Selena (1997)

Some artists burn so brightly that their light keeps shining long after they're gone. Gregory Nava's "Selena" tells the story of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the Grammy-winning Tejano singer from Corpus Christi, Texas, whose life was cut tragically short in 1995, at just 23 and at the height of her career. Tejano music blends pop, rock, polka, R&B and Latin influences, but to millions of fans, its essential ingredient was Selena. The film follows her from childhood, when her father, Abraham (Edward James Olmos), a former musician whose own dreams never took off, forms a family band with Selena on vocals and her brother and sister on bass and drums. Raised speaking English, Selena must learn Spanish to connect with her audiences while breaking into a male-dominated music scene. As her fame grows, she falls in love with the band's rebellious guitarist, Chris Pérez (Jon Seda), and when her protective father objects, the couple elope. On the verge of crossing over to the English-language pop market, she was killed by the former president of her fan club. Filled with Selena's own voice, the film feels powerfully authentic, capped by a thrilling re-creation of her famous concert at the Houston Astrodome. Jennifer Lopez, in her breakout role, captures the warmth and electricity of a beloved star and earned a Golden Globe nomination.