Some days, it feels like there are too many streaming services and too many options. How can you possibly choose what movie to watch next?
For those of you who have Peacock (and why wouldn’t you? Their TV offerings are stacked!), we’re here to help. We’ve combed through the streaming service’s catalog to bring you the funniest comedies, the most moving dramas, the most suspenseful thrillers, and the all-around best movies for your viewing pleasure. All you need to bring is the popcorn!
1. Bridesmaids
Credit: Suzanne Hanover / Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock
If you haven’t seen Bridesmaids, written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, we’re so sorry that you’ve obviously been trapped in a siren’s cave for the last 11 years — because there is simply no other excuse. Bridesmaids was an era-defining film. In 2011, there were still prominent male comedians claiming women couldn’t be funny! Bridesmaids put an end to the debate.
Wiig stars as Annie, a wayward thirtysomething who feels out of step with her best friend Lillian (a perfect Maya Rudolph) when she meets the other women in Lillian’s bridal party. What follows is both romantic comedy and buddy flick, stuffed to the brim with punchlines, physical gags, and a repulsive and unforgettable gross-out scene. The entire cast here is flawless: Rose Byrne is delightfully haughty. Jon Hamm is perfect as a hot idiot. Chris O’Dowd is a swoon-worthy love interest, and Melissa McCarthy was nominated for a dang Oscar for her scene-stealing performance as another misfit bridesmaid. Please escape the siren’s cave and see this legendary comedy — for your own good! — K.G.
How to watch: Bridesmaids is streaming on Peacock.
2. John Wick
Credit: David Lee / Thunder Road / Lionsgate / 87eleven / Mjw / Summit / Kobal / Shutterstock
Currently, all John Wick properties, including the so-so prequel series, The Continental, are streaming on Peacock. This highly stylized and violent neo-noir thriller franchise tells the story of John Wick (Keanu Reeves), the best assassin there ever was, who gets drawn back into the underworld after a personal tragedy leaves him set on revenge. Wick’s body count is prodigious and creative, but his cause is just. You can’t help but root for the quiet, brooding antihero. He wanted out of the game — but the game won’t let him say goodbye that easily. John Wick is a nonstop action spectacular with stunning cinematography and positively mesmerizing fight choreography. — K.G.
How to watch: John Wick is now streaming on Peacock.
SEE ALSO:
‘The Continental’ review: Just watch ‘John Wick’ instead
3. Dayveon
Credit: Mama Bear Studios / Kobal / Shutterstock
Devin Blackmon stars as Dayveon, a young kid in Arkansas struggling in the aftermath of his brother’s death. Unmoored and spending his days listlessly wandering the little town he lives in, he is increasingly drawn to the sense of belonging he finds in a local gang. Directed by Amman Abbasi, with a script by Abbasi and Steven Reneau, Dayveon is a sophisticated and deeply intimate film made even more incredible by the fact that its cast is primarily composed of non-actors. It’s a moving and beautifully shot story that feels wholly, heartbreakingly real. — K.G.
How to watch: Dayveon is streaming on Peacock.
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4. Girls Trip
Credit: Michele K Short / Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock
2017’s raunchy comedy about a group of friends traveling to New Orleans for the Essence Festival made Tiffany Haddish a household name. And once you watch the scene of her zip-lining above a partying crowd on Bourbon Street, you’ll know why. Written by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver, Girls Trip is boisterous, outrageous, and ridiculously lovable. The jubilant ensemble, which features Haddish, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Queen Latifah, is clearly having so much fun celebrating female debauchery, it’s hard not to be on board with Girls Trip. — K.G.
How to watch: Girls Trip is now streaming on Peacock.
5. Ip Man
Credit: Dreams Salon Culture / Pegasus Motion / Kobal / Shutterstock
Ip Man is an exciting martial arts biopic about the extraordinary life of the Wing Chun grandmaster who was Bruce Lee’s teacher. The film tracks Ip Man’s journey from the Southern Chinese village where he was well known as a skilled martial artist, to his family’s displacement during the Japanese occupation of the Second Sino-Japanese War, his eventual rise as a fighter, and his establishment of a school in Hong Kong.
Starring the skillful Donnie Yen, Ip Man doesn’t skimp on character development; it’s an electrifying rumination on philosophy, power, and honor in addition to its stunning action. Ip Man is a deeply influential film in the martial arts genre and, to everyone’s delight, has inspired three equally stirring sequels, all of which are available on Peacock. — K.G.
