The 14 best Apple TV Plus movies you can watch now

Apple TV Plus is among the best streaming services, and it has emerged as one of the best alternatives to Netflix. While it launched with a small library in 2019, Apple’s offerings have grown enormously, especially with its award-winning TV shows. But what are the best Apple TV Plus movies?

Apple has admittedly not put out as many movies as it has series. The service boasts some truly standout TV and has become a major player in streaming, but its film division is lagging behind a bit. Still, there are some terrific titles on the movie side, including one Academy Award Best Picture winner. Below, we offer our picks of the top 14 among them.

If you’re not already a member, you can sign up for Apple TV Plus at the link below.

Best Apple TV Plus movies:

Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of the best Apple TV Plus movies regularly as new ones make it to the streaming service.

The Banker (2020)

What you need to know:

• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 121 minutes
• Director: George Nolfi
• Main cast: Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult, Nia Long, Jessie T. Usher
• Genre: Drama
• Ratings: 7.3 – IMDB / 79% – Rotten Tomatoes

Two real estate businessmen in the mid-1950s face racism from white businessmen as they try to make it in Los Angeles, so they decide to hire a white man to be the public face of their company. Together, the three men manage to become highly successful real estate owners.

Based on a true story, this drama is one of the most powerful stories on Apple TV Plus. It does a great job of depicting race relations in the US through an engaging story anchored by some strong performances by its main cast. The Banker is a great choice for fans of Hidden Figures, Just Mercy, Green Book, and other similar historical dramas.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

Causeway (2022)

What you need to know:

• Rating: R
• Runtime: 94 minutes
• Director: Lila Neugebauer
• Main cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Brian Tyree Henry, Linda Emond
• Genre: Drama
• Ratings: 6.6 – IMDB / 84% – Rotten Tomatoes

A soldier with a brain injury returns home to New Orleans for her recovery. As she readjusts to life in the US, she has to decide what her future now looks like and whether she can redeploy after what happened. A new friendship offers a different path than she had envisioned if she can accept it.

Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry give some of the best performances of their careers in Causeway, and Henry earned an Academy Award nomination for his role. A thoughtful and moving drama, Causeway is one of the best movies on Apple TV Plus.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

Beastie Boys Story (2020)

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-MA
• Runtime: 119 minutes
• Director: Spike Jonze
• Main cast: Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, Adam Yauch (archival)
• Genre: Documentary
• Ratings: 7.7 – IMDB / 94% – Rotten Tomatoes

Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz — or Mike D and Ad-Rock as they are better known — walk a live audience through the history of the Beastie Boys, from their formation as young men and their growth into one of the biggest rap acts of all time, including their relationship to the late Adam “MCA” Yauch.

This documentary, directed by Spike Jonze, is an obvious must for the many fans of the hip-hop group. It blends archival footage with the stage act of Diamond and Horovitz, and it goes deep into the history of the group over the past 40 years, showing how they made their own mark on hip hop and on music more broadly.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

The Velvet Underground (2021)

What you need to know:

• Rating: R
• Runtime: 121 minutes
• Director: Todd Haynes
• Main cast: Various
• Genre: Music documentary
• Ratings: 7.4 – IMDB / 98% – Rotten Tomatoes

This Apple TV Plus original movie takes viewers behind the scenes at the history of the iconic rock band The Velvet Underground. With new interviews and a wealth of archival footage, the film explores how the band became one of the most influential musical acts of the 20th century.

Todd Haynes’s direction blends a talking-head documentary format with a style clearly inspired by the pop art that Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground were steeped in, creating a loving homage to the band and the entire pop art movement while telling their story.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

Hala (2019)

What you need to know:

• Rating: R
• Runtime: 94 minutes
• Director: Minhal Baig
• Main cast: Geraldine Viswanathan, Jack Kilmer, Gabriel Luna, Anna Chlumsky
• Genre: Drama
• Ratings: 6.2 – IMDB / 86% – Rotten Tomatoes

This drama follows the character of Hala, a Pakistani-American teenage girl. She is trying to stay balanced while being torn between her Muslim family and her American friends in high school. Her mother worries that Hala’s skateboarding and friendship with boys may threaten her chances of marrying a Muslim boy.

Geraldine Viswanathan does an excellent job playing the title character as we watch her navigate her way into becoming a young woman. Hala offers a portrait of cultures coming together and the tensions that can ensue. The film is one of the best on Apple TV Plus, and it’s sure to appeal to fans of coming-of-age dramas.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

The Sky Is Everywhere (2022)

What you need to know:

• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 103 minutes
• Director: Josephine Decker
• Main cast: Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon, Cherry Jones, Jason Segel
• Genre: Drama/romance/teen
• Ratings: 5.6 – IMDB / 65% – Rotten Tomatoes

When her older sister, Bailey, dies, 17-year-old musical prodigy Lennie Walker struggles with her grief among the redwood trees of Northern California and her grandmother’s roses. As she tries to get close to a new boy at school, her relationship with her sister’s boyfriend threatens to complicate things.

Josephine Decker follows up her excellent 2020 film Shirley with this Apple TV Plus movie. It features top-notch performances and a moving coming-of-age story of grief and personal growth. The Sky Is Everywhere is a perfect choice for fans of The Spectacular Now, Chemical Hearts, If I Stay, and Charlie St. Cloud.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

Greyhound (2020)

What you need to know:

• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 91 minutes
• Director: Aaron Schneider
• Main cast: Tom Hanks, Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan, Elisabeth Shue
• Genre: Drama/war/action
• Ratings:  – IMDB / % – Rotten Tomatoes

This World War II drama stars Tom Hanks as a US Navy captain who leads a fleet of Allied warships and troop carriers across the Atlantic. With no air cover, the fleet has to deal with Nazi U-boat submarines that will stop at nothing to destroy the ships.

