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"Chinatown" (1974): An acclaimed neo-noir mystery movie starring Jack Nicholson, loosely based on the California water wars of the early 20th century.
Stream it now on Paramount+ - "Good Will Hunting" (1997): A precocious but delinquent MIT janitor agrees to see a therapist to avoid jail time. Stream it now on Paramount+
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"The Banshees of Inisherin" (2022): Set in 1923 on an Irish island, a fast friendship is suddenly broken, and it has dire consequences for everyone around them.
Stream it now on Paramount+
Paramount+ is a great streaming service for your next movie marathon. It adds dozens of movies a month, many on the first day of the new month. This weekend just so happens to be where March 1 falls, and on that day alone, Paramount+ will add 76 movies to its library.
So with this many newly added movies to choose from, it can be tough to know where to start. I've looked through the full list, though, and found the three movies you need to watch first this weekend. All three secured multiple Academy Award nominations in their respective years; combined, they have 28 Oscar nominations and three wins. So trust me when I say that these movies are of the highest quality.
I will caveat that these movies all arrive on March 1, though, so maybe block out your calendar for a lazy Sunday once you're done reading this article. Here are the three new to Paramount+ movies you need to be streaming this weekend.
'Chinatown' (1974)
Genre: Neo-noir mystery
What's it about? Evelyn Mulwray hires private investigator J. J. "Jake" Gittes (Jack Nicholson) to trail her husband, Hollis (Darrell Zwerling), the chief engineer at the Department of Water and Power. Except it's not the real Evelyn, and Hollis is soon found dead. Now, Jake is working for the real Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway), investigating Hollis' death, and it might not be the last murder before this tale is over.
Why you should watch it: Despite winning just one Oscar, "Chinatown" is considered one of the best movies of the 1970s and a seminal example of the neo-noir genre. It's even been paid homage in other movies and shows, with "The Studio" notably ripping it off for an episode last year. It's a must-watch for anyone claiming to be a cinephile.
Watch "Chinatown" on Paramount+ starting March 1
'Good Will Hunting' (1997)
Genre: Drama
What's it about? "Good Will Hunting" stars Matt Damon as the titular Will Hunting. He's a troubled self-taught math genius whose talent is discovered by Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård), who teaches at MIT, where Will works as a janitor. When Gerald discovers Will could be going to jail for a fight, he steps in to stop it from happening, but only if Will agrees to study under Gerald and attend therapy with his friend, psychologist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams).
Why you should watch it: This movie marks the true beginning of Damon and Ben Affleck's ascent into stardom. Both have roles in the movie, and both wrote the script, which won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. But the true star of this movie is Williams, whose performance is a total show-stopper, delivering some emotional, powerful moments. He, too, won an Oscar for his work, and it's certainly deserved.
Watch "Good Will Hunting" on Paramount+ starting March 1
'The Banshees of Inisherin' (2022)
Genre: Black tragicomedy
What's it about? Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson star as Pádraic and Colm. These two residents of the small Irish isle of Inisherin have been lifelong friends. But one day in 1923, against the backdrop of civil war on the mainland that's visible from the coastal island, Colm decides to abruptly end their friendship, and that has disastrous consequences.
Why you should watch it: This was my pick for Best Picture in 2023, and even though it lost out to Everything Everywhere All at Once, there's no denying this movie is a masterpiece. Something magical happens when Farrell and Gleeson pair together with writer/director Martin McDonagh, and this spiritual successor to "In Bruges" is worth a watch any day of the week.
Watch "The Banshees of Inisherin" on Paramount+ starting March 1
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