Director: Chad Stahleski | Runtime: 1h 40m - 2h 11m

Cast: Keanu Reeves (John Wick), Lance Reddick (Charon), Ian McShane (Winston Scott)

The definition of a sleeper franchise, John Wick was a small-budget action movie that completely rocked Hollywood — and reignited Keanu Reeves' career. Reeves plays the titular retired hitman who takes up arms again, going after the gangsters who killed his dog. From there, Wick gets pulled deeper and deeper into his old hitman underworld and the bodies pile up across four movies. The John Wick franchise was a much-needed shot in the arm to the floundering action movie genre, as it turns fight scenes into art, with its focus on hand-to-hand combat, intricate choreography, and long single takes. While 2023's wildly successful John Wick 4 is not available to stream on Peacock, the first three movies are, along with the John Wick spinoff series, The Continental.

Director: Lee Won-tae | Runtime: 1h 50m

Cast: Ma Dong-seok (Jang Dong-soo), Kim Mu-yeol (Jung Tae-suk), Kim Sung-kyu (Kang Kyung-ho)

With a 97% critical score and 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, the South Korean action thriller The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil is demonstrably one of the best movies on Peacock. The movie fosters a conspiratorial atmosphere, with a rogue killer forcing cop Jung Tae-suk (Kim Mu-yeol) and gangster Jang Dong-soo (Ma Dong-seok) to work together in order to end his reign of terror. The cop and gangster team up and test their moral boundaries while playing a game of cat and mouse with the killer — and cleverly incorporate odd-couple humor into the thrilling story.

Director: Louis Leterrier | Runtime: 2h 21m

Cast: Vin Diesel (Dominic Toretto), Michelle Rodriguez (Letty Ortiz), Tyrese Gibson (Roman Pearce), Ludacris (Tej Parker), John Cena (Jakob Toretto), Nathalie Emmanuel (Ramsey), Jordana Brewster (Mia Toretto), Sung Kang (Han Lue), Helen Mirren (Queenie Ellmanson-Shaw), Brie Larson (Tess), Jason Statham (Deckard Shaw), Charlize Theron (Cipher), Jason Momoa (Dante Reyes)

Said to be the penultimate film in the mega-successful Fast & Furious series, Fast X sees Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and family facing off against new franchise villain Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), who has a decade-plus-long grudge against Dom and is hellbent on revenge. Though critics have grown weary of the epic street racing turned heist franchise, Fast X delivers exactly what audiences expect, from outrageous action sequences to the obligatory family barbecue. The movie also stands out as it ends on a massive cliffhanger that won't be paid off until Fast X's sequel in 2025. But for now, fans can enjoy several Fast & Furious movies on Peacock, from Fast & Furious 6 through to Fast X.

Director: Troy Duffy | Runtime: 1h 48m

Cast: Willem Dafoe (Paul Smecker), Sean Patrick Flanery (Connor MacManus), Norman Reedus (Murphy MacManus), Billy Connolly (Noah MacManus)

Despite poor reviews upon release, underground hit The Boondock Saints became a defining 90s cult classic. The movie stars Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus as fraternal twins who turn to vigilantism in order to protect their predominantly Irish Boston neighborhood. The movie was a box office failure when the studio only gave it a bare minimum theatrical release, but it found huge success on home video and remains popular over two decades later.

Director: Sylvester Stallone | Runtime: 1h 33m

Cast: Sylvester Stallone (John Rambo), Julie Benz (Sarah), Graham McTavish (Lewis)

One of the most violent movies ever made, Rambo made headlines in 2008 for racking up an almost grotesque number of bodies on screen. While the movie's official kill count of 247 is morbidly impressive, Rambo is actually more interesting than its blood-soaked finale would suggest. Following the titular hero as he escorts a humanitarian mission up a remote river, Stallone is a hulking, brooding presence throughout, generally resisting direct conflict until it's inevitable. Although the series continued with Last Blood, Rambo is in many ways a more natural end for the character's arc and is certainly the better of the two movies.

Director: Robert Eggers | Runtime: 2h 17m

Cast: Alexander Skarsgârd (Amleth), Anya Taylor-Joy (Olga), Nicole Kidman (Queen Gúdrun)

After finding success with his subversive horror hits The Witch and The Lighthouse, director Robert Eggers expanded his repertoire with this haunting, gothic retelling of classic Viking mythology. The Northman follows Alexander Skarsgârd's Amleth, a Viking prince on a mission of revenge following his father's murder. His mission to reclaim his birthright pits him against a variety of foes in some inventively shot and brutal battle scenes, with Egger's direction giving the movie a distinctive, horror-inflected atmosphere. Although the movie didn't fare well at the box office, The Northman was a hit with critics and is one of the best action movies on Peacock.

Director: Wilson Yip | Runtime: 1h 48m

Cast: Donnie Yen (Ip Man), Lynn Hung (Cheung Wing-sing), Simon Yam (Chow Ching-chuen)

While Donnie Yen made headlines for his scene-stealing performance in John Wick: Chapter 4, fans keen to see the action star's full range would do well to check out his semi-legendary Ip Man franchise. Part one is a biographical martial arts film where Yen plays legendary grandmaster Ip Man - the martial artist who trained Bruce Lee. The first movie was a worldwide success for Yen, and it spawned three sequels chronicling the amazing life of Ip Man. The original movie won the Best Film Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards and is a great showcase of Yen's skills.

