The 25 Best Movies on Apple TV

8 min readIs Apple TV one of the best entertainment streamers? It’s up for debate, but the tech giant’s catalog of original shows and movies makes a really strong case on its behalf. Shows like Widow’s Bay and Pluribus have seized the attention of Esquire’s staffers. But what about its movies? While Apple TV’s movie offerings have been more of a mixed bag, there are still quite a handful of films that are worth putting on for movie night.Since Apple launched its streaming service in 2019 as Apple TV+ (rebranded to just “Apple TV” in 2025), the Cupertino-based brand has become a powerhouse in the streaming wars. While everyone in Hollywood was playing catch-up to Netflix, Apple TV’s library of television shows earned it prestige once associated with HBO. Not every show from Apple TV has been a slam dunk, but its output-to-hits ratio is unusually strong. So, what about the movies?While there are plenty of Apple TV movies that can’t shake off that ineffable, know-it-when-you-see-it “streaming movie” stink, there are just as many that delight and amaze. Here are 25 of the best movies you can stream on Apple TV.Tenzing (2026)More than just a rock-climbing movie, Tenzing puts a well-deserved spotlight on the first-ever summit of Mount Everest—and the men who made the impossible happen. Genden Phuntsok and Tom Hiddleston star as Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary, who in 1953 etched their names into the history books when they ascended to the top of Mount Everest.F1: The Movie (2025)After director Joseph Kosinski took to the skies in 2022 with Top Gun: Maverick, he teamed up with Brad Pitt to conquer Formula One in F1: The Movie. Awkward branding aside, this pedal-to-the-metal sports drama stars Pitt as an aging racer who makes a comeback to help an underdog team win championship glory. It’s a movie about talented men who are a bit sad and live their lives on the edge of victory and death. If that isn’t catnip to Esquire readers, I don’t know what is.The Gorge (2025)Horror director Scott Derrickson takes a detour into romance with his action-thriller The Gorge, starring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy. Set in a remote and government-classified gorge, two elite operatives from opposite sides of the world take watch in their respective towers. Over a long year, the two form a bond, but their budding romance is threatened when the mysteries of the gorge begin to crawl out. An action-horror-thriller-romance, The Gorge defies genre labels to be a perfectly fun popcorn flick.Beastie Boys Story (2020)Now here’s a story I got to tell... Whether you’re a fan of the legendary Beastie Boys or not, you have to see them unpack their career highs and personal lows in this riveting “live documentary” by Spike Jonze. Mike D and Ad-Rock take the stage of the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn to recount their origins, successes, and failures as unlikely hip-hop icons in this “adaptation” of their 2018 memoir Beastie Boys Book. More than just another music doc, Beastie Boys Story is an autopsy of masculinity, vulnerability, and growth through the eyes of two guys (RIP Adam Yauch) who sabotaged the color lines of rap music forever.Eternity (2025)Death has never been so damn—steamy? In this delightful rom-com drama from director David Freyne, Miles Teller plays a deceased man who reunites with his beloved wife (Elizabeth Olsen) at the Junction—a way-station for the dead until they decide their permanent destinations. Things get complicated fast when Olsen’s Joan also reunites with her long-dead first husband (Callum Turner), who has been waiting for her for a literal eternity. Who will Joan pick? Essentially a modernized version of Defending Your Life, Eternity tugs at your heartstrings and tickles your funny bone, sometimes all at once.Causeway (2022)Causeway stars Jennifer Lawrence as Lynsey, a war veteran who suffers a traumatic brain injury while working in Afghanistan. She’s sent home to recover and struggles to reacclimate to “normal” life. Well, what is normal after you’ve quite literally been to war and back?Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022)In Cha Cha Real Smooth, a college graduate named Andrew becomes a bar mitzvah party starter. Due to his new job, he crosses paths with a young mother and her autistic daughter, Lola. When Andrew breaks Lola out of her shell, he begins a complicated relationship with her mother, Domino.Greyhound (2020)America’s dad, Tom Hanks, ranks up from Captain Sully to Commander Krause in this adaptation of the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester. Set during World War II at the Battle of the Atlantic, Hanks stars as a U. S. Navy commander on his first assignment: leading a convoy ship across the Atlantic and defending against U-boats. (Oh, you thought your first day on the job was brutal?)Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)After Martin Scorsese’s dalliance with Netflix, the acclaimed filmmaker went to Apple TV for his 2023 epic, Killers of the Flower Moon. Based on the 2017 book by David Grann about the real-life Osage murders, Scorsese’s movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio (a frequent Scorsese collaborator) and Lily Gladstone in this sprawling period crime drama about wealth, power, and who, exactly, is allowed to profit from stolen land.On the Rocks (2020)On the Rocks stars Rashida Jones and Bill Murray as Laura and Felix Keane, a dysfunctional father-daughter duo. When Laura thinks her husband is having an affair, she confides in her father. His suggestion? Investigate! Together, they embark on a stakeout, which proves to be a lot funnier than they imagined.Sharper (2023)Sharper is an A24-produced film about money, greed, and power. Told from the perspectives of five different people, the plot follows a Manhattan-based con artist who targets billionaires. Aside from its gripping storyline, Sharper includes fantastic performances from Julianne Moore, Justice