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Summary
- Paramount+ has a vast movie library with a wide variety of genres, including blockbusters and hidden gems.
- Comedy classics like Jackass: The Movie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Mean Girls are available to stream on Paramount+.
- School of Rock and Clueless are also must-watch movies on Paramount+ that have stood the test of time.
Though it's a relative newcomer in the streaming landscape, Paramount+ has already built up an extensive library of movies to choose from. The best movies to watch right now on Paramount+ covers a wide variety of genres, and thanks to Paramount's position as a high-end Hollywood studio there are some incredible blockbusters on the platform alongside some lesser-known hidden gems. Paramount+ is arguably better known for its original TV shows, such as the Yellowstone and Star Trek franchises, but its movie selection shouldn't be overlooked.
Thanks to its deep library of titles, Paramount+ has an impressive range of available films. Subscribers looking for a new movie to watch can find plenty of classics, along with brand-new releases they may have missed in theaters. However, there's so much choice that it can be a little overwhelming for those uninitiated with the Paramount+ streaming platform. While it isn't the most prominent streaming service, Paramount+ is amassing a loyal following, and the best movies you can stream right now on Paramount+ showcase why.
The 30 Best TV Shows On Paramount+ (April 2024)
Paramount+ has come a long way from its humble beginnings as CBS All Access - as the stellar lineup of the 30 best shows on Paramount+ proves.Best Comedy Movies On Paramount+
Jackass: The Movie (2002)
Jackass: The Movie
- Release Date
- October 25, 2002
- Director
- Jeff Tremaine
- Cast
- Johnny Knoxville , Bam Margera , Steve-O , Chris Pontius , Ryan Dunn , Jason Acuña
- Runtime
- 85 Minutes
The stunt-based slapstick antics of Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, and the rest of the Jackass crew may feel like a relic in the age of social media when online pranksters are a dime-a-dozen, but the Jackass movies show why the band of daredevils that started it all are still the best. All of the Jackass movies are available to stream on Paramount+, including 2022's Jackass Forever, but 2002's Jackass: The Movie arguably remains the funniest of the bunch.
While Jackass is an acquired taste as far as comedy goes, the pioneering attitude of the cast in a time when chasing likes and views wasn't a thing — combined with the reactions of an unaware public untainted by overexposure to public antics in the age of smartphones — make Jackass: The Movie just as hilarious over two decades after it hit theaters.
While Jackass: The Movie wasn't critically acclaimed, it was incredibly profitable, grossing over $79million with a budget of $5million (via Box Office Mojo)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
- Release Date
- June 11, 1986
- Director
- John Hughes
- Cast
- jennifer grey , Matthew Broderick , Mia Sara , Alan Ruck , Jeffrey Jones
- Runtime
- 103 minutes
Widely considered one of John Hughes' best movies, Ferris Bueller's Day Off is the movie that turned Matthew Broderick into a star. He plays the eponymous high school slacker, who skips school with his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara), and together they have one of the most memorable, adventurous days of their lives. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of the best movies about truancy ever thanks to its clever script and Broderick's charming performance.
One of the cinema's most charismatic teenagers
While a case can be made that Ferris Bueller is a terrible friend, he's one of the cinema's most charismatic teenagers, and he makes great points about the importance of people taking time for themselves. Paramount+ is even developing a spin-off movie called Sam & Victor's Day Off, centered on the valets who go joyriding in Cameron's father's car.
Matthew Broderick was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1987 for Best Actor thanks to his career-defining performance as Ferris Bueller.
The Addams Family (1991)
The Addams Family (1991)
- Release Date
- November 22, 1991
- Director
- Barry Sonnenfeld
- Cast
- Anjelica Huston , Raul Julia , Christopher Lloyd , Christina Ricci , Jimmy Workman , Judith Malina , Carel Struycken , Christopher Hart , John Franklin
- Runtime
- 99 Minutes
Releasing in 1991, The Addams Family marks the big-screen debut of the creepy and kooky clan based on the cartoons by Charles Addams. The comedy sees the Addamses reconnect with family member Fester (Christopher Lloyd) after he had a falling out with his brother, the family patriarch Gomez Addams (Raul Julia). However, "Fester" isn't actually who he says he is, as he's actually a con artist behind an elaborate scheme to steal the Addams family's riches.
