The Best Movies on Apple TV Plus Right Now (May 2021)

The Year Earth Changed (2021): Putting a Positive Spin on the Covid-19 Pandemic

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.

Cherry (2021): A Dark Tale of PTSD and Drug Addiction

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 in this film, which critics are calling stylish if a bit rote.

Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry (2021): The Singer's Coming-of-Age Story

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.

Palmer (2021): A Drama About Family and Picking Up the Pieces

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.

Wolfwalkers (2020): A Beautiful Animated Fantasy Film

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.

Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth (2020) – The Beloved Children's Book in Animated Form

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.

Dads (2020): An Affectionate Tribute to Paterfamilias

Bryce Dallas Howard is a famous actress and director with a famous director dad. So, she got her father, and other celebrity fathers, to sit down and chat about parenthood and its various struggles. Will Smith, Patton Oswalt, Neil Patrick Harris, and more give interviews for this heartwarming documentary. There are also glimpses into the lives of everyday dads. It all sounds a bit saccharine, but it's also a moving tribute to the big guy in our lives.

Greyhound (2020): Best Serious Tom Hanks Movie

Originally planned as a major theatrical release, COVID-19 pushed the debut of this World War 2 thriller onto Apple TV+.

Greyhound stars Tom Hanks (who also wrote the screenplay; adapted from a novel by C.S. Forester) as an inexperienced commander of a fleet of escort ships during the early days of U.S. involvement in World War 2. In this action-packed naval war saga, the fleet must evade German U-Boats as it makes it way to Liverpool.

On the Rocks (2020): Best Indie Family Relationship Drama

This mix of comedy and drama reunites director Sofia Coppola with her Lost in Translation collaborator, the iconic Bill Murray, for a look at family and relationships.

In On the Rocks, a woman (Rashida Jones) enlists the help of her playboy father (Murray) to help figure out whether her husband (Marlon Wayans) is cheating on her. That quest involves a trip from New York to Mexico, with examinations of the dynamics between fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and more. The film is boosted by a winning cast and a lighter tone than the material might lead you to expect.

Beastie Boys Story (2020): Best Non-Earth-Shattering Hip Hop Time Capsule

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.

Bruce Springsteen's Letter to You (2020): Best Springsteen Fan Creative Indulgence

Released in conjunction with the album of the same name, this Springsteen doc takes a deep dive into the Boss' work by combining in-studio performances, rare archival material, and live footage.

While the documentary is nominally tied to the creation and release of the "Letter to You" album, there's something here for fans of any era of Springsteen or those simply interested in creative work. Springsteen's recent turn towards introspection and looking back on his life and career has revealed important facets of an artist many think they already know, making Letter to You all the more interesting.

Hala (2019): Best Culturally Inspired Coming of Age Drama

This coming-of-age drama set in a Pakistani-American family provides a new look at a well-worn genre.

In Hala, the titular character is a teenage girl who loves skateboarding, has a crush on a non-Muslim boy, and is trying to make her way in the world as any teenager would. This is complicated by her parents' expectations for her, cultural pressures, and growing discord in her family. Featured at the Sundance film festival, Hala freshens up the coming of age story by coming at it from a different cultural perspective.

Boys State (2020): Best Examination of What Governing Might Look Like in the Future

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.

The Banker (2020): Best Drama with a Social Conscience

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.

Fireball (2020): Best Science Documentary for Herzog Fans

Ever get a strange feeling when thinking about what might be out there in space, just waiting to fall to earth? If you want a look at the heavens grounded in science, look no further than Fireball.

Directed by master documentarian Werner Herzog, Fireball focuses on meteors and comets, and examines how they've influenced history, religion, and much more. For documentary fans, any new Herzog is an immediate must-watch.