15 Best Apple TV+ Original Movies, Ranked According to Rotten Tomatoes

In 2019, the tech giant Apple joined the streaming scene with their Apple TV+ service, and that same year, they released their first original movie, launching a catalog of memorable films of varying success. Though they’re still finding their footing in terms of what kinds of movies they distribute, they already have over a dozen outstanding works backing them up.

From the Oscar-winning feel-good comedy CODA to work by highly acclaimed filmmakers like Martin Scorsese‘s Killers of the Flower Moon, Apple TV+ has offered numerous great films that people can watch from the comfort of their home. Critics on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes seem to agree, since many of these movies have terrific Tomatometer scores.

15 ‘Palmer’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%

Starring Justin Timberlake in one of his best roles, Palmer is about an ex-convict who strikes up a friendship with a boy from a troubled home. It certainly has plenty of trite clichés that not every audience member will be able to connect with, but it’s so earnestly told and beautifully performed that it’s hard to be dissatisfied once the credits roll.

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics were impressed by Timberlake’s surprising acting chops and then-nine-year-old Ryder Allan‘s tearjerker performance. Almost everyone who reviewed the film found that it was easy to overlook its mawkish story in favor of its beautiful themes, nicely written characters, and powerful messages about acceptance and redemption.

14 ‘Finch’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%

A post-apocalyptic movie that isn’t a total bummer, Finch stars the ever-charming Tom Hanks as the dying creator of a robot, who he tasks with taking care of his beloved dog after he’s gone. The premise alone is moving, and the movie it generates is just as touching.

Although not all critics on Rotten Tomatoes connected with the story’s emotional core, most of them found that Finch was a smart and sincere sci-fi tale with interesting characters and an entertaining narrative, as well as solid visuals that made it easy to immerse oneself in the world of the movie. Hanks was praised for his performance, which most critics agreed was the beating heart of the whole movie.

13 ‘Greyhound’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%

A Tom Hanks WWII action thriller movie released during the COVID-19 pandemic definitely sounds like something that would be hard not to enjoy. Indeed, Greyhound did pretty well with critics and audiences alike, and is still remembered as one of the best Apple TV original movies.

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics praised Greyhound for its fast-paced action, economical approach to suspense, and Hanks’s understated but outstanding performance. The characters aren’t very well-rounded, and the story is a little too by-the-numbers, but for viewers who are just looking for an absorbing war action drama, this one will satisfy that craving more than well enough.

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12 ‘The Banker’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%

In this period drama set in the ’60s, two revolutionary businessmen hatch a clever plan to grant themselves and other African Americans a shot at the American Dream. Based on an impressive true story, The Banker sports a set of phenomenal lead performances by Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson.

On Rotten Tomatoes, though critics noted the film pulling its punches when it came to depicting its story, they praised its strong social themes, inspiring tone, and engaging story, all of which make it one of the most interesting movies about the American Dream that have recently come out. Even if it plays it safe when it should have gone all out, it’s hard to complain when the result is so entertaining.

11 ‘Swan Song’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Score: 79%

Swan Song is not only one of the best Apple original movies, but also one of the best sci-fi movies about cloning made in recent years, telling the story of a family man who tries to clone himself after finding out that he’s terminally ill. Mahershala Ali carries this thought-provoking drama with not just one but two excellent performances that are hard to take one’s eyes off of.

Critics evidently thought the same, praising the actor’s work in this intelligently written, sharply directed sci-fi film full of interesting ethical questions and memorable moments. It’s a poignant and slow-moving film that’s definitely not for those who prefer action-packed sci-fi, but those who enjoy profound and moving stories about grief and identity should love it.

10 ‘Tetris’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%

Many video games have interesting stories behind their production, but none have one quite as fascinating as that of Tetris. The movie of the same name is about how this massively popular game found its way to players around the globe, complete with political intrigue and fish-out-of-water thriller elements that make it, if anything, a very unique movie.

As colorful and delightfully paced as the game it’s about, Tetris is a biopic unlike any other. Visually creative and surprisingly informative about the subject matter, it’s undoubtedly one of the most entertaining Apple TV+ original movies. Though not all critics on Rotten Tomatoes connected with its dialogue-heavy narrative, most thought that it made up for it with fun pop culture references and colorful dashes of creativity.

9 ‘Causeway’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

With gut-wrenching performances from Jennifer Lawrence and an Oscar-nominated Brian Tyree Henry, the outstanding female-led A24 dramaCauseway is about a severely injured American soldier struggling to adapt to life in her estranged hometown. Greatly enjoyable for A24 fans who like the more understated films from their broad catalog, Causeway is a terrific film that packs a big punch.

The movie is a bit of a slow burn, taking its sweet time to build the dynamic between its two leads. The result is a painful, bittersweet, but ultimately very rewarding story about trauma and how connection helps people get past it. Because of this, it earned the approval of critics on Rotten Tomatoes, who called it one of the most unique Apple TV+ movies.

