Spanish Movies for Spanish Practice

 

My Spanish is currently at a level where I can converse, do my job at work, conduct some business, and even go on dates, as I've done it in Cuba, Perú, and Ecuador. One afternoon, I took a Brazilian client who speaks Spanish and Portuguese to lunch, and as always, our conversations was only in Spanish, as her English was limited. The catch is this, my Spanish is far from fluent, and fluency is what I desire. Dating, flirting, traveling, and having jobs where I interact with Spanish speakers has always been a fun way to develop my Spanish. I make it a goal to do some traveling to Spanish-speaking countries every year. However, when I'm at home in Oakland, I resort to watching movies, musicals, and documentaries directly from Latin-American countries; with English subtitles, of course.

Each time I watch a movie, I grade myself on how many statements and phrases I “understand” during the course of the whole movie. And when I watch that same film months later, I expect my comprehension score to be higher, which of course is a sign of improvement.

I try to watch movies, documentaries, or musicals that at least have some black cast members, such as Sanky Panky (Dominican Republic) and Balseros (Cuba), although such films are few and far between.

Below are the top 10 Spanish films I enjoy most.

1. Sanky Panky (Dominican Republic)
2. Nueva Yol III (Dominican Republic)
3. Sangre de Mi Sangre (Mexico)
4. Buena Vista Social Club (Cuba)
5. Fresas y Chocolates (Cuba)
6. María Full of Grace (Colombia)
7. Tinta Roja (Perú)
8. El Norte (Guatemala)
9. Ratanes, Ratas, Rateros (Ecuador)
10. Danzón (México)

* I'm always open to more suggestions!