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Newcomer What are some good movies to watch on Netflix to learn Spanish and watch some of the local culture that feature Buenos Aires?

Bride to Be

Active member
So I am trying to get fluent. I speak decent Spanish but I've found the more I practice with my local friends the better I'm getting. I also try to watch movies in Spanish. Can any of you recommend some good movies to watch on Netflix or maybe another steaming platform? I'd really appreciate it. I want to get fluent as soon as I can. I love Argentina and foresee myself living here a long time.

I'm trying to have a baby with my Porteño husband and I think that will help once we have a baby and only speaking in Spanish. My husband is fluent in English as he studied in the USA and did his Masters in London. I think he loses patience with my Spanish and mostly speaks English even though I tell him I want to practice my Spanish.

Thanks!
 
I agree the best way to learn is to practice with your Spouse. I know the feeling what you mean about your spouse losing patience. I have lived here a long time but it's tough to get completely fluent as my wife also studied in London and speaks English better than I do! All our friends speak English perfectly too. I try but I think they all lose patience and also they all like to practice their English.

I like the Netflix Series "El Reino" which translates to The Kingdom. There are 2 seasons.

 
I agree the best way to learn is to practice with your Spouse. I know the feeling what you mean about your spouse losing patience. I have lived here a long time but it's tough to get completely fluent as my wife also studied in London and speaks English better than I do! All our friends speak English perfectly too. I try but I think they all lose patience and also they all like to practice their English.

I like the Netflix Series "El Reino" which translates to The Kingdom. There are 2 seasons.

I also like The Kingdom. It kind of reminds me of House of Cards. Some parts are too unrealistic just like House of Cards. My girlfriend tells me that Cladia Piñero is one of her favorite writers. I'm not sure what else she wrote but here are a few articles about the show:


 
I really enjoy Claudia Piñeiro as a writer. You may want to read her other books which also were made into movies. One is Betibú and the other is Las Viudas de los Jueves. It's on Netflix as Thursday's Widows.

 
Check out Okupas and more realistic vs. the fake gated communities and scenes that most people don't relate to. It's on Netflix below. I like seeing the real-life Porteño lives. The many dog walkers, kids playing soccer with their friends, people out at all hours of the night like real life society there. The kioslos, the dingy streets, people riding buses and taking subways. I love seeing the settings and streets many of which I've been on.

 
Check out Okupas and more realistic vs. the fake gated communities and scenes that most people don't relate to. It's on Netflix below. I like seeing the real-life Porteño lives. The many dog walkers, kids playing soccer with their friends, people out at all hours of the night like real life society there. The kioslos, the dingy streets, people riding buses and taking subways. I love seeing the settings and streets many of which I've been on.

This is one of my favorite shows as well. I love watching Argentine shows where they are using slang, I can learn dirty words and people swearing. That to me is real. I love seeing real life city life of Buenos Aires. I hate the fake series as Netflix wants you to see things of only the rich and famous. That is very boring to me.

One of my all time favorite Argentine films was a movie called Once about an Argentine that emigrated abroad but came back to Argentina after being gone for 20+ years. And you guess the neighborhood where he moved back to. Wait for it...... Once.
 
Ha. I agree. My inlaws all have houses up in San Isidro and Tigre area. Nice area but too far out for me. My wife's family has a few houses up there. 1 of them is completely empty! And 1 they only use on the weekends. The amount of wealth in Argentina would blow some people's minds.
I totally agree about the amount of wealth here. My friends in the USA when they found out I was moving to Argentina think I was going to slum it. All people hear about Argentina is all the economic problems. My wife's family has more money than ANY of my friends back home. And I rubbed elbows with some very elite circles. The problem in the USA is you don't know who is for real. Lots of people are up to their necks in debt. All show, no cash flow!

Loans for their cars, 30 YEAR mortgages, credit card debt. Then even when they build up equity in their homes, they pull it out with refinances. ALL my Porteño friends all own their own properties outright. No mortgages. Sure they might make less per year but they have a much higher net worth.

Even if times are tough, no one will kick them out of their homes. My American friends are up to their eyeballs in debt and if they lose their jobs, they are homeless!

