One of the more recent players in the digital VOD market, Apple TV+ is still adding more high-caliber movies to its catalog all the time. These movies are unquestionably deserving of your attention. It's difficult to match the affordable membership that also includes a few top-notch TV series and other Apple exclusives for only $6 per month.

The comedy-drama Raymond & Ray (October 21), starring Ethan Hawke and Ewan McGregor, and the archival tell-all of Louis Armstrong, Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues (October 28), a documentary deep-dive into one of jazz music's most prolific artists, are the two new additions to Apple TV+'s movie library this month.

{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}

The best movies on Apple TV+ (October 2022)

Raymond & Ray (2022)

It's never easy to say goodbye to loved ones, especially when your dad's final request was for you and your half-brother to prepare for his burial. In Raymond & Ray, directed by Rodrigo Garcia and starring Ethan Hawke and Ewan McGregor as the title characters, this is the situation.

In an effort to fulfill their father's strange request, the two men got to work while talking about life's finer qualities, manhood, and their dearly departed patriarch in between shovelfuls of dirt. Raymond & Ray, a unique idea that fits well in the dark comedy subgenre, will be available to watch on October 21.

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues (2022)

When searching through the endless archives of American jazz music, Louis Armstrong is undoubtedly one of the first names that spring to mind, and with good reason. Armstrong was a commanding figure onstage and in front of the microphone throughout the Civil Rights period. Both sides of the story are expertly shown in filmmaker Sacha Jenkins' thoughtful documentary Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues. Armstrong was a musical genius and a revered cultural icon. The key narrative tools Jenkins decides to use to examine the iconic musician are archive video and never-before-heard audio recordings, and the results seem truly astounding. The documentary will debut on Apple TV+ on October 28.

Sidney (2022)

\

In the history of Hollywood fame, Sidney Poitier had a long and distinguished career. Director Reginald Hudlin's Sidney captures, examines, and considers the man's life and legacy as an actor with remarkable on-screen charm and talents, a gifted filmmaker, and an inspirational political hero outside of show business. It's a single-subject documentary that explores much more prominent themes, addressing questions and concerns centered on important issues like racial equality and social justice. It also features important perspectives and memories from celebrities like Spike Lee, Robert Redford, and Lenny Kravitz. The documentary honorably unpacks Poitier's many years in the spotlight.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022)

The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty, and War by John "Chick" Donohue and J.T. Molloy is the basis for the Apple TV+ film adaptation of Chick's extraordinary journey into the heart of the Vietnam War — all to bring his drafted friends a couple of cold ones. The film was directed by Peter Farrelly. In this historical action-comedy, Zac Efron plays Chick, a good-hearted American whose life is irrevocably altered by the events of the film's "beer run."

Luck (2022)

Sam Greenfield (voiced by Eva Noblezada) is a hopelessly unfortunate person whose life is permanently altered when she reaches the legendary Land of Luck. Luck is a Skydance Animation production. Sam must work along with the mystical locals of this recently discovered region, a kaleidoscope of moving landscapes and animals, in order to lift the perpetual curse of misfortune that hangs over her head.

Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022)

Cha Cha Real Smooth, which made waves at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, stars Cooper Raiff as Andrew, a college graduate who returns to his New Jersey home with little direction. However, he decides to take a job as a bar mitzvah party host where he meets a mother named Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her autistic teenage daughter, Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). These two connections will alter Andrew's life irrevocably. This independent romantic comedy is filled with generosity, love, and some standout performances. The movie Cha Cha Real Smooth is likewise one that is difficult to forget.

9/11: Inside the President's War Room (2021)

Several important perspectives from President George W. Bush and members of his cabinet on the day of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks are presented in 9/11: Inside the President's War Room. 9/11 is a unique documentary that examines the many important choices that the U.S. government's elites had to make, with President Bush's memories acting as a guiding force throughout the 90-minute production. This documentary, a joint effort between Apple TV+ and BBC One, was broadcast around the time of the 20th anniversary of the attacks, a terrible occurrence that would change the world forever.

Twas the Fight Before Christmas (2021)

In the 2021 film "Twas the Fight Before Christmas," directed by Becky Read, the spirit of Christmas is given a whole new meaning. The movie centers on Jeremy Morris, a lawyer who lives in Northern Idaho and has big plans for a neighborhood Christmas spectacle. The anticipated holiday party swiftly turns into a court struggle between one guy with an insatiable love of Christmas and the political forces of his town as his neighborhood's homeowner's association cracks down on his celebrations.

The Sky Is Everywhere (2022)

Director Josephine Decker's The Sky is Everywhere follows Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman), a musical prodigy dealing with the unexpected death of her elder sister. It is a stunning kaleidoscope of drama, humor, music, and coming-of-age storytelling. Lennie starts to fall in love with Joe Fontaine (Jacques Colimon), a first love that is complicated by Lennie's bond with her dead sister's boyfriend (Pico Alexander). The Sky is Everywhere, a film adaptation of the same-titled novel by Jandy Nelson (who also authored the script), is a powerful story about two of life's biggest emotional pulls: love and grief.

Palmer (2021)

Palmer, a timeless homecoming tale starring Justin Timberlake as neighborhood hero Eddie Palmer. Eddie, a high school football star turned prisoner, returns to his old neighborhood after serving a 12-year sentence. Things start to look better for Eddie's life as the jaded man develops a healthy connection with the seven-year-old boy of his next-door neighbor, but then his history starts coming up with him. Palmer is a small-town drama that you don't want to miss, a poignant movie with outstanding performances.

