Why Do Latino Movies Suck?

Latino films created by Hollywood for popular consumption are terrible. That is a fact, but it’s also the subject of an interesting post by Alonso Duralde for Slate.com. What he concluded was, “It’s a numbers game.” In other words, since there aren’t really that many films made with Latino actors or themes, you’re going to miss more than you hit, since “85% of everything is crap.” Make more movies with Latinos or Latino themes and you’ll have more good ones.

Among the crap movies he mentioned were “Our Family Wedding,” “Chasing Papi,” “Tortilla Soup,” “Nothing Like the Holidays,” and if you’ve seen any of these you know they’re not necessarily what you’d call “good.” Which is one reason why they’re not successful. Hollywood has been making bad movies with Latino actors or ostensibly Latino themes and then making a sad face when no one — including Latino audiences which make up 24% of AMC Theaters’ ticket sales — goes to see them.

Instead of making bad movies and expecting Latinos to watch them, Duralde makes the case that change is on the horizon. Televisa and Lionsgate Films have partnered in a venture called Pantelion Films, which is set to release “From Prada to Nada,” a Jane Austin-type of romantic comedy. Pantelion Films’ business plan? Make good movies that happen to “be set in a Latino world.”

My, what a novel concept!