Apple TV+ is steadily making a name for itself as a prestige TV show streamer thanks to masterful shows like Severance and Silo, but it’s also gradually creating a worthwhile movie selection. With the Apple platform’s combination of original and partnered content, subscribers have a respectable library of movies to pick from spanning various genres.
From comedies to dramas and even some compelling documentaries, the Apple TV+ library can make it tough for newcomers to settle on a choice. Thankfully, this guide skims through the library for you and highlights some of the best movies to watch on Apple TV+ right now.
Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best new movies to stream this week, the best shows on Apple TV+, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, and the best movies on Disney+.
Apple TV+’s latest original movie, The Gorge, blends action, sci-fi, and romance. Directed by Scott Derrickson, the movie stars Miles Teller as Levi and Anya Taylor-Joy as Drasa, two highly trained snipers tasked with guarding a mysterious gorge. A romance blossoms between the duo as they guard the West and East towers, but their situation grows dire as something sinister arises. The Gorge’s straightforward story doesn’t break new ground for any genres it tackles, but it’s a commendable tonal mashup. The movie earns a modest critical reception thanks to the sincere romance between the co-leads amid the sci-fi thriller action and even horror elements.
Experimenting with the sci-fi genre is what Apple TV+ is best known for in the TV space, but 2023’s Fingernails is yet another example of this in its original films. Christos Nikou’s sci-fi drama is set in a time when a controversial technology can apparently test for true love. The plot centers on Anna (Jessie Buckley), who still isn’t sure about her scientifically proven love with Ryan (Jeremy Allen White).
Dynamics get even more complicated when Anna takes a job at a Love Institute and builds a rapport with Amir (Riz Ahmed). Fingernails tells an engaging sci-fi-themed romance story while posing some intriguing societal questions. While it may not delve into its stance as much as it could have, the plot is anchored by compelling performances from Buckley, White, and Ahmed.
For subscribers wanting a break from dramas and comedies, Apple TV+ continues to make its case as a great documentary destination. Director Sue Kim’s The Last of the Sea Women is an excellent and recent feature, taking audiences to the Jeju Island of South Korea.
The movie explores and creates a profile of the haenyeo divers of the island—a courageous group of women who brave the ocean’s perils to harvest seafood for their communities. The Last of the Sea Women has been praised for shining a light on a lesser-known and inspiring subculture of people. It informs as much as it moves its audience, depicting how these bold women fight to preserve their fading lifestyle.
The streamer’s documentary library has an excellent set of music-themed documentaries, and Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You is among the best. Thom Zimny directed the movie as a companion piece to the musician’s lauded album Letter to You. It shows some behind-the-scenes elements of what went into creating the album, but it also provides Springsteen’s insight and reflection on what inspires him.
The album is already acclaimed for its soulful reflections on loss and aging, and Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You makes those themes and the rock icon’s ruminations even more impactful. The movie also treats fans to Springsteen and the E Street Band playing several of the album’s songs and is complemented by some pleasing black-and-white cinematography.
Romantic comedies have gradually become more prominent in recent years, and Fly Me to the Moon puts a 1960s spin on its story. Directed by Greg Berlanti, the movie revolves around marketing specialist Kelly Jones (Jurassic World Rebirth‘s Scarlett Johansson) and NASA launch director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum).
Jones is brought in to help repair NASA’s public image in response to fading interest in the ongoing Space Race. However, things get complicated when the duo is tasked with setting up a fake moon landing as a fallback plan. Fly Me to the Moon is the perfect watch for a breezy movie night. It won’t revolutionize the genre, but Johansson and Tatum deliver expectedly endearing performances.
An Apple TV+ original, Blitz tells a historical story against the backdrop of World War II. Director Steve McQueen’s drama takes place during Nazi Germany’s Blitz on England, with young George Hanway (Elliott Heffernan) forced to evacuate the city to the countryside to flee the bombings.
Refusing to leave his mother (Saoirse Ronan) behind, Geroge embarks on a dangerous mission back to her. Blitz doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to WWII-era movies, but it offers an exciting adventure powered by heartfelt performances from its co-leads. George’s arduous journey also paves the way for an interesting perspective of England in wartime.
Director Sofia Coppola takes a lighter filmmaking approach in the comedy-drama On the Rocks. The film stars Bill Murray and Rashida Jones as Felix and Laura Keane, a father-daughter duo suspicious of the latter’s husband’s (Marlon Wayans) frequent business trips.
Fearing an affair, Laura agrees to her father’s proposal to investigate him. On the Rocks balances humor with sincerity toward its human struggle well. That tonal balance is buoyed by its two leads, with Murray and Jones creating a relatable father-daughter dynamic.
Best known for his recent Spider-Man outings in the MCU, director Jon Watts put together an entertaining action-comedy with some blockbuster names in Wolfs. George Clooney and Brad Pitt are professional fixers who are inadvertently paired on a dangerous job.