The Addams Family had a notoriously troubled production but was a box-office smash, likely thanks to the performances of its talented cast led by Julia, Lloyd, Anjelica Huston as Morticia, and a young Christina Ricci in a star-marking turn as Wednesday Addams. The film spawned another sequel, Addams Family Values and the Addams Family legacy didn't stop there, as Wednesday, starring Jenna Oretga as the titular anti-heroine, became a hit show for Netflix — and even features an appearance from Ricci.
The sequel Addams Family Values is also available to stream on Paramount+
Mean Girls (2004)
Mean Girls (2004)
- Release Date
- April 30, 2004
- Director
- Mark Waters
- Cast
- Amy Poehler , Lacey Chabert , Tina Fey , Rachel McAdams , Amanda Seyfried , Lindsay Lohan
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
Teen comedies are often looked down on, but Mean Girls bypassed "so fetch" and went straight to pop culture icon status. From the brilliant mind of Tina Fey, Mean Girls sees the homeschooled Cady Heron experience public high school for the first time. Beautiful and sweet, Cady is quickly snapped up by the most popular girls in school, the Plastics, only to be immediately betrayed by Queen Bee Regina George (Rachel McAdams in her breakout role). With the aid of a couple of misfits, Cady enacts her revenge and learns just what being a mean girl is.
The movie stands out for its hilariously exaggerated yet shockingly realistic portrayal of high school girl politics, and Mean Girls' most iconic quotes — "She doesn't even go here!", "You go, Glen Coco!", etc. — are still spoken to this day. Thanks to its success, Mean Girls spawned a successful Broadway musical that itself received a movie adaptation in 2024, and both versions of Mean Girls are currently available on Paramount+.
Mean Girls won several awards during its release year, including an MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance for Lindsay Lohan and Breakthrough Female Performance for Rachel McAdams.
School Of Rock (2003)
School of Rock
- Release Date
- March 22, 2004
- Director
- Richard Linklater
- Cast
- Jack Black , Mike White , Miranda Cosgrove , Joan Cusack , Sarah Silverman
- Runtime
- 109 minutes
School of Rock is far and away director Richard Linklater's most mainstream, successful movie, and the most essential film in Jack Black's biography. Black plays Dewey Finn, an aspiring guitar player who gets kicked out of his band and is strapped for cash. When he poses as a private school substitute teacher, Dewey discovers that the class he's teaching is comprised of musical geniuses so he recruits the kids to compete with him in Battle of the Bands.
The movie was a box office hit and spawned a television series and a popular Broadway musical adaptation. Dewey Finn is easily Black's best and funniest role, and School of Rock's message about the importance of rock music and following your dreams still strikes a chord 20 years later.
Jack Black was nominated for a Golden Globe for School of Rock, losing Best Actor - Comedy or Musical to Billy Murray's performance in Lost in Translation.
New On Paramount: All 76 Movies & TV Shows Arriving In April
Paramount+'s movie and TV libraries are expanding in April 2024, and there are a number of new original documentaries, series, and films to watch.Clueless (1995)
Jane Austen's classic 1815 novel Emma gets a thoroughly '90s update with Clueless. The film made Alicia Silverstone a household name as she plays protagonist Cher Horowitz, a beautiful and privileged Beverly Hills teen who meddles in other people's lives while neglecting her own problems and character flaws.
While Cher may sound like a hard character to root for, her well-meaning intentions and Silverstone's cinematic charisma make her a worthy heroine to champion. Clueless rocked the pop culture landscape upon release, influencing fashion trends and making iconic quotes out of catchphrases like "As if!" And while the film is a staple of the '90s, it's a totally fun one to watch in any decade.