Getting back on topic. My wife really loves this writer. They came out with Season 2 of El Reino this year. I haven't watched Season 2 yet. I just got my wife the book called A Little Luck written by the same author. I have to ask her if it's good or not. You can see it here. It's in English.

 
LOL! I take it you live in one of those super fancy homes in a gated community. :)

OK, now when I watch El Reino I will think of you @GlasgowJohn in the gated community. I actually live in a gated community too so I won't chastize you too much.
See , I told you there were nice people out in the Gated North!!!

We are out in Loma Verde, just north of Escobar!

We also have a place in Villa Santa Rita/ Villa Del Parque, where we first started cohabiting ...
 
Ha. I agree. My inlaws all have houses up in San Isidro and Tigre area. Nice area but too far out for me. My wife's family has a few houses up there. 1 of them is completely empty! And 1 they only use on the weekends. The amount of wealth in Argentina would blow some people's minds.
Yip, I can't get a grip on the weekend houses worth 300k upwards.

A house is to live in or to rent out.,

As you say, there is a lot of wealth in a lot of barrios - One day someone will build a second level to the Panamericana and the whole thing will explode
 
See , I told you there were nice people out in the Gated North!!!

We are out in Loma Verde, just north of Escobar!

We also have a place in Villa Santa Rita/ Villa Del Parque, where we first started cohabiting ...
My wife wanted to live out there near Loma Verde. That was too far of a hike for me. How often do you come into the city? I just worried if we moved out there that I wouldn't make it into the city much. My friends that live out there mostly are retired and play golf every day. I don't golf and I like the city life.

Villa Del Parque is a fine area. I love the tree lined streets. It has a real sense of community there or at least it used to. I haven't been there in many years. BA has so many nice neighborhoods and a shame we mostly only hear about Palermo and Recoleta and a few others. So many great areas there.

That author Claudia Pineiro is very kind and genuine. She is a favorite of my wife, an Argentine. She had a new book come out in August of this year. A Crack in the Wall. My wife is an architect and she was reading about a building in the book that the author was describing in Recoleta. It mentioned, "the most beautiful iron work in all of Buenos Aires". She did not mention the name of the building so my wife sent an email and Claudia responded back that the inspiration was Covadonga on Arenales and Riobamba.


A Crack in the Wall Book can be purchased here:


 
Yip, I can't get a grip on the weekend houses worth 300k upwards.

A house is to live in or to rent out.,

As you say, there is a lot of wealth in a lot of barrios - One day someone will build a second level to the Panamericana and the whole thing will explode
I totally agree. A few of my friends have weekend homes there too. It blows my mind that some of them have $800,000 USD and some more and just use it 1 or 2 days a week. And some weeks they don't go. It boggles my mind just to have a house less than an hour from their actual fancy apartments or homes in CABA.

I agree about another level on the highway to make the congestion move quicker. Maybe we will see this if Argentina keeps improving. I myself am a city guy.

I finished watching Season 1 of El Reino. I thought the acting was decent and some good actors. The plot reminded me a little of the Nisman conspiracy where the bad guys (K's) can somehow tap everyone's phones. (Or maybe the government really is already doing this in Argentina). I thought it as funny how all the characters have guns in their pants when I haven't seen a gun from anyone except cops here.

I agree about the gated communities with giant mansions behind really high gates or buildings covered in 24k gold with 50 feet ceilings. At every moment I expected Robin Leach to pop out and host an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Ha.
 
Great thread! I don't speak Spanish very well but I also want to learn. When I get back home I'm going to enroll in community college classes. I notice the locals really appreciate when you can speak Spanish. Even though my Spanish isn't that good they appreciate me trying. I always see their face light up when I try.

My favorite Argentine shows are below.





 
This is one of my favorite shows as well. I love watching Argentine shows where they are using slang, I can learn dirty words and people swearing. That to me is real. I love seeing real life city life of Buenos Aires. I hate the fake series as Netflix wants you to see things of only the rich and famous. That is very boring to me.

One of my all time favorite Argentine films was a movie called Once about an Argentine that emigrated abroad but came back to Argentina after being gone for 20+ years. And you guess the neighborhood where he moved back to. Wait for it...... Once.
Actually @Frosted Flakes the name of that show is called "El Rey de Once". You can see it and some of my favorites on this site.

 
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