Director: Ron Howard | Runtime: 2h 20m

Cast: Tom Hanks (Jim Lovell), Kevin Bacon (Jack Swigert), Bill Paxton (Fred Haise), Gary Sinise (Ken Mattingly)

Although the movie has been endlessly parodied – largely thanks to its iconic "Houston, we have a problem" line – Apollo 13 remains a tense and thrilling docudrama. Chronicling the real-life Apollo 13 space mission that nearly ended in disaster, Howard's movie utilizes extraordinary set design and fantastic performances from its central quartet to bring the terror and pressure to life, as the group of trapped astronauts battle against the odds to return to Earth safely. Winner of two Academy Awards (and nominated for several more), Apollo 13 is a landmark space movie and a perfect example of how to bring an astonishing true story to the big screen.

Director: James Foley | Runtime: 1h 40m

Cast: Al Pacino (Richard Roma), Alec Baldwin (Roma), Kevin Spacey (John Williamson), Ed Harris (Dave Moss)

Based on the 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, and boasting one of the most stacked casts ever assembled, Glengarry Glen Ross proves that a movie doesn't need a huge budget and massive explosions in order to be dramatic. Built around breakneck dialogue and powerhouse performances, the movie follows the fortunes of a team of real estate salesmen put under immense pressure after they are informed that they have one week to outsell their coworkers, or else they will be fired. What follows is a cutthroat corporate fight to the death, replete with gloriously inventive profanity and more backstabbing than the average episode of Game of Thrones, all resulting in one of the 90s best movies.

Director: Spike Lee | Runtime: 2h

Cast: Spike Lee (Mookie), Danny Aiello (Sal), Rosie Perez (Tina), John Turturro (Pino)

Spike Lee's provocative polemic remains just as relevant as ever nearly 25 years after its release. Set in the sweltering heat of a New York summer, the movie examines the simmering racial tensions between the Italian owners of a local pizza restaurant and their predominantly Black neighbors. When the standoff ends in tragedy, the entire neighborhood is consumed by the aftermath. Widely hailed as one of the most important movies ever made, Do The Right Thing is arguably Lee's finest achievement to date and has been preserved by the Library of Congress as a crucial cultural landmark.

Director: Mel Gibson | Runtime: 2h 7m

Cast: Jim Caviezel (Jesus), Monica Bellucci (Mary Magdalene), Maia Morgenstern (The Virgin Mary)

Controversial and gripping in equal measure, Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is an undeniably powerful piece of work. The self-financed movie documents the final days and execution of Jesus Christ as laid out in the Bible. The film made over $612 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo), making it the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. The Passion of the Christ also secured three Oscar nominations at the Academy Awards, despite its graphic violence and extreme scenes of torture.

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn | Runtime: 1h 32m

Cast: Tom Hardy (Charles Bronson)

A disorientating blend of drama, horror, and black comedy, Nicholas Winding Refn's biopic Bronson is as oblique as its subject. Starring Tom Hardy, the film chronicles career criminal Michael Peterson and his transformation into Charles Bronson – known as Britain's most violent prisoner. As well as featuring fourth wall-breaking monologs, offering an insight into Bronson's psyche, the movie never shies away from its protagonist's brutality. The movie received overwhelmingly positive reviews, as well as showing star Tom Hardy's range and potential as a leading man.

Director: Phil Alden Robinson | Runtime: 1h 47m

Cast: Kevin Costner (Ray Kinsella), Amy Madigan (Annie Kinsella), James Earl Jones (Terence Mann), Ray Liotta (Shoeless Joe)

In the late 1980s, Kevin Costner was arguably approaching the peak of his powers – exemplified by two successful baseball movies. While Bull Durham was his most critically acclaimed effort, it was Field of Dreams that remains his most beloved decades later. In the movie, Costner stars as Ray, a man living on a corn farm in Iowa who begins to hear a voice telling him, "It you build it, he will come." Believing this will give him a chance to reconnect with his late father, he builds a baseball diamond out in the middle of his cornfield much to the chagrin of his family. The movie picked up three Oscar nominations and was added to the National Film Registry in 2017.

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton | Runtime: 1h 36m

Cast: Brie Larson (Grace), Rami Malek (Nate), John Gallagher Jr. (Mason)

One of Brie Larson's first major films, Short Term 12 gained widespread praise from critics and audiences alike – despite being overlooked at awards ceremonies. Grace Howard (Larson) works at a group home for troubled teenagers, where two residents are struggling with self-harm and abuse, which forces Grace to confront her own traumatic past. As the characters learn to live through their pain, the movie's empathetic lense allows the audience to potentially see a path toward managing their own. The celebrated indie movie also marks Stephanie Beatriz's film debut and earned an impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Director: Patty Jenkins | Runtime: 1h 49m

Cast: Charlize Theron (Aileen Wuornos), Christina Ricci (Selby Wall), Bruce Dern (Thomas), Lee Tergesen (Vincent Corey)

Although director Patty Jenkins would go on to best-known for her superhero hit Wonder Woman, her 2003 crime biopic Monster probably remains her most powerful effort to date. The movie follows the life of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute who killed seven of her male clients in a two-year period. The movie charts her relationship with another woman, Selby Wall, and shows how her tragic life perhaps turned her into a cold-blooded killer. Both Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci received praise for their performances, with Theron winning the Oscar, Golden Globe, and SAG Awards for her transformation into Aileen for the movie.

