So you’re stuck in scrolling purgatory again, huh? Endlessly thumbing through Paramount Plus, hoping something jumps out. We’ve been there. That’s why we pulled together the Top 10 Movies you would actually want to watch this week—no fluff, no filler. Whether you’re into thrillers, rom-coms, or indie gems, there’s something worth hitting play on. Here’s your movie cheat sheet for June 29-July 5, 2025—because your time is too valuable for another “meh” movie night.
1. Gladiator II (2024)
More than two decades after Maximus made us yell “Are you not entertained?,” Gladiator II returns us to the Roman Colosseum—this time with Paul Mescal leading the charge. He plays Lucius Verus, now grown and exiled, forced into the arena after Rome falls into the hands of twin tyrant emperors. With Pedro Pascal bringing serious menace and Denzel Washington pulling strings from the shadows, the stakes are as bloody as they are political.
Ridley Scott doesn’t hold back—there are rhinos, baboons, even arena sharks (yep), all rendered in gloriously over-the-top CGI. The script leans heavy on vengeance and honor, echoing the original while carving out its own path. It’s big, bold, and occasionally bonkers.
Some fans may crave more emotional weight, but if you’re here for spectacle and sword fights, you’ll get your fill. It’s not perfect, but it’s a worthy sequel. Consider it your high-drama history fix for the week.
2. World War Z (2013)
Zombies were starting to feel a little played out—until World War Z dropped. Brad Pitt stars as Gerry Lane, a former UN investigator who finds himself yanked back into global chaos when a fast-spreading virus turns people into sprinting death machines. From Philadelphia to Jerusalem to a World Health Organization lab in Wales, the movie never slows down.
What sets it apart is scale. These aren’t basement-level zombie shuffles—they’re continent-spanning plagues, with mass pileups and panic in broad daylight. Director Marc Forster keeps the tension dialed up, and Pitt anchors it all with quiet, believable urgency.
It’s not a gore-fest, but it is gripping. If you like your apocalypses global and your zombies terrifyingly fast, this one’s worth a rewatch. Bonus points for that airport scene—you’ll know it when you see it.
3. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Some sequels coast on nostalgia—Top Gun: Maverick blasts past it at Mach 10. Tom Cruise returns as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, still dodging promotions and pushing jets past their limits. But this time, he’s training a new class of elite pilots—including Rooster (Miles Teller), the son of his late best friend Goose.
What follows is part high-octane action, part emotional reckoning. The flight scenes? Absolutely wild—shot practically with real pilots and cameras in the cockpit. Director Joseph Kosinski gives everything a slick, sun-drenched glow that’s equal parts throwback and modern upgrade.
It’s thrilling, heartfelt, and genuinely better than it had any right to be. If you haven’t seen it yet, this is your sign. And yes—there’s volleyball. Sort of.
4. The Promised Land (2023)
Mads Mikkelsen goes full pioneer grit in The Promised Land, a Danish epic that’s as stark as the landscape it’s set in. He plays Captain Ludvig Kahlen, a military man obsessed with turning a patch of desolate heath into a thriving colony—and earning a royal title in the process. But standing in his way? A petty, ruthless noble who’s not thrilled about competition.
It’s slow-burning, beautifully shot, and loaded with tension that simmers rather than explodes. Mikkelsen is all steely resolve and quiet fury, making even the film’s stillest moments feel charged. There’s betrayal, resilience, and a deep undercurrent of survivalism throughout.
If you’re in the mood for a grounded, character-driven historical drama, this is your pick. It’s not flashy, but it’s powerful. And it lingers long after the credits roll.
5. Terminator Genisys (2015)
Let’s be honest: Terminator Genisys is messy—but it’s also a lot more fun than people give it credit for. This reboot-slash-remix sends Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back in time to save Sarah Connor, only to discover she’s already been raised by a reprogrammed T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger, back in full dad-robot mode). What follows is a timeline mashup that rewrites Terminator history with a wink and a shotgun.
Emilia Clarke steps into Linda Hamilton’s combat boots with mixed results, and Jason Clarke’s John Connor goes through one of the wildest character turns in the franchise. There are big set pieces, goofy exposition dumps, and just enough nostalgia to keep die-hard fans engaged.
It’s far from perfect—but it’s definitely watchable. If you go in expecting popcorn chaos instead of time-travel genius, you’ll have a good time. Just don’t try to make sense of the timeline. Seriously. Don’t.
