Bold. Brash. Controversial.

Mexican cinema is turning heads.

Ever since "Amores Perros" burst on the scene in 2000, the country’s "new wave" has been gaining international renown for its actors, directors and cinematographers and attracting audiences in droves.

Mexican filmmakers’ "gutsy, in-your-face attitude" about sex, religion and politics is enough to make anyone dash for a Spanish-language dictionary, said Jim Dee, owner of the arthouse Palm Theatre in San Luis Obispo.

"The films that are coming out of Mexico can be pretty provocative," Dee said. "When so many (films) coming out of Hollywood are so dull and boring, it’s refreshing to see this no-holds-barred kind of cinema."

About 65 years ago, Mexican cinema dominated the Spanish-speaking world with Maria Felix melodramas and comedies starring the Charlie Chaplin-like Cantinflas, according to Cristina Venegas, assistant professor in film studies ...Read Full Article