The 15 Best Movies On Paramount Plus

These days, it's not easy to keep track of all the different streaming services you may be subscribed to. It can take hours to sift through the libraries on Netflix, Prime Video, or Hulu in search of the best movies you can watch for free. Take, for instance, Paramount+. Since it was launched in its current form in 2021, Paramount+ has been a home for original programming like "Halo" and "Knuckles," as well as content from CBS, Nickelodeon, and Showtime. 

When opening up the platform's Movies section, it's overwhelming to see the spectrum of films and genres to search through. You could watch classics like "The Godfather" or "Forrest Gump," both of which are currently on Paramount+, but what about films you might not easily find on the front page? From the most iconic films of all time to more recent indie hits, these 15 films will guarantee you a great movie night, and will remind you why you had the Paramount+ subscription in the first place. 

If you're in the mood for action-adventure, there's not a single movie that's a better recommendation than "Raiders of the Lost Ark." The first installment of the "Indiana Jones" franchise is also one of the greatest blockbuster films ever made, thanks to the incomparable direction of Steven Spielberg and the charisma of its leading man, Harrison Ford. However, a rewatch following 2023's blazingly fun "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" will be especially rewarding for those who haven't seen the original in quite some time. And if you haven't ever seen "Raiders," well, you're in luck, because the first four films are all available to stream on Paramount+. 

There's plenty of reasons why "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is still the best "Indiana Jones" movie, among them being Karen Allen's Marion Ravenwood, easily the coolest female character in cinematic history, from her very first moments on-screen. It's hard to find a better movie recommendation than "Raiders," which has everything you could ever want: action, suspense, mystery, romance. Forty years after its theatrical debut, it holds up as a perfect movie night selection.

When you watch classic comedies from the 1980s, it's apparent that they don't make 'em quite like they used to. That's mostly thanks to John Hughes, whose filmography throughout the '80s and '90s completely redefined comedy for a new generation, with one of the best examples being "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." The film has all the components of Hughes' best films: likable teen protagonists, antagonistic adults, great music, iconic quotes, and most of all, the backdrop of suburban Chicago in the mid-'80s. 

Matthew Broderick stars as the titular fourth wall-breaking troublemaker, who fakes an illness to take a day off from school, bringing along his best Cameron (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) for a day of rambunctious fun. Even amongst the most iconic films of the '80s, there's something uniquely American about "Ferris Bueller," whether it be about its message of freedom or its idyllic depiction of modern life. Plus, if watching the film on Paramount+ gets you in the mood, you can continue the Hughes marathon with another film of his from 1986: "Pretty in Pink," starring Molly Ringwald and Jon Cryer. 

On the topic of comedy, it might surprise Paramount+ subscribers to know that a large selection of films based on iconic "Saturday Night Live" sketches are available to stream on the platform. Before you're tempted by "Superstar" or "A Night at the Roxbury," you can't miss perhaps the most successful of the "SNL" spin-offs, "Wayne's World." Starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as two metalheads who sell their public access show to a capitalistic producer (Rob Lowe), it's not only one of the most defining comedies of its era, but it still holds up, as dated as it may be. 

Looking back at "Wayne's World" 30 years later, director Penelope Spheeris reminisced, "[I had a] very fun time making the movie, even though some people say it might not have been, but it was a fun time to make it." Her take isn't surprising, given how joyous of a comedy it is, from the iconic head-banging to "Bohemian Rhapsody" scene, to delightful cameos by Chris Farley and Alice Cooper. So, if you're looking for just a good ol' time watching a movie on streaming, "Wayne's World" is never a bad choice. 

Francis Ford Coppola's iconic "Godfather" trilogy is available to stream on Paramount+, but fans of his movies may have never seen the work of his daughter Sofia, who stars in "The Godfather, Part III" as Michael Corleone's daughter Mary. Sofia has become a renowned director in her own right, with films like "Lost in Translation" and "Marie Antoinette" (the latter also available on Paramount+), but her directorial debut is one of the best coming-of-age movies of all time. "The Virgin Suicides" stars a young Kirsten Dunst as one of five sisters living in 1970s Detroit, whose first brushes with heartbreak lead to small-town tragedy.  

It had its fair share of divided critics, but as Roger Ebert poignantly wrote for The Chicago Sun-Times, "[Sofia Coppola] doesn't hammer home ideas and interpretations. She is content with the air of mystery and loss that hangs in the air like bitter poignancy." It's far from the most feel-good film on this list, but if you're looking to have a good cry, "The Virgin Suicides" is waiting to be watched on Paramount+. 

"Almost Famous" was not a box office success, but has retained a legacy 25 years after its release thanks to critical acclaim and cult status as an accurate depiction of the music industry in the 70s. Written and directed by former Rolling Stone writer Cameron Crowe, who won Best Original Screenplay for the film, "Almost Famous" follows the rise and fall of a fictional rock band, Stillwater (Billy Crudup, Jason Lee, Mark Kozelek, and John Fedevich), through the eyes of a green journalist (Patrick Fugit) and their charismatic groupie Penny Lane (Kate Hudson). 

