New Mexican Cinema Films with Nail-Biting Plots

Whenever I think of Mexican movies, classics that feature Mexican icons like Maria Felix, Pedro Infante and Mario Moreno "Cantinflas" always come to mind. While my dad is a huge fan of Cine de Oro (Golden Age of Mexican Cinema), I am not. Luckily I discovered Nuevo Cine Mexicano, which started in the early 1990s and features contemporary story lines.

I still remember watching El crimen del Padre Amaro for the first time.  Father Amaro, a young newly ordained priest, arrives in the small town of Aldama to start his life in the church. He meets Amalia, a parishioner, and soon begins an illicit affair with her. The lies, crimes and sins committed shocked many and sucked me into this film genre.

In La mujer de mi hermano, Zoe finds herself bored after 10 years of marriage. She finds the missing passion in her husband's brother. There is a shocking twist in the plot that I never saw coming!

In La misma luna, Rosario goes to the U.S. searching for work and a better life for her 9-year-old son, leaving Carlitos in Mexico with his grandmother. After an unforeseen situation, Carlitos takes a journey, on his own, to reunite with his mom, facing many challenges along the way.

Instructions not included has become one of my favorite films. Valentin is a bachelor suddenly faced with raising a daughter he didn't even know existed when an ex-fling leaves baby Maggie with him. He soon finds himself willing to do anything to keep his little lady happy. After six years, Maggie's mom returns and Valentin is in danger of losing her.

English subtitles are available for all films.

What are your favorite New Mexican Cinema films?