Director: Josh Greenbaum | Runtime: 1h 33m

Cast: Will Ferrell (Reggie), Jamie Foxx (Bug), Isla Fisher (Maggie), Randall Park (Hunter), Will Forte (Doug)

Like Ted and Sausage Party, Strays may look like a movie for kids, but it certainly is not. It's a raunchy, crude comedy about a Border Terrier named Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell) who is abandoned by his owner Doug (Will Forte). Officially on his own, Reggie befriends a group of stray dogs who teach him street smarts and agree to accompany him on his quest for revenge against Doug. While it was a box office bomb, what makes Strays so successful is that it knows exactly the kind of comedy it is. However, amidst the filth and foul language is a surprising amount of heart that makes it worth a watch — without the kids.

Director: Ivan Reitman | Runtime: 1h 45m

Cast: Bill Murray (Peter Venkman), Dan Akroyd (Ray Stantz), Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler), Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), Sigourney Weaver (Dana Barrett), Rick Moranis (Louis Tully)

Well over 30 years old, the fact that people still quote Ghostbusters' iconic line, "Who ya gonna call?" speaks to the film's pop culture icon status. From director Ivan Reitman comes Ghostbusters, a comedy about three parapsychology professors who form a business in which they hunt various supernatural entities, only to discover a portal that could unleash demonic evil upon New York City. Ghostbusters was a smash success and was the highest-grossing movie of 1984 in North America. Along with Star Wars, Ghostbusters was one of the first movies to release tie-in merchandise, and beyond that, the multi-billion dollar Ghostbusters franchise has seen video games, comic books, and several sequels with the next set for 2024. Ghostbusters II is also available to stream on Peacock.

Director: Malcolm D. Lee | Runtime: 2h 2m

Cast: Regina Hall (Ryan Pierce), Tiffany Haddish (Dina), Jada Pinkett Smith (Lisa Cooper), Queen Latifah (Sasha Franklin)

The movie that put Tiffany Haddish on the map, Girls Trip sees four friends travel to New Orleans for a music festival to reconnect, and plenty of wild, raunchy hijinks ensue. Premiering at the American Black Film Festival, Girls Trip went on to become a box office smash, making $140 million at the global box office (via Box Office Mojo), proving that the movie was a welcome addition to the predominantly white-dominated R-rated comedy canon. With the award-winning Haddish stealing the show, Girls Trip is two hours of comedic hilarity that viewers won't want to miss.

Director: Spencer Susser | Runtime: 1h 45m

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Hesher), Rainn Wilson (Paul Forney), Natalie Portman (Nicole), Devin Brochu (TJ)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has proven on multiple occasions his versatility as a performer, yet his role in Hesher remains unlike anything else has done over his career. In the movie, he plays the titular squatter who moves into the home of a depressed young boy and his addict father after the death of the boy's mother and changes their lives forever. The movie received mixed reviews and was mostly ignored when released. However, it has since become a cult classic, partially thanks to its use of Metallica songs throughout the entire movie, as well as Gordon-Levitt's uplifting performance.

Director: Nick Park & Steve Box | Runtime: 1h 25m

Cast: Peter Sallis (Wallace), Ralph Fiennes (Victor Quatermaine), Helena Bonham Carter (Lady Tottington)

No company has perfected the art of stop-motion animation like Aardman. Although the studio has produced several hit movies, their most acclaimed remains Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit. Following in the footsteps of the titular pair's short-form adventures, this feature-length movie sees inventor Wallace and his canine companion attempt to save their local community's vegetables from the clutches of a giant, ravenous rabbit. Winner of the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, Curse of the Were Rabbit is a stunning technical achievement, as well as being nothing less than hilarious throughout.

Directors: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic | Runtime: 1h 33m

Cast: Chris Pratt (Mario), Jack Black (Bowser), Anya Taylor Joy (Princess Peach)

After the Bob Hoskins-led disaster that tainted videogame movies for a decade, The Super Mario Bros. Movie finally confirms that the world's most recognizable plumber is suited to the big screen after all. Serving as something of an origin story for Mario and his brother Luigi, the movie sees the pair attempt to thwart Bowser's efforts to marry Princess Peach and control the Mushroom Kingdom. Despite mixed reviews, the movie earned well over a billion dollars at the box office, making it one of 2023's biggest hits and a welcome addition to Peacock's library.

