3 underrated movies buried on Paramount Plus (including Christian Bale)

Paramount Plus tends to favor TV, so its movie selection can be easy to overlook. The service’s somewhat limited library still holds a handful of great films if you’re willing to dig, including forgotten gems starring Christian Bale, Tom Hanks, Robert Redford and James Gandolfini.

The Machinist is probably best known for Christian Bale’s extreme weight loss, where you can see a frightening amount of his bones through his skin. Directed by Brad Anderson, it follows Trevor Reznick, a machine shop employee who hasn’t slept in a year and whose insomnia culminates in an accident that costs a co-worker a limb.

The film plays out from Trevor’s perspective, forcing you to question what’s real as his life unravels; the final revelation is both satisfying and devastating. It’s not a feel-good movie, but it makes you feel. The Last Castle gives a different look at leadership and pride.

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