From classic comedies to recent blockbusters, these films are sure to please.

The 20 best movies on Paramount+

From classic comedies to recent blockbusters, these films are sure to please.

By Kevin Jacobsen

and Declan Gallagher

on November 5, 2025 5:40 a.m. ET

Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron in 'Mean Girls'; Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in 'Top Gun: Maverick'; Lupita Nyong'o as Sam in 'A Quiet Place: Day One'. Credit:

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection (2); Gareth Gatrell/Paramount Pictures

Originally launched (to some skepticism) as CBS All Access in 2014, it's safe to say that Paramount+ was ahead of its time. It was, in fact, the first over-the-top service from an American broadcaster. In 2021, during the pandemic theatrical shakeup, Paramount+ rebranded and made a name for itself with an admirable library of films on top of its television offerings.

Picking only 20 of the best movies on Paramount+ was no easy task, but we at EW tried our best. Join us as we run through the list.

Arrival (2016)

Jeremy Renner as Ian Donnelly and Amy Adams as Louise Banks in 'Arrival'.

Jan Thijs/Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

What if, instead of jumping into fight or flight mode with aliens, we made an effort to understand what they wanted from us? This is the central tenet of *Arrival*, Denis Villeneuve's cerebral yet emotional adaptation of Ted Chiang's short story, "Story of Your Life." The film follows Louise Banks (Amy Adams, in one of her very best performances), a linguist attempting to communicate with extraterrestrial lifeforms who don't seem hostile but also don't announce their intentions to Earth's inhabitants. Parallel to this, we see glimpses of Louise's life with her daughter, which eventually reveal a poignant connection to her life's work in a moment of profound revelation.****EW's critic praised the film for its artful storytelling within the realm of science fiction, noting, "It's far less interested in galactic destiny than the infinite, uncharted landscape of the human heart." —*Kevin Jacobsen*

Where to watch *Arrival*: Paramount+

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Denis Villeneuve

**Cast:** Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma

Better Man (2024)

Jonno Davies playing a motion-capture chimp version of Robbie Williams in 'Better Man'.

Paramount Pictures/YouTube

Sometimes, a filmmaker takes a big swing and it just doesn't connect. *Better Man* is one of those rare cases where its gimmick is part of its unique charm, telling the story of British pop star Robbie Williams, who is portrayed in the film as an anthropomorphic chimpanzee. While the beats of Williams' story will be familiar to anyone who's seen other music biopics, director Michael Gracey brings impressive visual flair and stages his musical sequences with precision ("Rock DJ" being his magnum opus).

Williams, who narrates the film, also allows himself to be portrayed in a sometimes unflattering light. As such, EW's critic praises *Better Man* as "refreshingly honest for a musical biopic that has the involvement of its subject." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Better Man*: Paramount+

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Michael Gracey

**Cast:** Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman

Fatal Attraction (1987)

Glenn Close as Alex Forrest and Michael Douglas as Dan Gallagher in 'Fatal Attraction'.

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. As the unstable Alex Forrest, Glenn Close became one of the all-time great movie antagonists with this iconic erotic thriller. When Alex meets Dan (Michael Douglas) at a business function, there is a charge between them that blossoms into a passionate affair. The problem is, Dan is married and has a kid, and after he coldly tries to end the affair, Alex retaliates with a series of increasingly dangerous actions. What sets *Fatal Attraction* above the many erotic thrillers released in the '80s and '90s is how Close brings humanity to Alex, with an undercurrent of loneliness that prevents her from becoming a two-dimensional villain. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Fatal Attraction*: Paramount+

**Director:** Adrian Lyne

**Cast:** Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer

The First Wives Club (1995)

Bette Midler as Brenda Morelli-Cushman, Goldie Hawn as Elise Eliot-Atchison, and Diane Keaton as Annie MacDuggan-Paradis in 'The First Wives Club'.

A murderer's row of acting talent — Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler — team up to exact revenge on their ex-husbands who have "upgraded" to younger models. A revenge–cum–wish fulfillment fantasy, Hugh Wilson's breezy friend-com is both pleasantly spiky and reassuringly warm. "As long as Hawn and her cronies are skewering male insensitivity with that sort of filed-talon wit," EW's critic quips, "*The First Wives Club* whisks us along." —*Declan Gallagher*

Where to watch *The First Wives Club*: Paramount+

**Director:** Hugh Wilson

**Cast:** Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton**

Gladiator (2000)

Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius in 'Gladiator'.