Director: David Gordon Green | Runtime: 1h 52m

Cast: Seth Rogen (Dale Denton), James Franco (Saul Silver), Danny McBride (Red)

A classic of so-called "stoner" comedy, Pineapple Express cemented Seth Rogen's status as an upcoming Hollywood star. Written by Rogen and his regular collaborator Evan Goldberg, the movie sees a process server and his drug dealer forced to flee after the pair accidentally witness a corrupt police officer and a hit man carry out a murder. Action-packed and laugh-out-loud funny, the film won critical praise for its sharp script and its effective amalgamation of multiple genres.

Director: Nicholas Stoller | Runtime: 1h 51

Cast: Jason Segel (Peter Bretter), Mila Kunis (Rachel Jansen), Kristen Bell (Sarah Marshall), Russell Brand (Aldous Snow)

One of the all-time great break-up movies, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a sincere and heartfelt story about overcoming heartbreak and finding true love. The movie follows composer Peter Bretter as he navigates the emotionally rocky waters on the other side of a relationship. Deciding he needs a break, he books a vacation to Hawaii, only to discover that his ex and her new partner are already resident at the hotel. Jason Segel is pathetically relatable in the lead role, and the movie's entire cast shines thanks to a sharp and humorous script.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Runtime: 1h 56m

Cast: Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown), Lea Thompson (Lorraine Baines McFly), Crispin Glover (George McFly), Thomas F. Wilson (Biff Tannen)

It's fitting that Back to the Future is a movie about time travel because it has become a timeless classic that's still just as iconic today as it was when it was released in 1985. Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is a smart and charming teenager who accidentally gets sent back to 1955 via Doc Brown's (Christopher Lloyd) time-traveling DeLorean car. There he inadvertently stops his teenage parents from falling in love and must get them to reconcile to ensure his own existence. While, like many comedies of that era, some jokes in the movie are problematic by today's standards, Back to the Future holds up remarkably well, thanks in large part to Fox and Lloyd's comedic brilliance and their unmatched chemistry. Back to the Future spawned two sequels, both also available to stream on Peacock.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Runtime: 1h 55m

Cast: Henry Thomas (Elliott Taylor), Drew Barrymore (Gertie Taylor)

A quintessential Steven Spielberg movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is packed with childlike wonder and astonishing visual effects. It centers on a kind-hearted 10-year-old boy named Elliott who meets and strikes up a friendship with E.T., a peaceful extra-terrestrial. E.T. was an instant hit upon release and dethroned Star Wars as the highest-grossing movie of all time — a record that Spielberg broke himself with 1993's Jurassic Park. The movie won a slew of awards including four Oscars, and was even nominated for Best Picture — a rarity for genre films, which speaks to how special a movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is.

Director: Gareth Edwards | Runtime: 1h 37m

Cast: Scoot McNairy (Andrew Kaulder), Whitney Able (Samantha Wynden)

An original entry into the giant monster movie subgenre, Monsters is a welcome reminder that spectacular effects don't necessarily demand a colossal budget. Set six years after the arrival of giant extraterrestrials on Earth, Gareth Edwards' low-budget sci-fi horror follows two compatriots traveling through a dangerous quarantine zone. On their journey back to America, the pair face off against dangerous creatures and discover the truth about the invaders. Impressively produced, given its low-cost production, Monsters still holds up over a decade after its debut.

Director: Wes Anderson | Runtime: 1h 45m

Cast: Scarlett Johansson (Midge Campbell), Jason Schwartzman (Augie Steenbeck), Tom Hanks (Stanley Zak), Jeffrey Wright (General Gibson)

Replete with Anderson's signature quirky humor and style, Asteroid City is a charming mix of sci-fi and gentle comedy. The movie's somewhat complex premise involves the creation of a play about a fictional stargazing convention in a retrofuturistic version of the 1950s, as well as the broadcast of the play itself. Like the rest of Anderson's work, Asteroid City uses an impressive ensemble cast packed with regular Anderson collaborators. Critics praised the film's attention to detail and emphasis on style, with many suggesting that it represents a return to form for the director.

Director: Martin Brest | Runtime: 3h, 1m

Cast: Brad Pitt (Joe Black), Anthony Hopkins (Bill Parrish), Claire Forlani (Susan Parrish)

Despite the movie's deliberately drawn-out narrative and convoluted ending, Meet Joe Black is a richly layered fantastical drama, boasting impressive performances from a stellar cast. Exploring the aftermath of a Faustian deal between Death and businessman Bill Parrish, Meet Joe Black sees Death experience what life is like as a mortal, only to fall in love with Parrish's (Hopkins) daughter in an ill-fated romance. Starring Brad Pitt as the titular Joe Black (aka, Death), the movie is a labyrinthine examination of love, loss, and what it means to come to terms with mortality.

Director: Peter Howitt | Runtime: 1h 39m

Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow (Helen Quilley), John Hannah (James Hammerton)

A classic "what if?" story, Sliding Doors uses an unconventional narrative to explore the romantic possibilities determined by its lead character's success or failure in boarding a train. Gwyneth Paltrow plays Helen, a PR officer fired from her job who faces two divergent paths in life. In one universe, she manages to catch a train home and finds new luck in love. In another, she misses her train and continues to be beset by bad luck. However, it soon becomes clear that all is not as straightforward as it seems. Praised for its complex storytelling and chemistry between its two leads, Sliding Doors is a classic romantic comedy that hits all the right notes.