Best Drama Movies On Paramount+
Gladiator (2000)
Gladiator
- Release Date
- May 1, 2000
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Cast
- Russell Crowe , Derek Jacobi , Oliver Reed , Connie Nielsen , Joaquin Phoenix , Djimon Hounsou , Richard Harris
- Runtime
- 155 minutes
Ridley Scott's historical epic Gladiator is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, so it's understandably also ranked as one of the best movies among Paramount+'s extensive library. Set in Ancient Rome, Gladiator stars Russell Crowe as Maximus, a fallen Roman soldier who becomes enslaved and forced to fight as a gladiator in the Colosseum. Crowe delivered a career-defining performance, as did Joaquin Phoenix as the vile Emperor Commodus. Gladiator set Oscars records with its success, and to this day remains more-or-less unrivaled when it comes to action-heavy historical dramas.
After two decades, sequel Gladiator 2 is expected in 2024, making it the perfect time for Paramount+ subscribers who have yet to see the first movie to find out what it's so acclaimed.
The Godfather (1972)
The Godfather (1972)
- Release Date
- March 24, 1972
- Director
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Cast
- Marlon Brando , Diane Keaton , James Caan , Al Pacino , Robert Duvall
- Runtime
- 175 minutes
Few films have been as influential as 1972 crime drama The Godfather, and cinephiles looking for a cool movie to watch on Paramount+ right now need look no further. Marlon Brando's performance as the ruthless yet soft-spoken mafia kingpin Vito Corleone is one of the most quoted in cinema history, and Al Pacino's role as Michael Corleone launched his career. Directed by the legendary Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather spawned two sequels, and despite releasing over 50 years ago still holds up as one of the most gripping dramas ever made.
The entire Godfather trilogy is available to stream on Paramount+.
Titanic (1997)
Titanic
- Release Date
- December 19, 1997
- Director
- James Cameron
- Cast
- David Warner , Kathy Bates , Billy Zane , Bill Paxton , Bernard Hill , Kate Winslet , Leonardo DiCaprio , Gloria Stuart , Frances Fisher , Victor Garber
- Runtime
- 3h 14m
James Cameron's epic romance film Titanic had a massive effect on Hollywood the moment it sailed into theaters in 1997. Making huge stars out of its lead actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, Titanic's story of the doomed ship parallels the doomed lovers who set sail upon it in 1912. They are, of course, the upper-class Rose DeWitt Bukater (Winslet), engaged to be married to the villainous Cal Hockley (Billy Zane), and Jack Dawson (DiCaprio) a poor artist with big dreams.
They meet aboard the ship and fall passionately in love, only for tragedy to strike. But while the ship sunk, the movie soared, with Titanic breaking myriad records. Titanic was the first movie to gross over $1 billion and it also tied Ben-Hur for most Academy Awards wins with 11 out of 14 nominations, including Best Picture. It was a movie event for the ages and can still be watched and enjoyed on Paramount+.
What Is Paramount Plus? Everything To Know About The Streaming Service
Paramount Plus is not as well-known a streaming platform as some of the others in the space but it offers excellent programming for a reasonable cost.The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
The Wolf of Wall Street
- Release Date
- December 25, 2013
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
- Cast
- Margot Robbie , Leonardo DiCaprio , Jonah Hill , Kyle Chandler
- Runtime
- 3hours
With Killers of the Flower Moon shaping up to be a major awards contender for the 2023-2024 season, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese's collaborative partnership continues to thrive. And one of their best films together is The Wolf of Wall Street, based on Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same name. DiCaprio stars as Belfort, a notoriously unscrupulous penny stockbroker who takes Wall Street by storm.
Despite its three-hour runtime, The Wolf of Wall Street goes by like a fever dream of debauchery, excess, and corruption. It also features strong supporting performances from Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie, and is widely considered Robbie's breakout Hollywood role. The Wolf of Wall Street may have gone home empty-handed at the Oscars, but it cashed in on an everlasting legacy.
The Wolf of Wall Street was nominated for 82 awards, winning 22 of them, including a Golden Globe for Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy.
Selma (2014)
Ava DuVernay masterfully tells the story of one of the most important moments in American history with Selma. This is, of course, the 1965 march for equal voting rights from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo). Oyelowo delivers an impassioned performance as the legendary activist, and the racial injustice in the film is resonant and heartbreaking, as it is still sadly prevalent today.
