LBC Day 15 - Latinos in Movies

I love movies. I have been a movie buff longer than I have been into music. Most times, I am not caring all that much of the ethnicity of people in films as long as it is good and it makes sense. While, I totally get and understand that there will be films that will exploit certain people and play into stereotypes, it does not make me stop seeing what Hollywood has to offer.

With that said, there are not too many Latinocentric (I think I made a word here) movies that come out of Hollywood. The last move that I saw in the theaters in which the plot was intended toward a Latino audience was Our Family Wedding. Most times, it seems that we are side characters within the plot. Now, unless you are in a Robert Rodriguez fillm like Machete or Desperado, then Latinos are in the fore front.

But, I will not take a negative tone with this one. I think there are many Latino Movie Stars we could focus on because they are making it in a very competitive industry. I have already written two blogs on Zoe Saldana, so I wont go there (even though her career is exploding). We could look at America Ferrera, whom I think is a very good actress, but I am waiting for her BIG movie. I have always been a big fan of Salma Hyek, however, I feel that her movies are hit or miss. Jennifer Lopez just has not been able to catch a break with roles that define her. I personally think she plays too many non Latino characters.

I will say that when I heard Jimmy Smits was going to be Bail Organa in Star Wars a few years back, I was so very happy. Then I saw his screen time was like less than 15 minutes in both Star Wars films combined. Although, it has got to be cool to be immortalized in a movie trilogy like that though. I have talked a little bit Laz Alonzo before, he was in Avatar, but I really liked him in Miracle at St. Anna. I shouldn't really forget John Leguizamo for any of his numerous roles, but like Salmita, it is a hit or miss with him.

I know that I have not named nearly as many people as I want to, but I think that the interest of Latinos in Hollywood is growing. It is an uphill climb from playing something like Mexican Gangster to positive role model like Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos in Stand and Deliver). We will have to wait and see what we get at the movies in the future.

Did I miss anyone you like?