Written by Hanks, Greyhound was supposed to be released by Sony Pictures in theaters before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It is now available to stream exclusively on Apple TV Plus and is among the service’s best offerings. If you like war films like Das Boot and Saving Private Ryan, don’t miss Greyhound.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

CODA (2021)

What you need to know:

• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 111 minutes
• Director: Sian Heder
• Main cast: Emilia Jones, Eugenio Derbez, Troy Kotsur, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant, Marlee Matlin
• Genre: Drama
• Ratings: 8 – IMDB / 94% – Rotten Tomatoes

CODA, an acronym for Child of Deaf Adults, centers on one of these children. Ruby may be a child of Deaf parents, but she can hear, and she loves to sing. When she attends her high school’s choir, she and others find out she has an excellent singing voice. But can she make it as a singer, or will her parents keep her at home to help them navigate the hearing world?

Winner of the 2022 Academy Award for Best Picture, CODA was an immediate crowd-pleaser when it premiered at Sundance.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

Tetris (2023)

What you need to know:

• Rating: R
• Runtime: 118 minutes
• Director: Jon S. Baird
• Main cast: Taron Egerton, Toby Jones, Roger Allam
• Genre: Drama/comedy
• Ratings: 7.9 – IMDB / 78% – Rotten Tomatoes

In 1988, one man set out to acquire the intellectual property rights to an unknown video game in the early days of home gaming. That game was Tetris, and Henk Rogers travelled to the Soviet Union in the hopes of securing a life-changing partnership.

Based on the bizarre true story behind the world-famous game, Tetris is a perfect of example of the way reality can sometimes be stranger than fiction. A bizarre portrait of the American Dream in the age of video games, it’s a great choice to add to your watchlist if you like movies like The Founder, The Social Network, or Driven.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

Boys State (2020)

What you need to know:

• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 109 minutes
• Director: Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss
• Main cast: Various
• Genre: Documentary
• Ratings: 7.6 – IMDB / 95% – Rotten Tomatoes

Every year, 1,000 teenage Texas male students converge on the state capital of Austin. Their purpose is to set up a mock Texas state government, with the ultimate goal of electing one of their number as governor. This movie shows how some of these teenagers become laser-focused on their goal of winning the governorship. In the process, they, and the rest of us, learn how real political parties can form into highly fractious units, and how ultimately, they have to come together to form a working government for everyone.

This documentary is a fascinating look at one of the most unusual high school events ever. It’s also a smart and original exploration of American democracy and politics in the 21st century.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

On The Rocks (2020)

What you need to know:

• Rating: R
• Runtime: 96 minutes
• Director: Sofia Coppola
• Main cast: Bill Murray, Rashida Jones, Marlon Wayans
• Genre: Drama/comedy
• Ratings: 6.4 – IMDB / 87% – Rotten Tomatoes

A womanizing father convinces his daughter to follow her husband around New York City when she begins to suspect him of cheating on her. As the two begin their amateur sleuthing, they get the chance to reconnect and understand each other a bit better after years of poor communication.

Sofia Coppola reteams with her Lost in Translation star Bill Murray for this Apple TV Plus original. While it’s not one of her stronger efforts, it’s a clever and engaging dramedy with some top-notch performances. Fans of Coppola as well as Apple’s 2022 film Cha Cha Real Smooth are likely to enjoy it.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

Wolfwalkers (2020)

What you need to know:

• Rating: PG
• Runtime: 103 minutes
• Director: Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart
• Main cast: Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean, Simon McBurney
• Genre: Fantasy/family
• Ratings: 8 – IMDB / 99% – Rotten Tomatoes

A small farming town has been ordered to clear the surrounding lands of wolves by Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. But a young girl soon discovers that there are “wolfwalkers” in those lands, humans whose spirits turn into wolves when they sleep. When she befriends one and learns their ways, it puts her at odds with her neighbors and family.

This is a beautiful hand-animated fantasy movie that’s set in 1650 Ireland. It was nominated for Best Animated Film at the 2021 Academy Awards, and it’s easy to see why. It’s easily one of the best Apple TV Plus movies.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

What you need to know:

• Rating: R
• Runtime: 105 minutes
• Director: Joel Coen
• Main cast: Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Kathryn Hunter, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling, Brendan Gleeson
• Genre: Drama/thriller
• Ratings: 7.1 – IMDB / 92% – Rotten Tomatoes

When witches recount a prophecy that would see him take the Scottish throne, a lord on his way home from war becomes obsessed with his future. Working with his ambitious wife, he embarks on a quest to bring the vision to fruition, with dark, unforeseen consequences.

Joel Coen proves his skill in his first solo outing without his brother Ethan with this stunning adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic play. Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand are outstanding in the lead roles as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and the black and white cinematography is breathtaking. A must-see for fans of the Bard.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

Swan Song (2021)

What you need to know:

• Rating: R
• Runtime: 116 minutes
• Director: Benjamin Cleary
• Main cast: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Awkwafina, Glenn Close
• Genre: Drama/sci-fi/romance
• Ratings: 6.8 – IMDB / 79% – Rotten Tomatoes

When a husband and father learns that he has a terminal illness, he must face the reality that he won’t be around for his family much longer. When faced with an experimental new procedure that would allow him to leave a clone behind, he must consider the implications of living on for them through a double.

Oddly one of two 2021 features titled Swan Song, Cleary’s film is a tender meditation on love, identity, and family. A great choice for fans of other heady science-fiction titles like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, After Yang, Duel, and Apple TV Plus’ own Severance.

Ready to watch? You can find the film right here on Apple TV Plus.

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