Though John Legend's "Glory" took home Best Original Song at the Oscars, Selma was shockingly shut out of prominent categories, like Best Actor for Oyelowo and Best Director for DuVernay. But even without the awards it deserves, Selma is a powerful film and one of the best movies on Paramount+.
Best Rom-Com Movies On Paramount+
The Lost City (2022)
The Lost City
- Release Date
- March 25, 2022
- Director
- Adam Nee , Aaron Nee
- Cast
- Sandra Bullock , Channing Tatum , Brad Pitt , Danielle Radcliffe , Patti Harrison , Da'Vine Joy Randolph
- Runtime
- 112 Minutes
It's hard to go wrong with a Sandra Bullock romance movie, and The Lost City is a rom-com made for rom-com lovers. Bullock plays Loretta, a bestselling romance author who gets kidnapped by a young megalomaniac billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) and transported to an Atlantic island to find him the treasure she writes about in her novels. And when Loretta's dashing book cover model Alan (Channing Tatum) discovers she's missing, he makes it his mission to save her.
In an age where most rom-coms go straight to streaming services, the fact that this adventurous romp made its way to theaters is something special. The Lost City is a thrilling adventure from start to finish, bolstered by Bullock and Tatum's sweet yet electric chemistry.
My Fair Lady (1964)
My Fair Lady
- Release Date
- December 25, 1964
- Director
- George Cukor
- Cast
- Audrey Hepburn , Rex Harrison , Stanley Holloway , Gladys Cooper
- Runtime
- 2hr50min
From Breakfast at Tiffany's to Sabrina to Roman Holiday, nobody made movies quite like Audrey Hepburn, and in My Fair Lady, she delivers one of her best performances. My Fair Lady is a screen adaptation of the 1956 Lerner and Loewe stage musical of the same name, which itself is based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play, Pygmalion. It's about an uppity English professor named Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) who accepts a bet in which he must turn unsophisticated flower seller Eliza Dolittle (Hepburn) into a respectable woman of society.
My Fair Lady is classic Hollywood at its finest
My Fair Lady is classic Hollywood at its finest, and though Hepburn was shockingly snubbed for an Oscar nomination, the movie itself swept the ceremony, winning eight awards in total including Best Picture. Both Hepburn and Harrison prove why they were movie stars, and it's impossible not to get swept up in their effortless, charming chemistry.
My Fair Lady won 8 Academy Awards out of its 12 nominations — shockingly, none of them were for Audrey Hepburn!
Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961)
Breakfast at Tiffany's
- Release Date
- October 6, 1961
- Director
- Blake Edwards
- Cast
- Audrey Hepburn , George Peppard , Patricia Neal , Buddy Ebsen , Martin Balsam , José Luis de Villalonga
- Runtime
- 115minutes
Audrey Hepburn captured the timeless elegance of mid-century movies, and Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of her most beloved films, both for her work and also for her instantly iconic costume design. It's a much happier spin on Truman Capote's 1958 novella of the same name. Where, in the original story, Holly Golighty's narrative read as a cautionary tale of little girls being lost in the big city, the movie version of Breakfast at Tiffany's celebrates Holly's adventurous free spirit.
The story is a wholly implausible confection of comedy, romance, and coincidences, but Hepburn is never more charming than as the airy, captivating Holly. Perhaps the fact that it's such a sweet palate cleanser is why it's withstood the test of time whereas other romantic comedies have been forgotten.
The 10 Best Classic Movies On Paramount+, Ranked By IMDb
The Paramount+ catalog pulls from the movie studio's historic library, and these are the 10 best classics available to stream, ranked by IMDb.Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Movies On Paramount+
Arrival (2016)
Arrival
- Release Date
- November 10, 2016
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
- Cast
- Michael Stuhlbarg , Forest Whitaker , Tzi Ma , Amy Adams , Mark O'Brien , Jeremy Renner , Nathaly Thibault
- Runtime
- 1h 56m
While Dune is inarguably director Denis Villeneuve's greatest triumph, Arrival is his greatest film, and it's one of the hidden gems of the 2010s on Paramount+. Based on the short story "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang, there is truly no movie like Arrival, not just in the sci-fi genre, but in any genre. Rather than adopting the usual negative bent taken by so many sci-fi stories about aliens arriving on Earth, Arrival does the opposite, turning it into a beautiful narrative about connection, language, time, and loss.
