22 Best Movies to Watch From Paramount Pictures (Page 2)

Generally, a mentorship is a great way to find guidance and direction, but rarely do we discuss the importance of finding the right mentor– or the right mentors– and that it sometimes takes a while to find a great fit. Searching for Bobby Fischer is about real-life child chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin, but rather than depicting the straightforward mentorship plot we’ve seen in many sports films before, the film captures the journey of a boy who needs both the freedom and the structure for his chess career. Searching for Bobby Fischer does take on the tone and style typical of these child prodigy biopics, but Waitzkin’s story is worth telling, especially for children trying to find their own voice outside of their guardians.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Andrew Sardella, Anthony Heald, Austin Pendleton, Ben Kingsley, Bobby Fischer, Caroline Yeager, Chelsea Moore, Dan Hedaya, David Paymer, Hal Scardino, Joan Allen, Joe Mantegna, John Bourgeois, Josh Kornbluth, Josh Mostel, Laura Linney, Laurence Fishburne, Maria Ricossa, Max Pomeranc, Michael Nirenberg, Nathan Carter, R.D. Reid, Robert Stephens, Steven Randazzo, Tom McGowan, Tony De Santis, Tony Shalhoub, Vasek Simek, William Colgate, William H. Macy

Director: Steven Zaillian

Rating: PG

Some Kind of Wonderful is the less iconic, gender-swapped cousin of Pretty in Pink (both are written by John Hughes and directed by Howard Deutch), but what it lacks in renown, it makes up for in nuance. It goes a bit deeper in its exploration of gender roles and class disparity, really digging into the important differences between its female leads and the privilege of its wealthier characters, and it’s just as funny and charming too. Sure, a big part of the delight of watching it stems from nostalgia, but a larger chunk comes from the actors’ easy chemistry and the script’s witty lines. The movie is not revolutionary—it’s just a romcom at the end of the day—but it is smart and subverts expectations when you least expect it.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Candace Cameron Bure, Carmine Caridi, Chynna Phillips, Craig Sheffer, Elias Koteas, Eric Stoltz, Ike Eisenmann, John Ashton, Kenneth Kimmins, Laura Leigh Hughes, Lea Thompson, Lee Garlington, Maddie Corman, Mary Stuart Masterson, Molly Hagan, Patricia Gaul, Penelope Sudrow

Director: Howard Deutch

Rating: PG-13

As an adaptation of the one-character play, it’s a delight to see Pauline Collins as Shirley Valentine rip into the signature monologue through fourth wall breaks– ranting, bantering, and raving to us about the unique follies of mundane domesticity. Collin maintains the same comedic timing and wittiness of the titular character that has captivated Liverpool, and then London, at the time. However, while critics found it easy to dismiss the script as a series of superficial, stagy ramblings, Valentine genuinely searches for life purpose, for herself, for her soul, confronting her younger aspirations, the box she was essentially crammed into due to marriage expectations, and the life that she sacrificed for family’s sake. Shirley Valentine may not have gotten the acclaim succeeding female mid-life crisis films have gotten, but it’s an underrated classic comedy that many can enjoy.

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Actor: Alison Steadman, Anna Keaveney, Bernard Hill, Cardew Robinson, Catherine Duncan, George Costigan, Geraldine Griffiths, Gillian Kearney, Joanna Lumley, John Hartley, Julia McKenzie, Ken Sharrock, Marc Zuber, Matthew Long, Pauline Collins, Ray Armstrong, Sylvia Syms, Tom Conti, Tracie Bennett

Director: Lewis Gilbert

Rating: R

One of those long-lost mid-budget dramas that's content with observing the rich yet uneventful lives of average folk, Nobody's Fool reminds us that nothing exciting or shocking needs to happen to make a good story. The late, eternally charismatic Paul Newman leads an ensemble of character actors in relaxed, memorable roles—Bruce Willis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Margo Martindale, and Jessica Tandy, among others. It's the authentic, neither-love-nor-hate relationship among all these characters that drives all their individual drama forward and keeps the film from stagnating into anything less than endearing. Here, the idea of things never really changing in this small community is meant to be a comfort, not a lament.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Alexander Goodwin, Alice Drummond, Angela Pietropinto, Angelica Page, Anibal O. Lleras, Bruce Willis, Carl J. Matusovich, Catherine Dent, Drenda Spohnholtz, Dylan Walsh, Elizabeth Wilson, Gene Saks, Gerry Robert Byrne, Jay Patterson, Jerry Mayer, Jessica Tandy, Joe Paparone, Josef Sommer, Marcus Powell, Margo Martindale, Melanie Griffith, Page Johnson, Paul Newman, Philip Bosco, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Richard Mawe, Shannah Laumeister Stern

Director: Robert Benton

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a corporate axman, he comes in a fires people when the managers are too afraid to do it themselves. The nature of his work requires a lot of flying, short lived meetings in transit zones and he absolutely loves it, and he has a certain goal in mind. When the company tries a new approach to corporate downsizing he has to change his way and view of life. It's full of cynicism and warmth. If you are familiar with Jason Reitman's previous work, you'll feel right at home, if you don't : Get to it!

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Actor: Adam Rose, Adhir Kalyan, Adrienne Lamping, Amy Morton, Anna Kendrick, Chris Lowell, ​Christopher Lowell, Cut Chemist, Danny McBride, Dave Engfer, George Clooney, J.K. Simmons, Jason Bateman, Jeff Witzke, Jerry Vogel, Marvin Young, Matt O'Toole, Melanie Lynskey, Sam Elliott, Steve Eastin, Tamala Jones, Thomas M. Martilotti, Vera Farmiga, Zach Galifianakis

Director: Jason Reitman

Rating: R