The 20 best Apple TV+ original movies

Winner of the Oscar for Best Picture in 2022, CODA is one of the most popular films produced by Apple due to its universal appeal and heartwarming story. It follows Ruby, the only hearing member of her deaf family. When their business is threatened, Ruby is torn between looking after her parents and pursuing her passion for music. CODA is a beautifully moving film that will leave you smiling with a tear or two, thanks to its heart and excellent performances.

Martin Scorsese’s three-and-a-half-hour historical epic, Killer of the Flower Moon , is one of the biggest productions Apple has been a part of. When oil is discovered in 1920s Oklahoma under Osage Nation land, the Osage people are mysteriously murdered one by one. It makes for an important and confronting history lesson, anchored by a quietly incredible lead performance from Lily Gladstone, who easily outshines Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. 

From the Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, Wolfwalkers is a gorgeously crafted folktale full of magic and fantasy. In a world where wolves are seen as demonic, young Robyn and her father travel to Ireland to wipe out the last pack. However, Robyn befriends a young girl who transforms into a wolf at night. The unique and stylistic animation is like something from a storybook, with each frame being a sumptuous work of art. It’s a perfect film for the whole family.

Cooper Raiff directs and stars in Cha Cha Real Smooth , an endearing indie comedy that also features Dakota Johnson. Raiff plays Andrew, who is in his early twenties and hosts Bar Mitzvahs. Without much direction in life, he meets a young mother and her autistic daughter, who he forms a special bond with. The film perfectly encapsulates the messiness of being a young person and trying to find your path. Johnson shines in one of her best performances.

Director Sofia Coppola reunited with Lost in Translation star Bill Murrary for On the Rocks , which also co-stars Rashida Jones. Jones plays Laura, a mother who reconnects with her larger-than-life father. The pair adventure through New York City as Laura suspects that her husband may be having an affair. This film is an underrated entry into Coppola’s filmography, complete with the visual flair, witty performances, and engaging atmosphere that the director is known for.

Justin Timberlake gets serious for his dramatic turn in Palmer, directed by Fisher Stevens. After twelve years in prison, Eddie (played by Timberlake) tries to get his life back together when he befriends a troubled young boy named Sam. Sam comes from a broken home, and Eddie helps him find a sense of family and navigate his identity. Timberlake proves his chops as an actor, and Ryder Allan is adorably sweet as Sam. Palmer also stars Ted Lasso ’s Juno Temple.

Swan Song is one of Apple TV+’s most original and intelligent films, using sci-fi to deal with concepts of grief and loss. Cameron, a loving husband and father, is diagnosed with a terminal illness. He is offered a controversial solution to shield his loved ones from losing him: to have a clone of himself created. The film poses many ethical questions and is elevated by performances from Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Awkwafina, and Glenn Close.

Finch is a touching sci-fi tale that sees a man, dog, and robot team up. The robot, who lives on a post-apocalyptic Earth, was built to protect his dying creator’s dog. On the journey to survival, it learns about love and what it means to be human. Tom Hanks brings his signature warmth and charisma to the leading role, and the film is full of dazzling visuals and special effects. It’s a slower-paced sci-fi film that is character-driven and focuses on their relationships.

Causeway sees Jennifer Lawrence at her most stripped-back and vulnerable. She plays a U.S. soldier who has suffered a traumatic brain injury on duty and struggles to adjust to her life back home. There, she finds unexpected companionship with a local mechanic, played by Bryan Tyree Henry. The film is subtle but heavy in themes, and Lawrence is fantastic, as always. However, Henry’s understated and powerful turn earned him an Oscar nomination.

Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell, two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, star in the Christmas film Spirited. It is a musical and modern adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, following the same story of a miserable and greedy man who is taken on a magical journey. While it’s not quite a Christmas classic and doesn’t measure up to greats like Elf or Home Alone, this is still a joyful viewing choice for the holiday season and is fueled by the star power of its two leads.

