Streaming > Streaming TV, Movies, & More 81 81 people found this article helpful The Best Movies on Apple TV+ Right Now (May 2022) The best flicks on Apple's streaming video service By Sam Costello Sam Costello Facebook Twitter Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 30, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Streaming TV, Movies, & More Apple TV+ Netflix Hulu Disney+ Prime Video Favorite Events Apple TV+ doesn't have the thousands of movies that Netflix, Hulu, or HBO Max offers. But it does have a great selection of high-quality films from major talents and big-name stars. Whether you want an engaging drama, a thought-provoking documentary, or something for the kids, these are the best movies on the Apple TV+ streaming platform. It's the Small Things, Charlie Brown (2022): Best New Original Charlie Brown Special Apple TV IMDb rating: 6.9/10Starring: Hattie Kragten, Rob Tinkler, Jacob SoleyDirector: Raymond S. PersiMotion Picture Rating: TV-GRunning Time: 38 minutes In this Earth Day special, the Peanuts gang must rescue a flower that's sprouted on the baseball field before it gets trampled upon during the big game. Apple TV+ has tons of exclusive Charlie Brown and Snoopy cartoons that are appropriate for all ages. As an added bonus, this one has a positive environmental message. Watch 'It's the Small Things, Charlie Brown' on Apple TV+ CODA (2021): A Family Movie About Pursuing Your Dreams Apple IMDb rating: 8.2/10Starring: Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Marlee MatlinDirector: Sian HederRating: PG-13Runtime: 1 hour, 51 minutes This Apple original is the story of 17-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones), the only hearing member of a deaf family, or a "CODA" (child of deaf adults). She serves as an interpreter for her family while working on their struggling fishing boat. But when she joins the high school choir and develops a passion for music, she struggles between wanting to pursue her dreams and feeling obligated to care for her family. Watch 'CODA' on Apple TV+ Finch (2021): A Man, a Dog, and a Robot Take a Road Trip Apple IMDb rating: 6.9/10Starring: Tom Hanks, Caleb Landry Jones Director: Miguel SapochnikRating: PG-13Runtime: 1 hour, 55 minutes Finch (Tom Hanks) is a robotics engineer in a post-apocalyptic world. For years, he's been living in an underground bunker with his dog, Goodyear, and working on a robot named Jeff. But, when he wants to make sure Goodyear is taken care of after he's gone, Finch goes on a road trip across the wastelands of the American West. It's an unusual premise, but Hanks is always watchable and the film promises to have some heart and humor. Watch 'Finch' on Apple TV+ Cherry (2021): A Dark Tale of PTSD and Drug Addiction Apple IMDb rating: 6.6/10Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo, Jack ReynorDirector: Anthony Russo, Joe RussoRating: RRuntime: 2 hours, 20 minutes Based on the best-selling novel by Nico Walker, Cherry stars Tom Holland as a disenfranchised former vet who turns to bank robbery to fund his drug addiction. After returning home from the Iraq war, Cherry suffers from PTSD and falls in with a bunch of depraved misfits. The only good thing in his life is his relationship with Emily (Ciara Bravo). Holland gets to stretch his acting muscles and move beyond Spider-Man. Watch 'Cherry' on Apple TV+ Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021): Examining an Enduring Piece of Pop Culture CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images IMDb rating: 7.3/10Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Drew Barrymore, Al Roker, Kevin SmithDirector: Michael BonfiglioRating: TV-GRuntime: 54 minutes Who Are You, Charlie Brown? examines the pop culture significance and enduring popularity of the Peanuts comic strip and the man who created it, cartoonist Charles Schulz. Narrated by actress Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther, Us), it interviews Charles Schulz's widow, Jean, along with celebrities like Drew Barrymore, Al Roker, Kevin Smith, and more. The documentary also includes an all-new animated story about Charlie Brown, who's on a quest to discover himself. Watch 'Who Are You, Charlie Brown?' on Apple TV+ The Sky Is Everywhere (2022): Best YA Novel Adaptation on Apple TV+ Apple TV+ IMDb rating: 5.6/10Starring: Grace Kaufman, Jacques Colimon, Cherry JonesDirector: Josephine DeckerRating: PG-13Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes As she copes with the loss of her older sister, Lennie (Grace Kaufman) finds herself in a love triangle with her sister's ex-fiancé and new-kid-in-town Joe Fontaine (Jacques Colimon). The Sky Is Everywhere is a modern teen rom-com that tackles