The month may be near its end, but we’re not quite there yet — and there’s still a lot of good movies to be watched.
Particularly over on Peacock, your selection is bigger than its ever been. Of course, we also know that means scrolling through and picking something is that much harder. So, if you’re trying to avoid that, we can help: We’ve selected seven films that are all (hopefully) winners for you.
Here are the 7 best movies on Peacock in July:
Obsession
Whether you’re a horror fan or not, odds are pretty good that you’ve heard “Obsession” come up at least once in the last few months. Realistically, it was probably more than once.
Curry Barker’s film starring Inde Navarrette centers on Bear (Michael Johnston), a man who wishes that his crush, Nikki (Navarrette), would love him “more than anyone in the whole f–king world.” While that may sound like the basis for a rom-com, this takes the route of the monkey’s paw and things get scary very, very fast.
“Obsession” has become one of the biggest hits of the year, shattering several box office records. Earlier this month, it crossed $400 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film before inflation adjustment with a maximum production budget of $1 million.
If you were waiting to watch it at home, in the safety of broad daylight and your couch, now is the time.
The Mask
I’m always going to be out here recommending Jim Carrey films, and right now, it’s Peacock that’s got “The Mask.”
Carrey stars in the comedy alongside Cameron Diaz — this is, in fact, her first film ever — as Stanley Ipkiss, a bank employee who’s a bit repressed when it comes to his feelings. When he finds a magical mask that unleashes a green-faced, cartoon-like alter ego, Stanley becomes far more brazen in life, which quickly gets him tangled up in a sticky situation.
This movie is just pure fun, featuring Carrey doing what he does best. Plus, it’s far too early in the year to watch him as his other famous green character.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Realistically, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” would make a pretty great double feature with “The Mask,” since it inspires the Carrey film so heavily. Really, it’s inspired countless movies and is usually only available on Disney+.
The film centers on Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins), a private investigator who holds a grudge against “toons” (I should mention, this is a world where humans and cartoon characters live together). When he’s hired to prove that a toon was framed for murder, he must put aside his past trauma and solve the case.
This movie is delightfully absurd, and brings together cartoon characters you perhaps never would have expected to share a screen. This is also the film that’s responsible for introducing Jessica Rabbit to the world, and it’s worth watching for that diva alone.
Promising Young Woman
Though not an outright horror movie — though a case could be made that it is one for women — “Promising Young Woman” is one of the darker titles on this list. But, it’s well worth the watch.
The story follows Cassie (Carey Mulligan), as she tricks men into revealing themselves as predators, despite touting themselves as “nice guys.” She feigns over-intoxication to the point of these men attempting to have sex with her anyway, at which point she immediately and soberly confronts them. She does this because her best friend Nina was raped in college, but wasn’t believed when she came forward about it, and went on to kill herself.
Eventually, Cassie confronts Nina’s rapist directly. We won’t spoil how things go. What we will say is that this is an incredibly important story, and a well-executed one at that.
Freaky
If you’re still in a Summer-ween kind of place but don’t want something as intense as “Obsession,” I’d say “Freaky” is the way to go over on Peacock.
The film stars Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn, and their characters have a “Freaky Friday” moment when they swap bodies. The rub is, Vaughn plays a serial killer, while Newton is just a girl in high school. Now, Vaughn gets to play the teenager, and though he’s not as good as Jamie Lee Curtis — who could be? — it is very fun to watch him do it.
Like the title implies, it is freaky. I mean, it’s still a Blumhouse film. But it’s doable for the scaredy cats in your life, and I’m telling you this as a fellow scaredy cat.
The House Bunny
Thanks to “The House Bunny,” I’d be willing to bet that you’ve considered asking for only one mahi at a seafood restaurant at some point in your life. Hell, maybe you’re brave and actually did it. All thanks to this 2008 film.
“The House Bunny” stars Anna Faris as Shelley, a Playboy bunny who finds herself taking on the role of House Mother at a local sorority after being tricked into leaving the Playboy Mansion. Of course, she has no concept of what the real world is like these days, so she struggles to adapt in the most hilarious ways.
It took Faris 24 attempts to get “The House Bunny” off the ground for some reason and, of all people, we have Adam Sandler to thank for being the one that said yes. Plus, it boasts an all-star cast alongside Faris, including Emma Stone, Kat Dennings and more.
Polite Society
Rounding out our list for July is “Polite Society,” a gem that went a bit under the radar on its release.
The film follows teenager Ria Khan (Priya Kansara), an aspiring movie stunt woman despite her family’s wishes. Her older sister Lena (Ritu Arya) wants to be an artist, also bucking family hopes and norms. So, when Lena agrees to abandon her plans and get married, Ria spins out a bit trying to stop her.
“Polite Society” is a truly sweet coming-of-age story that celebrates sisterhood, but also offers a very real sentiment in the end: “Beware of rich, entitled men who are mommy’s precious little boys,” as Tomris Laffly wrote for TheWrap.