6. The Outsider (2014)
This one slipped under a lot of radars, but it’s a solid revenge flick with a gritty undercurrent. British contractor Lex Walker (Craig Fairbrass) is told his daughter has died in Los Angeles—but when he arrives, the body isn’t hers. What starts as a father’s desperate search spirals into a violent investigation through L.A.’s underbelly.
Fairbrass plays it old-school—gruff, relentless, and full of barely contained rage. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t ask questions so much as punch his way to answers. James Caan shows up in one of his last truly gnarly roles, and the tone is pure early-2010s throwback.
It’s not flashy, but it moves fast and hits hard. Think Taken, but with more cigarettes and fewer cell phone speeches. If you’re craving some no-frills action with a side of grime, this one delivers.
7. Night Hunter (2018)
This one tries to crawl under your skin—and mostly succeeds. Night Hunter follows a detective (Henry Cavill) and a forensic profiler (Alexandra Daddario) as they try to take down an elusive predator. But nothing is simple, and every lead only drags them deeper into a maze of disturbing crimes and psychological twists.
It’s dark. Like, really dark. The plot dips into themes of abuse, online manipulation, and fractured identities—definitely not your average cop thriller. Ben Kingsley brings some gravitas as a vigilante with his own approach to justice, and Stanley Tucci gives great “I’m too old for this” energy.
There are a few too many twists for its own good, but the vibe is strong and the dread is real. Think Zodiac meets Prisoners, with a bit more chaos. Not for the faint of heart.
8. The Railway Man (2013)
This one’s a quiet gut-punch. The Railway Man tells the true story of Eric Lomax, a British POW tortured by the Japanese during WWII, who decades later tracks down the man responsible. Colin Firth plays Lomax with brittle intensity, while Nicole Kidman adds warmth and restraint as the wife who helps him heal.
It’s not a war movie in the explosive sense—it’s a war movie about memory, trauma, and trying to find peace when forgiveness feels impossible. The flashbacks to Lomax’s time in captivity are brutal, but the film’s real power comes in the quiet reckonings that follow.
This is one of those dramas that sneaks up on you. It builds slow, but by the end, you’re probably crying. Or at least blinking a lot.
9. A Quiet Place Part II (2021)
The sequel picks up right where the first left off—literally. A Quiet Place Part II follows the Abbott family as they leave the safety of their home and venture into a world where the creatures that hunt by sound still roam free. But this time, humans might be just as dangerous.
Emily Blunt continues to kick ass in boots and silence, while Cillian Murphy joins the cast as a haunted survivor with his own baggage. The tension is relentless, the sound design still terrifyingly precise, and director John Krasinski proves he’s more than a one-hit wonder.
It expands the world without losing what made the original work: high stakes, tight storytelling, and that constant, nerve-shredding quiet. If you held your breath through the first one, you’re about to pass out. Totally worth it.
10. Utopia (2024)
Utopia is one of those sci-fi thrillers that starts grounded and then goes full fever dream. Moe Dunford plays a soldier on a mission to find his missing wife, which leads him to a mysterious high-tech compound. What he discovers? A surreal fantasy park where reality bends, nothing’s quite what it seems, and people live like gods—if gods were designed by billionaires with control issues.
The visuals are slick, the tone flirts with dystopia and dream logic, and there’s just enough mystery to keep you leaning in. Charlotte Vega adds emotional weight as a woman caught in the illusion, and Jason Flemyng plays the kind of smirking villain you love to hate.
It doesn’t always stick the landing, but it’s stylish and ambitious in a way that makes up for its narrative gaps. Think Westworld meets Annihilation, with a dash of Black Mirror. Worth a look if you like your sci-fi weird, shiny, and vaguely unsettling.
And That’s a Wrap
There you go—ten Paramount Plus picks that span the whole spectrum. You’ve got heavy hitters (Top Gun: Maverick, Gladiator II), slow-burn survival stories (The Promised Land, The Railway Man), and full-throttle genre chaos (Terminator Genisys, A Quiet Place Part II). Whether you’re craving ancient Rome, zombie outbreaks, or near-future tech nightmares, this list has you.
There’s old-school impact (World War Z, The Outsider), new-school ambition (Utopia, Night Hunter), and a couple of gritty gems that might’ve flown under your radar. Some will leave you breathless. Some will leave you rattled. And a few might surprise you in the best way.
So if your Paramount Plus queue has been feeling a little light, now’s the time to stock up. Remote in hand. Volume up. Let the streaming begin.
