With the start of the new semester comes the practice of procrastination. For the many of us that do tend to procrastinate, it is a result of streaming shows or movies on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, Amazon Prime Video, and various other platforms.
Or maybe you like to multitask and stream shows or movies while doing your work – I don't advise doing this when studying for exams. Either way, we all find time to watch our favorite shows.
As a proud Latina, I do watch my fair share of telenovelas (i.e "Rebelde,") but I also enjoy watching films, whether it's a documentary or not, about the Latin community. Comprised are 15 Latin movies or shows that are currently available to watch on Netflix.
1. "El Chavo del Ocho" (both the live action and the cartoon version)
This show is a Netflix Original remake of the 1970s sitcom "One Day At A Time." It stars a Cuban-American family and how they navigate life in both the good and the bad times. (Also Rita Moreno – a.k.a Anita in "West Side Story" – is really funny in this series.) Season two also just came out.
3. "Celia"
Also a Telemundo original series, "La Reina del Sur" is based on the book of the same name by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. It follows the story of Teresa "La Mexicana" Mendoza and her rise as the most powerful drug trafficker in Southern Spain. Telemundo announced in 2017 that the telenovela was renewed for a second season.
The USA Network Channel also has a show, "Queen of the South" which is very (and I mean very) loosely based on the 2011 show and the original book. Personally, "La Reina del Sur" is much more captivating and makes a lot more sense than the USA Network series.
5. "Sofía Niño de Rivera: Exposed"
Mexican stand-up comedy star Sofía uses sarcasm to tell the story of her life in this funny Netflix Orginal Special.6. "Ixcanul"
Ixcanul means "volcano" in the Mayan language of Kaqchikel. Ixacanul is a film about a young Indigenous Guatemalan girl who, when told she would be having an arranged marriage, dreams of escaping to America to make a new life for herself. The film is mainly spoken in Kaqchikel but there are English subtitles available.7. "El Che"
Spanish-Mexican writer, Paco Ignacio Taibo II offers insight into the footsteps of infamous Cuban military leader, Ernesto "Che" Guevara in this two-hour documentary.8. "Allende"
Salvador Allende was the former president of Chile and is known as the first Marxist to become a Latin American president due to an open election. The film "Allende" presents the former president's last seven hours before dying in a military coup.9. "Neruda"
Pablo Neruda, a renowned Latino poet, was also a known communist, after his experiences in the Spanish Civil War, Neruda came to admire Josef Stalin's Soviet Union and the ideals that Marxist Doctrine presented. "Neruda" is a dramatized film that follows Pablo Neruda, as he is marked a fugitive and is hunted down by a Chilean policeman.10. "First Contact: Lost Tribe of the Amazon"
This documentary follows an anthropologist who makes contact with and explores the lives of an isolated tribe on the Brazilian-Peruvian border.
11. "Cuba and the Cameraman"
This documentary by Jon Alpert follows the lives of three Cuban families over the course of 45 years. It gives insight into how many Cubans lived during the rule of the Fidel Castro and what the people thought about him, whether good or bad.
12. "Humano"
Filmed in South America, "Humano" is a documentary that follows Argentinean film producer Alan Stivelman to the Andes mountains on his quest to understand the origin of man and the reason for his existence.
13. "Gloria"
This biopic of Mexican singer-songwriter Gloria Trevi chronicles her rise to international stardom as a pop star which was brought to a halt when she was imprisoned for kidnapping and prostituting underage girls. While she was released due to lack of evidence and rebuilt her life of stardom, "Gloria" gives insight into the life of the"Mexican Madonna."
14. "The Day I Met El Chapo"
This Docu-Series is a biographical account by Mexican television star, Kate del Castillo and tells her side of the story about meeting Mexican drug lord El Chapo Guzmán. Using never-before-seen-footage, Kate del Castillo reveals the meeting that made headlines between El Chapo, Sean Penn, and herself.
15. "Todo Sobre El Asado"
In the Latin community, meat is an essential part of our diet. Whether it's chicken, pork, or beef, it's not common that a Latino/a is a vegetarian. "Todo Sobre el Asado" is a documentary filmed in Argentina that gives insight into how meat, specifically grilled/seared beef or "carne asada," is an important part of the Argentinean culture.