The time-twisting, drama all leads to a haunting revelation that lingers indefinitely with the viewer. It's a movie that asks big questions about life and the universe, and, for the most part, does a brilliant job of answering them without being heavy-handed.
Arrival was nominated for 167 awards, but only managed to take home 25 - though these include several Academy Award nods and a win for Best Sound Editing for Sylvan Bellemare.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
- Release Date
- July 3, 1991
- Director
- James Cameron
- Cast
- Arnold Schwarzenegger , Linda Hamilton , Robert Patrick , Edward Furlong
- Runtime
- 137 Minutes
The much-anticipated follow-up to 1984's The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day superseded expectations and is widely considered to be the best film in the sci-fi franchise. A young John Connor (Edward Furlong) is the key to humanity's survival, and he and his mother Sarah (Linda Hamilton) are on the run from T-1000 (Robert Patrick), a Terminator sent from the future to kill the boy, with T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) there to protect them.
The sequel made huge stars out of its lead actors, and its special effects are so impressive that they're just one of the things about Terminator 2 that still hold up today. The franchise has been chasing Terminator 2's success with increasingly diminishing returns, all the more proving that this is a classic piece of sci-fi cinema.
The special effects and sound design on Terminator 2: Judgement Day earned it 4 Academy Awards.
Stardust (2007)
Stardust (2007)
- Release Date
- August 10, 2007
- Director
- Matthew Vaughn
- Cast
- Claire Danes , Charlie Cox , Sienna Miller , Ricky Gervais , Jason Flemyng , Rupert Everett , Peter O'Toole , Michelle Pfeiffer , Robert De Niro
- Runtime
- 128 Minutes
Before he became Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, Charlie Cox played a young, humble village man in Stardust. Tristan is in a losing battle with the dashing Humphrey (Henry Cavill) to win his beloved Victoria's (Sienna Miller) hand in marriage. To prove himself worthy, Tristan journeys to a magical realm to retrieve a fallen star for her, only to discover that the star is actually a woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes).
The visuals and story are as spellbinding as any Disney movie, and viewers won't want the adventures of Tristan and Yvaine to end.
Stardust is based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, and it has all the author's humorous sensibilities. Add in scene-stealing performances by Michelle Pfieffer and Robert De Niro as a villainous witch and flamboyant pirate, respectively, and Stardust is the perfect movie night choice among Paramount+ movies for subscribers seeking light and hilarious fantasy. The visuals and story are as spellbinding as any Disney movie, and viewers won't want the adventures of Tristan and Yvaine to end.
While Stardust wasn't a massive awards success when it comes to ceremonies like the Golden Globes or Oscars, it did win a 2008 Empire Award for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy and a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film - Wide Release the same year.
Best Action Movies On Paramount+
Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Release Date
- June 12, 1981
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Cast
- Harrison Ford , Karen Allen , Alfred Molina , Paul Freeman , Ronald Lacey , John Rhys-Davies , Denholm Elliott
- Runtime
- 115 Minutes
It's hard to think of two filmmakers who have had a bigger effect on Hollywood and the blockbuster movie than Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, and their talents are on full display in the first Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Directed by Spielberg and based on a story by Lucas and Philip Kaufman, the movie introduces the whip-wielding, fedora-wearing archaeologist adventurer, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford).
Taking place in 1936, Raiders of the Lost Ark sees Jones on a globetrotting race against the Nazis to find the Ark of the Covenant, an artifact thought to make an army invincible. With its edge-of-your-seat thrilling action sequences, rousing John Williams score, and charismatic lead performance by Ford, it's easy to see why Raiders of the Ark led to a massive movie franchise. The first four Indiana Jones movies are available to stream on Paramount+, but Raiders of the Lost Ark is by far the best.