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

In order to create this outstanding cinematic adaptation of the Shakespearean classic, Joel Coen diverges from the Coen brothers' usual pair dynamic. The Tragedy of Macbeth, which was beautifully shot in black and white, stars Denzel Washington as the eponymous lord, a nobleman who is told by three witches that he would one day rule as king. His wife, Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand), will go to any lengths to assist her husband in gaining the kingdom. Shakespeare's most well-known play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, is a powerful rendition that is grim, brutal, and true to the original writing.

Finch (2021)

In order to create this outstanding cinematic adaptation of the Shakespearean classic, Joel Coen diverges from the Coen brothers' usual pair dynamic. The Tragedy of Macbeth, which was beautifully shot in black and white, stars Denzel Washington as the eponymous lord, a nobleman who is told by three witches that he would one day rule as king. His wife, Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand), will go to any lengths to assist her husband in gaining the kingdom. Shakespeare's most well-known play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, is a powerful rendition that is grim, brutal, and true to the original writing.

Swan Song (2021)

After learning that he has a fatal disease, Cameron (Mahershala Ali) is forced to confront death in a way that no man has ever done. The family must consider the delivery of another husband and father who, although mirroring Cameron in every manner, is not the exact same human being when they are presented with an experimental cloning operation that would offer a replicant of Cameron to his wife and kid after he dies away. Swan Song, an intense sci-fi and drama combination, raises a variety of significant issues regarding the extent we'll go to in order to preserve the legacy of our loved ones.

Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds (2020)

When it comes to tense, existentialist-style documentaries, Werner Herzog is a virtuoso. His most recent entry into the genre, Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds, examines closely the cosmic occurrences—both significant and insignificant—that have an influence on our world and helped shape the universe as we know it. Fireball examines meteorites and shooting stars from a variety of perspectives from experts and theorists, including the perpetually pondering Herzog. It doesn't necessarily provide an answer to the endless list of questions we have when considering our existence, but the journey of finding those answers is what we're here for, not the conclusion.

The Year Earth Changed (2021)

Humanity stored food and sought refuge with loved ones during the early COVID-19 lockdowns, leaving much of the outer world unharmed. The Year Earth Changed, narrated by David Attenborough, follows the resurgence and expansion of wildlife during the epidemic. Director Tom Beard's optimistic movie, which depicts a peaceful picture of what life would be like if beaches were closed for a few days each year and cruise ship traffic was curtailed, suggests that his dream of a flourishing planet isn't too far off.

CODA (2021)

The lead of Apple's 2021 original CODA, not to be mistaken with the 2019 drama Coda, in which Sir Patrick Stewart portrays a concert pianist, is equally enthusiastic about music, but the term also has a different connotation. Ruby, a 17-year-old CODA, or Child of Deaf Adults, is portrayed by Emilia Jones. Ruby, the only hearing person in her family, supports her parents as they fight to maintain their fishing operation. The choirmaster at her high school, Eugenio Derbez, notices Ruby's potential and encourages her to leave her community in favor of a prominent music school.

The beautiful and humorous coming-of-age movie CODA has an astounding number of deaf performers, including Oscar winner Marlee Matlin, and includes deaf characters (Children of a Lesser God).

Greyhound (2020)

Tom Hanks plays Navy Commander Ernest Krause in Greyhound, an adaptation of the 1955 book The Good Shepherd. Captain Krause's fleet hits enemy radar while on a mission to escort an Allied defensive unit across the Atlantic as a legion of German U-boats begins a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Captain Krause and his crew are stranded at sea and must utilize every resource at their disposal to finish their task without incident. Greyhound, an intense historical war drama nominated for Best Sound at the 93rd Academy Awards, stars Tom Hanks in a great performance. However, by this time, we've all grown to expect nothing less than excellence from everyone's favorite Hollywood leading man and CGI-cowboy doll voice actor.

The Banker (2020)

The Banker poses the question, "How do you win a rigged game?" based on the true story of two Black businessmen who not only prospered during the Jim Crow era but also found a way to assist other Black company owners who had nowhere else to turn. Although Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) is a bright financial genius, his skin tone prevents him from engaging in the high-profile transactions for which he was designed. To find a white face for their investments, Garrett and his street-smart business partner Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson) hire Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult).

Even though the money is coming in, things get much more challenging when Garrett persuades his partners to travel with him to Texas to purchase white banks so they may provide loans to Black-owned businesses. The Banker is a good drama with humor, a sobering crash lesson in business, and an unfortunate message that is still applicable today.

Beastie Boys Story (2020)

There is something weird about seeing Beastie Boys Story if you have been around long enough to recall classics like "Fight for Your Right" or "Sabotage" when they were initially released.

For instance, you may need to keep telling yourself that Ad-Rock is not actually being portrayed by Martin Freeman even if Mike D and Adam Horovitz, alias Ad-Rock, are up there on stage narrating the proceedings.

In the documentary, one night of a stage performance is seen, during which the rappers discuss the evolution of their band from its beginnings as a hardcore punk outfit until Adam Yauch's passing. It's entertaining to watch the group's history portrayed from their viewpoint for devoted fans, and it's a gold mine for newcomers. Keep watching through the credits for a few humorous snippets featuring previous MTV appearances, unexpected celebrity cameos, and at least one disagreement about dog-washing.

Boys State (2020)

One thousand lads arrive in Austin, Texas, for the 2020 documentary Boys State to create a pretend representative government, but tragically their youth doesn't make things any less polarizing than they are on the floors of the real Congress. You won't likely leave Boys State with a lot of optimism about the direction of politics as a result. Even so, it's a very riveting look at boys developing into young men, and if nothing else, it serves as a stark warning about the political environment that the next generation will face as well as a reminder of how urgently things need to change.