The otherwise lone-wolf contractors have to work together to save a woman’s career when a young man she met winds up dead in her hotel room — while also protecting the hotel’s reputation. Wolfs has all the genre tropes one would expect from such a premise, complete with two opposing personalities bickering amid life-threatening situations. Wolfs works well as a mindlessly fun and action-packed comedy.
The most recent Apple original added to the service, The Instigators offers a fun heist-comedy premise. Directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow), it follows Rory (Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck) as they’re recruited to commit a robbery.
But when the unlikely duo’s efforts go south, they find themselves on the run from law enforcement and a vindictive mob leader. The Instigators doesn’t offer anything groundbreaking to the action-comedy subgenre, but it has all the chemistry and charm it needs to entertain. Matt Damon and Casey Affleck’s dynamic is the expected highlight, making this a worthwhile romp for movie night.
Fans of director Ridley Scott’s work would do well to watch Napoleon on Apple TV+ — partly due to its lengthy 157-minute runtime. The movie is a loose adaptation of the story of Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix), his vitriolic relationship with his wife, Joséphine (Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ Vanessa Kirby), and his rise to military power.
History buffs looking for historical accuracy likely won’t be satisfied here, as part of Napoleon’s divisive reception came from the story’s embellishments. Even so, the movie is backed by suitably dramatic performances from Phoenix and Kirby and epic-scale depictions of battles.
Away from the superhero trappings they’re best known for, directors Anthony and Joe Russo take a stab at the crime-drama subgenre with Cherry. Adapted from author Nico Walker’s novel of the same name, the plot follows the eponymous young man (Tom Holland) as he embarks on a life of crime.
Starting as a college student and ending up a veteran suffering from PTSD, Cherry robs banks to fund his and his wife’s (Ciara Bravo) drug addictions. Cherry’s writing garnered mixed reviews from critics, but its cinematography is dynamic and Holland carries the story with his committed performance. It’s a welcome departure from his Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man reputation in the MCU, demonstrating his talents in more dramatic roles.
Apple TV+ does well to balance its dramatic content with the educational, and documentary film Girls State demonstrates the latter through an interesting political experiment. Co-directed by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, the movie revolves around 500 teenage girls from Missouri gathered for a weeklong camp to build a government from scratch.
Acting as a companion movie to Moss and McBaine’s Boys State, Girls State is one of the most thoughtful political documentaries in recent years. From depicting the tense rivalries between distinct groups to exploring the ambitions of some of the participants, Girls State provides a fascinating look into the ideologies of the country’s younger generations.
Based on the 1922 Margery Williams novel of the same name, The Velveteen Rabbit stars Phoenix Laroche as seven-year-old William, a boy who receives a very special gift on Christmas Day. It’s the titular stuffed bunny, of course, and over time, the two become the best of pals. But like any heart-wrenching story about children and the close bond they share with their toys, both William and the rabbit are forced to contend with some emotional situations. Presented in 2D animation, three-dimensional CGI, and live action, The Velveteen Rabbit is narrated by British actress Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown).
Starring Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jack Reynor, Flora and Son brings drama, laughs, and plenty of music to Apple TV+ movie fanatics. Hewson stars as Flora, a Dublin single mother who’s having a hard time raising Max (Orén Kinlan), her rebellious teenage son. That is until law enforcement encourages her to find Max a hobby. After unearthing a beat-up guitar, Max starts taking online lessons from a Los Angeles musician (played by Gordon-Levitt), which ends up changing his life for the better.
Have you ever seen The Constant Gardener or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy? Both of these gripping thrillers are cinematic adaptations of British author David Cornwell’s books, but the world knows him best by his pen name: John lé Carre. In The Pigeon Tunnel, renowned documentarian Errol Morris delivers an immersive doc that covers the life, times, and bibliography of Cornwell. Covering six decades worth of material, and featuring rare archival recordings of the celebrated author, The Pigeon Tunnel comes to Apple TV+ on October 20.
Four-time NBA champ Stephen Curry is a force to be reckoned with, and Underrated, the 2023 Apple TV+ documentary film, aims to showcase the youth’s immense talent to the world.
A pair-up between Apple TV+ and A24, the movie will chronicle Curry’s career thus far, starting with his 2008 NCAA Tournament days, and leading up to his 2021-22 Golden State Warriors games. If inspiring sports docs are of interest to you, this is one you won’t want to miss.
Written and directed by Kristin Gore and Damian Kulash, The Beanie Bubble is the cinematic adaption of the 2015 book The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute by Zac Bissonnette. Starring Zach Galifianakis as Ty Warner, the creator of the Beanie Babies, the film explores Ty’s rise to stardom as the founder of the pop-culture sensation that took the world by storm. Co-starring Elizabeth Banks (Cocaine Bear), Sarah Snook, and Geraldine Viswanathan, this rags to riches tale is sure to arrest our hearts and minds.