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8 ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

A highly underrated indie comedy, Cha Cha Real Smooth follows a 22-year-old who starts working as a party starter for bar/bat mitzvahs, where he befriends a young mom and her daughter. Though it flew under the radar of many movie fans in 2022, the movie is very worthy of being discovered by more people — Which is greatly facilitated by a service like Apple TV+

If Cooper Raiff was already a talent to watch out for before Cha Cha Real Smooth, the touching dramedy only further cemented him as one of the most intriguing new voices in the genre. It’s funny, genuine, has phenomenal performances with a natural feel, and has the approval of most critics on Rotten Tomatoes, who think it’s a tender celebration of the beauty and frustration of being young.

7 ‘Hala’ (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

Those looking for good coming-of-age movies on Apple TV+ ought to check out the service’s first original film, Hala, which should scratch that itch and then some. It’s a drama about a 17-year-old girl struggling to balance being a suburban teenager with her traditional Muslim upbringing. With a sensitive and loving approach to its themes, it makes sure that they have plenty of staying power.

The film didn’t really work with audiences, but Rotten Tomatoes critics thought that it was a pretty strong debut for the studio, and a coming-of-age movie destined to become a classic. It beautifully portrays its lead character’s journey of self-discovery, empowered by Geraldine Viswanathan‘s nuanced performance and a fresh twist on traditional teen movie tropes.

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6 ‘On the Rocks’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

In her career as a filmmaker, Sofia Coppola has mostly garnered universal praise throughout her career. Her dramedy On the Rocks, another collaboration between Apple and A24, is about a young mother reconnecting with her eccentric father on an adventure through New York. Full of the signatures that have made Coppola a popular director, the movie should satisfy any fan’s expectations of her work.

Rashida Jones makes for an incredibly charming lead, but Bill Murray steals the show as her larger-than-life playboy father. The two have incredible chemistry together, making the silly plot work wonderfully and the more nuanced and emotional scenes have deep power. On Rotten Tomatoes, critics celebrated the movie’s warmth and surprising complexity.

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5 ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

For The Tragedy of Macbeth, Joel Coen of the Coen brothers went solo. He offered audiences a riveting, visually impressive take on the tale of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, one of the greatest tragedies ever told in fiction. With the script sticking very closely to the Bard’s impossible-to-improve work, Coen was able to focus on elevating the material visually and aurally like no filmmaker had before.

There have been many adaptations of the classic tale throughout cinema’s history, and Coen’s is undoubtedly one of the most memorable. Cold, minimalistic, and abstract, the director’s execution of the already enthralling material makes it even more impactful, which undeniably makes this one of the best Apple TV+ original movies.

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4 ‘Flora and Son’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Touching and musically exquisite, like all of director John Carney‘s widely beloved movies, Flora and Son follows a single mom who’s at war with her son, and in trying to find him a hobby, finds in an abandoned guitar her family’s salvation. Irresistibly enchanting and refreshingly sincere, it’s exactly the kind of extraordinary movie one would expect from Carney.

Bound to go down as one of the best musicals in recent years, Flora and Son is a subtle and bittersweet crowd-pleaser like only Carney knows how to do them. It’s a moving celebration of creativity full of heart and charm, and as one of the best Apple TV movies, it’s reason enough to consider getting the streaming service.

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3 ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Score: 93%

Four years after his last movie, Martin Scorsese — perhaps the greatest living filmmaker — returned to the scene with Killers of the Flower Moon, one of the best movies on Apple TV. Based on David Grann‘s book, the film tells the true story of the mysterious Osage murders of 1920s Oklahoma, showing what led up to them and what happened after the FBI stepped up to unravel the mystery.

With some of the most extraordinary directing of Scorsese’s late career, as well as the kind of incredible work that one can always expect from his frequent collaborators (from Leonardo DiCaprio to editor Thelma Schoonmaker), Killers is a harrowing but fascinating three-and-a-half-hour-long experience led by DiCaprio at the top of his game and Lily Gladstone in the performance of a lifetime, which Rotten Tomatoes critics couldn’t get enough of.

2 ‘CODA’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

When it comes to empowering stories about people with disabilities, few are as enjoyable and sweet as the Best Picture Oscar-winning CODA, following a young girl in a deaf family who dreams of being a singer. The movie goes above and beyond to make itself stand out among other feel-good comedies of its type, and it certainly succeeds.

The cast has an immense screen presence, and everyone is as funny as they are effective in the scenes that require more pathos. There aren’t many surprises or revolutionary elements in this crowd-pleaser, as Rotten Tomatoes critics have said, but it’s also hard not to have a good time with such a sweet story.

1 ‘Wolfwalkers’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Score: 99%

When it comes to Apple original films, it hardly gets any more charming than this. For proof that Cartoon Saloon is one of the most incredible and tragically underrated animation studios of modern times, the Celtic-inspired Wolfwalkers should be enough. Colorful, touching, and gorgeously directed, it’s probably the studio’s best film.

A rousing tale about friendship, acceptance, and authoritarianism, Wolfwalkers may be aimed at children, but it’s an extremely easy film to love no matter one’s age. On Rotten Tomatoes, critics were astounded by the movie’s layered themes, fantastic world-building, and endearing characters, making it the peak of Apple TV exclusive movies.

NEXT: The Best New Movies on Apple TV