Director: Neil Burger | Runtime: 1h 49

Cast: Edward Norton (Eisenheim), Jessica Biel (Sophie), Paul Giamatti (Inspector Uhl)

Due to its subject, The Illusionist has drawn a lot of comparisons with Christopher Nolan's The Prestige, which was released the same year. However, while Nolan's movie is a complex and intellectual puzzle box, The Illusionist has a much more romantic sensibility. Following Nolan's Eisenheim and his ill-fated love affair with a woman deemed far above his social standing. Both a gripping mystery and heartfelt romance, The Illusionist was unfairly overlooked by many on release and remains one of the best romance movies on Peacock.

Director: Sergio Corbucci | Runtime: 1h 32m

Cast: Franco Nero (Django), Loredana Nusciak (Maria), Ángel Álvarez (Nathaniel), Eduardo Fajardo (Major Jackson)

Made in 1966 and directed by Sergio Corbucci, this quintessential Spaghetti Western stars Franco Nero as a Union soldier-turned-drifter who travels the land with his companion Maria after saving her from Mexican bandits and a racist ex-Confederate officer. In this first movie, Django helps the people of a small town overcome the extortion and threats of Major Jackson and his Red Shirts. Despite early negative reviews, the movie built a great reputation over time – securing a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and generating more than 30 unofficial sequels.

Director: John Hillcoat | Runtime: 1h 44m

Cast: Guy Pearce (Charlie Burns), Ray Winstone (Captain Stanley), Danny Huston (Arthur Burns), John Hurt (Jellon Lamb), David Wenham (Eden Fletcher), Emily Watson (Martha Stanley)

While Westerns are typically associated with the American frontier, Australia also boasts its own history of great Western movies. This includes John Hillcoat's 2005 effort, The Proposition. The movie begins in 1880s Australia with the arrest of brothers Mikey and Charlie Burns. Upon arrest, the police captain presents Mikey with a choice – either he executes Mikey, or Charlie agrees to hunt down and murder his other brother Arthur. Guy Pierce, Ray Winstone, and Emily Watson lead an all-star cast in a movie that picked up several awards in 2005 and remains a refreshing alternative to America-centric Western movies.

Director: Trey Parker | Runtime: 1h 36m

Cast: Trey Parker (Alferd Packer), Matt Stone (James Humphrey)

The directorial debut of South Park's Trey Parker, Cannibal! The Musical is a typically irreverent take on one of the more gruesome episodes in American history. Based on a true story, Parker plays the Coloradan prospector and guide Alferd Packer, who gained notoriety after confessing to cannibalism following an ill-fated trip between Utah and Colorado. Although significantly less polished than Parker's later efforts, this impertinent Western comedy contains many of the hallmarks that would go on to define his and Stone's careers.

Directors: Kelly Asbury, Lorna Cook | Runtime: 1h 24m

Cast: Matt Damon (Spirit), James Cromwell (The Colonel), Daniel Studi (Little Creek)

Unfairly ignored on release, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron has found a new lease on life thanks to streaming. Matt Damon stars as the eponymous horse, a Kiger mustang stallion captured during the American Indian Wars before being rescued by a Lakota man who he subsequently befriends. Although far removed from more traditional Westerns, Spirit still utilizes the genre's emotional connection to the American landscape to tell a sweeping story that will speak to audiences of all ages.

Director: Kelly Reichardt | Runtime: 2h 1m

Cast: John Magaro (Cookie), Toby Hones (Chief Factor), Ewen Bremner (Lloyd)

An orthodox Western, in that it doesn't feature the genre's usual tropes of a vengeful protagonist in pursuit of brutal frontier justice, First Cow is nonetheless a powerful drama about friendship and the dangers of greed. Set in 1820s Oregon County,t the movie sees a baker and his friend attempt to start a business selling cakes in a remote town. Unfortunately, the only way for them to secure enough milk for their popular recipe is to milk a local cow without the dangerous owner's knowledge. Despite its simple story, the movie won praise for its thoughtful exploration of familiar themes, as well as its emotionally powerful climax.

Director: Stephen Sommers | Runtime: 2h 5m

Cast: Brendan Fraser (Rick O'Connell), Rachel Weisz (Evelyn Carnahan), John Hannah (Jonathan Carnahan)

After an Oscar-winning performance in 2022's The Whale, Brendan Fraser is back on the A-list, but The Mummy is the movie most associated with the actor's meteoric rise to fame in the 1990s. The Mummy sees Fraser as dashing American adventurer Rick O'Connell who, along with librarian Evelyn Carnahan and her brother Jonathan (John Hannah) accidentally awakens a mummy in Hamunaptra, an Egyptian city known as the City of the Dead. The Mummy is a pure campy thrill ride with Fraser exuding affable charisma and Weisz giving so much more than just another female sidekick performance. The Mummy was a box office success and launched several sequels and a reboot, all of which are available to stream on Peacock.

