Peacock deserves its flowers. The NBCUniversal-owned platform doesn’t get mentioned regularly in conversations about streaming. I’m here to tell you that the streaming service has an epic movie slate worth celebrating.
Universal Pictures has an impact on the streamer. The production studio has been churning out must-watch films for well over a century. You want Oscar-winners and big-budget blockbusters? You can find a number of them on Peacock right now.
I compiled a list of cinematic bangers below, so you should find something that fits your interests. I’ll be adding new titles each month, so check back regularly for updates.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Read more: Need a Show? Here Are 13 of the Best Series to Stream on Peacock
The Commitments follows music promoter Jimmy Rabbitte, who takes it upon himself to create an R&B group to address a void in the Dublin music scene. He has one problem: The group he assembles consists entirely of Irish folks with no experience in that specific music genre. Well, they do it anyway. The result is a surprisingly energetic, heartfelt and uplifting movie.
- Director: Alan Parker
- Stars: Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Andrew Strong, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle Kennedy
- Runtime: 118 min
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the first full-length feature starring the legendary comedy group. The movie takes place during the time of King Arthur and follows the group as they embark on a quest to find the Holy Grail. This is one of those movies that should be considered required viewing for comedy fans.
- Director: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
- Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin
- Runtime: 91 min
The Sting is a cinematic classic starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, which in and of itself makes this movie a must-watch. The story follows two con men who partner up on a revenge scheme to take down a Chicago mob boss. The comedy heist movie, which hit theaters on Christmas Day in 1973, won the Oscar for Best Picture the following year. Over 50 years later, it’s regarded by many as one of the best movies ever made.
- Director: George Roy Hill
- Stars: Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Robert Shaw
- Runtime: 129 min
Sneakers was released in theaters over three decades ago, which is evident when you see the outdated technology referenced in the movie. A group of talented individuals from diverse fields — including two criminals played by Robert Redford and Sidney Poitier — come together to use their intellect to combat an ominous technological threat. Thanks to the epic cast and engaging writing, this is a fun flick that resonates today, as long as you look past the bulky, ancient computers.
- Director: Phil Alden Robinson
- Stars: Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, Dan Aykroyd, James Earl Jones
- Runtime: 126 min
Taking inspiration from the beloved 2010 animated classic, this new adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon holds up. It’s the same world and plot as the original, and it follows a Viking boy who befriends a dragon, much to the chagrin of his powerful father. Thanks to the strong CGI effects, expansive world building and attention to character detail, this is a rare example of a live-action remake that improves upon its animated counterpart.
- Director: Dean DeBlois
- Stars: Mason Thames, Gerard Butler, Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison
- Runtime: 125 min
Hot Fuzz is the second installment in Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy, and it reunites the filmmaker with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. This time, though, instead of paying homage to the zombie horror subgenre, the crew delivers their version of a buddy cop actioner. The result is an explosive, fun and well-written comedy thriller.
- Director: Edgar Wright
- Stars: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine, Timothy Dalton
- Runtime: 121 min
One of Tim Burton’s most magical films is Edward Scissorhands, which blends a whole array of genres — horror, fantasy, comedy, drama and romance — into one heck of a unique holiday movie. Johnny Depp stars as Edward, a gentle sort of monster who has giant scissors for hands. He’s a quiet, kind and talented outcast that you can’t help but root for. Thanks to the whimsical score by Danny Elfman, this has remained one of my favorite Christmas movies.
- Director: Tim Burton
- Stars: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall, Alan Arkin
- Runtime: 105 min
Monkey Man is a movie about fighting and revenge. Those two details aren’t unique to the genre, but with Dev Patel’s creative touch, the end result is a dazzling, emotional affair. The fight sequences feel like they tossed John Wick and The Raid into a blender. Patel shows audiences a much different side than we are used to. This is also his directorial debut. Talk about making a statement.
- Director: Dev Patel
- Stars: Dev Patel, Pitobash, Jatin Malik, Sikander Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Makrand Deshpande
- Runtime: 121 min
Sicario, which stars Benicio del Toro, Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin, takes viewers deep into an escalating drug war at the US-Mexico border. The drama is tense, and the action is grueling, which makes sense considering that Taylor Sheridan wrote the script and Dune visionary Denis Villeneuve directed the movie.
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Stars: Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber, Jon Bernthal, Daniel Kaluuya
- Runtime: 121 min
The movie 3:10 to Yuma is an epic modern-day western. It’s a remake of the 1957 western of the same name (and both are inspired by a short story by Elmore Leonard). James Mangold directed the 2007 version in which Christian Bale plays Dan Evans, a rancher who takes on a job to guide outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to a train that’ll transport him to prison. As you may expect, it’s not an easy task. Ben Foster. who’s excellent as the villainous Charlie Prince, also stars alongside Peter Fonda, Gretchen Mol and Alan Tudyk.
- Director: James Mangold
- Stars: Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Logan Lerman, Dallas Roberts, Ben Foster, Peter Fonda, Vinessa Shaw, Gretchen Mol
- Runtime: 122 min
In Point Break, a gang of renegade surfers don the masks of ex-presidents and rob banks. And they’re pretty good at it, too. Enter FBI agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), a young and brash law enforcement officer who goes undercover and infiltrates the group and cozies up to its leader, Bodhi (Patrick Swayze), to take them down. Kathryn Bigelow directed this over-the-top action movie, which was a memorable role for Swayze and a star-making turn for Reeves.
- Director: Kathryn Bigelow
- Stars: Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, Gary Busey, Lori Petty,
- Runtime: 122 min
Shrek was the first movie to win the Academy Award for best animated feature. It’s sort of crazy to think that animated movies weren’t recognized by the Oscars until 2001, but Shrek deserved the win. The voice performances of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy are on point and deliver delightful comedy and memorable pop culture moments. The movie helped usher in a new era of CGI effects and put DreamWorks on the map. More than two decades later, it’s still a thoroughly enjoyable watch.
- Director: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
- Stars: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz
- Runtime: 90 min
Look, I am not here to argue about the best Harry Potter movie in the franchise. The series is jam-packed with great stuff. However, the third installment, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, really showed the world how great a Harry Potter story could be. Not to mention, it introduced Gary Oldman’s rebellious wizard Sirius Black. And you really can’t go wrong with putting Oldman in anything.
- Director: Alfonso Cuarón
- Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Gary Oldman
- Runtime: 142 min
