September always feels like the real beginning of fall to me. The days start getting shorter and the rain seems to make a much more regular appearance, which can only mean one thing: It’s officially movie night season. There’s something about staying indoors while it’s cold and miserable outside that makes settling in for a great movie or an entire marathon even more appealing.
Paramount+ has added plenty of movies to its library this month, but with so much choice, deciding what to actually watch can be a challenge. I’ve gone through the September 2026 additions and picked out seven movies that deserve a spot on your watchlist. Each one has scored 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes, making them some of the most critically acclaimed options available. Of course, a strong Rotten Tomatoes rating doesn’t mean every movie will be to your taste, but it’s a pretty good place to start if you want something critics have largely enjoyed.
If you’re looking for something great to watch on Paramount+ this September, these seven movies are well worth adding to your list, and they all boast an impressive 90% or higher rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The best movies to stream on Paramount Plus in September 2026
‘Argo’ (2012)
“Argo” is a historical drama-thriller directed by Ben Affleck and written by Chris Terrio. Based on declassified government accounts and Antonio Mendez’s memoir, “The Master of Disguise,” the film chronicles a covert joint U.S-Canadian extraction operation disguised as a fake Hollywood sci-fi movie production during the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis. This was Affleck’s third feature film as a director, and it once again proves that he’s just as talented behind the camera as he is in front of it, delivering an incredibly compelling film.
After six Americans escape the U.S. embassy in Tehran and hide at the Canadian ambassador’s home, CIA specialist Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is tasked with getting them out of Iran. His unusual plan involves creating a fake science-fiction movie called Argo and posing the six Americans as members of a Canadian film crew scouting locations. With help from Hollywood producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) and makeup artist John Chambers (John Goodman), Mendez builds the cover story before travelling to Tehran to lead the group out.
Rotten Tomatoes score:96%
Watch “Argo” onParamount+now
‘Creed’ (2015)
Ryan Coogler is one of the best directors working today, especially following the success of his recent movie “Sinners,” the best movie of 2025. But there’s no denying that his “Creed” trilogy is a huge technical achievement, while also delivering some powerful storytelling. The first film, released in 2015, functions as both a spin-off and a direct continuation of the long-running “Rocky” franchise. The movie revitalized the series by focusing on a new generation while still honoring its classic roots.
Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) is the son of former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who travels to Philadelphia to pursue a career as a professional boxer. Despite having no formal connection to his famous father, Adonis seeks out Apollo’s former rival and close friend, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), hoping he can train him. Rocky initially hesitates but eventually agrees to mentor the determined young fighter. As Adonis prepares for increasingly difficult fights, he works to establish himself in the boxing world.
Rotten Tomatoes score:95%
Watch “Creed” onParamount+now
‘Gone Baby Gone’ (2007)
We have another of Ben Affleck’s movies, “Gone Baby Gone,” this time starring his younger brother Casey in the lead role. Adapted from Dennis Lehane’s acclaimed 1998 novel of the same name, the film explores the dark underbelly of working-class Boston. Marking Affleck’s feature-length directorial debut, he co-wrote the screenplay alongside Aaron Stockard. The film proved to be a major critical turning point in Affleck’s career, establishing him as a serious filmmaking voice. It deserves every bit of the praise it received.
When 4-year-old Amanda McCready disappears from her Boston home, her mother hires private investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) to help find her. Although the police are already investigating, Patrick and Angie become closely involved in the case, following leads through Amanda’s neighborhood and questioning people connected to her family. Their search takes them into Boston’s criminal underworld and uncovers information about Amanda’s disappearance that changes the direction of the investigation.
Rotten Tomatoes score:94%
Watch “Gone Baby Gone” onParamount+now
‘Love and Monsters’ (2020)
If you’re in the mood for a lighter movie, “Love and Monsters” should be on your watchlist this month. This monster adventure turns the usual dark and depressing post-apocalyptic story on its head, giving it a much more upbeat, funny and feel-good coming-of-age tone, which is arguably its biggest strength. Even the film’s visuals are compelling enough to keep you hooked, with its creature designs earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects alongside major blockbusters in 2021.
Seven years after an asteroid strike causes cold-blooded animals to mutate into gigantic monsters, most of humanity has been wiped out and the survivors live in underground colonies. Joel Dawson (Dylan O’Brien) has spent years hiding in one of these bunkers, separated from his high school girlfriend, Aimee (Jessica Henwick). When he discovers that Aimee is living in a coastal colony just 85 miles away, Joel decides to leave the safety of his bunker and travel across the monster-infested surface to find her.
Rotten Tomatoes score:94%
Watch “Love and Monsters” onParamount+now
‘Dunkirk’ (2017)
One of Christopher Nolan’s best movies has to be “Dunkirk,” a grand historical war film that reconstructs the monumental World War II evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches of France. Nolan structured the screenplay around three interwoven perspectives unfolding across distinct time scales: “The Mole” (land, spanning one week), “The Sea” (water, spanning one day) and “The Air” (sky, spanning one hour). It’s a pretty impressive and clever format that allows Nolan to tell the same story from three very different perspectives.
“Dunkirk” follows Allied soldiers trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk, France, during the Second World War as German forces close in around them. The film follows several groups caught up in the evacuation: a young British soldier desperately trying to escape, civilians sailing across the English Channel to help rescue stranded troops, and Royal Air Force pilots battling German aircraft overhead. Their stories unfold across the beach, sea and sky as thousands of soldiers wait for ships to arrive.
Rotten Tomatoes score:92%
Watch “Dunkirk” onParamount+now
‘Edge of Tomorrow’ (2014)
For even more action, “Edge of Tomorrow” is the perfect watch. This intense sci-fi flick doesn’t do anything particularly new with the time loop trope, but what it does best is keep things seriously engaging, with Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt showing great chemistry in between their moments of badassery. Sadly, the film underperformed at the box office when it was first released, but has since been hailed as one of the definitive sci-fi action films of the 2010s thanks to its solid pacing, inventive editing, and dark comedic timing.
Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is a military officer with no combat experience who is forced onto the front lines during a massive alien invasion. Cage is killed during the battle, only to wake up at the beginning of the same day. Trapped in a repeating time loop, he relives the battle over and over, gradually learning how to survive and fight back. After discovering that a Special Forces soldier, Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), has experienced something similar, Cage teams up with her to find a way to break the cycle and defeat the alien force before humanity is wiped out.
Rotten Tomatoes score:91%
Watch “Edge of Tomorrow” onParamount+now
‘Galaxy Quest’ (1999)
It only felt right to end this list with a delightful comedy for anyone in need of a mood-booster. “Galaxy Quest” is a brilliant sci-fi comedy that satirizes cult television, conventions, and fan culture while treating fandom and genre tropes with affection. The film lovingly parodies sci-fi franchises like “Star Trek” while still standing on its own as a genuinely entertaining adventure. Plus, it boasts a pretty stacked cast who all clearly have fun with their roles, including Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, and Sam Rockwell.
“Galaxy Quest” follows the washed-up cast of a once-popular sci-fi TV series who are unexpectedly recruited by a group of aliens. Believing the actors are the real heroes they portrayed on television, the aliens ask them to help save their civilization from an evil warlord. Forced to leave their comfortable lives behind, the reluctant actors find themselves aboard a real spaceship and facing genuine danger. As they attempt to understand the alien technology and survive their mission, the group must work together to protect the Thermians.
Rotten Tomatoes score:90%
Watch “Galaxy Quest” onParamount+now
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