There's a lot to praise "Almost Famous" about, mainly Crowe's direction and world-building of '70's music touring, which was accomplished with the help of rock music legend Peter Frampton, who was a consultant on the film. Thankfully, it also boasts a stellar ensemble cast of burgeoning stars in their prime. It's no surprise that "Almost Famous" has remained one of the most acclaimed films of the 21st century, even spawning a Broadway musical. However, nothing beats the original film, which is currently available to stream on Paramount+.

The loss of David Lynch earlier this year has been one of the most heartbreaking in recent Hollywood history, given how under-appreciated the filmmaker's output has been over his nearly 40-year career. Considered one of Lynch's best films in a filmography of bangers, "Mulholland Drive" released in 2001 to divisive reviews, with some labeling it the director's masterpiece and others dismissing it as incoherent. Unsurprisingly, that's likely the desired reaction from Lynch, who utilized film noir tropes to create a film audience members are still wrapping their heads around to this day. 

"Mulholland Drive," on the surface, stars Naomi Watts as Betty Elms, an aspiring actress who moves to Los Angeles only to become involved in a mystery involving an amnesiac woman (Laura Harring), a listless director (Justin Theroux), and a missing woman named Diane Selwyn. To reveal any more about the film would spoil the fun of watching it all unfold, making it one of the most jaw-dropping cinematic experiences of all time. Though it may be incomparable to watching the film on the big screen, taking advantage of a Paramount+ subscription to see this movie for this first time is an experience worth having.

You could, theoretically, use Paramount+ to watch 2024's totally fetch "Mean Girls," a film adaptation of the Broadway musical based on the original film. You'd have a good time, especially watching Reneé Rapp make Rachel McAdams' iconic role of Regina George her own. But then again, remakes are rarely better than the original. "Mean Girls" originally starred Lindsey Lohan in the lead role as Cady, a high school newbie adopted by the "Plastics" (McAdams, Lacey Chabert, Amanda Seyfried) and convinced by outcasts Janis (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian (Daniel Franzese) to enact revenge from the inside. 

Even though it's at times a dated product of the early 2000s, "Mean Girls" is surprisingly intelligently-written and relevant to the times we currently live in, all thanks to the genius insights into high school politics and the corruption from power that only a "Saturday Night Live" cast member like Tina Fey could have. Toss in memorable supporting performances from Fey herself, as well as fellow "SNL" alum like Amy Poehler and Tim Meadows, and the original "Mean Girls" is definitely the better watch for Paramount+ subscribers. 

There are few directors whose work is truly singular, but Guillermo del Toro might be one who makes style seem easy. The director's pantheon of films includes blockbusters like "Hellboy," as well as Oscar winners like "The Shape of Water" and "Pinocchio," but over 15 years on, "Pan's Labyrinth" is still del Toro's masterpiece, as we at /Film declared it was "the film that catapulted him to a new level of industry and wider cultural awareness ... by which the rest of his career and stylistic evolution shall be measured." 

"Pan's Labyrinth," to put it simply, follows the adventure of Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), a young girl in Francoist Spain who, believing she's connected to the underworld, navigates an abandoned labyrinth with the help of a faun (Doug Jones) who guides her through its trials. Even if dark fantasy isn't typically your thing, and critical acclaim and box office success don't persuade you to watch it on Paramount+, take it from one famous fan of del Toro: Taylor Swift, who claims that watching "Pan's Labyrinth" during the pandemic influenced her music and directorial pursuits. 

Comedy movies of the 2000s and 2010s are vastly different from the ones audiences were used to in the '80s and '90s, like previously-mentioned films "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Wayne's World." However, if there's any comedy film that feels defining of the 2000s era, it's "Tropic Thunder." Directed by Ben Stiller, "Tropic Thunder" follows the troubled production of a Vietnam movie whose cast includes a fading action star (Ben Stiller), a controversial comedy star (Jack Black), an award-winning method actor (Robert Downey Jr.), a rapper (Brandon T. Jackson), and an industry newcomer (Jay Baruchel). 

Throughout the history of comedy in cinema, there are plenty of movies like "Tropic Thunder" that will surely make you laugh, but rarely as hard as you'll laugh at this scathing take down of Hollywood. Not only does it feature an Academy Award-nominated performance from Downey, but it's got a powerhouse of a supporting cast including Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey, and Nick Nolte. It's far bolder than any comedy made in the past 20 years, and even in its satire, it somehow manages to remain incredibly relevant. 

Odds are, "Attack the Block" may be the one film on this list you probably haven't heard of, but that's a good thing, because it means you get to watch it for the first time on Paramount+. Directed by Joe Cornish, "Attack the Block" is "a genre-blending, cult-classic in the making," as /Film wrote when it first released in 2011, "Small, but incredibly well made and fun, it's destined to elicit the kind of nostalgia that'll make fans want to own and display tiny replicas of its protagonists and antagonists."

