The United States is a highly diverse nation, being home to a wide range of minorities from across the world, with the Hispanic people being one of the largest minorities.
We know the Hispanic culture for its rich cultural traditions emphasizing family, food, and high respect for elders, as well as their vibrant events that display diverse musical and artistic talents. However, beyond these elements, the culture has added to the rich history of this country.
Hispanic American history is shaped by multiple highly influential icons who have made significant contributions to areas like politics, music, sports, and more. The lives of these individuals tell a tale of relentless passion, effort, and making a change, that has and continues to inspire numerous people.
It was only a matter of time before the stories of these individuals were also turned into critically acclaimed Hollywood films. Luckily so, I’ll say since they provided a way for both Hispanic people and the rest of the world to recognize, appreciate, and always remember the struggles these icons had to go through to make the world a better place.
In this article I’m going to be sharing some of these notable movies that are available to watch online today. However, watching these movies is not just about temporarily entertaining yourself. It is about immersing yourself in the real-life emotions and experiences of these iconic individuals without interruptions, which makes having a fast and reliable internet provider essential.
If you’re looking for one, you can dial the numero de Spectrum for a fast and reliable internet plan that will allow you to fully immerse yourself in these rich films, uninterrupted.
Now, let’s take a look at 3 must-watch biopics on Hispanic icons! I’m going to be listing them down based on the years they were released, starting from the earlier ones to the most recent ones.
1. La Bamba
The drama film follows the life and the short yet highly impactful musical career of renowned Mexican American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Ritchie Valens, who will forever be known as the father of Chicano rock and roll.
The film, named after the singer’s breakthrough hit, La Bamba, explores the singer’s poor upbringing, his turbulent relationship with his elder brother, and how racism impacted his love life, as well as the challenges he faced as a Hispanic teenager trying to make his musical career in the 1950s.
In addition to significant box office earnings and critical acclaim, the film was also included in the annual selection of 25 motion pictures added to the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress known to be culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant and recommended for preservation.
- Year: 1987
- Length: 1h 48m
- Platforms for Watching: Netflix, Apple TV, Apple TV Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Store, and Sky Store
2. Stand and Deliver
The comedy-drama film shares the story of Bolivian American high school mathematics teacher, Jaime Escalante, who taught calculus from 1974 to 1991 at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. During this period, he made significant efforts to change the lives of students deemed impossible by other educators by encouraging and inspiring them to tap into their potential and teaching them in new ways.
The film explores Jaime’s tenure at the school, how his humor, dedication, and innovative teaching methods turn his relationship with his students from a hostile one to an inspirational and supportive one, and how he could go to any length to educate and turn around the lives of his students.
This film, too, was a hit at the box office, getting lead actor Edward James Olmos a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor and winning the Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature. Like La Bamba, this film, too, was labeled culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and chosen for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
- Year: 1988
- Length: 1h 42m
- Platforms for Watching: Hoopla, Fandango at Home, Apple TV, Apple TV Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Store, and Sky Store
3. Cesar Chavez
The biographical film on the life of American-Mexican labor leader and civil rights activist, Cesar Chavez, pays tribute to the revolutionary by highlighting his efforts to improve the lives of labor workers in the United States, all in a non-violent way.
The film follows his journey to organize 50,000 farm workers, some being braceros in California. It highlights issues like racism, cruelty, and poor working conditions that they faced, then explores Cesar Chavez’s efforts to help them by building the United Farm Workers and the huge, sometimes violent opposition that comes his way.
While Cesar Chavez could not do very well critically and financially, it nevertheless serves as an important film to bring awareness to Cesar Chavez’s efforts by touching on some of the major nonviolent campaigns the UFW organized, such as the 1975 Modesto march, the Salad Bowl strike, and the Delano grape strike.
- Year: 2014s
- Length: 1h 42m
- Platforms for Watching: Hoopla, Pluto TV, Plex Player, Freevee, Fandango at Home, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video
Hispanic American Biopics – Immortalizing Legacies of Resilience and Struggle
The efforts and contributions of Hispanic Americans like Ritchie Valens, Jaime Escalante, and Cesar Chavez in adding to our rich history cannot be understated.
In addition to serving as great entertainment, the biopics in this list, play a huge role in keeping future generations aware of the history and legacies of these icons.
So, the next time you’re planning a movie night, consider diving into these rich and meaningful films that share the incredible experiences of icons we should be grateful for.
