A fun bit of historic TV trivia is that the original NBC peacock logo was first implemented in 1956 to highlight the network’s new color programming. Even though the logo has gone through numerous iterations since then, the network has stuck with the colorful bird, in one form or another, for going on six decades now. It’s fitting, then, that Peacock is known most for its TV programming, highlighted by shows like The Office, Parks and Rec, and the self-mocking (and hilarious) 30 Rock. If you are on Peacock for the shows, however, don’t overlook that the platform is also home to a number of great movies spanning cinema history, including everything from great comedy to excellent sports movies.
Peacock streaming offers both free (registered) and paid accounts. As a result, some Peacock movies are available without a paid subscription, and others only for subscribers. This roundup culls titles from both groups. To be sure you can access all of these classics, you’ll have to fork over the $5-a-month service cost. Happy streaming and keep reading to find the best movies on Peacock right now.
Asteroid City (2023)
105m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks
Directed by
Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson is not to everyone’s taste, but he’s one of the most visually distinct and idiosyncratic working on a massive scale today, and Asteroid City is one of his best movies. The film follows a group of people who are stranded in the desert after they have an unexpected encounter with extraterrestrial life. As these people interact and fall in love, they also deal with heartache and grief, and part of the movie’s brilliance is the icy way they have to work through deeply felt emotional. It’s at times a deeply moving movie, even as Asteroid City is a firm reminder that Anderson is a comedian first and foremost.
Bernie (2012)
99m
Genre
Comedy, Crime, Drama
Stars
Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey
Directed by
Richard Linklater
Bernie was a bit of a zag for director Richard Linklater, as it involves way more murder than the rest of his filmography. Jack Black stars as Bernie Tiede in this true story. Everybody loves Bernie, the man who charms all the little old ladies in his Carthage, Texas, hometown, even as he endures constant abuse from his crabby benefactor Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine). A man can only take so much, though, and before too long, Bernie loosens his pent-up rage against the woman, sending shockwaves through the small town. What carries the film is its chorus of real-life town residents who give the plot an undeniable local color through a series of talking-head interviews interspersed between the action.
The Farm (2019)
80m
Genre
Horror
Stars
Nora Yessayan, Alec Gaylord, Ken Volok
Directed by
Hans Stjernswärd
Ever wonder what it’s like to be the livestock on a farm? Well, the horror flick The Farm offers an answer. And it’s pretty horrific. After taking a wrong turn on the highway, a young couple decides to stop at a roadside diner for food and relaxation. Their fun trip soon becomes a fight for survival when masked kidnappers imprison them on a farm where humans are the main course. The movie is filled with shocking and disturbing scenes, but if you’re in the mood for pure, unadulterated horror, The Farm is here to deliver.
Short Term 12 (2013)
96m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Kaitlyn Dever
Directed by
Destin Daniel Cretton
A movie featuring an array of future stars before any of them were stars, Short Term 12 is also a delicate story about living with trauma. The movie stars Brie Larson as a counselor at a short-term care facility for teenagers from troubled homes, and much of the movie focuses on the way she interacts with the teens she works with, and deals with her own traumatic past. Surrounded by a supporting cast that includes Rami Malek, Lakeith Stanfield and Kaitlyn Dever among others, Short Term 12 is an intimate, small-scale movie that never loses touch with its characters’ humanity.
Burning (2018)
148m
Genre
Mystery, Drama, Thriller
Stars
Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jun Jong-seo
Directed by
Lee Chang-dong
A Korean drama from 2018 that earns every bit of its 150-minute runtime, Burning tells the story of a young man who becomes transfixed by the disappearance of a woman he’s recently formed a bond with. As he becomes increasingly convinced that something terrible happened to her, we get an examination of both this young man and the way the world around him seems to blur and change. Featuring a riveting supporting performance from Steven Yeun as a wealthy and mysterious possible criminal, Burning is riveting in ways that most movies only aspire to be.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
96m
Genre
Horror
Stars
Judith O'Dea, Duane Jones, Marilyn Eastman
Directed by
George A. Romero
The movie that launched an entire genre, Night of the Living Dead tells the story of five strangers who come together at a farmhouse in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. Their struggle to survive may feel small and quaint by modern standards, but the human drama that plays out between them remains as compelling as any in a modern zombie flick. The movie’s chilling ending, which is a stark reminder of the racism that has been a part of America for decades, and still exists today, also makes it feel like the kind of small, independent drama that might hit theaters today.