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Mission Impossible
- Release Date
- May 22, 1996
- Director
- Brian De Palma
- Cast
- Tom Cruise , Jon Voight , Emmanuelle Béart , Henry Czerny
- Runtime
- 1hr50
The Mission: Impossible series is one of the rare action series that has just gotten better and better with each installment, but it's well worth revisiting the first movie that started it all almost 30 years ago. Brian De Palma's spy thriller doesn't rewrite the genre, but what it does do is make Tom Cruise a bona fide action star.
While Cruise had been in action movies prior to this one, it could be argued that Mission: Impossible's still-iconic scene of Ethan Hunt breaking into a high-security vault on a line is what solidified Cruise as a practical stunt junkie — stunts he's henceforth made sure he does himself. Since then, the Mission: Impossible movies have only gotten bigger and more eye-popping with the stunt work.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
- Release Date
- August 4, 2023
- Director
- Jeff Rowe
- Cast
- Nicolas Cantu , Micah Abbey , Shamon Brown Jr. , Brady Noon , Jackie Chan , Ayo Edebiri , Seth Rogen , John Cena
- Runtime
- 100 Minutes
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles haven't had the most successful showing on the big screen, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem turns that all around in an uproariously fun way. From a team of writers that includes the hilarious Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the animated movie sees the four Turtles (Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon) and their friend April (Ayo Edebiri) looking to bring a crime syndicate to justice. However, they have to contend with a deadly mutant army that is sent after them.
Much like they did with Superbad, Rogen, Goldberg, and co. make Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem a great movie by centering it on coming-of-age themes like the desire to fit in and find acceptance. This makes the characters as relatable as they are charming and funny, and gives the movie heart along with some great action sequences. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is perfect for a family movie night, and there's more Turtles fun to come, as Paramount+ is also developing a follow-up TV series, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Best Thriller Movies On Paramount+
Chinatown (1974)
Chinatown
- Director
- Roman Polanski
- Release Date
- June 20, 1974
- Cast
- Jack Nicholson , Faye Dunaway , John Huston , Perry Lopez , John Hillerman , Darrell Zwerling
- Runtime
- 130 minutes
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, 1974's Chinatown is a classic among thriller movies, and arguably wrote the blueprint for almost all of them that followed. The Roman Polanski movie stars a legend of the silver screen, Jack Nicholson, in one of his most memorable pre-The Shining roles. In Chinatown, Nicholson plays Jake Gittes, a private investigator working in LA. Jake is tasked with following Hollis Mulwray (Darell Zwerling) by Mulwray's wife, Evelyn (Faye Dunaway).
Nicholson isn't the only standout cast member in Chinatown though, as Fay Dunaway also gives a spellbinding performance as Evelyn, as does John Huston as Noah Cross.
What follows is a twisting tail of corruption, intrigue, and a truly shocking twist ending. Nicholson gives an exceptional performance, and Chinatown is arguably one of the movies that guaranteed he'd have a long and healthy career in Hollywood for decades to come. Nicholson isn't the only standout cast member in Chinatown though, as Fay Dunaway also gives a spellbinding performance as Evelyn, as does John Huston as Noah Cross.
Zodiac (2007)
Zodiac
- Release Date
- March 2, 2007
- Director
- David Fincher
- Cast
- Robert Downey Jr. , Jake Gyllenhaal , Anthony Edwards , Mark Ruffalo , Brian Cox
- Runtime
- 157 minutes
The Zodiac Killer is perhaps the most infamous uncaught and unidentified serial killer in American history, and David Fincher's 2007 crime thriller Zodiac showcases exactly why he was so feared. While never suggesting the real identity of the killer, Zodiac manages to assess several of the real-life suspects and the investigation that — ultimately — failed to pin any of them to the crime.
The cast of Zodiac is stacked with recognizable names including Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., and Brian Cox. While it didn't win many of its award nominations, Zodiac still managed to find its footing on many critics "Best of 2007" lists, and it remains one of the most solid and thorough true-crime inspired movies of all time.