How to watch: Ip Man is streaming on Peacock.
6. Harry Potter (the entire series!)
And now the franchise that needs no introduction: Harry Potter. The original eight-movie series starts as a charming coming-of-age tale about a boy wizard learning about magic and ends as a serious and emotional allegory about fighting fascism and the lengths we will go to protect the people we love. J.K. Rowling notwithstanding, Harry Potter is our hero, Ron Weasley our goofy best friend, and Hermione our actual hero, because duh.
The quality of the movies vary based on the different directors at the helm and the age of the young leads, but the strength of the source material — paired with the prodigious gifts of the many, many storied British actors who fill out the sparkling supporting cast — assure a satisfying watch. Most agree that the final two movies, each covering half of the last book in the series, are the most enthralling in the group — but you’ll have to watch them all to get what’s going on. So, you might as well start with number one, The Sorcerer’s Stone, and go from there. Poor you! You’re about to have a really great time! — K.G.
How to watch: Harry Potter is streaming on Peacock.
SEE ALSO:
‘The Secrets of Dumbledore’ review: Time to put ‘Fantastic Beasts’ out of its misery
7. Long Way North
This absolutely stunning, hand-drawn film hasn’t garnered as much attention as, say, Pixar’s latest, but that’s no reason to skip this immensely affecting French-Danish tale. Sasha (Christa Théret) is a 15-year-old aristocrat living in St. Petersburg, Russia during the 19th century. Determined to find her missing grandfather, a famed explorer, and clear her family’s name, she locates a vessel and sets off with a motley crew into the unforgiving Arctic landscape.
Directed by Rémi Chayé, Long Way North is both an epic adventure and a human drama, exploring themes of empowerment and empathy. What truly makes this 80-minute movie special, though, is its unique artistic style. The snow-covered landscape might be stark, but Long Way North makes the icy world feel both beautiful and alive. — K.G.
How to watch: Long Way North is streaming on Peacock.
8. Melancholia
Credit: Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Part of Lars von Trier’s “Depression Trilogy,” (which includes Antichrist and Nymphomaniac), 2011’s Melancholia is an artsy, atmospheric sci-fi thriller about the end of the world. A rogue planet is due to collide with Earth, and everyone must come face-to-face with the inevitable nothingness ahead of them. The cast is magnetic (Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, and more) and the cinematography is unforgettable. A memorable, piercing rumination on grief that stands alone in its category. — K.G.
How to watch: Melancholia is now streaming on Peacock.
9. Man on Wire
In 1974, Philippe Petit walked a high wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center in NYC. Petit was later arrested for the stunt. In 2008, documentarian James Marsh made Man On Wire, a moving, awe-inspiring chronicle of Petit’s audacious feat, based on Petit’s own book about the event. Suspenseful, mischievous, and paced like a heist movie, Man On Wire is a riveting watch sure to keep even the most ardent documentary-avoider on the edge of their seats. — K.G.
How to watch: Man on Wire is now streaming on Peacock.
10. Point Break
Point Break is an iconic ’90s movie in which Keanu Reeves plays rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah, who has to — and we’re not kidding here — infiltrate an L.A. “surf gang” suspected of robbing banks. Very little in this movie makes any sense (the large reason Utah is assigned the undercover role is because he used to play football in college?), which is exactly why it’s so dang wonderful. You’ve got Patrick Swayze as the enigmatic leader of a surfing cult, Gary Busey as Reeves’ gruff veteran partner, and again, Keanu Reeves plays a former college football star named Johnny Utah who has to learn to surf as a matter of life and death. Point Break is ludicrous, magnificent, and fantastically, perfectly ’90s. Vaya con dios, baby. — K.G.
How to watch: Point Break is now streaming on Peacock.
11. The Holdovers
Credit: Focus Features
It’s Christmas at a New England all-male boarding school in 1970. Most of the students go home to their families for the holidays, but one teacher is forced to stay over the break and supervise the stragglers. This year, it’s the curmudgeonly history professor Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) who must oversee a student abandoned by his mother, Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa).