We’ve all played Tetris at least a handful of times in our lives, but have you ever wondered how the popular puzzle game went from arcades to at-home video game consoles? Answers to questions like this (and more) will all be revealed on March 31 with the release of Tetris on Apple TV+. A biopic directed by Jon S. Baird from a script by Noah Pink, the film stars Taron Egerton as Henk Rogers, a Dutch video game designer who went through quite the logistical and legal maelstrom to bring Tetris into our living rooms, basements, and dorms.
Apple Original Films are the creative minds behind the animated adaptation of the Charlie Mackesy children’s book The Boy, The Mole, the Fox and the Horse. The film follows the quest of the titular human and his animal pals, a journey to return the boy to his proper home.
The short, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Short, features the voice-acting talents of Tom Hollander, Idris Elba, and Gabriel Byrne amongst others, and utilizes the same illustrative aesthetic as the original book.
Apple TV+ is becoming a standout streamer for its documentaries alone, with prolific films like Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry and Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You serving as cinematic touchstones through which the artists behind the music reveal deeper layers to their respective celebrity lifestyles. Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me is another great addition to the platform’s music-doc lineup, and it follows the titular singer-songwriter over six years in her career, a journey that begins in 2015 and chronicles Gomez’ navigation through a uniquely dark time in her life and career.
Causeway stars Jennifer Lawrence as Lynsey, a soldier making an unintended homecoming after suffering a traumatic brain injury while serving in Afghanistan. Now back in her stomping grounds, Lynsey is forced to re-acclimate to a world of family and friends that want nothing but the best for her, while waging a quiet war with inner demons that cease to let her rest. Lawrence gives an air-brushed but powerful lead performance in this emotional drama from director Lila Neugebauer. Lawrence’s onscreen presence harkens back to some of her early roles in movies like Winter’s Bone and The Poker House.
Michael Bizzaco has been selling, installing, and talking about TVs, soundbars, streaming devices, and all things smart home for the better part of 15 years. He even knows a thing or two about how to fix this stuff when it starts misbehaving (because no tech is perfect!).
Mike has been writing for Digital Trends and several other publications since 2020. Fortunately, he’s still able to write after he got his index finger stuck in a vending machine at the Ramada Inn the summer before fourth grade! From hands-on reviews to best-of roundups, Mike does his best to share his expertise in a friendly and informative way with all readers, and loves staying on top of the latest AV and smart home trends.
When he’s not thanking his father for dislodging his finger from that vile vending machine in New Jersey, Mike enjoys playing guitar, reading, and indulging in horror films with his girlfriend.
Michileen Martin has written about pop culture in general and comics in particular for two decades. His work has appeared in numerous sites including Looper, PopMatters, Popdose, and nerdbastards.com. He probably knows more about the Incredible Hulk than you.
A University of Houston graduate in Print Media Journalism, Guillermo has covered sports entertainment and practically all forms of geek culture as a freelance writer.
His young career so far has seen him write about soccer through websites including Read Bundesliga and Bayern Strikes, specializing in FC Bayern Munich. From there he moved on to Comic Book Resources, Game Rant, The Gamer, and Screen Rant to indulge his inner nerd, with over 2 years and counting as a senior writer at the latter.
Guillermo's interests span video games, movies, TV series, comic books, anime, and manga -- and if you're not careful, will talk your ear off specifically about the last 40-plus years of Batman lore.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Guillermo studied at Lone Star College in Texas before ultimately completing his Bachelor's degree.
Some of the best shots in Grok Imagine’s AI-made Odyssey don’t contain actors. Ancient landscapes stretch into the distance. Close-ups of grimy hands suggest people who have touched something rougher than a keyboard. For a few seconds, the illusion holds.
https://twitter.com/imagine/status/2113712964419063911
YouTube videos could soon look better without eating quite so much data, right? Thankfully, the platform plans to introduce a new video format called AV2 on its web player in early 2027, promising more efficient streaming and potentially fewer playback hiccups on slower internet connections. The big headline is a roughly 30% improvement in compression efficiency over AV1, YouTube's existing video format. That doesn't guarantee every video will use 30% less data, but it could make streaming a little easier on both internet connections and data allowances.
What is AV2, and why should viewers care?
YouTube is changing how its Home page works, giving viewers more control over what shows up there and making some of the app’s most-used sections easier to reach. Custom Feeds are now replacing the existing topic chips for eligible users, while YouTube is also testing a redesigned top bar on mobile that moves Subscriptions closer to the Home feed.
YouTube first started experimenting with Custom Feeds earlier this year, letting you type out what you wanted to watch and turning that request into its own stream of recommendations. Now, the feature is starting to look less like a side experiment and more like something YouTube actually wants people to use as part of their everyday Home page.