The sci-fi comedy-horror centers on an alien invasion in South London, as a group of amateur criminals struggle to survive a night of mysterious attacks. In addition to a pre-"Star Wars" John Boyega, "Attack the Block" also features a pre-"Doctor Who" Jodie Whittaker as a nurse who makes for an unlikely ally of the petty hooligans. If what you're looking for on Paramount+ is your new favorite film you've never seen before, "Attack the Block" should be your selection, given it's both a surprisingly well-made action film with great characters and even better performances. 

Alex Garland has certainly made a name for himself as a great director, with films like "Annihilation" and "Civil War" dominating cultural conversation when they released. However, it was his directorial debut in 2014 that established him as a filmmaker capable of thoughtful social commentary mixed with groundbreaking science fiction and horror. "Ex Machina" follows a programmer (Domhnall Gleeson) hired by an eccentric tech CEO (Oscar Isaac) to perform a series of A.I. tests on a humanoid robot, Ava (Alicia Vikander), judging the machine's level of consciousness. 

Not only did it win Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards, but "Ex Machina" has also completely reinvented the sci-fi genre for the modern era, with IGN calling it "essential viewing for anyone with even a passing interest in where technology is taking us." On top of that, you don't have to have a deep interest in science-fiction or artificial intelligence to connect with this story of a test subject realizing the abuse she'd enduring. While it's definitely worth a watch on Paramount+ (especially nowadays given the anxiety behind A.I.), it might convince you to throw out all your electronic devices after it's over. 

Brie Larson had been acting since she was a child, racking up roles in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" and "The Spectacular Now," but it's 2015's "Room" that turned her into a blockbuster movie star and future Marvel Cinematic Universe hero. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, "Room" stars Larson as Joy, a woman who is held captive in a small room for seven years, giving birth in that time to a son, Jack (Jacob Tremblay), struggling to protect him from his father/kidnapper (Sean Bridgers). Larson, unsurprisingly, racked up wins at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and more ceremonies for her performance. 

The awards sweep wasn't unwarranted, either, as "Room" boasts two incredible performances from both Larson and Tremblay, with many reviewers singling out the two of them as the best part of the movie and their chemistry as on-screen mother and son. It's not the easiest watch, but if you're looking for a powerful and emotional award-winning drama on Paramount+, it's hard to top "Room."

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault or may be the victim of child abuse, contact the relevant resources below:

• Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
• Please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

To have missed the hype over "A Quiet Place" after it first released in 2018, you'd have to have been living in a world with no sound. The John Krasinski-directed horror film unexpectedly launched an original blockbuster franchise with this story of a mother (Emily Blunt) and father (Krasinski) struggling to keep their family safe in a post-apocalyptic where humans are targeted by territorial monsters with incredibly powerful hearing. Blunt is the real star of the show here, single-handedly making it worth the watch on Paramount+, though it's not the kind of film you and your friends can chat during. 

As /Film wrote following its SXSW premiere, "A Quiet Place" is "a remarkable achievement, a horror movie with exactly four actors and maybe five minutes of dialogue that remains utterly riveting to its final minute of screentime." 

Future films in the franchise have recruited A-list talent like Cillian Murphy (who later reunited with Blunt to earn Oscar noms for "Oppenheimer") and Lupita Nyong'o, further diving into the terrifying world built by Krasinski and his collaborators with this first film. 

In /Film's review of "Aftersun" following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, we praised the directorial debut of Charlotte Wells by writing, "This is an incredibly nuanced film that layers meaning steadily through subtle cues and juxtaposition, drawing the viewer in deeper and deeper with each seemingly innocuous episode." It's easy to watch this film and simply not "get it," thinking it's just a simple portrait of a depressed father (Paul Mescal) and his estranged daughter (Frankie Corio) on a Turkish vacation, but it's so much more than that.

Released in 2022, "Aftersun" is a semi-autobiographical examination of Wells' own relationship with her deceased father, warranting praise from fellow filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, Claire Denis, and Barry Jenkins. In some parts, it's a feel-good watch as viewers can enjoy the chemistry (or lack of) between the two leads, but in other moments the film reminds audiences about the lingering questions we may have about people we've lost. Plus, if you've struggled to see the hype behind Mescal, this is the film you need to watch on Paramount+ to understand it. 

Even though it was nominated for Best Picture at 2024's Academy Awards (as well as Best Original Screenplay), "Past Lives" flew somewhat under the radar, taking home far fewer awards than it honestly deserved to. Another autobiographical directorial debut, this time from Celine Song, "Past Lives" centers on the decades-spanning friendship between Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), in which their desire to connect with one another is complicated by the changes they go through as they grow up, the least of which being Nora's husband Arthur (John Magaro). 

Thankfully, the film is available to stream on Paramount+, giving audiences another chance to watch this beautiful story. It might not be the funniest, most action-packed, or thrilling recommendation from this list, but given that some films always get the short stick each year from awards season, "Past Lives" is to last year's Oscars what "Nickel Boys" is to this year's. Justice for Greta Lee!