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The Holdovers is one of those lovely, complicated comedy-dramas that makes you laugh, cry, and feel a little bit happier to exist in the world. One of its brighter spots is Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Oscar-winning performance as the school’s cafeteria manager whose son was killed in Vietnam. If this is all sounding a bit dreary, that’s because it could be in the hands of a different director. Alexander Payne makes sure that this rumination on loneliness is anything but.
How to watch: The Holdovers is streaming on Peacock.
12. Booksmart
2019’s Booksmart is Superbad for the National Honor Society girlies. Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever are hilarious as BFFs Molly and Amy, two social misfits who spent the last four years of high school studying instead of partying. On the eve of graduation, they learn that even the kids who were making out and getting high also got into good colleges? What the EFF?! The only response to this injustice is one epic night of partying to make up for lost time.
Written by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel (The Spy Who Dumped Me), and Katie Silberman (Don’t Worry Darling), and directed by Olivia Wilde, Booksmart is a super fun romp with warm, lived-in friendships. It’s impossible not to be charmed by this fresh iteration of the classic “last night of high school” party flick.
How to watch: Booksmart is streaming on Peacock.
13. Oppenheimer
As a director, Christopher Nolan has always been fascinated by brilliant, tormented men. Think The Prestige’s dueling magicians, Inception and Interstellar’s dream thieves and astronauts fighting to rejoin their families, or even the embattled Batman of his Dark Knight trilogy. So it’s no surprise that the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb, yields Nolan’s finest and most devastating work yet. Here is a man whose brilliance led to a lifetime of torment, both for himself and for the entire world — a fact Nolan never shies away from.
In typical Nolan fashion, Oppenheimer is epic in scope, delivering jaw-dropping shots of New Mexico vistas, dancing particles, and of course, the fateful Trinity Test. But it’s the film’s third act that hits the hardest, as the weight of the Manhattan Project reverberates through time, extending past Oppenheimer’s life and into our present. With an unflinching focus on Oppenheimer’s flaws and a haunting lead performance from Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer becomes part tragedy, part horror movie, and entirely unforgettable.* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Oppenheimer is streaming on Peacock.
14. Notting Hill
The movie that cemented Hugh Grant’s place in cinema history as one of the most lovable bumbling brits of all time, Notting Hill is a rom-com hall-of-famer. This dreamy and captivating love story, bursting with heart, is just as poignant now as it was in 1999. If you aren’t moved by the final scene, then we’re sorry, your heart is simply made of stone, and there’s not much we can do about that.
Julia Roberts absolutely glows as international movie star Anna Scott, who wanders into Hugh Grant’s humble book store one day to hide from the paparazzi. Because, as previously mentioned, Grant is at his most criminally charming here, an unlikely romance blooms between the pair from completely different worlds. A superb supporting cast and an airtight script from rom-com veteran Richard Curtis (Bridget Jones’s Diary, Four Weddings and a Funeral, About Time) makes Notting Hill the definitive take on the “celebrity falls for regular person” genre — the standard to which all subsequent romances have been held.
How to watch: Notting Hill is streaming on Peacock.
15. Nope
Credit: Universal Pictures
A chimpanzee in a party hat. A white shoe inexplicably balanced on its tip. A dusty field full of inflatable tube men dancing in the breeze. In just three films (Get Out, Us, and Nope), writer-director Jordan Peele has proven exceptional at creating iconic imagery out of truly ridiculous things. And Nope, his 2022 alien-invasion terror set in the remote hills outside of Hollywood, is his imagination unleashed on a larger-than-life scale.
Not that Peele doesn’t keep it grounded where it counts; the relationship between grieving brother OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and sister Emerald (Keke Palmer) keeps the stakes and the heart real even as the skies pour blood and a crowd full of curious looky-loos find out just a hair too late that maybe it’d be better to turn away just this once.* — Jason Adams, Freelance Writer
How to watch: Nope is now streaming on Peacock.
16. The Host
Credit: Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
When an enormous monster emerges from the Han River in Korea, father and snack bar owner Park Gang-du (Song Kang-ho, Parasite) will stop at nothing to rescue his daughter from the creature’s clutches. Written and directed by Bong Joon-ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer), The Host is a simply fantastic monster movie, and one that cemented Bong Joon-Ho’s place in cinema history — even before he made his Oscars kiss. It’s gripping. The tension won’t leave your body until the end of the film, but it also has a strong sense of satire. There is levity to be found between moments of fright.
How to watch: The Host is now streaming on Peacock.