Collateral (2004)
Collateral
- Release Date
- August 4, 2004
- Director
- Michael Mann
- Cast
- Tom Cruise , Jamie Foxx , Jada Pinkett Smith , Mark Ruffalo , Peter Berg , Bruce McGill
- Runtime
- 120 minutes
Tom Cruise is one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars thanks to iconic leading man performances like Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise and Maverick in the Top Gun movies. However, his villainous turn as hitman Vincent in Collateral is truly one of his best roles. Filling the role of the hero in the Michael Mann-directed film is Jamie Foxx as Max Durocher, a cab driver who is forced to drive Vincent around as he completes his contract kills.
Mann is the master of the noir thriller, and Cruise and Foxx have electric, tension-fueled chemistry as they play off each other. Foxx was nominated for a Best Supporting Oscar for his performance, and Collateral delivers many thought-provoking questions along with its thrills.
Best Horror Movies On Paramount+
Deliver Us From Evil (2014)
Deliver Us from Evil
- Director
- Scott Derrickson
- Release Date
- July 1, 2014
- Cast
- Eric Bana , Edgar Ramirez , Olivia Munn , Chris Coy , Dorian Missick , Sean Harris
- Runtime
- 108minutes
Scott Derickson's 2014 movie Deliver Us From Evil blends elements of military thrillers, crime dramas, and supernatural horror to create a truly terrifying horror movie, one that now sits among the most chilling on Paramount+ a decade after its theatrical release. Eric Bana stars as Ralph Sarchie, a cop in NYC who long ago parted ways with his faith for a more pragmatic and jaded outlook on life. However, after encountering several troubled residents Sarchie initially assumes are mentally ill — including a woman who throws her young child into a lion enclosure at a zoo — he begins to question everything he thought he knew.
Before long, Sarchie starts seeing strange visions and uncovering links between the deranged individuals he's recently arrested and Jesuit, Christian, and Pagan theology. The movie fully leans into the supernatural, and despite Sarchie's skepticism, there are demons and (as the title suggests) the Devil himself at play. Bana gives a terrific performance, and is joined in the cast by the likes of Olivia Munn and Joel McHale.
Scream VI (2023)
Scream 6
- Release Date
- March 10, 2023
- Director
- Matt Bettinelli-Olpin , Tyler Gillett
- Cast
- Melissa Barrera , Courteney Cox , Jasmin Savoy Brown , Mason Gooding , Jenna Ortega , Hayden Panettiere
- Runtime
- 2h 2m
The Scream franchise has been a hallmark of the slasher genre for years, and 2023's Scream VI continued that fine tradition, but with a few twists. Not only did Scream VI move the terror to New York City, but it also brought together cast members from 2022's Scream with longstanding stars like Courteney Cox and returnee Hayden Panettiere, though it surprisingly didn't feature Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott. Like all Scream movies, one of the biggest twists is the final reveal of the identity of the latest Ghostface killer, and this horror movie on Paramount+ more than satisfies in this regard.
Pet Sematary (2019)
Pet Sematary
- Release Date
- April 5, 2019
- Director
- Dennis Widmyer , Kevin Kolsch
- Cast
- Amy Seimetz , Alyssa Brooke Levine , Maria Herrera , Hugo Lavoie , Jason Clarke , Jeté Laurence , Obssa Ahmed , John Lithgow , Naomi Frenette
- Runtime
- 100 minutes
The 2019 remake of Pet Sematary is one of the most solid Stephen King adaptations of the last decade, and one of the most chilling horror movies on Paramount+ right now. The movie follows the Creed family who, after being evicted from their home in Boston, moves to the small town of Ludlow, Maine with their two children. The family quickly discovers that the local "Pet Sematary" has strange properties, most notably that animals buried their return from the grave.
Of course, things aren't as they seem, and this is where the tale takes a sinister turn. After the Creed's young daughter, Ellie, is hit by a truck and killed, her father, Louis, decides to take her body to the mysterious location in the hopes for a miracle. While Ellie does indeed return, she isn't the same, and the Creed's quickly learn why the residents of Ludlow had warned them to stay away from the Pet Sematary and the darkness that dwells beneath it.