Smith, Brianna Middleton, and Sebastian Stan.Swan Song (2021)When Cameron (Mahershala Ali) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he’s given the opportunity to cheat death. So long as he withholds the information from his family, Cameron can continue “living” through a clone. The bot looks exactly like him and is programmed to hold the same memories and personality. It seems like a solid solution—but as the real Cameron grows sicker, he wonders if he made the right choice.Tetris (2023)The criminally underrated Tetris stars Taron Egerton as Henk Rogers. After discovering Tetris in 1988, Henk realizes it can be the next big thing (no kidding!). In order to mass-produce the game, Henk travels to the Soviet Union to hunt down the inventor Alexey Pajitnov. He hopes that they can market the product together—but as it turns out, obtaining the rights to a video game is harder than you’d imagine.The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)Okay, yeah, I know your high school English teacher forced you to read Macbeth, but I promise the story is worth revisiting. This iteration stars Denzel Washington as the brooding lord of Scotland and Frances McDormand as his wife, Lady Macbeth. In his quest for power, Macbeth descends into madness, causing a wave of destruction. (And prompting a valuable life lesson.)CODA (2021)The Best Picture–winning CODA stars Emilia Jones as Ruby, the only hearing member of her family. She spends her mornings helping out with the family fishing business, but at school, Ruby explores her own passions. When she joins the choir, Ruby’s teacher encourages her to take the hobby seriously and pursue it as a career, but she fears it’ll distance her from her family.Boys State (2020)What happens when you let a group of teenage boys form a pseudo-government? Would you expect a Lord of the Flies situation or something a bit more sophisticated? Boys State puts that notion to the test. This documentary follows a group of boys in Texas who are tasked with creating a pseudo-government. The result gives a peek at what democracy looks like to kids today.Girls State (2024)From the producers who created Boys State, Girls State bravely showcases how teenage girls view the future of America. The film embeds the viewer within a group of Missouri-based kids who, over the course of a week, build a government from scratch. In the process, they run for office and discuss societal issues, all while building the foundation for a potential career in politics.Fancy Dance (2024)Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone stars as Jax in Fancy Dance. The film tracks Jax’s plight to find her sister after she goes missing. During the search, she takes custody of her niece Roki and helps her train for a powwow.The Banker (2020)Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson star as Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris, respectively, in The Banker. Set in the 1960s, this story follows two Black men who swindle their way into a career in real estate. Their scheme allows them to segregate neighborhoods and sell homes to Black families—but when people catch on to the ploy, both Bernard’s and Joe’s livelihoods are put at risk.The Velvet Underground (2021)The Velvet Underground is an exceptional music documentary directed by Todd Haynes. The film dives into New York’s punk scene in the 1960s, when a band called the Velvet Underground took shape. With a mix of archival and expert interviews, the movie shines a light on a band that pioneered alternative music. Oh, and did we mention Andy Warhol managed them? Come for the music-history lesson and stay for the star-studded cameos.The World’s A Little Blurry (2021)At seventeen years old, Billie Eilish reached a level of fame that even the most talented artists dream of. So how did she do it? The World’s A Little Blurry is a music documentary that tracks Billie’s rapid ascent, from the release of “Ocean Eyes,” her debut single, to the creation of her first album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? With appearances from her parents and brother-turned-producing-partner Finneas, this documentary gives a brilliant look at the life of a teenage superstar.Flora and Son (2023)When Flora (Eve Hewson) learns that her son, Max (Orén Kinlan), has gone off the beaten path, she tries to rehabilitate him with music. It’s a last-ditch effort—one more strike and the kid goes to juvie. At first, her plan fails, but soon after, Flora and Max reconnect through a dusty old guitar and a DJ set. The result is a heartwarming and hilarious story about parenthood and connection.Wolfwalkers (2020)When was the last time you watched a hand-drawn movie? During the pandemic, Apple released Wolfwalkers, a gorgeous animated feature based on Celtic folklore. Directed by Ross Stewart and Tomm Moore, the movie follows Robyn (voiced by Honor Kneafsey), a young hunter who befriends a free-spirited girl (Eva Whittaker) whose tribe can turn into wolves. A gorgeous storybook-style fantasy, Wolfwalkers’ emotional storytelling and themes of friendship transcending prejudices make it a true gem in the Apple TV library.Raymond & Ray (2022)In Raymond & Ray, Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke star as—you guessed it!—Raymond and Ray, two estranged brothers who are united by their father’s death. To their surprise, the man’s final wish was for his sons to dig his grave. While struggling to accomplish the task, Raymond and Ray unpack their family trauma and find their way back to each other.The Year Earth Changed (2021)We all know what happened in 2020. We don’t need to relive it. But in case you were curious how the natural world adapted to a world without people (temporarily, anyway), the Apple TV documentary The Year Earth Changed, narrated by David Attenborough, captured for posterity how wildlife adapted to widespread lockdown. Deer in empty streets, penguins on the roads, and clearer skies without traffic smog—what might our world look like if we all slowed down?