Mexico Mexico Guide Things To Do Essentials Where to Stay Itineraries All Mexico Classic Movies Set in Mexico By Suzanne Barbezat Suzanne Barbezat Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Suzanne Barbezat is a freelance writer specializing in Mexican travel, culture, and food. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 06/03/19 Share Pin Email Christian Frausto Bernal / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0 Whether you're planning a trip and want to prepare by getting in the mood or reminiscing about trips you've taken, these movies will transport you to Mexico where the sun is hot, the desert is dusty and passions run strong. Most of these are Hollywood movies and portray Mexico in a very stereotypical manner, so you may not learn anything about Mexico from them, but at least you can be entertained and enjoy the landscape. 01 of 11 Spectre (2015) Juan Fernando Ibarra / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain The thrilling opening sequence of the 24th James Bond movie, Spectre, starring Daniel Craig and directed by Sam Mendez was shot in Mexico City's historical center. The action included a fabulous Day of the Dead parade and views of the Metropolitan Cathedral and other historical buildings. 02 of 11 Apocalypto (2006) Alanruiz45 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 Mel Gibson's offering takes place at the time of the fall of the Mayan civilization. Billed as "a heart stopping mythic action-adventure," some reviewers say Apocalypto is long on action (and gore) and short on plot. The movie was shot in the Mayan language in the jungles of Veracruz. 03 of 11 Nacho Libre (2006) Melissa Kuhnell / Getty Images Fans of slapstick comedy will enjoy Nacho Libre, in which Jack Black plays Ignacio, a monk who doubles as a wrestler to earn money to buy food for orphans. Filmed on location in Oaxaca. 04 of 11 Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) Foto Carlos Avila Arquin / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain The culmination of Robert Rodriguez' El Mariachi trilogy brings together Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, and Salma Hayek. This trilogy began with groundbreaking El Mariachi in 1992, made with a shoe-string budget and shot in Spanish in a border town of Coahuila. Columbia Pictures distributed the film and gave Rodriguez the opportunity to make his Hollywood debut with Desperado in 1995, in which Antonio Banderas takes over the role of El Mariachi. Continue to 5 of 11 below. 05 of 11 Frida (2002) David Bank / Getty Images Salma Hayek stars as the eccentric artist Frida Kahlo and Alfred Molina plays her husband, Diego Rivera, in this biopic that tells the life story of one of Mexico's most loved painters. A lot of the film was shot in Kahlo's home, the Casa Azul (now a museum) in the Coyoacan area of Mexico City. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won two (Best Original Score and Best Makeup). 06 of 11 The Mexican (2001) Fernando Espinosa de los Monteros / Getty Images Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts star in this crime comedy about a bumbling criminal who goes to Mexico to get a priceless antique gun, "the Mexican" and gets deeper and deeper into trouble. His girlfriend Samantha (Roberts) gets kidnapped by a hit man to ensure that the Mexican does not get into the wrong hands. 07 of 11 All the Pretty Horses (2000) Witold Skrypczak / Getty Images Billy Bob Thornton directed this movie based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy. Matt Damon plays John Grady Cole, a young Texan who convinces a friend to cross the border with him to find work. They wind up on a large Mexican horse ranch. He finds favor with the boss at his ability to break wild horses, and he catches the eye of the boss's daughter, Alejandra, played by Penelope Cruz. 08 of 11 Like Water for Chocolate (1992) Luis Castaneda Inc. / Getty Images Based on the novel by Laura Esquivel, this movie set in revolutionary Mexico tells the story of Tita and Pedro, young lovers who cannot marry because her mother insists that Tita, as the youngest daughter, must remain single to care for her in her old age. Pedro ends up marrying her older sister. Tita discovers that her emotions are transmitted through her cooking to those who eat the food she has prepared. Continue to 9 of 11 below. 09 of 11 Old Gringo (1989) travelgame / Getty Images Gregory Peck, Jane Fonda and Jimmy Smits star in this adaptation of a novel by Carlos Fuentes set during the Mexican Revolution. The movie tells the story of an odd love triangle between an American school teacher (Fonda) who goes to Mexico to find work as a governess, a general in the revolution (Smits) and an aging writer, the "Old Gringo" (Peck). 10 of 11 The Night of the Iguana (1964) Greg Vaughn / Getty Images In this adaptation of a Tennessee Williams play directed by John Huston, Richard Burton plays a defrocked priest who travels to Mexico and finds work as a tour guide. His plans to stay on the straight-and-narrow are challenged by various women who tempt his resolve. The film was shot in Puerto Vallarta—you can visit the set of the movie which is now a restaurant on Mismaloya beach. 11 of 11 Fun in Acapulco (1963) Peter Adams / Getty Images Elvis Presley stars as a trapeze artist suffering from fear of heights after an accident. In Acapulco, he works in as a boat hand and singer but finds plenty of time to frolic in the sun with pretty girls. Of course, he eventually gets over his phobia and proves it by cliff diving—and gets the girl (though that went without saying). In Acapulco, see the cliff divers and Villa Vera Hotel which appear in the movie. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit