Apple TV+ has become an essential hub for new films and TV shows recently, with movies like Macbeth and Wolfwalkers garnering Oscar nominations. Apple TV+’s most exciting films for this year are yet to come, with Killers of the Flower Moon releasing in October and Napoleon coming to the streaming service in November.
Thus far, we’ve had three Apple TV+ films released this year of varying quality.
I’ll be ranking them according to their Rotten Tomatoes score and sharing excerpts from our Ready Steady Cut reviews.
Last Update: June 7th, 2023
Best and Highest Rated Movies on Apple TV+ in 2023
1. Tetris
Undoubtedly Apple TV+’s best offering so far in 2023 is Jon S. Baird’s Tetris. The thriller based on the actual licensing of Tetris delves into the limitations put on Russians during the Cold War period as we watch Henk Rogers (brilliantly played by a mustachioed Taron Egerton) fight to be able to bring the video game legally to the rest of the world.
Official Premise: Based on the true story of the American video game salesman Henk Rogers and his discovery of Tetris in 1988. When he sets out to bring the game to the world, he enters a dangerous web of lies and corruption behind the Iron Curtain.
Cast: Taron Egerton, Nikita Efremov, Toby Jones
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Review Excerpt: “You wouldn’t think a movie about stacking blocks like a toddler would instantly capture the world’s imagination. Nor would another movie about venturing beyond the Iron Curtain be anything but another dry exercise in moral dilemmas of good versus evil. However, Tetris puts a fresh spin on the Cold War-era film by making it a behind-enemy-lines legal 8-bit western, one where everyone seems to be making up the rules as they go along.”
2. Sharper
The first film of the year from Apple TV+ is a psychological thriller directed by Benjamin Caron, the British director best known for directing television episodes for shows including The Crown, Sherlock, and Andor. The film about a con artist and Manhattan billionaires never entirely lives up to the classics it is reminiscent of, but there’s still plenty to enjoy.
Official Premise: Sharper unfolds within the secrets of New York City, from the penthouses of Fifth Avenue to the shadowy corners of Queens. Motivations are suspect, and expectations are turned upside down when nothing is as it seems.
Cast: Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton, John Lithgow
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%
Review Excerpt: “Movies that feature the trials and tribulations of conmen and women can range from slick to camp. The A24 film, Sharper, is a bit of both, even if the first act is an intriguing setup, and the second act has a reasonably decent twist, albeit a con-artist movie trope we have seen before. All of this should add up to a proper payoff, but any confidence game on film needs to have a finish that tops them all. The third act of Benjamin Caron’s freshman feature is a telegraphed effort with a dull finish.”
3. Ghosted
Despite the chemistry that Chris Evans and Ana de Armas seem to have in interviews, there is none to be found between their characters in action-rom-com Ghosted. The film, already suffering from a terrible script that has been described by many as seeming AI-generated, can’t bounce back from the stifled awkwardness between its leads. The only thing that elevates this above a Lifetime or Hallmark movie is the high-profile cameos they managed to book.
Official Premise: Salt-of-the-earth Cole falls head over heels for enigmatic Sadie – but then makes the shocking discovery that she’s a secret agent. Before they can decide on a second date, Cole and Sadie are swept away on an international adventure to save the world.
Cast: Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 26%
Review Excerpt: “There are few action comedies as uninspired as the Apple TV+ film Ghosted. Even more surprising considering the leads, the director behind the project, and the eye-opening guest stars who appear in this digital streaming dumpster fire. The result is something sterile, practically inhuman, and as generic as asking ChatGPT to write a script inspired by hundreds of films before it.”
And that completes our Best and Highest Rated Movies on Apple TV+ in 2023. What’s your favorite movie on Apple TV+? Comment below.
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