There are two basic ways to decide what movie you want to watch on Paramount+ (or any streaming service, for that matter) on the spot, remote in hand, as you thumb through its massive library, or with some careful research and (hopefully) with the help of expertly informed and Rotten Tomatoes-vetted recommendation lists, just like this one.The latter, however, won't explain how a 27%-rated comedy ended up in the streamer's Most Watched lineup.This week on the streamer, is still dominating the top 10, with a whopping 100% RT score.
The details are below.And rounding out this list of newly added titles this month (in descending order) is an Oscar-nominated crime saga that's been untouchable since 2002, and a road-trip movie reboot the critics tried very hard to warn you about.3 Wardriver A hacker heist thriller with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score landed on Paramount+ on July 8 and quickly impressed the critics, as evidenced by its perfect 100% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
As a fan of its lead, Dane DeHaan, who I’ve enjoyed since and, more recently, on Netflix’s gritty , it was good to see him back on screen in director Rebecca Thomas' lean crime thriller.The movie follows Cole (DeHaan), a nocturnal hacker who cruises Salt Lake City looking for unsecured Wi-Fi networks that he uses to hack into the networks of banks and big businesses to skim money out of them—a real-world technique called wardriving.Cole isn’t greedy, though; he takes what he needs and keeps his footprint small, until seedy criminal fixer Oscar (Mamoudou Athie) strong-arms him into pulling off a big job he wants no part of.
That heist blows the lid off a mob attorney (Jeffrey Donovan) who's been washing money through the bank account of Sarah (Sasha Calle, who played Supergirl in ), and Cole's quiet little hustle turns into a life-or-death game of digital (and real-world) hide-and-seek.Written by Daniel Casey (), is a slick, fast, and moody 93 minutes of a decent guy caught up in something way over his head.2 City of God Brazil's stunning crime epic has never lost its impact If "greatest films of all time" lists are important litmus tests for how you choose a good movie to watch, few films have landed on as many as Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund's 2002 Brazilian crime masterpiece , which has been pinned by everyone from , The BBC, and .
Based on Paulo Lins' bestselling novel of the same name—itself drawn from real events—the four-time Oscar-nominated film chronicles two decades in Rio de Janeiro's violent, gang-riddled Cidade de Deus favela, through the eyes of Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), a peaceful aspiring photographer trying to stay clear of the life swallowing his neighborhood, his friends, and his family. Quiz 8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge Name these greatest films of all timeTrivia challenge Think you know cinema's finest? See if you can name these iconic films from clues alone. DramaClassic FilmsDirectorsPlot CluesOscars Begin 01 / 8 Plot Clues A former mob enforcer and his partner accidentally kill a man, then spend a frantic day disposing of the body, sharing philosophical conversations about fast food and foot massages. What film is this? AReservoir DogsBGoodfellasCPulp FictionDThe Departed Correct! Pulp Fiction (1994), directed by Quentin Tarantino, is celebrated for its nonlinear storytelling and razor-sharp dialogue.It won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and is consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made. Not quite — the answer is Pulp Fiction (1994).
Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece is famous for its interwoven storylines, iconic characters played by John Travolta and Samuel L.Jackson, and its now-legendary dialogue about burgers in Europe. Continue 02 / 8 Classic Films A U.S.Army colonel witnesses a fellow officer's descent into madness deep in the jungle during a brutal war, and is sent on a river mission to eliminate him.
What film is this? AFull Metal JacketBApocalypse NowCPlatoonDThe Deer Hunter Correct! Apocalypse Now (1979), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a haunting adaptation of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness set during the Vietnam War.Its production was famously as chaotic as the film itself, documented in the making-of film Hearts of Darkness. The answer is Apocalypse Now (1979).Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film stars Martin Sheen as Captain Willard, sent to terminate Marlon Brando's rogue Colonel Kurtz. It remains one of cinema's most visceral and philosophical war films. Continue 03 / 8 Drama Two imprisoned men form an unlikely friendship over decades, sustained by hope and the shared dream of a life beyond the walls that confine them.
What film is this? AThe Green MileBPapillonCCool Hand LukeDThe Shawshank Redemption Correct! The Shawshank Redemption (1994), based on a Stephen King novella and directed by Frank Darabont, is consistently voted the number one film on IMDb's top 250 list.Despite a modest theatrical run, it became a beloved classic through home video and television. The answer is The Shawshank Redemption (1994).Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, the film was a box office disappointment on release but went on to become arguably the most beloved movie of its era, topping IMDb's all-time rankings for years. Continue 04 / 8 Directors A young Mafia patriarch rises to power over the course of several decades, while he tries to keep his fractured family together.
The film was shot across three parts.What film series begins this saga? ACasinoBScarfaceCThe GodfatherDOnce Upon a Time in America Correct! The Godfather (1972), directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on Mario Puzo's novel, won the Academy Award for Best Picture and is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made.Marlon Brando's performance as Vito Corleone remains iconic to this day. The answer is The Godfather (1972).
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, it launched a landmark trilogy and transformed Hollywood's approach to crime dramas.Its famous line 'I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse' is one of the most quoted in cinema history. Continue 05 / 8 Oscars This film won 11 Academy Awards, tying the all-time record, and follows a humble man with an extraordinary destiny who witnesses and participates in decades of American history.What film is this? ARain ManBForrest GumpCBig FishDThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button Correct! Forrest Gump (1994), directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, swept the Oscars and became a cultural phenomenon.