Director: Russell Mulcahy | Runtime: 1h 51m

Cast: Christopher Lambert (Connor MacLeod), Roxanne Hart (Brenda Wyatt), Clancy Brown (The Kurgan), Sean Connery (Juan Sánchez Villalobos-Ramirez)

One of the most beloved fantasy movies ever made, the original Highlander kickstarted a popular franchise that never reached the heights of its first installment. In Highlander, Connor MacLeod is an immortal being in a world where a secret war rages to determine who will be the last fighter standing. It is up to Connor to make sure that evil immortals never have the chance to claim true immortality, bringing him into battle with the murderous Kurgan (Clancy Brown). Highlander is a cult classic and spawned several sequels and even a TV series based in the same world with a different immortal MacLeod.

Directors: Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson | Runtime: 1h 30m

Cast: Mike Myers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), John Lithgow (Lord Farquaad)

For a film that was famously a punishment project for animators (via New York Post), Shrek somehow manages to both lampoon and honor its fairytale source material. The movie, much like the rest of the Shrek franchise, follows the titular ogre (Mike Myers) as he sets out on a quest to rescue the cursed and imprisoned Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) for the tyrannical Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). While there are a lot of great non-Disney fairytale adaptations, Shrek has managed to stand out by mocking their most frustrating tropes and rejecting the idea that goodness and beauty must be connected. Other than being one of the best movies on Peacock, Shrek also has the distinction of winning the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Directors: Catherine Hardwicke, Chris Weitz, David Slade, Bill Condon | Runtimes: Various

Cast: Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen), Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan), Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black)

Based on Stephenie Meyer's hugely popular YA book series, The Twilight Saga ranks as one of the most successful cinematic fantasy franchises of all time. The five films made over three billion dollars at the box office, highlighting the series' impact. Chronicling the relationship between Bella Swan and vampire Edward Cullen, the franchise built an elaborate mythology involving vampires, werewolves, and other lore elements. Still popular with fans today, The Twilight Saga is a worthy adaptation of the beloved source material.

Directors: Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, David Yates | Runtimes: Various

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley)

One of the most culturally significant series ever released, the Harry Potter saga remains a defining story for multiple generations. Following the adventures of an orphaned boy wizard and his friends as they battle against the dangerous dark lord Voldemort, the films are a broadly faithful retelling of J.K. Rowling's seminal novels. Spanning over a decade, the eight films represent an ambitious feat of contiguous storytelling, maintaining an impressive cast across almost all the entries. As popular today as it was when first released, the Harry Potter franchise is a hugely immersive and enjoyable journey.

Directors: Robert Zemeckis | Runtime: 1h 39m

Cast: Meryl Streep (Madeline Ashton), Goldie Hawn (Helen Sharp), Bruce Willis (Ernest Menville)

Death Becomes Her is an A-list three-hander starring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn as a pair of frenemies who both vie for the love of Bruce Willis' Ernest Menville and resort to taking a potion promising eternal youth to keep him. The movie released to mixed reviews, but was hailed for its pioneering CGI effects and even won Best Visual Effects at the Oscars. While this is impressive, Death Becomes Her evolved into so much more and is a veritable cult classic, particularly in the LGBTQ+ community. Streep and Hawn's characters are frequent favorites on the drag scene, and there was even a Death Becomes Her-themed runway show on RuPaul's Drag Race. If that's not reason enough to watch, nothing is.

Director: Eli Craig | Runtime: 1h 26m

Cast: Tyler Labine (Dale Dobson), Alan Tudyk (Tucker McGee), Katrina Bowden (Allison), Jesse Moss (Chad)

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is far from the scariest horror movie on Peacock, but it sure is one of the funniest — and smartest, as it has a lot to stay about the genre. The titular main character (Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk) are a couple of good-natured hillbilly friends who want to enjoy a simple fishing trip together when a group of teenagers mistakenly perceive them as deranged killers. From there, the misunderstandings and the bodies continue to pile up with hilarious results. By flipping the "backwoods hillbilly killer" horror trope on its head, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil delivers a lot of laughs — and a surprisingly poignant message.

Director: Jordan Peele | Runtime: 1h 44m

Cast: Daniel Kaluuya (Chris Washington), Allison Williams (Rose Armitage), Lil Rel Howery (Rod Williams), Bradley Whitford (Dean Armitage), Catherine Keener (Missy Armitage), LaKeith Stanfield (Andre Hayworth)

When it comes to first features, it's hard to beat comedian Jordan Peele's explosive directorial debut. In Get Out, Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) is a Black photographer who travels to upstate New York with his white girlfriend Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) to meet her family. However, beneath the Armitages' faux friendliness and micro-aggressions, Chris senses that there's something sinister going on — and he's not wrong. Get Out was universally praised for Peele's usage of horror as an allegory for the Black American experience. Horror is a genre often looked down upon, but not even the Academy Awards could deny Get Out's excellence. The film was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture, and Peele took home the win for Best Original Screenplay.