mature issues surprisingly well. The movie is based on a young adult novel by Jandy Nelson. Watch 'The Sky Is Everywhere' on Apple TV+ Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry (2021)—The Singer's Coming-of-Age Story Apple TV IMDb rating: 7.9/10Starring: Billie EilishDirector: R.J. CutlerRating: RRuntime: 2 hours, 20 minutes Billie Eilish is one of music's hottest new stars, and now she has her own documentary on Apple TV. The World's a Little Blurry chronicles the teenaged singer-songwriter's rise from normal 17-year-old to household name, all while recording and releasing her debut album "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" What's it like for a teen to live on the road, perform in worldwide tours, and record chart-topping hits with her family? This film seeks to answer those questions and more. Watch 'Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry' on Apple TV+ Palmer (2021): A Drama About Family and Picking Up the Pieces Apple TV IMDb rating: 7.3/10Starring: Justin Timberlake, Ryder Allen, June Squibb Director: Fisher StevensRating: RRuntime: 1 hour, 50 minutes Palmer is the story of a college footballer (Justin Timberlake) who returns to his hometown to start life over after spending time in prison. There he connects with a young boy (Ryder Allen) who was abandoned by his mother. Together, perhaps they can reassemble the pieces of their broken lives—if Palmer's past doesn't get in the way. Watch 'Palmer' on Apple TV+ The Year Earth Changed (2021): Putting a Positive Spin on the Covid-19 Pandemic Apple IMDb rating: 8.5/10Starring: David AttenboroughDirector: Tom BeardRating: TV-PGRuntime: 48 minutes This documentary special narrated by David Attenborough takes a look at some of the more uplifting stories to come out of 2020. When the whole world went on lockdown as the Covid-19 virus sickened and killed millions, it had a positive effect on the environment. Whales returned to Glacier Bay, capybara started appearing in suburbs across South America, and more. The documentary chronicles how small changes in human behavior, like not going on cruises or closing beaches for a few days a year, can have a drastic impact on nature and offers a blueprint for how we can live more harmoniously with our environment in the future. Watch 'The Year Earth Changed' on Apple TV+ Swan Song (2021): A Sci-Fi Film About Grief Apple IMDb rating: 8.3/10Starring: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Glenn Close Director: Benjamin ClearyRating: RRuntime: 1 hour, 56 minutes Swan Song is a tearjerker of a film starring Mahershala Ali as Cameron, a husband and father diagnosed with a terminal illness. His doctor (Glenn Close) presents him with an intriguing solution: replace himself with a clone. How far will Cameron go to shield his family from grief? Watch 'Swan Song' on Apple TV+ Wolfwalkers (2020): A Beautiful Animated Fantasy Film Cartoon Saloon IMDb rating: 8.1/10Starring: Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean BeanDirector: Tomm Moore, Ross StewartRating: PGRuntime: 1 hour, 43 minutes Wolfwalkers is a lovely animated adventure film about a girl and her father sent to eradicate all the wolves from the forest surrounding the Irish village of Kilkenny. But there's more than a bit of magic in those woods and those wolves. The movie has a lush visual style, strong voice performances, and a big heap of Irish folklore. It's a good one to watch with the whole family. Watch 'Wolfwalkers' on Apple TV+ Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth (2020)—The Beloved Children's Book in Animated Form Apple IMDb rating: 7.4/10Starring: Meryl Streep, Jacob Tremblay, Chris O'DowdDirector: Philip Hunt, Douglas CarriganRating: TV-GRunning Time: 36 minutes Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth is a short animated film based on the beloved children's book by Oliver Jeffers. Filled with beautiful art and soothing vocal performances from actors like Meryl Streep, Chris O'Dowd, and Ruth Negga, it's a lovely glimpse at the basics of life on this planet. Plus, the short length is perfect for smaller attention spans. Watch 'Here We Are' on Apple TV+ Beastie Boys Story (2020): Best Non-Earth-Shattering Hip Hop Time Capsule IMDb rating: 7.8/10Starring: Mike D, Adam HorovitzDirector: Spike JonzeRating: TV-MARuntime: 1 hour, 59 minutes Hip hop heads can't afford to miss this career-spanning look back at seminal group, the Beastie Boys. From the group's start nearly 40 years ago, through their breakout early albums, their '90s reinvention, to the 2012 death of co-founder Adam "MCA" Yauch, this documentary runs the gamut. Directed by Spike Jonze—who also directed the band's iconic music video "Sabotage," along