3 Paramount+ movies you must watch this week (March 9

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If you’re the kind of movie buff who really enjoys bouncing between genres and appreciates the kind of classics that still hit home even after seeing them a dozen times, then Paramount+ has a deep well that you can draw from for days.

For this week, March 9-15, I’ve selected a few must-sees that should make your watchlist happy: a horror favorite that kicks off a franchise, a historical epic to end all epics, and a dizzying spy action blockbuster that doesn’t let up.

3

Shout

The Classic Origins of the Ghostface Killer

Scream 7 was recently released in theaters, and while critics haven’t been very kind to the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score in the franchise’s 30-year history, it has been a box office success so far. If you haven’t had a chance to see it yet, why not first go back to where it all began with the 1996 OG. Shout, that’s for sure.

Horror master Wes Craven broke the mold with Shouta smart and witty teen slasher film that turned the genre on its head by mocking and exploiting just about every horror cliché you can think of. The film follows the now iconic character of Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell), a high school student still grieving after the murder of her mother a year earlier. When a killer wearing a ghost-face mask begins stalking and preying on Sydney’s friends (first taking out Drew Barrymore in the classic killer-inside-the-house scene), it’s clear that his ultimate target is Sydney herself.

What makes the original Shout so good that, even though it telegraphs all the horror tropes, it’s still genuinely scary, funny, and clever all at the same time. Costars include Courtney Cox as sleuth reporter Gale Weathers and David Arquette as local deputy Dewey Riley, as well as Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard. And if you want to continue after watching the first film, Paramount+ has all six Scream films for your own mini-marathon.

Shout

Release date: January 14, 2022
Runtime: 114 minutes
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett

2

Gladiator

Are you not amused?!

Every time I watch this epic period action drama, and Russell Crowe’s hulking gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius, asks, “Aren’t you amused?!” inside, I nod fervently: “Yes, yes, I am.” Ridley Scott’s epic Roman action drama Gladiator is unlike any other film, and it was a powerhouse when it was released in 2000, garnering 12 Academy Award nominations and five wins, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.

Gladiator is set in ancient Rome and centers around Maximus, the famous general of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), whose twisted son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), assassinates him to take the throne. After Commodus learns that his father wants Maximus to succeed him, Commodus has Maximus’ family killed. Exiled and thought dead, Maximus is sold to slavers, where he is forced to fight for his freedom as a gladiator. And he’s really, really good at it. Eventually his success brings him back to Rome, where he may well have the opportunity to take revenge on Commodus.

Gladiator played a big role in the revival of the ancient/historical epic genre of the time, making it surprising that it took them over two decades to make a sequel, Gladiator IIstarring Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal, which you can also stream on Paramount+ now.

Gladiator

Release date: May 5, 2000
Runtime: 155 minutes
Director: Ridley Scott

1

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Ethan Hunt and his team go rogue to save the world

It’s a great time to watch the Mission Impossible movies on Paramount+, with all eight of Tom Cruise’s action-packed spy franchises available to stream. And while you should set aside time to watch them all from the beginning, this is the 2011 installment Brad Bird directed (and his live-action directorial debut), Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocolwhich still stands out to me, and is arguably the film that breathed new life into the struggling series.

Ethan Hunt’s (Cruise) loyal Impossible Mission Force crew—missing Ving Rhames’ Luther this time but including field agent Brandt (Jeremy Renner), technician Benji (Simon Pegg), and agent Jane (Paula Patton)—find themselves blamed for a Kremlin bombing and blacklisted. The team is forced to go rogue and completely off the grid (hence the “ghost” protocol) to clear their name. Oh, and they still have to track down and stop a dangerous character known as Cobalt, who is determined to start a nuclear war.

This is the film Mission in which Cruise incredibly scales the exterior wall of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Just another day at the office for the then 48-year-old. Ghost Protocol still holds an impressive 94% freshness on Rotten Tomatoes.

Paramount+ has your classics issue this week with this trio. Choose the one that suits your mood or browse some of our other recommended lists over the past few weeks for more ideas.