Director: James Whale | Runtime: 1h 11m

Cast: Boris Karloff (The Monster), Colin Clive (Victor Frankenstein)

Monster movie fans have a lot to be happy about, as Peacock has made several films from the Universal Monsters canon available for streaming. One of Universal Pictures' most definitive creature features, Frankenstein adapts Mary Shelley's classic horror novel for the screen, and just like the classic tale, the movie centers on scientist Victor Frankenstein (Colin Clive) building a creature from human remains only to lose control of The Monster (Boris Karloff), who runs away and leaves a trail of chaos in his wake. A hugely successful film, Frankenstein spawned several sequels and would become the definitive movie of Karloff's career. In 1991, Frankenstein was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Director: David Gordon Green | Runtime: 1h 46m

Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie Strode), Judy Greer (Karen Nelson), Andi Matichak (Allyson Nelson), James Jude Courtney (Michael Myers)

Blumhouse and David Gordon Green teamed up to completely revitalize the convoluted Halloween franchise. 2018's Halloween is a direct sequel to the original 1978 film that started the slasher craze, with all other sequels that came between disregarded. This story takes place 40 years later with masked serial killer Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney) returning to Haddonfield to finish what he started and kill Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). Halloween (2018) doesn't exactly reinvent the horror genre wheel, but it brings back its iconic characters for a satisfying continuation to the beloved slasher franchise. Halloween II and Halloween III: Season of the Witch are also available to stream on Peacock.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Runtime: 1h 49m

Cast: Janet Leigh (Marion Crane), Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates), Vera Miles (Lila Crane), John Gavin (Sam Loomis)

Alfred Hitchcock isn't called the Master of Suspense for nothing, and Psycho, arguably the director's most iconic movie, proves why he's worthy of the moniker. Psycho stars Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, a secretary in Phoenix who steals $40,000 from her employer and goes on the run, ending up at the creepy Bates Motel — and right into the clutches of Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). The movie's legacy would have been hard to predict upon its release, as reviews were shockingly mixed, but Psycho forever changed Hollywood. Its jaw-droppingly daring midpoint twist was revolutionary in cinema, and Psycho was considered one of the pioneers of the slasher drama. Its sequels and 1998 remake are also available for streaming on Peacock.

Director: Ti West | Runtime: 1h 35m

Cast: Jocelin Donahue (Samantha), Tom Noonan (Mr. Ulman), Mary Woronov (Mrs. Ulman), Greta Gerwig (Megan)

Ti West directed two of the most critically-acclaimed horror movies of 2022 with X and its prequel Pearl. However, he had shown his immense talent 13 years earlier when he directed the cult-favorite horror movie The House of the Devil. The movie is a typical horror tale about a girl at a house in a remote location who finds herself hunted by a devil-worshipping cult. However, while this is a story that has been told before, West delivers it in a style that's both a throwback to 80s horror classic while still maintaining a contemporary relevance.

Director: Leigh Whannell | Runtime: 2h 4m

Cast: Elisabeth Moss (Cecilia Kass), Aldis Hodge (James Lanier), Storm Reid (Sydney Lanier), Harriet Dyer (Emily Kass), Michael Dorman (Tom Griffin), Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Adrian Griffin)

Several classic Universal Monster movies were reimagined with varying success in the 2000s, but the best of them is undoubtedly The Invisible Man. Directed by Leigh Whannell (Saw) and produced by Blumhouse, Elisabeth Moss stars as Cecilia, a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. After she escapes from her partner's home and hides out, she learns he took his own life and left her $5 million. However, it soon transpires that he hasn't died at all, and has instead created a way to turn invisible and torment her once more. The movie made $144 million on a $7 million budget (via Box Office Mojo) and was universally acclaimed, winning multiple year-end awards.

Director: Yeon Sang-ho | Runtime: 1h 58m

Cast: Gong Yoo (Seok-Woo), Jung Yu-mi (Sung-Gyeong), Ma Dong-seok (Sang-Hwa), Kim Su-an (Soo-An), Choi Woo-shik (Min Yong-guk)

While zombie movies had started to fall out of favor by 2016, the South Korean horror movie Train to Busan brought something new to the oversaturated genre, revitalizing interest in the walking dead. What helped this movie achieve success was the focus on a father and his daughter at the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse, and their fight for survival together, as well as the movie's innovative setting of a speeding train. The movie won several awards and received almost universal acclaim after its release. It also spawned a franchise, with an animated prequel, a standalone sequel, and an American remake in development.

Director: George A. Romero | Runtime: 1h 36m

Cast: Judith O'Dea (Barbara), Duane Jones (Ben)

George Romero changed everything about the zombie genre with his 1968 movie Night of the Living Dead. Before this seminal hit, the zombie genre was mostly rooted in misunderstood Haitian voodoo rituals. However, Romero created a new lore of the dead rising from their graves and feeding on the living with this movie, at a stroke creating the modern zombie genre. The movie was also groundbreaking for bringing a Black hero to the lead in a horror movie. Sadly for Romero, he failed in his copyrighting of the movie, immediately bringing it into the public domain following release.

Director: Tobe Hooper | Runtime: 1h 23m

Cast: Marilyn Burns (Sally Hardesty), Paul A. Partain (Franklin Hardesty), Edwin Neal (Nubbins Sawyer), Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface)

One of the most iconic and unsettling horror movies ever made, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a raw and terrifying peek behind the mask of madness. Filmed on a shoestring, the film takes typical slasher tropes like traveling teenagers, isolated houses, and a power tool-wielding villain to new extremes, pushing boundaries like few films before or since. The heat of the overbearing Texas sun emanates through the screen, contributing to the film's tense and suffocating atmosphere. Gunnar Hansen's Leatherface is one of the scariest antagonists ever conceived, and the movie's central story of a family of cannibals hunting innocent passersby remains truly terrifying nearly five decades after release.