The Act of Killing (2012)
159m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Anwar Congo, Herman Koto, Syamsul Arifin
Directed by
Joshua Oppenheimer, Christine Cynn
A documentary that tells the story of the men who committed mass atrocities in Indonesia, The Act of Killing is a complex, moving portrait of what it means to commit mass murder and be celebrated for your heroism. The movie uncovers a story most people likely don’t know, but more than that, it’s an examination of how removed some men can be from their own humanity, and the way we create enemies in order to justify awful acts. The Act of Killing is a must-see for any film fan, and it’s one of the great works of documentary filmmaking of the 21st century.
Emma. (2020)
125m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Josh O'Connor
Directed by
Autumn de Wilde
One of the best adaptations of Jane Austen to ever do it, Emma is a stylish, hilarious version of the matchmaking story that so many are familiar with thanks to Clueless. Anya Taylor-Joy is terrific in the central role, and she’s surrounded by a sharp ensemble cast that also includes a devilishly great performance from Bill Nighy. This movie takes on its period setting with the kind of ease that makes you wonder why anyone ever messes with what made Austen great to begin with. It’s a smart, clever adaptation, but it’s not a reimagining.
Point Break (1991)
122m
Genre
Action, Thriller, Crime
Stars
Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey
Directed by
Kathryn Bigelow
One of the great action movies ever made, and perhaps the best ever made about male machismo, Point Break tells the story of an FBI agent who goes undercover with a gang of surfer bank robbers. As absurd as that may sound, Point Break winds up being hugely satisfying in part because it leans so hard into the cheese. Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze make for the perfect pair, and there’s a number of bravura action sequences that give the movie real heft. Kathryn Bigelow is a smart, muscular director, and Point Break ranks up there with her very best work.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
146m
Genre
Adventure, Action, Science Fiction
Stars
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Directed by
Francis Lawrence
The entire Hunger Games series is worth catching up with if you haven’t had the chance, but Catching Fire remains the series’ high watermark. The film, which follows Katniss Everdeen in the aftermath of her victory in the first Hunger Games as she’s forced to return to the arena, is a great sequel that expands the scope and scale of the story being told. None of these movies work without Jennifer Lawrence’s steely, deeply vulnerable central performance, and Catching Fire gives the actress a chance to play everything from broad comedy to harrowing trauma.
What movies are coming to Peacock in December?
December 1
- Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
- Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
- The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
- Riddick (2013)
- Commitment to Life (2023)
- Darrow & Darrow Pilot (2017)
- Darrow & Darrow: Body Of Evidence (2018)
- Darrow & Darrow: In The Key Of Murder (2018)
- Witness to Murder: A Darrow Mystery (2019)
- Dream Moms (2023)
- Everest (2015)
- Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
- The Exorcist: Believer (2023)
- The Family Man (2000)
- Frost/Nixon (2008)
- Fun with Dick and Jane (2005)
- Game of Love (2023)
- Heart of the Matter (2022)
- The Journey Ahead (2022)
- Jumanji (1995)
- Just Go with It (2011)
- Kajillionaire (2020)
- Kick–Ass 2 (2013)
- The Last Witch Hunter (2014)
- Love in Zion National: A National Park Romance (2023)
- Man on the Moon (1999)
- North to Home (2022)
- Perfect Harmony (2022)
- Pitch Black (2000)
- Pitch Perfect (2012)
- Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas (2023, Hallmark)
- A Winning Team (2023)
- Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (1994)
December 2
- My Norwegian Holiday (2023, Hallmark)
December 3
- A Not So Royal Christmas (2023, Hallmark)
December 4
- Christmas with a Kiss (2023, Hallmark)
December 7
- Beast (2022)
December 9
- The Croods: A New Age (2020)
- Magic in Mistletoe (2023, Hallmark)
December 10
- Christmas on Cherry Lane (2023, Hallmark)
December 11
- Round and Round (2023, Hallmark)
December 13
- Halloween Ends (2022)
December 16
- The Secret Gift of Christmas (2023, Hallmark)
December 20
- Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
- Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)
December 21
- Dr. Death: Cutthroat Conman (2023, Peacock Original Doc)
December 22
- Miracle in Bethlehem, PA (2023, Hallmark)
Editors' Recommendations
- NYT Games: Connections hints and solutions for December 20, 2023
- Make shopping easy: The best gifts for men (no matter what he’s into)
- Sate your wanderlust with the best travel shows and documentaries on Netflix
- Jurassic Park, Men in Black, The Matrix, and more: The best ’90s sci-fi movies
- Everything we know about the Mad Max prequel, Furiosa, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth
