Penélope Cruz – 10 Best Movies

By Vlad Zakh · July 3, 2026

Volver and Vicky Cristina Barcelona show her at her best with Almodovar and Allen, warm and in complete control of both tones, and Pain and Glory is one of her most restrained recent performances. Parallel Mothers is another Almodovar collaboration about a mother facing a life-altering secret, Murder on the Orient Express gives her a devout, guarded passenger, On Stranger Tides makes her a cunning pirate opposite Johnny Depp, and Zoolander 2 adds an Interpol fashion investigator. Nine, Blow and All the Pretty Horses round out the list.

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A detective interrogates a train carriage full of suspects after a murder mid-journey.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh · 1h 54m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Zoolander 2 (2016)

TMDB ★ 4.9

Penélope Cruz plays an Interpol fashion investigator in the belated sequel to the cult comedy.

Directed by Ben Stiller · 1h 40m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Parallel Mothers (2021)

TMDB ★ 6.8

Penelope Cruz plays a mother facing a life-altering secret in another acclaimed Almodovar collaboration.

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar · 2h 03m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Starz Apple TV channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

TMDB ★ 6.6

Penelope Cruz plays a cunning pirate first mate opposite Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow.

Directed by Rob Marshall · 2h 16m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

All the Pretty Horses (2000)

TMDB ★ 5.7

A forbidden romance opposite Matt Damon in a modern Western, with Penelope Cruz.

Directed by Billy Bob Thornton · 1h 57m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Pain and Glory (2019)

TMDB ★ 7.4

Antonio Banderas plays a filmmaker who reckons with his health, his past lovers and his own creative block.

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar · 1h 54m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Blow (2001)

TMDB ★ 7.4

An ambitious young man builds a cocaine smuggling empire that ultimately costs him everything he loves.

Directed by Ted Demme · 2h 04m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Nine (2009)

IMDb ★ 7.0 RT 57% Metacritic 60

A blocked Italian filmmaker juggles the women in his life while trying to start his next production.

Directed by Shane Acker · 1h 19m · Rated PG-13

9 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Volver (2006)

TMDB ★ 7.5

Almodóvar at his warmest, built around Penélope Cruz carrying a genuinely strange family secret.

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar · 2h 01m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

TMDB ★ 6.8

Two American friends holidaying in Spain are both drawn into a passionate, unpredictable love triangle.

Directed by Woody Allen · 1h 36m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

Penélope Cruz – 10 Best Movies

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Zoolander 2 (2016)

Parallel Mothers (2021)

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

All the Pretty Horses (2000)

Pain and Glory (2019)

Blow (2001)

Nine (2009)

Volver (2006)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

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