Rejoice, scare seekers! Halloween is almost upon us. Provided Michael Myers doesn’t stick you with the pointy end of his favorite butcher knife, I’m sure you’ll have a swell All Hallow’s Eve. Before you get ready to hand out an armada of candy, there are a trio of Paramount+ thrillers you should stream this weekend.
My picks for the weekend ahead include one of the more underrated McConaissance flicks, a Sam Raimi thriller bubbling with paranoia and a sinister Channing Tatum movie that brings new meaning to “stop and smell the flowers”.
Once you’ve watched that trio of films, check out the 72 new movies and shows now streaming on Paramount+. There are some real crackers on the list. But first, get my picks of Paramount+ thrillers streamed directly into your eye holes, posthaste!
‘Blink Twice’ (2024)
If nothing else, this sharp psychological thriller shows Zoë Kravitz could have a hell of a career as a filmmaker ahead of her if that Cat Woman side hustle doesn’t pan out. The actress’ directorial debut should be celebrated, with Kravitz coaching some great performances out of a varied and talented cast, where partying and paranoia go hand in hand on a disgraced tech billionaire’s private island. Hmmmm, monied men and an isle of debauchery? I think I’ve read about this one.
After tech mogul Slater King — Channing Tatum having fun with a character burdened with the most tech bro name of all time — invites cocktail waitresses Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) to a swanky gala, everything seems fine at first. The drinks are flowing, the hors d’oeuvres delicious, but what’s up with all the memory loss? It turns out the booze might not be to blame when the island’s sinister secret is unearthed. A stylish thriller that addresses the ever more important issue of consent.
‘A Simple Plan’ (1998)
Sam Raimi’s twisty thriller doesn’t get talked about in the same breath as “The Evil Dead”, “Spider-Man 2” or “Drag Me to Hell”, but it’s an engaging watch all the same. After two brothers and their friend come across a plane crash in a Minnesota forest, their first instinct isn’t to search for nearby potential survivors, oh no. Instead, it’s to decide whether they should pilfer a duffel bag from the wreckage. A bag that just so happens to have four million Benjamin Franklins stuffed inside.
Lou (Brent Briscoe) and Jacob Mitchell (Billy Bob Thornton on enjoyably jittery form), are very much on Team Take the Cash and Scram. Jake Mitchel (the late Bill Paxton) is the most morally upright of the trio, but eventually they agree to hide the money until spring — when the melted snow will likely lead to the plane being found (sans duffle bag). Cue paranoid tensions ruining the men’s lives, with fake FBI agents and Jake’s pregnant wife (Bridget Fonda) causing further stress. This is a well-shot thriller that deserves more love than it gets.
‘Killer Joe’ (2012)
This is definitely one McConaissance movie folks don’t talk about enough (the same applies to “Mud”). “Killer Joe” is just flat-out unpleasant. And I totally mean that as a compliment. Joe Cooper (McConaughey) isn’t your average small-town cop. Oh sure, during the day this detective might be thoroughly corrupt. Yet it’s when the sun goes down that you see the real Cooper: a charismatic assassin who takes on hits for giggles. And y’know… money.
Enter the Smith clan. These down-on-their-luck trailer park residents ain’t squeaky clean, sure. But nor do they deserve the wrath of Joe. After the family’s son Chris (Emile Hirsch) finds himself in an expensive bind involving local drug dealers, he and his pop Ansel (Thomas Haden Church) decide to off matriarch Sharla (Gina Gershon) by hiring Cooper. When they can’t afford the contract killer’s fee, they offer up sister Dottie (an excellent Juno Temple) as a “retainer”. Suffice to say the hit and subsequent deals between the Smiths and Joe don’t exactly play out smoothly.
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