We’re just about halfway through April, and Paramount+ still has plenty of life left in it when it comes to movies recently added to the service for U.S. subscribers. With so many movies to choose from—not to mention all the new CBS and Paramount+ Originals TV series like Marshals and The Madison—deciding on what to watch can be tough.
If you’re looking for something to put on this week, whether for frights, true-story drama, or high-speed racing thrills, then check out the four Paramount+ movies below.
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Paranormal Activity
I was lucky enough (and old enough) to see a preview of the movie that started the found-footage horror phenomenon in theaters in 1999—The Blair Witch Project. No one knew what they were watching, and the marketing was so good that people actually believed it was real, which made it terrifying. Eight years later, though, Paranormal Activity would spark a full-on renaissance of the found footage genre, but in a setting much more unassuming and seemingly safer than a haunted forest—an ordinary, clean, and bright suburban home. If horrors can get you there, they can get you anywhere.
Made by filmmaker Oren Peli for just $15,000, Paranormal Activity is the simple story of a young San Diego couple, Micah and Katie, who move into a new house when weird things start happening at night. Micha sets up a camera to try to capture whatever is tormenting Katie—slamming doors, creepy things moving under the bedsheets—but things get much, much worse. Paranormal Activity scared the hell out of audiences (even Steven Spielberg was reportedly terrified) and sparked a seven-movie franchise, with an eighth reportedly on the way. All seven of the Paranormal Activity movies are currently streaming on Paramount+, so grab some popcorn and a big pillow to hide behind and go for it.
Paranormal Activity
Release Date
September 14, 2007
Runtime
86 minutes
Writers
Oren Peli
Producers
Jason Blum, Steven Schneider
Katie Featherston
Katie Featherston
Mark Fredrichs
The Psychic
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Molly’s Game
A notorious A-list poker ring and the woman behind it
Molly Bloom was once an elite mogul skier on the U.S. women’s Ski Team before a devastating wipeout forced her into retirement from the sport. What’s an enterprising girl to do, then, besides build the world’s biggest and most exclusive underground poker empire for A-list celebrities? Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game is an Oscar-nominated film based on Bloom’s own memoir, starring Jessica Chastain, who gives a powerful performance alongside Idris Elba, Jeremy Strong, and Kevin Costner.
Operating System
tvOS
Resolution
4K
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Molly’s Game follows Bloom’s journey from an underappreciated assistant in L.A.’s secretive and male-dominated elite poker scene to setting up her own game in New York, which not only drew in players like Matt Damon, A-Rod, and Leonardo DiCaprio but also drew the attention of the Russian mob and the FBI. Molly’s Game has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Molly’s Game
Release Date
January 5, 2018
Runtime
140 minutes
Director
Aaron Sorkin
Writers
Aaron Sorkin, Molly Bloom
Jessica Chastain
Molly Bloom
Idris Elba
Charlie Jaffey
Kevin Costner
Larry Bloom
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Rush
James Hunt and Niki Lauda’s epic rivalry unfolds
Before Apple TV’s F1 The Movie came along, writer Peter Morgan and Director Ron Howard’s 2013 BAFTA-winning biopic drama about one of Formula 1’s greatest rivalries of all time was considered the best F1 movie of all time (some argue that it still is). That doesn’t matter, though, because any way you slice it, Rush is a must-watch for racing fans. It tells the real-life story of the 1976 Formula 1 season, and the intense championship battle between McLaren’s playboy Brit, James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth), and Ferrari’s world-champion Austrian, Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl).
When their rivalry leads to Lauda’s tragic crash at Germany’s Nürburgring, where he suffered third-degree burns to his face and head, as well as in his lungs, the guilt-ridden Hunt struggles to continue the season and chase his championship dream amidst his own personal problems, too. In a true display of his resolve, Lauda made a miraculous return to the track later in the season. Rush is an exploration of the very different lives of Hunt, who loved the glitz, glamor, women, and racing driver lifestyle, and the more conservative family man, Lauda. Olivia Wilde costars as Hunt’s glamorous wife, Suzy Miller, in this 89% fresh Formula 1 film.
Rush
Release Date
September 27, 2013
Runtime
123 minutes
Director
Ron Howard
Writers
Peter Morgan
Paramount+’s library of legacy movies from its own catalog, as well as those blockbusters and indie gems that it licenses from other studios, is nothing short of impressive, making picking one for the weekday movie night a challenge. Luckily, we’re here each week with recommendations to help.
Subscription with ads
Yes, $8/month
Simultaneous streams
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If you enjoy CBS offerings, you’ll want to subscribe to Paramount+. You get access to hit shows like Star Trek and Yellowstone, as well as a variety of SHOWTIME content.