Universal/Getty

Ridley Scott's brutal, visceral epic stars Russell Crowe as fallen general Maximus, who becomes a gladiator and undertakes a campaign of revenge against those who wronged him. *Gladiator*, which was compared favorably to the ”sword-and-sandal movies” of the 1950s and '60s, earned rave reviews and multiple Oscars including Best Picture. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Gladiator*: Paramount+

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Ridley Scott

**Cast:** Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris

Gladiator II (2024)

Paul Mescal as Hanno and Pedro Pascal as General Acacius in 'Gladiator II'.

The time has come, 24 years later, to be entertained again. Ridley Scott's long-in-development sequel to his Best Picture winner features a mostly new cast of characters, with Paul Mescal starring as Hanno, a prisoner of war who shows great promise as a gladiator and fights on behalf of the scheming Macrinus (Denzel Washington). Hanno soon discovers his true identity and a battle for the fate of Rome escalates further. EW's critic calls *Gladiator II* "the epitome of an epic, its towering sets, opulent costumes, and bustling crowd scenes bringing Ancient Rome to life in all its excess." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Gladiator II*: Paramount+

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** Ridley Scott

**Cast:** Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi**

The Godfather (1972)

Salvatore Corsitto as Amerigo Bonasera and Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in 'The Godfather'.

Paramount Pictures

A film that hardly needs introduction, *The Godfather* is one of the seminal classics of cinematic history, launching a three-part saga about family, legacy, and the American dream. It follows the powerful Corleone family, from aging mob boss Vito (Marlon Brando) to the son looking to succeed him, Michael (Al Pacino). After an assassination attempt against his father, Michael seeks to prove his worth and plots revenge against those who ordered the hit. Sweeping and absorbing even all these years later, *The Godfather* is a Shakespearean epic for modern times, rightfully earning the Oscar for Best Picture and inspiring filmmakers for generations to come. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Godfather*: Paramount+

**Director:** Francis Ford Coppola

**Cast:** Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Diane Keaton**

Heat (1995)

Al Pacino as Vincent Hanna and Robert De Niro as Neil McCauley in 'Heat'. Everett Collection

Notable for being the first onscreen partnership of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, this crime epic had a lot of, well, heat, ahead of its 1995 release, and it more than lived up to expectations. The film centers on experienced thief Neil McCauley (De Niro) whose various heists are detected by LAPD cop Vincent Hanna (Pacino). As McCauley continues to chase the high of a well-orchestrated theft, Hanna loves the pursuit, leading to an iconic scene of the two of them calling a brief truce over some coffee at a diner, where they learn they're more alike than they thought.

"You can feel their joy in performing," EW's critic writes of the scene. "We're not watching McCauley and Hanna anymore; we're watching De Niro and Pacino trying to out-insinuate each other." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Heat*: Paramount+

**EW grade:** B–

**Director:** Michael Mann

**Cast:** Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Jon Voight, Val Kilmer

Mean Girls (2004)

(From left to right): Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron, Amanda Seyfried as Karen Smith, Rachel McAdams as Regina George, Jonathan Bennett as Aaron Samuels, and Lacey Chabert as Gretchen Wieners in 'Mean Girls'. Everett Collection

A musical update of Mark Waters' seminal high school comedy — following new girl Cady getting inducted into a group of queen bees headed by the ruthless Regina George — is now streaming on Paramount+. But there's no better time to revisit the original, which has only gotten funnier with age. It's both laugh-out-loud entertaining and a thoughtful exploration of teenage behavior. As EW's critic wrote in 2004 of the Tina Fey-penned comedy, "The movie — a vinegary fable with a Splenda aftertaste — is a harbinger of hope not only for future feminist comedies of any grit but also for *SNL*-staffed feature films that don't disproportionately suck." *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Mean Girls*: Paramount+

**Director: **Mark Waters

**Cast:** Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, Tina Fey, Tim Meadows

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Mission: Impossible — Fallout (2018)

(From left to right): Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust, Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, and Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell in 'Mission: Impossible — Fallout'.