17. A Royal Affair
Credit: Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
Alicia Vikander is the forward-thinking Princess Caroline Matilda of Great Britain, who is on her way to Denmark to marry King Christian VII and become the Queen. But when she arrives, she learns the truth of her situation: Christian (Mikkel Følsgaard) is immature, changeable, and likely mentally ill. Her marriage becomes intolerable — until a German physician and political radical, Dr. Johann Struensee (played by a smooth Mads Mikkelsen), is brought to court to soothe the king’s temper. Princess Caroline and Struensee are drawn together by their desire to usher Denmark into the age of Enlightenment alongside the rest of Europe, but the Church and the landed gentry won’t accept change so easily.
A Royal Affair spans genres. It’s both a lavish period romance and a historical political drama. You’ll swoon at the pair’s forbidden love and surprise yourself with your newfound investment in the rights of 18th century Danish peasants.
How to watch: A Royal Affair is now streaming on Peacock.
18. The Godfather
Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 mobster drama is a classic, boasting three Academy Awards, two sequels, and a slew of iconic performances from the likes of Al Pacino, James Caan, Diane Keaton, and Oscar-winner Marlon Brando. But the reason this saga about the Corleone crime family has been resurrected to relevance is The Offer, the Paramount+ mini-series that explores how this marvelous movie got made. Clearly, many fans have been inspired to revisit The Godfather with a fresh appreciation that behind-the-scenes context brings. — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: The Godfather is now streaming on Peacock.
19. Kajillionaire
Kajillionaire is a truly strange and curiously captivating movie written and directed by Miranda July. Evan Rachel Wood is magnetic as the daughter of a Los Angeles grifter couple (played by Debra Winger and Richard Jenkins) who have never shown her love a day in her life. Together, the family lives by running small cons, thieving, and hiding from the landlord to avoid paying months of back rent. When they head to New York to scam an airline with “missing luggage,” they meet Melanie, played by a sparkling Gina Rodriguez, and her surprising induction into the family conning business threatens the tenuous dynamic. Nothing is predictable about this offbeat gem.
How to watch: Kajillionaire is streaming on Peacock.
20. The Fast & Furious franchise
Universal is the proud owner of the Fast & Furious franchise, so during any given month on Peacock you’ll be able to watch at least one of the 10 movies in this indelible saga of cars going fast and sometimes blowing up. Each film is technically different; the earlier entries focus more on illegal street racing, while the later pictures expand their range to include heists, spy rings, cyber terrorists, hidden nuclear arsenals, and more. However, they all orbit around a central theme: “There’s a problem, and only this motley crew of street racers can solve it.” And honestly, there’s not much more you need to know!
These movies are high-action, low-substance in the best possible way. They’re fun, they’re truly ridiculous, and they know it. And last but not least, the car stunts are absolutely insane. Celebrities love being in these movies, from Vin Diesel to Idris Elba to Dame Helen Mirren, and people love watching them. It’s a no-brainer.
How to watch: The Fast and the Furious is streaming on Peacock.
21. 13 Assassins
Credit: Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing.
In the mood for an epic? Have we got the movie for you! Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins is an electrifying, propulsive samurai flick with high stakes and spectacle; the battle sequences are both artistic and riveting. A remake of Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 period drama of the same name, 13 Assassins is in every way possible a modern masterpiece.
When the sadistic, murderous tendencies of the Shogun’s brother, Lord Matsudaira Naritsugu (Gorô Inagaki), begin to threaten the stability of the realm and loyalty of the Shogun’s council, a veteran samurai named Shimada Shinzaemon (Kōji Yakusho) is hired to discreetly remove the problematic sibling from the equation. Unfortunately, he is not going to go down without a fight, so Shinzaemon brings on 12 additional samurai, hoping a group attack will do the trick. But will 13 samurai be enough to take this powerful, vengeful man down?
How to watch: 13 Assassins is streaming on Peacock.
22. My Best Friend’s Wedding
The mother of modern romantic comedies, My Best Friend’s Wedding holds up brilliantly. In fact, we’re all currently dressing like we’re 1997 Julia Roberts anyway, so we might as well watch one of her most endearing and iconic performances.
