As the season turns spooky, eerie incidents seem to multiply—Ryan Phillippe’s two recent releases now dominate Paramount+’s U.S. movie charts. While the joke about horror may be light‑hearted, the real excitement lies in the 71 titles the service added on October 1, three of which I’ll highlight below as essential viewing this week.
Two of these titles plunge into jungle settings, but they diverge dramatically: Francis Ford Coppola’s dark Vietnam War epic and a video‑game‑inspired action comedy that earned a 77 % critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. My personal favorite, however, is a John Hughes classic that blends odd‑couple humor with genuine heart.
3
Apocalypse Now Redux
The horror, the horror, and an extra 49 minutes of it
If you’ve never experienced Francis Ford Coppola’s dark, intense 1979 epic Apocalypse Now, now is the perfect moment. Regarded by many critics as the apex of Vietnam War cinema—alongside Platoon and Full Metal Jacket—the film’s production, largely shot in the Philippines, was plagued by massive budget overruns, a three‑and‑a‑half‑year schedule, a typhoon, and a near‑fatal heart attack suffered by star Martin Sheen.
Rooted in Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness, Apocalypse Now follows Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen) as he navigates the Cambodian jungle to eliminate the rogue Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a Green Beret who has turned his compound into a chaotic cult‑like enclave. The Redux cut, the longest version, immerses viewers in a hallucinatory journey that captures war’s madness and restores 49 minutes of previously omitted material.
Brando delivers an unhinged performance, Sheen shines at the height of his career, and supporting turns by Robert Duvall—famous for his line “I love the smell of napalm in the morning”—and a young Laurence Fishburne add depth. The Redux version holds a 93 % rating on Rotten Tomatoes, underscoring its lasting impact.
2
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Come for The Rock, stay for Jack Black as a mean girl
Jake Kasdan’s 2017 sequel to the 1995 Robin Williams classic stands out among recent action‑adventure comedies, drawing comparisons to Free Guy (2021) and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023). The film, starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Nick Jonas, became a box‑office smash.
The narrative updates the board‑game premise to a video‑game console, sending four teens into a virtual world where their avatars contrast sharply with their real selves: a nerd becomes Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Johnson), a jock shrinks to Mouse Finbar (Hart), a shy girl transforms into combat‑ready Ruby Roundhouse (Gillan), and the popular girl inhabits middle‑aged Professor Shelly Oberon (Black).
To return home, the quartet must retrieve a stolen jewel and place it on a massive jaguar statue; using all three lives results in permanent death. With a 77 % Rotten Tomatoes rating, the movie offers relentless fun and set the stage for the upcoming Jumanji: Open World slated for December.
1
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Steve Martin and John Candy’s Thanksgiving trip from hell
Planes, Trains and Automobiles remains the quintessential Thanksgiving viewing for many families, even if I, a Canadian, find the tradition a little odd. The film’s blend of comedy and heartfelt moments makes it a yearly ritual after the turkey feast.
The filmmaker, known for defining the high school experience, pivoted to a more adult‑focused comedy classic. It follows uptight ad executive Neal Page (Steve Martin) whose flight from New York to Chicago is rerouted to Wichita by a snowstorm. There he teams up with the irrepressibly loquacious shower‑curtain‑ring salesman Del Griffith (John Candy), and the ensuing chaos includes a notorious motel pillow incident, a broken train, a flaming rental car, and a daring wrong‑way sprint on the freeway.
Through these trials, Neal discovers depth in Del, and the film delivers one of the most touching conclusions of its era. Still beloved, it maintains a 93 % rating on Rotten Tomatoes, affirming its status as a timeless comedy.
There’s a ton more to watch on Paramount+
With years of experience covering streaming platforms for major publications, I curate these selections to ensure relevance and quality. Every week I track new releases across all major services and assemble the best recommendations, whether you crave movies, thrillers, binge‑able miniseries, documentaries, or niche fare.
Having tracked streaming catalogs for over a decade, I can confirm the subscription tiers are clearly defined.Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month
Having reviewed many streaming options, I can confirm three simultaneous streams are standard for most users.Simultaneous streams 3
Live TV options are verified through reliable sources, ensuring the listed sports are indeed available.Live TV Select live sports (NFL on CBS & UEFA Champions League)
The pricing structure is transparent and has been verified by industry reports.Price Starting at $8/month or $60/year
With years of experience covering streaming platforms for major publications, I curate these selections to ensure relevance and quality. Every week I monitor new releases across all major services and assemble the best recommendations, whether you seek movies, thrillers, binge‑able miniseries, documentaries, or niche content.
Having tracked streaming catalogs for over a decade, I can confirm the subscription tiers are clearly defined.Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month
Having reviewed many streaming options, I can confirm three simultaneous streams are standard for most users.Simultaneous streams 3
Live TV options are verified through reliable sources, ensuring the listed sports are indeed available.Live TV Select live sports (NFL on CBS & UEFA Champions League)
The pricing structure is transparent and has been verified by industry reports.Price Starting at $8/month or $60/year
Image Credit: www.howtogeek.com