Director: Mary Harron | Runtime: 1h 44m

Cast: Christian Bale (Patrick Bateman), Jared Leto (Paul Allen), Willem Dafoe (Detective Kimball)

Although Bret Easton Ellis' original shocking novel was widely considered unfilmable (largely due to its gruesome contents), Mary Harron's American Psycho is an important reminder that some challenges are simply a matter of imagination. Like the book, the movie follows yuppie Patrick Bateman as he juggles his Wall Street banking job with his murderous predilections. Bleakly funny and a damning indictment on consumerism and the superficial nature of the American corporate system, American Psycho might lack some of the novel's shock value, but it is nevertheless a surprisingly successful adaptation and one of the best horror movies on Peacock.

Director: Damien Leone | Runtime: 2h 18m

Cast: Lauren LaVera (Sienna), David Howard Thornton (Art the Clown)

A surprising box office hit on release, Terrifying 2 has the distinction of being one of the most violent and gory movies ever made. Continuing the gruesome adventures of the demonic Art the Clown as he rampages through a local community, the movie is an exhibition in stomach-churning practical effects and creative executions. While certainly not to everyone's tastes, the film's success has undoubtedly rekindled an interest in the slasher genre and extreme cinema, doing so in such a way that celebrates the inventive potential of the form.

Director: Alexandre O. Phillipe | Runtime: 1h 35m

Cast: Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Roger Corman

Released to coincide with the seminal sci-fi horror's 40th anniversary, Memory: The Origins of Alien delves into the film's backstory, chronicling how the extensive creative process behind the scenes shaped Ridley Scott's movie. Rather than offering a behind-the-scenes exposé, Memory instead focuses on the extensive collaboration involved in creating Alien. It also reveals details of abandoned plot points, writer Dan O'Bannon's original plan for the film, and how the film's historical and social context shaped the end result. Consequently, Memory is essential viewing for any Alien devotee.

Director: Christopher Cassel | Runtime: 1h 27m

Cast: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan

Given the success of Christopher Nolan's sprawling Oppenheimer biopic, To End All War feels all the more essential. Unlike the movie, To End All War uses archival footage to examine the social context and intention behind the Manhattan Project, placing it squarely within the existential trauma of World War Two. Through contemporary historical analysis, To End All War explains Oppenheimer's rationale without shying away from the devastating consequences of his actions.

Director: Joshua Oppenheimer | Runtime: 2h 2m

Cast: Various

Regarded as one of the most extraordinary, important, and powerful documentaries ever made, The Act of Killing takes an ambitious and incredibly innovative approach to retelling history. Centering on the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-66, director Joshua Oppenheimer invites one of the leading perpetrators to reenact his crimes in the style of his favorite cinematic genres. The result starts off as a surreal and harrowing pastiche, before the emotional trauma of what's unfolding really becomes clear. An incredible examination of the psychology behind evil, The Act of Killing has been hailed as a landmark cinematic achievement and is one of the best movies on Peacock in any genre.

Directors: Reuben Atlas, Jerry Rothwell | Runtime: 1h 25m

Cast: Rudy Kurniawan, Jefery Levy, Bill Koch

An extraordinary tale of greed, deception, and alcohol, Sour Grapes is a deep dive into one of the most bizarre cases to ever afflict the luxury foods industry. Until his arrest, the world viewed Rudy Kurniawan as a renowned wine expert and purveyor of some of the rarest bottles in the world. However, when some clients became suspicious, it transpired that he had been using his incredible palate to cook up fake bottles of expensive vintages before passing them off as the real thing. An utterly gripping true crime drama, Sour Grapes has all the hallmarks of a classic thriller, made better by its real history.

Director: Michael Moore | Runtime: 2h 2m

Cast: Michael Moore

Michael Moore's explosive documentary has lost none of its potency nearly two decades after its release. An excoriating examination of the lead-up to the Iraq War, Moore turns his fury on the Bush administration, accusing the government of perpetuating nothing less than a fraud on the American people. While some of his claims may not hold up to scrutiny, there's no doubt that Moore makes a powerful case as to the efficacy of the conflict and its aftermath. Considering its longterm impact on individual liberties, the movie remains just as urgent as ever.

Director: Steve James | Runtime: 2h, 51m

Cast: William Gates, Arthur Agee

Hoop Dreams is one of the very few documentary films to gain mainstream popularity beyond a niche interest group. The film followed William Gates and Arthur Agee, two Black high school students who saw the NBA as a route to success. The underdog story is commonplace in sports films, but the fact that Hoop Dreams is about two real-life people make the film all the more emotional. Despite controversy regarding the film's omission from the Academy Awards, it was preserved in the National Film Registry in 2005, proving that it had an impact on audiences far greater than its award records might suggest, remaining one of the best movies on Peacock.