Roberts is sparkling as Jules Potter, a food critic who long ago made a pact with best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) that they would get married if they were both still single at age 28. Weeks before her 28th birthday, Jules gets a call from Michael — he’s engaged (to an impossibly young Cameron Diaz). Suddenly, her path becomes clear. She needs to break up this couple, sabotage the wedding, and declare her love for Michael before she loses her soulmate forever. Yes, she is objectively the villain of this movie! That’s what makes it so good!
Sharp, funny, and burning with unspoken yearning, My Best Friend’s Wedding is as touching as it is entertaining, now two decades later and counting.*
How to watch: My Best Friend’s Wedding is streaming on Peacock.
23. Liyana
A deeply moving and singularly unique documentary, Liyana follows a group of orphans in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) as they work together to write a story. Led by South African writer Gcina Mhlophe, the children create Liyana, their main character, and through the exploration of her fictional life, begin to work through the trauma they themselves have faced. It’s a captivating piece of cinema, featuring both scenic and intimate shots of the kids’ lives, as well as animated renderings of Liyana’s adventures. A stirring celebration of humanity and the power of storytelling.
How to watch: Liyana is streaming on Peacock.
24. Superbad
The plot is simple. Seth and Evan (an iconic Jonah Hill and Michael Cera) want to lose their virginities before graduating high school. But to do that, they’re going to have to get to a party. And to get to a party, they’ll need booze, and to get booze, they’ll need fake IDs, and so ensues the extremely epic night that introduced McLovin’ to the world.
Written by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, and directed by Greg Mottola (yes, somehow this isn’t a Judd Apatow movie!), Superbad is a hall-of-famer when it comes to teen comedies. It’s both raunchy and honest, larger-than-life and intimate. The codependent and relatable friendship between Seth and Evan is the beating heart of this often-disgusting movie.
How to watch: Superbad is streaming on Peacock.
25. Despicable Me
Credit: Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock
Before there were gentleminions swarming our movie theaters, there was Despicable Me, a surprisingly sweet and funny kids flick about a so-called super villain learning to love three rambunctious young girls suddenly placed in his care. Steve Carell is impeccable as the dastardly curmudgeon whose heart slowly melts throughout the course of the film. In 2010, we couldn’t have predicted that this fun family adventure — and Universal’s attempt to compete with the Disney/Pixar CGI monopoly of the 2000s — would become the media juggernaut it is today, but honestly we were all much, much younger in 2010. Since then, Despicable Me has spawned multiple sequels, prequels, short films, and video games, as well as a web series, a television special, and a theme park attraction. It’s not just good; it’s “theme park” good.
How to watch: Despicable Me is streaming on Peacock.
26. She Said
Though it was released far too soon (the Weinstein trials were still going on and audiences were exhausted), there’s no denying that the subject matter of She Said represents a pivotal moment in modern women’s history. Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan play Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, the Pulitzer prize-winning journalists whose groundbreaking New York Times story directly led to Harvey Weinstein’s downfall. With sensitivity, respect, and a focus on the survivors, She Said tracks Kantor and Twohey’s investigation into one of Hollywood’s most powerful and predatory men.
Thankfully, the film correctly keeps its narrative centered on the brave women who made the choice to speak or go public about their experiences, preventing She Said from collapsing under the weight of its own harrowing content. While She Said might be a little too glossy at times, it’s still a stirring entry about a singular moment in the recent fight for women’s equality. Now that Weinstein is safely rotting in jail, it might finally be time to give it a watch.
How to watch: She Said is now streaming on Peacock.
27. Liar Liar
Remember when goofy comedies starring Jim Carrey could make over $300 million at the box office? Go watch 1997’s Liar Liar and revel in the heyday of such nonsense with one of Carrey’s funniest performances.
In director Tom Shadyac’s hit comedy, Carrey plays a slimy lawyer named Fletcher who’s forced to tell the truth — and nothing but the truth — when his alienated son Max (Justin Cooper) makes a birthday wish that makes it so. Carrey’s rubbery physicality is on full display here, as his entire body twists itself into knots trying to stop his tongue from spilling all of his secrets, all to no avail. And bonus points for any movie that has Jennifer Tilly in general, but as a lying, cheating, gold-digging divorcée especially.* — J.A.
How to watch: Liar Liar is now streaming on Peacock.
(*) denotes writeup came from a previous Mashable list.
UPDATE: Apr. 5, 2024, 2:18 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to reflect Peacock’s current streaming selection.