Top 10 Spanish Movies To Watch Before You Die

Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes) is a Spanish movie which released in the year 1997. This movie was co-written, co-scored and directed by Alejandro Amenábar. Mateo Gil had supported him in the script. The movie had Eduardo Noriega, Penélope Cruz, FeleMartínez and NajwaNimri in the lead roles. In the year 2002, Open Your Eyes was listed at number-84 by the online film critics’ society under the Top 100 science fiction film category. Calderon’s play “Life Is a Dream’ is considered as an inspiration for this movie.

The simple plot of the movie is about a smart wealthy man who falls in love with a woman he always dreamt of. The dream woman’s role was played by Penelope Cruz. He, unfortunately, meets with a car crash that turns him disfigured. This movie is a Hollywood remake and it is definitely worth a watch.

All About My Mother is a Spanish movie (Todosobre mi madre), which released in the year 1999 under Pedro Almodóvar direction. The star cast includes Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes , Antonia San Juan, Penélope Cruz and Candela Peña playing the major roles.

The plot continues from Almodóvar’s previous movie “The Flower of My Secret (1995)” which is centered on the central theme of organ donation. The movie is centered on a mother who has lost her teenage child in the road accident. All About My Mother is a gripping story executed with some stunning performances from all the lead characters.

The Spirit of the Beehive ( El espíritu de la colmena)  directed by Victor Erice, this movie was released in the year 1973. The Spirit of Beehive is believed to be a masterpiece creation in Spanish cinema history.

The simple plot of the movie is centered on a young woman Ana and her inclination towards the 1931 horror movie “Frankenstein” (English). The film was also recognized as a “bewitching portrait of a child’s haunted inner life”.

It has received various positive comments from critics all over the world. One of the famous critics had remarked that this movie is supposed to be “one of the most beautiful and arresting films ever made in Spain or anywhere in the past 25 years or so”. Filmed in the countryside location of Castilian during 1940, the film is a visual treat viewed through the inquisitive eyes of an eight-year-old girl.

With its thrilling subject and apt direction, it’s a beautiful movie to watch.

The Spanish movie “Mondays in the Sun” (Los lunes al sol in Spanish) released in the year 2002.Fernando León de Aranoa directed the movie and the star cast included Javier Bardem, Luis Tosar and José ÁngelEgido in lead roles. The movie features the fading effects of unemployment on a gang of men who are seen wandering without any job because of the shutdown of the ship yard located in Vigo at Galicia.

The movie begins with a tag line “This film isn’t based on a true story, it’s based on thousands”. This is one of the finest movies directed by Fernando León de Aranoa.

Talk to Her movie was filmed in the year 2002.It is titled “Hable Con Ella” in Spanish. This funny movie was directed and written by Pedro Almodóvar. The film has Javier Cámara, DaríoGrandinetti, Leonor Watling, Geraldine Chaplin, and Rosario Flores in the lead roles. This movie is a parallel story of two men’s love for women in the coma. The film’s subject focuses on the existence of love in spite of the personal loss.

The film received a positive reaction from critics’ world over and garnered huge success commercially. It also received numerous accolades such as BAFTA awards, Golden Globe award etc. The movie is considered as one of the classic movies of the 2000s and is a must watch.

Released in the year 1996, Thesis is a top class Spanish movie. This happens to be Alejandro Amenábar debut movie. The script was written by Amenabar along with Mateo Gil. The movie was filmed during his study at Universidad Complutense located in Madrid. The movie holds pride in winning seven Goya awards in the year 1996 which includes the best movie award, screenplay award, and best director award. The movie has Ana Torrent, FeleMartínez, and Eduardo Noriega as leading stars in lead roles.

The single line plot of the movie is about a movie student who stumbles upon a snuff-movie racket involving her classmate. The movie is the debut film of the director was filmed in just five and a half weeks on a very low budget. This is one of a kind suspense thriller and a pleasure to watch.

Pan’s Labyrinth originally titled in Spanish as El laberintodelfauno released in the year 2006. The Spanish Mexican movie is a fantasy filled movie which was directed and written by Guillermo Del Toro who is a Mexican film maker. Esperanto films took up the production activities of the movie.

The story of the movie occurs in May-June 1944 in Spain which is about five years after the Spanish Civil war, some time at the beginning of the Francoist period. The storyline of the movie links fact with fiction focusing on a huge deserted labyrinth and a clueless faun animal with which the main role Ofelia speaks. Stepfather of Ofelia the Falangist captain Vidal searches for the Spanish Maquis who defends the opposing Francoist regime in the location. However, Ofelia’s carrying mother Carmen’s health deteriorates.

Pellet known as El bola in Spanish is a dramatic movie released in the year 2000. AcheroMañas directed the movie which won the Goya awards in 15 Goya awards category.

Pablo the short name of El Bola or the nickname is of a boy aged 12 years who belong to an abusive house /family located in Madrid. He tries to find new meaning to his life from a friend and his family. The father of the boy happens to be violent and this scenario at the family stops the kid from making friends at school. Later he meets Alfredo who joins the school newly and Alfredo’s family gives sufficient care and compassion to Pablo’s oppressed situation. Later Alfredo’s family gives comfort to Pablo and supports him in facing the worst challenges with courage and strength. It is a movie of how a child’s upbringing is affected due to the parent’s ill behavior and how a friendship could change one’s life forever.

La Comunidad, titled in the United Kingdom as “Common Wealth” released in the year 2000. It is a funny movie under Álex de la Iglesia direction. A wisely scripted tongue in cheek thriller; this movie is filled with quite a lot of suspense. Julia’s character is played by Carmen Maura.

The simple storyline is about how Julia tries to own the money which is left behind by her neighbor who is dead in the apartment. Julia fights with the neighbors and other apartment residents to take over the wealth left behind by the demised neighbor. She decides to risk her own life for the sake of money. However, there was also another troop of men waiting to swindle the money. Watch this movie for the thrilling content.

Los Santos Inocentes is the Spanish title for the movie the “Holy Innocents”. This movie was directed by Mario Camus. The movie is based on a novel which was written by Miguel Delibes titled “The Holy Innocents”. The movie features Alfredo Landa and Francisco Rabal in the lead roles.

The story line is very simple. Regula and Paco are poor persons. They work for wealthy landlords. The movie explores their trauma, pain and the archaistic attitude of the 60’s Spain.

The movie was also voted as the best Spanish film and it ranked third in the list chosen by film lovers at the Spanish cinema centenary held in the year 1996.