By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on X.
Former Sony employee and editor of 4 TV magazines.
Paramount+ today has added 73 new movies to its streaming lineup. Here are the five best, in my humble opinion:
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Magnolia (1999)
The satirical drama from director Paul Thomas Anderson features the lost souls of San Fernando Valley as played by the brilliant ensemble cast of Tom Cruise, Jason Robards, Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Melora Walters. Magnolia doesn’t get the love of PTA’s previous film, Boogie Nights, but it’s a thrilling piece of cinema that will leave you wanting even more after three hours and eight minutes.
The Ring (2002)
The horror film directed by Gore Verbinski stars Naomi Watts as a Seattle newspaper reporter who investigates why several teenagers have died after watching a videotape. (Another good reason why videotape was replaced by discs and streaming.) The Ring is a truly scary film and Watts is perfect in the damsel in distress role when she gets a little too close to the secret behind the deaths.
Face/Off (1997)
The action-drama from director John Woo stars John Travolta and Nic Cage as an FBI agent and master criminal (respectively) who switch faces and identities while engaging in a cat-and-mouse chase. Only Woo, Travolta and Cage could pull this off but it’s a rockin’ 133 minutes of action, over-the-top acting, and humor.
Malcolm X (1992)
Spike Lee’s evocative 1992 drama starring Denzel Washington as the 1960s civil rights leader is the director at the peak of his powers (Denzel, too.). The film chronicles the amazing life of Malcolm X from his days as a Detroit drug dealer to his transformation as a religious leader and civil rights icon. Beautiful film in more ways than one.
The King of Comedy (1983)
Robert De Niro stars in this black comedy from director Martin Scorsese about a nobody who obsesses of landing a stand-up spot on a late-night talk show. Jerry Lewis plays the talk show host with low-key charisma and De Niro is fascinating as the psycho comedian wannbe, Rupert Pupkin. The film received mixed reviews upon release but The King of Comedy was ahead of its time in portraying the dangerous lure of fame, something quite apparent in the era of Tik Tok.
Complete List of New Titles Added Today to Paramount+ with Showtime.
April 1
Arsenal*
B.A.P.S.
Bandslam*
Black Lotus
Blades of Glory
Catch and Release
Chaplin
Cheech & Chong’s Still Smokin’*
Cloud Atlas
Cold Mountain
Daddy’s Home
Deep Impact
Domestic Disturbance*
Drive Me Crazy
Edge Of Darkness
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El Dorado
Emma
Empire Records
Face/Off
First Blood
Galaxy Quest*
Get Rich or Die Tryin’
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Hotel for Dogs
I Love You, Man
Identity
Inherent Vice
Jacob’s Ladder*
Juice
Just Like Heaven
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Last Night*
Life
Like a Boss
Magnolia
Malcolm X
Max Steel*
Mimic
Muriel’s Wedding*
My Baby’s Daddy
Nebraska
Nick of Time*
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Rambo III
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Saturday Night Fever
Secret in Their Eyes*
Team America: World Police
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
The Crossing Guard*
The Evening Star*
The Heartbreak Kid
The King of Comedy
The Ring
The Ring Two
The Ring Two (Unrated)
The Score
The Secret Garden
The Station Agent
The Transporter Refueled*
The Uninvited
TMNT
Total Recall
Transformers
Up in Smoke
Vacancy
Varsity Blues
Whip It
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Wild Card*
Wuthering Heights*
* Denotes the movie or show is available only to Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers.
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