Its signature line, 'Life is like a box of chocolates,' is one of the most recognizable quotes in film history. The answer is Forrest Gump (1994).Tom Hanks delivered one of cinema's most beloved performances in this Robert Zemeckis film.It won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor at the Oscars, and remains a cultural touchstone for multiple generations. Continue 06 / 8 Classic Films A brilliant but troubled mathematician at a prestigious university struggles with mental illness while secretly working with government officials, and later finds redemption through love and perseverance.
What film is this? AGood Will HuntingBPiCA Beautiful MindDThe Imitation Game Correct! A Beautiful Mind (2001), directed by Ron Howard and starring Russell Crowe as John Nash, won four Academy Awards including Best Picture.The real John Nash was a Nobel Prize-winning economist whose life story was as remarkable as the film suggests. The answer is A Beautiful Mind (2001).Russell Crowe portrayed real-life mathematician John Nash in this Ron Howard drama.
Though some dramatic liberties were taken, the film brought widespread awareness to schizophrenia and Nash's extraordinary contributions to game theory. Continue 07 / 8 Plot Clues A group of desperate men plan an elaborate heist against a clock tower in the middle of a world war, only to discover their real enemy may be time itself — and each other.What film is this? AThe Italian JobBHeatCThe Great EscapeD12 Angry Men Correct! The Great Escape (1963), directed by John Sturges and starring Steve McQueen, is based on the true story of Allied prisoners of war plotting a mass breakout from a German camp.Its iconic motorcycle chase scene remains one of cinema's most thrilling sequences. The answer is The Great Escape (1963).
This classic WWII film was based on the true story of a mass escape attempt from Stalag Luft III.Starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough, it remains a benchmark of ensemble action filmmaking. Continue 08 / 8 Drama An aging widower becomes increasingly isolated and bitter, rigidly guarding the traditions of his neighborhood, until an unlikely friendship with a young boy from next door slowly changes him.What film is this? ANebraskaBAbout SchmidtCGran TorinoDThe Straight Story Correct! Gran Torino (2008), directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, is a powerful story about prejudice, redemption, and unexpected connection.
Eastwood reportedly considered it one of his last acting roles, and his performance is considered among the finest of his legendary career. The answer is Gran Torino (2008).Clint Eastwood both directed and starred in this critically acclaimed drama, playing a Korean War veteran who reluctantly befriends his Hmong neighbors.The film was a massive commercial and critical success despite being largely overlooked during awards season. See My Score Challenge Complete Your Score / 8 Thanks for playing! Try Again Rocket’s story runs parallel to the rise of Li'l Zé (Leandro Firmino), one of the favela’s most terrifying drug lords, his easygoing partner Benny (Phellipe Haagensen), and non-violent bus fare attendant Knockout Ned (musician Seu Jorge), who is driven to the brink when Zé and some gang members sexually assault his girlfriend.
Newly added to Paramount+ this month and cast largely with non-professional actors from Rio's favelas, it's a riveting and emotionally-intense ride that is every bit as electric as it was 24 years ago.1 Vacation (2015) Critics panned it, viewers keep pressing play Sometimes you just have to go with your gut and press play.While the critics handed a dismal 27% on Rotten Tomatoes back in 2015 (it’s still holding there, too), Paramount+ subscribers apparently could not care less—it's currently (as of press time) parked in the platform's top three, according to FlixPatrol.
But how wrong could a sequel/reboot of National Lampoon's Vacation franchise go? catches up with a grown-up Rusty Griswold (played by and ’s Ed Helms), now a budget-airline pilot, who drags his wife Debbie (Christina Applegate) and sons James (Skyler Gisondo, ) and Kevin (Steele Stebbins) on a cross-country drive to, you guessed it, Walley World—the same theme park from the 1983 original.Detours along the way include visits with Rusty’s sister Audrey (Leslie Mann) and her Thor-like weatherman husband Stone (Chris Hemsworth), plus Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo reprise their Clark and Ellen characters to pass the torch to the new regime.Fine, does heavily mirror the structure of the original movie, but it’s not the first reboot to do that (and won’t be the last), and regardless, it does have some genuinely funny moments that clearly have people watching.
Vacation R Comedy Release Date July 29, 2015 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT Cast Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins, Chris Hemsworth, Leslie Mann, Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Charlie Day, Catherine Missal, Ron Livingston, Norman Reedus, Keegan-Michael Key, Regina Hall, Emyri Crutchfield, Alkoya Brunson, Nick Kroll, Tim Heidecker, Kaitlin Olson, Michael Pena, Hannah Jeter, David Clennon, Colin Hanks, Kirstin Ford, Ethan Maher Runtime 99 minutes Director John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein Writers John Francis Daley, Jonathan M.Goldstein, John Hughes Producers Chris Bender, David Dobkin Main Genre Comedy Budget $31 million Studio(s) Warner Bros.Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros.
Pictures Executive Producer(s) Jeff Kleeman, Dave Neustadter, Marc S.Fischer, Richard Brener, Samuel J.Brown, Toby Emmerich Powered by Expand Collapse Three picks, no bad movie nights Whether you trust the critics fully, or happily ignore them, this selection has you set for movies this week.
When you need the next batch, How-To Geek's streaming section is stocked and waiting.Paramount Plus Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams 3 Live TV Select live sports (NFL on CBS & UEFA Champions League) Price Starting at $8/month or $60/year Stream on Paramount+ Expand Collapse
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