions Not Included)

No Se Aceptan Devoluciones is a comedy film that leaves the viewer with a good message. The story follows a playboy who is left with a little girl on his doorstep. This little girl happens to be his daughter from a former fling. At first, he tries to find the mother to return the little girl to her, but eventually, decides to raise her himself. Of course, he struggles to provide a good life for her and change his lifestyle. 6 years later, he is about to get another shock when the birth mother resurfaces in his life and his family is threatened.

This movie was well-received and got a 7.5/10 rating on IMDB. It is also dubbed a good movie to watch if you are interested in learning Spanish. The movie features a clear Mexican dialect and you can also find a bit of English in there. There are no major plot twists, and the movie isn’t action-packed, which is why most people would find it slow-paced, but it is a simple and entertaining movie. To describe it appropriately, it is a fun and lighthearted movie.

• Biutiful

Biutiful is a 2010 film that covers the story of a father who is a victim of cancer and is raising his two children as his spouse is an alcoholic. The movie was released in 2010 and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in the Academy Awards. While it did not win the award, it is a great movie that touches your heart and shows the struggle of a sick father trying to do the best for his children. Aside from these problems, Uxbal, the father of the two children, also has to deal with the multiple misfortunes coming his way. While it is a great movie, be warned that you will be left with a heavy heart but it is still a must-watch!

• Diarios de Motocicleta (The Motorcycle Diaries)

If you like a good movie based on real-life events, then this movie should be on your watch list! Diarios de Motocicleta is a 2004 film that follows the journey of 23-year-old Ernesto “Che” Guevara and Alberto Granado across South America in 1952. The film shows the experiences of Guevara before he ultimately becomes a famous revolutionary. In the movie, you get to see the beautiful South American countryside and also the injustices that the people face. This is what influences Guevara to become a revolutionist and fight for justice.

This movie was very well-received due to the wonderful acting and well-written storyline. It received a standing ovation at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and received a lot of praises. Rotten Tomatoes recorded an 83% approval rating with an average rating of 7.5/10. Moreover, this film is said to be very accurate when it comes to the portrayal of the youth and it also happens to get a lot of things right based on the actual diaries. 

• The Orphanage

This movie is a little different from the ones listed above as this is a horror-thriller movie. The story focuses on Laura, who has happy memories of her childhood orphanage and so, she convinces her husband to buy the building and convert it to a home for sick children. Soon enough, her adopted son Simon disappears in the orphanage, and months later, he is presumed dead due to his disappearance. Laura then seems to hear spirits who might or might not be helping her find her son. 

The movie has received a 7.4/10 rating from IMDB and an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also received a standing ovation lasting more than 10 minutes at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007. The film is said to be great due to its lack of “cheap scares” and perfect execution. If you are a fan of good horror movies, you might want to add this one to your list as well. On the contrary, if you are easily scared, it would be better for you to just stay away from this.

• El secreto de sus ojos (The Secret in their Eyes)

Released in 2009, this crime-drama film is based on the novel “La pregunta de sus ojos” which translates to “The Question in Their Eyes”. The story follows a legal counselor as she is assigned to investigate a murder and rape case along with her boss. The movie plays out in such a way that the viewers are following the characters in the future as well, 25 years later, while they reminisce about their memories and fall in love with each other.

The film was well-received and was also awarded in Hollywood and Spain, both. In 2016, it ranked #91 by international critics for the BBC’s 100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century. The film is should be a must-watch on everyone’s list as the storyline is interesting with a little bit of romance as well!

There you have it!

This concludes our list of best Spanish movies of all time. Depending on your opinion, there might be more that should have been added to the list and we agree. However, you can only add so much to a list and so, we will save the rest for another article. For now, we hope you enjoy watching these titles and enhance your Spanish language skills!