Peacock is where you should be looking for all sorts of must-see movies. NBCUniversal is the owner of the platform and when you consider all the epic films Universal Pictures has released over the decades, the streamer’s epic library begins to come into focus.
You probably know this already. It’s why you’re here. You could be scrolling through the program offerings of Netflix, Prime Video and Disney Plus, but you came here. That’s a good decision, in my opinion.
Universal brings a whole different sort of clout to the mix, and you see that with Peacock’s collection of cinema classics, timeless blockbusters and Oscar darlings. This is what makes the streamer feel like a secret weapon in the crowded streaming landscape.
Don’t take my word for it: I put together a list of cinematic bangers below, so you should find a film that fits your interests. Scroll through and check back often for updates.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Read more: 14 of the Best Peacock Shows to Watch Right Now
The Wolf of Wall Street
Martin Scorsese directed this 3-hour biopic about Jordan Belfort, the young stockbroker who became super-rich at a young age, only to be arrested by the FBI for fraud and market manipulation. That’s already an interesting premise and thanks to the enignmatic cast, led by Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan alongside Jonah Hill as an unhinged sidekick, this movie never slows down.
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie
- Runtime: 180 min
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Based on John le Carré’s novel of the same name, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a slow-burning Cold War espionage drama about an intelligence leak in British Intelligence and the man who seeks out the Soviet mole. The writing and directing deliver on all fronts, and the stacked cast elevates the experience to a whole new level. Gary Oldman stars alongside the likes of John Hurt, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Toby Jones and Stephen Graham.
- Director: Tomas Alfredson
- Stars: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch
- Runtime: 127 min
The Commitments
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
How to Train Your Dragon
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
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
Point Break
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