David James/Paramount /Courtesy Everett Collection

Nearly every *Mission: Impossible* movie is available to stream on Paramount+, but this sixth entry in the film franchise is arguably the best one yet. *Fallout* centers on IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) in his quest to stop an expected nuclear attack from a terrorist group. He and his team are joined by CIA assassin August Walker (Henry Cavill) to recover plutonium cores on a mission that proves decidedly more difficult than Hunt could ever imagine. Packed with dazzling set pieces and genuinely shocking twists, EW's critic praises the film as "the kind of pure, straight-no-chaser pop fun that not only keeps taking your breath away over and over again, it restores your occasionally shaky faith in summer blockbusters." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Mission: Impossible — Fallout*: Paramount+

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** Christopher McQuarrie

**Cast:** Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby, Michelle Monaghan, Alec Baldwin

The Naked Gun (2025)

Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport and Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. in 'The Naked Gun'.

Frank Masi/Paramount

We highly recommend taking a chair (no, not literally) and watching Liam Neeson in his silliest role to date. The action star lends his tough-guy persona to this hilarious legacy sequel to the classic spoof series of films from the '80s and '90s, playing Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., a hapless police officer who investigates a stolen gismo known as the P.L.O.T. Device (get it?). Enter the glamorous novelist Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), who hopes to seek justice for her murdered brother and teams up with Frank to take down the man she deems responsible. For those missing the laugh-a-minute comedies of yesteryear, *The Naked Gun* is an endearingly goofy oasis in the desert. —*K.J.***

Where to watch *The Naked Gun*: Paramount+

**Director:** Akiva Schaffer

**Cast:** Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Danny Huston

A Quiet Place (2018)

John Krasinski as Lee Abbott, Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott, and Millicent Simmonds as Regan Abbott in 'A Quiet Place'. Jonny Cournoyer/Paramount Pictures

Not advised for those easily startled, *A Quiet Place* became an instant horror favorite upon its 2018 release. Predatory alien creatures with hypersensitive hearing have overrun Earth, and any sound can be a death sentence for humans. John Krasinski does triple duty as director, co-writer, and star, playing a man living in this postapocalyptic world with his family, who are trying to survive and find a way to fight back. The gripping tension inherent in its premise would be enough to cause anxiety in viewers, but Krasinski proves adept at deploying maximum terror when you're least expecting it. As EW's critic writes, "When *A Quiet Place* has one finger on the panic button and the other on mute, it’s a nervy, terrifying thrill." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *A Quiet Place*: Paramount+

**EW grade:** B+

**Director:** John Krasinski

**Cast:** Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

Joseph Quinn as Eric and Lupita Nyong'o as Sam in 'A Quiet Place: Day One'.

Gareth Gatrell/Paramount Pictures

The third film in the *Quiet Place* franchise intriguingly rewinds to the first day of the invasion that would ultimately cause an apocalypse. We also transport to the concrete jungle of New York, where we meet a terminally ill woman named Samira (Lupita Nyong'o) as she desperately tries to avoid the sound-sensitive alien creatures intent on attacking the city. You'll still get plenty of the jump-scares that made the first two *Quiet Place* films so effective, but there's an emotional core to *Day One* that resonates, too, especially in Samira's connection with a stranger named Eric (Joseph Quinn). "Somehow," writes EW's critic, "this movie ends up being quite touching in between scenes when it’s making you jump." —*K.J.***

Where to watch *A Quiet Place: Day One*: Paramount+

**EW grade:** B+

**Director:** Michael Sarnoski

**Cast:** Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones and Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'. Everett Collection

As if *Star Wars* weren't enough, this first entry in the Indiana Jones franchise further cemented Harrison Ford's status as a superstar. One of the most beloved films of all time, *Raiders of the Lost Ark* finds Ford's rogue archaeologist battling Nazis who seek to locate the Ark of the Covenant in the hope of making their armed forces invincible. Unfolding at a relentlessly thrilling pace, Steven Spielberg's action-adventure is elevated further by Ford's charisma, his sparring dynamic with Karen Allen as Indy's past flame Marion, and another rousing score by John Williams. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Raiders of the Lost Ark*: Paramount+

**Director:** Steven Spielberg

**Cast:** Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Mia Farrow as Rosemary Woodhouse in 'Rosemary's Baby'.

Courtesy Everett Collection

Regarded as one of the most frightening psychological horror films of all time, *Rosemary's Baby* gets its scares from its deft use of dread. Mia Farrow, in her most iconic role, plays Rosemary Woodhouse, a young newlywed who moves with her husband into a New York apartment, where she becomes pregnant and begins to suspect her nosy neighbors have ulterior motives for her baby. As Rosemary's paranoia worsens, she is met with skeptics who try to downplay her concerns, even as evidence suggests that her baby is, in fact, in danger. Farrow's emotionally wrenching performance enhances the terror, leading to a horrifying conclusion that still gives us chills. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Rosemary's Baby*: Paramount+