with indie feature hits like Her, Adaptation, and Being John Malkovich—the film may not break any news or provide major insights, but it's still a great time capsule for long-time fans and new converts. Watch 'Beastie Boys Story' on Apple TV+ Come From Away (2021): Best for Broadway Fans Apple IMDb rating: 9.4/10Starring: Petrina Bromley, Jenn Colella, De'Lon GrantDirector: Christopher AshleyRating: TV-14Runtime: 1 hour, 40 minutes Filmed at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City in front of an audience of 9/11 survivors and frontline workers, this award-winning Broadway musical is the story of 7,000 people who are stranded in a small town after flights are grounded on September 11, 2001. The townspeople welcome them all as they struggle to process the events of the day and find new hope in an extraordinary situation. Watch 'Come From Away' on Apple TV+ Boys State (2020): Best Examination of What Governing Might Look Like in the Future IMDb rating: 7.7/10Starring: Ben Feinstein, Steven Garza, Robert MacDougall Director: Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss Rating: PG-13Runtime: 1 hour, 49 minutes This award-winning documentary (it took home the Grand Jury Prize for documentaries at Sundance 2020) is extra relevant in the wake of the U.S. presidential election and a renewed focus on democracy and governance worldwide. Boys State chronicles the journey of over 1,000 teenagers attending the eponymous annual event, in which they design a government. This process includes everything you'd expect, including creating parties, running campaigns, and all of the messiness and ugliness that can come with politics—all of which makes it an important look at how we govern ourselves and what that might look like in the future. Watch 'Boys State' on Apple TV+ The Tragedy of Macbeth (2022): Joel Cohen's Take on Shakespeare's Doomed Scottish King Apple IMDb rating: 7.7/10Starring: Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Alex HassellDirector: Joel CohenRating: RRuntime: 1 hour, 45 minutes Plenty of directors have put their own spin on Shakespeare, but this Macbeth adaptation from Joel Cohen promises to be an interesting adaptation. Denzel Washington plays the titular Scottish king doomed by his own madness and ambition, while Frances McDormand plays his murderous wife. Watch 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' on Apple TV+ The Banker (2020): Best Drama with a Social Conscience IMDb rating: 7.3/10Starring: Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult Director: George NolfiRating: PG-13 Runtime: 2 hours This film, which is based on true events, had its premiere marred by accusations of sexual misconduct against a co-producer, but that shouldn't subtract from its power. The Banker tells the true story of a pair of Black real-estate entrepreneurs in 1950s Los Angeles and Texas. Facing challenges due to racism, the pair recruit a White man to pose as the head of their company. The trio buy properties and integrate neighborhoods, fighting racism along the way, until a suspicious executive and missteps by the White partner bring the business down. Watch 'The Banker' on Apple TV+ The Elephant Queen (2018): Best Nature Documentary Following a Herd of Elephants IMDb rating: 7.8/10Starring: Sadoc Vazkez, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sadoc Vazquez Director: Mark Deeble, Victoria StoneRating: PGRuntime: 1 hour, 36 minutes Following in the footsteps of nature documentaries like March of the Penguins, this award-nominated film follows the journey of a herd of elephants displaced by drought. Narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film has been praised for its nuanced and sensitive look nature, community, and family. Suitable for viewers of all ages, The Elephant Queen tells a complex, rewarding story. Watch 'The Elephant Queen' on Apple TV+ The Velvet Underground (2021): Documenting One of Rock 'N' Roll's Most Influential Bands Apple IMDb rating: 7.3/10Starring: Mary Woronov, Lou Reed, Johnathan RichmanDirector: Todd HaynesRating: RRuntime: 1 hour, 50 minutes While they were commercially unsuccessful during the height of their career in the '60s and '70s, The Velvet Underground is now considered one of the most influential rock bands of all time. This new documentary charts the band's rise to fame, combining in-depth interviews with never-before-seen performances and some experimental art. It's both dark and reverent, and a worthy follow-up for director Todd Haynes, who's also responsible for the Bob Dylan flick I'm Not There. Watch 'The Velvet Underground' on Apple TV+ Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! 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