Paramount+ is one of those streaming services where a wide range of movie genres, niche gems, and blockbusters, classic and new, can hide in plain sight. And with the calendar flipping over to a brand-new month, there’s a whole new crop of movies added to the service.
For the week of February 2 to 8, I’ve cued up one of the toughest and most compelling documentaries I’ve ever watched, a mob classic that keeps getting better with age, a chaotic satire that’s once again become relevant, and a ridiculously quotable comedy about male models.
4
Predators
I put off watching this disturbing crime documentary on Paramount+ for weeks, because the subject matter is so sensitive and the trailer alone is a bit hard to watch. But with its 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the critical praise it’s gotten, I grit my teeth and hit play. And I’m glad I did. Predators is a chilling but fascinating exploration of the controversial crime reality TV series To Catch a Predator. The recurring Dateline NBC segment from the mid-2000s was hosted by investigative journalist Chris Hansen and utilized “decoy” actors posing as underage minors online, in an effort to lure and expose potential child predators in hidden camera stings. The segments were hard to believe, but America couldn’t look away.
The documentary uses shocking and uncomfortable archival and behind-the-scenes footage, as well as compelling interviews with Hansen, the show’s creators, and some of the decoy actors, to tell the story. But what makes it so watchable and polarizing is that while it doesn’t excuse the predatory men targeted, it calls into question the use of the platform to expose them, and our appetite for watching real trauma unfold in an uneasy spectacle. It’s a chilling and eye-opening watch.
Predators
Release Date
September 19, 2025
Runtime
96 Minutes
Director
David Osit
3
The Godfather
I tried starting this writeup off with a line about how watching The Godfather would be like a deal you couldn’t refuse, but then decided that this iconic mob movie, one that shaped everything from Goodfellas to The Sopranos, was just too legendary to joke about. Director Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece, and its sequels, are again available on Paramount+ for your marathon-viewing pleasure.
The 1972 original film, based on Mario Puzo’s novel, wrote the book on slow-burn mafia dramas, as it follows aging boss don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando in his Oscar-winning role), who’s struggling to keep the family business together amid gang wars. After an attempt on his life, Vito’s only recourse is to bring in his son Michael (Al Pacino), a reluctant businessman who just wants a normal life, to take over. What we get to witness is the chilling transformation of mild-mannered Michael into a ruthless, calculating mob leader. It’s one of the greatest movies of all time.
The Godfather
Release Date
March 24, 1972
Runtime
175 minutes
Director
Francis Ford Coppola
2
Team America: World Police
When I interviewed South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone in 2004, when their over-the-top satirical spectacle Team America: World Police came out, a few things I remember most about what they told me are: One, making a movie with marionettes was one of the hardest things they’d ever done. Two, they made it to make fun of Hollywood and the pretentious actors in it. And three, the Matt Damon puppet came out of the kiln with a melted face, so they just went with it (if you know, you know).
The resulting film, an homage to the 1960s TV series Thunderbirds, is a gleefully crude, vulgar puppet action movie about an American anti-terror “world police” team that, while enforcing freedom around the globe, leaves destruction in their wake. In an effort to thwart a sinister plot by Kim Jong-il, Team America recruits top-gun Broadway actor Gary Johnson to help, because, well, actors are just great at everything. It’s cringey at times, full of action, and even weird puppet sex. Oh, and it’s a musical. If you love South Park, Team America is twisted required viewing.
1
Zoolander
It’s hard to believe that one of comedy’s most iconic characters was born out of a short film that Ben Stiller created for the VH1 Fashion Awards in 1996 and 1997. They were so well-loved that Stiller, who was still establishing himself as a director, writer, and producer, decided to turn it into a full-fledged feature. Zoolander hit theaters in 2001 in all its quotable glory, and it still stands today as one of the most sharply-constructed fashion-industry satires ever made.
Stiller stars as legendary male model Derek Zoolander, who loves a good gasoline fight, can’t spell eulogy, or turn left on the runway, but damn, is he ridiculously good-looking. When Derek is brainwashed and hypnotized by eccentric designer Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferell) into an assassination plot to kill the Malaysian prime minister, with the help of hard-nosed reporter Matilda (Christine Taylor) and hot male model Hansel (Owen Wilson), they three must get to the bottom of it before it’s too late. Stiller, Wilson, and Ferrell give classic performances, but keep an eye out for perfect cameos from David Duchovny, Billy Zane, Alexander Skarsgård, and Winona Ryder, too.
Zoolander
Release Date
September 28, 2001
Runtime
90 minutes
Director
Ben Stiller
Whatever you’re in the mood for—dark, sobering documentaries to stupid-funny satires—this week’s picks have you covered. Also be sure to check out our post on everything coming to Paramount+ in February 2026.
Subscription with ads
Yes, $8/month
Simultaneous streams
3
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