Apple TV+ is best known for its acclaimed episodic series, but it’s also building an impressive library of some of the best movies available. Audiences are well served between the streamer’s original and partnered content, ensuring there’s a movie pick for everyone.
Spanning multiple dramatic genres and even some compelling documentaries, the depth of the Apple TV+ library can be intimidating to newcomers. Thankfully, this guide focuses on some of the best movies to watch on Apple TV+ right now.
Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best shows on Apple TV+, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, and the best movies on Disney+.
The Instigators (2024)
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.
Napoleon (2023)
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.
Cherry (2021)
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.
Girls State (2024)
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.
Fancy Dance (2024)
84%
7.2/10Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
89%
7.8/10The Family Plan (2023)
The Velveteen Rabbit (2023)
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).
Flora and Son (2023)
76%
7.4/10Starring 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.
The Pigeon Tunnel (2023)
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.
Stephen Curry: Underrated (2023)
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.
The Beanie Bubble (2023)
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.
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023)
Ghosted (2023)
Tetris (2023)
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.
Sharper (2023)
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (2022)
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.
Emancipation (2022)
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)
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 the latest 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 (2022)
63%
6.8/10Causeway 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.
Spirited (2022)
Raymond & Ray (2022)
50%
6.3/10Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues (2022)
Sidney (2022)
The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022)
Luck (2022)
Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022)
69%
7.3/109/11: Inside the President's War Room (2021)
88%
7.5/10'Twas the Fight Before Christmas (2021)
The Sky Is Everywhere (2022)
66%
5.6/10Palmer (2021)
53%
7.2/10The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
87%
7.1/10Swan Song (2021)
66%
6.8/10Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth (2020)
7.3/10Finch (2021)
57%
6.9/10Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds (2020)
72%
7/10Hala (2019)
75%
6.2/10The Velvet Underground (2021)
87%
7.6/10Come From Away (2021)
83%
8.8/10Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021)
7.2/10The Year Earth Changed (2021)
8.3/10Fathom (2021)
67%
5.7/10CODA (2021)
75%
8.1/10Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (2021)
70%
7.8/10Wolfwalkers (2020)
87%
8.0/10The Elephant Queen (2019)
69%
7.8/10Greyhound (2020)
64%
7/10Dads (2019)
59%
6.9/10The Banker (2020)
59%
7.3/10Boys State (2020)
84%
7.6/10