**Director:** Roman Polanski

**Cast:** Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy

School of Rock (2003)

Rivkah Reyes as Katie and Jack Black as Dewey Finn in 'School of Rock'. Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

After breaking out with 2000's *High Fidelity*, Jack Black fully cemented his movie star status with *School of Rock*. The beloved comedy centers Black as Dewey Finn, a former rock guitarist whose desperation for a job leads him to pose as a substitute teacher at a prep school. He proceeds to bring the sheltered kids out of their shells by forming a band with them, allowing them to express their individuality. What could have been another silly comedy becomes a smartly funny and sweet film in director Richard Linklater's hands, with Black's energetic performance netting him widespread praise and even a Golden Globe nomination. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *School of Rock*: Paramount+

**Director:** Richard Linklater

**Cast:** Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Mike White, Sarah Silverman**

Smile 2 (2024)

Naomi Scott as Skye Riley in 'Smile 2'.

You don't need to watch the first *Smile* film to appreciate this gnarly follow-up, which improves upon its predecessor. All you need to know is that the Smile Entity is a curse that feeds on trauma and can only be passed on by killing another person in front of a witness.

*Smile 2* centers on a pop star named Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) who becomes the latest unlucky recipient of the curse and struggles with unnerving hallucinations. Plus, there's the added burden of her being in the public eye, raising the stakes significantly. With frightening imagery and a fearless performance from Scott, *Smile 2* successfully avoids the dreaded sophomore slump. —*K.J.***

Where to watch *Smile 2*: Paramount+

**Director:** Parker Finn

**Cast:** Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, Raúl Castillo, Kyle Gallner

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview and Paul Dano as Paul Sunday in 'There Will Be Blood'.

Mary Evans/Paramount Vantage/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection

Paul Thomas Anderson weaves an epic tale of greed and corruption in this riveting Western drama. The film charts Daniel Plainview's (Daniel Day-Lewis) rise to power during the oil boom at the turn of the 20th century, stepping on all who helped him get there. Day-Lewis delivers one of his most towering performances as the ruthless baron whose fractured relationship with his son comes back to haunt him in his later days. "It can hardly be called an 'act,'" EW's critic writes, "so fully does the fictional Daniel come alive, with all the fury, hatred, restlessness, and distrust that courses through him." —*K.J.*

**Where to watch *There Will Be Blood*: Paramount+

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** Paul Thomas Anderson

**Cast:** Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds, Dillon Freasier

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Tom Cruise as Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in 'Top Gun: Maverick'. Paramount Pictures

Joseph Kosinski's follow-up to Tony Scott's 1986 original is perfect blockbuster entertainment if you can avoid some of the dubious messaging. Tom Cruise returns, this time teaching a pack of new recruits the aerial ropes to fight a war against an unspecified enemy. It's another perfectly structured genre movie that gets by on pure adrenaline but works because you actually believe in the stakes. Knowledge of the first film helps but isn't entirely necessary; as EW's critic observes, the film "toggles deftly between winking callbacks and standard big-beat action stuff meant to stand on its own." *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Top Gun: Maverick*: Paramount+

**EW grade:** B+

**Director:** Joseph Kosinski

**Cast: **Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Val Kilmer

Zodiac (2007)

Robert Downey Jr. as Paul Avery and Jake Gyllenhaal as Robert Graysmith in 'Zodiac'.

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

This police-and-journalists procedural charting the still-unsolved crime spree of the Zodiac Killer is director David Fincher's masterpiece. It's certainly the best "true crime" movie and, depending on your tolerance for *All the President's Men*, might be the best journalism movie. Though more factual than many films, *Zodiac* moves at a rocketing clip and contains at least six sequences of full-blooded terror — Ione Skye on the highway and Jake Gyllenhaal in the basement, to name but two. This is a movie that was well and truly ahead of its time. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *Zodiac*: Paramount+

**Director:** David Fincher

**Cast:** Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, Elias Koteas, Donal Logue, John Carroll Lynch, Dermot Mulroney

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Movies”