From Once and Sing Street director John Carney, Flora and Son is another refreshing and delightful musically-driven film worth watching. It follows a single mother in Dublin who takes up online guitar lessons to connect with her rebellious teenage son. Flora and Son stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as her teacher, who is a washed-up musician from L.A. However, the film is led by the fabulous Eve Hewson, who brings so much charisma to her character.

Sharper is a gripping crime thriller that stars Julianne Moore, John Lithgow, Sebastian Stan, and Justice Smith. The film follows four individuals who become part of a plot to take on Manhattan billionaires. It uses non-linear storytelling and is full of unexpected twists and turns from start to finish. With many different points of view presented, viewers will constantly be second-guessing themselves and shifting their allegiances between characters. It makes for a wickedly good time.

From 12 Years a Slave Director Steve McQueen, Blitz is a World War II epic that is grand in scale and storytelling. During the war and German bombings on London, nine-year-old George is evacuated to the countryside by his mother, Rita. Determined to return home and to his family, George takes a different path, which creates a desperate search for him. Saoirse Ronan and newcomer Elliot Heffernan are brilliant in this haunting tale of the horrors of war and its effect on children.

Fly Me to the Moon is a rom-com set in the era of the space race. When NASA hires marketing executive Kelly Jones in preparation for the Apollo 11 moon landing, she clashes with launch director Cole Davis. Behind Cole’s back, the White House asks Kelly to stage a fake moon landing as a backup. Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum have incredibly fun and playful chemistry, and the film will appeal to space nerds and rom-com lovers. There’s something for everyone here.

Hollywood icons George Clooney and Brad Pitt team up for Wolfs, a comedic crime-thriller. When they are both hired to cover up high-profile crimes, two fixers must work with each other and put aside their differences and egos to finish the job. While it’s not quite Ocean’s Eleven, Wolfs makes for a funny and action-packed ride that succeeds largely due to the banter between Clooney and Pitt. When you put two movie stars this big together, it’s hard to go wrong.

Joel Coen, of the Coen brothers, went solo to direct The Tragedy of Macbeth, based on the famous Macbeth play by William Shakespeare. This adaptation is shot entirely in black and white, separating it from other versions and creating a distinct artistic flair. What stands out here most are the visuals and performances from Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, and Kathryn Hunter. It stands strongly on its own against other Macbeth adaptations.

Ridley Scott is known for directing historical epics like Gladiator, and one of his latest can be found on Apple TV+. Napoleon , starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, follows the rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. While Napoleon isn’t as impactful as Gladiator or some of Scott’s other films, it makes for a visual and historical feast. This is thanks to gritty and violent battle scenes, elaborate production and costume design, and scale of epic proportions. 

Many video games like Mortal Kombat and Super Mario have recently been adapted into feature films, and many thought Tetris would follow in the same vein. Instead of being an adaptation of the game itself (which would be quite difficult as Tetris is a puzzle game with no storyline), this film tells the true story of Henk Rogers, who discovers Tetris in the Soviet Union in the '80s. He tries to secure the global rights to bring it to the masses. Taron Egerton plays Rogers.

Apple TV+’s very first original film, when the streamer launched in 2019, was coming of age tale Hala. It follows the titular Hala, a Pakistani American teenager who is Muslim. She tries to balance her desires with cultural and religious obligations and comes into her own as she grapples with a family secret. Hala is a little-known film buried in Apple TV+’s library, but it is absolutely worth seeking out, largely thanks to an authentic lead performance by Geraldine Viswanathan.

Apple TV+’s venture into original films continued its strong start with their second feature, The Banker . Set in the 1960s, the film tells the true story of two African-American entrepreneurs who hire a working-class white man to pretend to be the head of their business. They use this tactic to fight for housing integration and work around racist attitudes of the time. The film uses star power to tell its important and engrossing story, with Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie, and Nicholas Hoult leading the ensemble.