Peacock: The 14 best movies to stream now

This is the second half of the two-part film adaptation of the Wizard of Oz-inspired Broadway hit musical Wicked. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo return as former friends Glinda and Elphaba – now known as the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s been five years since the events of the first film, and their paths must cross again to uncover the Wizard of Oz’s fraudulent ways.

• Director: Jon M. Chu
• Stars: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum
• Running time: 137 min

Hamnet, based on the book of the same name, reflects on the tragedies of William Shakespeare’s life and family before he found fame as a poet and playwright. It’s a well-crafted tragedy that will sneak up on you in the final act. Have a box of tissues nearby.

• Director: Chloe Zhao
• Stars: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Noah Jupe, Jacobi Jupe, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn
• Running time: 125 min

“No crying in baseball!” Tom Hanks shouting this line quickly became a quote in the pop culture lexicon. Hanks’ turn as brutal coach Jimmy Dugan is one of the many reasons to watch this reality-inspired flick. All of the characters are amazing, and while they inspired a short-lived TV show of the same name, the 1992 film still reigns supreme.

• Director: Penny Marshall
• Stars: Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Lori Petty, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell
• Running time: 128 min

Song Sung Blue shares a name with the documentary it inspired. The film follows a couple who find love and inspiration through their Neil Diamond band. It’s based on a true story, and Kate Hudson’s performance earned her an Oscar nomination — her first in 25 years.

• Director: Craig Brewer
• Stars: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Ella Anderson
• Running time: 132 min

After Pulp Fiction brought John Travolta back into the limelight, Quentin Tarantino set his sights on another idolized singer: Pam Grier. Jackie Brown stars the actor in the lead role and follows Brown as he is caught smuggling money to an arms dealer and is forced to choose between his criminal boss and law enforcement. Spoiler: He decides to double-cross them both.

• Director: Quentin Tarantino
• Stars: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton, Robert De Niro
• Running time: 154 min

Tom Holland cemented himself as the modern Spider-Man with Homecoming. The events of this film take place after those of Captain America: Civil War and finds Peter Parker pondering his new responsibilities as a superhero. High school has never been so hard.

• Director: Jon Watts
• Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Laura Harrier, Robert Downey Jr.
• Running time: 133 min

Yorgos Lanthimos is back with another mind-bending drama, starring Emma Stone. In Bugonia, Stone plays a drug company CEO who is kidnapped by two conspiracy theorists who believe he is actually an alien intent on destroying Earth. Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis also star.

• Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
• Stars: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis
• Running time: 118 min

Director Steven Spielberg drew on his childhood to bring to life this semi-autobiographical film about a boy who loves cinema. A coming-of-age story about the power of movies and how his parents’ difficult divorce helped inform his art.

• Director: Steven Spielberg
• Stars: Michelle Williams, Gabriel LaBelle, Paul Dano
• Running time: 151 min

Commitment follows music promoter Jimmy Rabbitte, who takes it upon himself to create an R&B group to fill a void in Dublin’s music scene. He has one problem: The band he’s putting together is made up entirely of Irish people who have no knowledge of that particular genre of music. Well, they do it anyway. The result is an incredibly powerful, heartfelt and uplifting film.

• Director: Alan Parker
• Stars: Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Andrew Strong, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle Kennedy
• Running time: 118 min

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the first full-length feature featuring the famous comedy troupe. The film 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.

• Directors: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
• Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin
• Running time: 91 min

Sicario, starring Benicio del Toro, Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin, introduces viewers to the growing drug war on the US-Mexico border. The drama is intense, and the action is heavy, which makes sense considering Taylor Sheridan wrote the script and Dune visionary Denis Villeneuve directed the film.

• Director: Denis Villeneuve
• Stars: Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber, Jon Bernthal, Daniel Kaluuya
• Running time: 121 min

In Point Break, a gang of surfers dons the mask of a former president and robs banks. And they’re pretty good at it, too. Enter FBI agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), a young and naive law enforcement officer who infiltrates the group and teams up with its leader, Bodhi (Patrick Swayze), to take them down. Kathryn Bigelow directed this epic 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
• Running time: 122 min

Shrek became the first film to win an Academy Award for best animated feature. It’s crazy to think that animated films weren’t recognized for Oscars until 2001, but Shrek deserved to win. The voice acting of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy is spot on and delivers hilarious comedy and memorable pop 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 very enjoyable watch.

• Director: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
• Stars: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz
• Running time: 90 min