Smile (2022)
Smile
- Release Date
- September 30, 2022
- Director
- Parker Finn
- Cast
- Sosie Bacon , Jessie T. Usher , Kyle Gallner , Robin Weigert , Caitlin Stasey , Kal Penn , Rob Morgan
- Runtime
- 115 minutes
One of the most widely discussed new horror movies that isn't a remake, reboot, or sequel in the last 5 years is 2022's Smile. From the moment the Smile trailer arrived, it got horror genre fans talking thanks to its incredibly striking and disturbing visuals — most notably the ghoulish, distended grin every victim afflicted by the Smile curse sees in those around them and, eventually, wear themselves in their final moments. When the movie released in 2022 it more than lived up to the reputation its viral marketing had created.
Not only is Smile one of the best horror movies on Paramount+, but it's also one of the most innovative recent horror movies, and is already kickstarting a franchise since Smile 2 is on the way. There are some incredibly brutal kills, and the entire cast gives a harrowing performance throughout.
A Quiet Place (2014)
A Quiet Place
- Release Date
- April 3, 2018
- Director
- John Krasinski
- Cast
- Emily Blunt , John Krasinski , Millie Simmonds , Noah Jupe , Cade Woodward , Leon Russom
- Runtime
- 1h 30m
Directed by The Office star John Krasinski, who also leads the cast alongside Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place is one of the tensest horror movies of the last 10 years. The title reveals much about the premise, as A Quiet Place covers the aftermath of an invasion by bestial, yet blind, aliens who have an incredibly heightened sense of hearing. With a shocking and gut-wrenching death that still has viewers talking and some incredible directorial work from Krasinski, A Quiet Place (and its sequel, A Quiet Place Part II) are both must-watch horror movies and among the best films on Paramount+ right now in any genre.
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
- Release Date
- August 5, 1998
- Director
- Steve Miner
- Cast
- Jamie Lee Curtis , Adam Arkin , Michelle Williams , Adam Hann-Byrd , Jodi Lyn O'Keefe , Janet Leigh , Josh Hartnett , LL Cool J , Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Runtime
- 85 Minutes
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later is the 7th installment in the Halloween franchise. While it received mixed reviews from critics and perhaps doesn't live up to the original, it still stands out as one of the best Halloween sequels. Whether Paramount+ subscribers are fans of Michael Myers or simply looking for a solid and enjoying slasher-horror, Halloween H20 doesn't disappoint.
The plot once again sees Michael making life a living nightmare for Laurie Strode, played by the inimitable Jamie Lee Curtis. This Halloween sequel is set 20 years after the original and gave audiences their first experience with an adult Laurie — who by now, of course, is a staple of more recent Halloween movies such as David Gordon Green's trilogy.
Event Horizon (1997)
Event Horizon
- Release Date
- August 15, 1997
- Director
- Paul W.S. Anderson
- Cast
- Jason Isaacs , Kathleen Quinlan , Sean Pertwee , Laurence Fishburne , Richard T. Jones , Joely Richardson , Sam Neill
- Runtime
- 96 minutes
Event Horizon has gained a reputation as a cult gem thanks to its absolutely harrowing practical effects and a story that masterfully blends cosmic and body horror. Starring Sam Neill, Laurence Fishburne, and Kathleen Quinlan, the 1997 sci-fi horror helped cement director Paul W.S. Anderson's name as a heavyweight in the genre. The story of Event Horizon focuses on the crew of an interplanetary rescue ship seeking out the distress beacon of a long-lost exploratory vehicle — the titular Event Horizon.
What the crew discovers pushes the limits of their sanity and has lethal consequences, thanks in no small part to an experimental engine that folds the fabric of space-time and inadvertently opens a portal to a nightmarish dimension outside reality. While it wasn't a critical success on release, strong home video sales and decades of discussion by fans of both the movie and the wider cosmic horror genre online have ensured Event Horizon maintained a dedicated following.