Selena

1997 "Discover the true story of one of America's brightest stars... that faded too soon."
6.9| 2h7m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 21 March 1997 Released
Producted By: Q Productions
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: https://www.selena25anniversary.com/
Synopsis

In this biographical drama, Selena Quintanilla is born into a musical Mexican-American family in Texas. Her father, Abraham, realizes that his young daughter is talented and begins performing with her at small venues. She finds success and falls for her guitarist, Chris Perez, who draws the ire of her father. Seeking mainstream stardom, Selena begins recording an English-language album which, tragically, she would never complete.

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Reviews

AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks
RyothChatty ridiculous rating
Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.
Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
Irishchatter I have to say, well done to Jennifer Lopez for playing a music star whom I never heard of before. Selena reminds me of Michael Jackson as both father's became their managers at a very young age. The father seemed to be very pushy and was concentrating more on Selena then himself. I think Selena should've been a worldwide superstar since I have never heard of the Latin American genre 'Tejano' or Selena herself before. However she didn't live long, it was so sad that she was shot by someone who used her money and her reputation. I feel so sorry for her family that they had to go through it for the rest of their lives! She was so young at 23, she could've been touring all over the world if she had the chance! The movie was very good, I'm glad they picked JLO for the movie because she looks so much like Selena. Selena would be so grateful that this film is based on her. RIP Selena 💟
lillavindu disclaimer: my movie rating scale is not based on technicalities but based on how it made me feel. really good movie. i would have to say this is probably the only good movie jennifer lopez has ever done, and while that isn't saying much, this is still worth the watch. you get to see selena grow up and start performing (even though when the child actress "sings", it's sorta unrealistic and can take away from the experience), and you also get to see her rise to fame, which is more hinted at rather than shown since all the major events of her performing just seem to sorta happen. and then you see it all end way too early.the love story between the two characters is really sweet. selena was portrayed as really sweet and likable (as i'm sure she was due to the interviews that can be seen on youtube), and the ending will definitely make you cry if you're able to really get into the film.kinda fast paced, still enjoyable. feel-good movie, even though the ending is really sad. has a lot of rewatch-ability to it, 10/10.
terrellrobinson71 I was afraid of this movie when I was a kid, but when I grew up, I realized that "hay mas a esta historia que el ojo" (Translation: "There's more to this story than meets the eye".) The biopic Selena is one of my favorite movies. The reason why is because in the 90's, Jennifer Lopez was a Fly Girl in the sketch comedy show "In Living Color", was co-starring in "Money Train" and "Blood and Wine" and made her biggest starring role yet, even before her music career went big. There was a few controversies involving the movie, where Lopez was a Puerto Rican from New York, and the real Selena was a Mexican-American from Texas. But then again, all of us accepted Lopez playing Selena and we enjoyed the way she made Selena a real star. In Gregory Nava's film, it begins and ends at the big concert for Selena to become a very huge crossover star at the Houston Astrodome in 1995. Then it really ends with the death of Selena being done by her insane employer (Lupe Ontiveros). (No name spoiler here, but you already know.) In the good ol' days in Corpus Christi, young Selena (Rebecca Lee Meza) was raised well by her father, Abraham (Edward James Olmos) who was in a failed band called the Dinos with two other friends back in the 50's. After hearing Selena sing "We Belong Together" with him, this sparks Abraham to bring The Dinos back to life. Who knew that years later, we get to meet Selena, all grown up and living "la vida dulce" (Translation: "The sweet life") as a Tejano star who would be the biggest Tejano star ever. During the movie, we get to see everything in a condensed, but fast, pace of 127 minutes, the relationship involving her family including mama Marcela (George Lopez's Constance Marie), her romantic relationship between the rock-and-roll guitar player, Chris Perez (Jon Seda), her music (done by the real Selena, not Lopez) and yes, we do get to meet Yolanda herself, with a lot of character developing. Lopez gave a really great performance as Selena, and with the help of Miranda Garrison's choreography, captures the essence of Selena, the way she talks, the way she moves and the way she delivers the energy. The same can be said for Olmos, who can be both funny and dramatic at the same time. (Please pay attention to the argument between Selena, Abraham and Chris.) He also delivers what should've been a washed-down speech about Mexican-Americans into a very smart and charismatic speech. Selena is "muy, muy entretenido" (Translation: "Very, very entertaining.") However, when you do get to the end of the film, there are hankies to be of good use when the candlelight vigils and the archival footage shows and the mourning of a fabulous star comes on-screen. It's very heartbreaking and very emotional in the way that has been done and the final image will make you cry in a good way to prove that she was still there with us after all.
blanche-2 Thought to be the next Gloria Estefan, Selena was a beautiful and gifted young singer who, with the support of her ambitious father and the rest of her family, rose to the top in Latino music. She was about to make the big "crossover" into the mainstream when, at the age of 23, she was shot and killed by the President of her fan club.Jennifer Lopez is Selena, and the story starts before Selena was even born, when her father, Abraham Quintanilla (Edward James Olmos) was in a singing group doing mainstream music at a time when nobody wanted Mexicans unless they were singing Mexican music. Entrepreneurial and always looking to make a better life for his family, Abraham's family put up with him through several ventures, including the formation of a singing group when he realizes that Selena is special. Selena was a family enterprise - they were in her band, her father was her booking agent, and they traveled together in a bus.Selena's voice, performing style, charisma and enthusiasm put her at the top of the Latin charts. She had one other thing going for her - like Elvis, like Jerry Lee Lewis, she was one of the very people she sang to. Their connection to her was very strong.All of this is a build-up to the final few minutes of the film, which are heartbreaking - the real Selena is shown performing and on video with her family, and a candlelight vigil held by her fans is shown as well. What isn't shown is how she died, the assumption being that everyone knows the story. I would have liked a little more background, even just three minutes. All we see is Selena in one scene introducing the President of her fan club. Then later on, there are quick scenes showing the motel where she died, police cars, hospital scenes, and a news report voice-over saying that she went to the motel to obtain financial records and was killed.Even though the viewer knows Selena didn't live, the ending is shocking and sad, as we feel we have gotten to know this young woman, her family, and her dreams. Jennifer Lopez does an excellent job as Selena; Selena's actual singing voice is dubbed. Before Ben Affleck and the paparazzi, which seems to have all calmed down now, there was, and still is, a beautiful, talented actress and performer. Edward James Olmos and the rest of the cast give wonderful performances.This was not a young woman who drank and drove, who did drugs, who was sitting in a parked car in a marginal neighborhood at 5 a.m. and was the victim of a drive-by shooting or a drug deal gone bad. This was a great singer with her whole life ahead of her, a family, a husband and dreams of a baby. That she was struck down so cruelly is sickening.