Since its official launch in 2019, Apple TV+ has accumulated a dazzlingly diverse catalog of television and films, with many riveting originals. While popular programs like Ted Lasso and The Morning Show helped put the streaming platform on the map, it has also delivered a series of compelling and memorable pictures that have earned praise from viewers and critics alike. The uplifting coming-of-age dramedy CODA made history when it won three Academy Awards including Best Picture, becoming the first streaming service film to achieve the spectacular feat. Countless noteworthy actors and directors have starred in Apple TV+ originals, everyone from Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks to Zac Efron and Gary Oldman.

The month of September will mark the arrival of two highly-anticipated releases on the platform, the Efron-led biographical comedy The Greatest Beer Run Ever and the absorbing documentary Sidney, which will provide an in-depth look at the illustrious life and career of cinema legend Sidney Poitier. Whether you’re in the mood for an uplifting dramedy, animated comedy, or charming coming-of-age flick, the exciting platform is sure to have just what you need. These are the best Apple TV+ movies for September 2022.

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Cinema great Denzel Washington took on the iconic titular role in Joel Coen’s 2021 historical thriller The Tragedy of Macbeth, portraying the Shakespeare Scottish noble as he strives to become the next King of Scotland after receiving an enlightening prophecy from a trio of witches.

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The breathtaking picture was shot completely on sound stages and in black-and-white in order to give it a look “untethered from reality” and was Joel’s first solo directorial effort without the involvement of his brother Ethan. The Tragedy of Macbeth was lauded by critics upon its worldwide premiere at the New York Film Festival and earned numerous accolades, with Washington being singled out for his commanding performance as the doomed Macbeth; the actor received both an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination.

Sidney

Chronicling the superb and highly-influential career of silver screen legend Sidney Poitier, the upcoming documentary Sidney offers profound insight into the life of the revered actor and activist who passed away earlier this year at 94. Directed by Reginald Hudlin and featuring thought-provoking commentary from fellow stars like Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, and Robert Redford, the intimate picture delves into Poitier’s barrier-defying career in which he was a respected performer who was also a fierce activist throughout the Civil Rights Movement.

The first Black actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in 1963’s Lilies of the Field, Poitier was beloved by many and remains a true trailblazer, with close friend Morgan Freeman writing after his passing, “Sidney was my inspiration, my guiding light, my friend.”

Cha Cha Real Smooth

The always delightful Dakota Johnson appeared alongside director Cooper Raiff and Raúl Castillo in the 2022 comedy-drama Cha Cha Real Smooth, in which she portrays the single-mother Domino, a young woman who along with her autistic daughter Lola strike up an unlikely friendship with recent college graduate Andrew after meeting at a Bar Mitzvah.

The touching film follows the lost lead characters as they attempt to navigate the world while discovering their true purpose, connecting deeply despite their decade age-difference. Cha Cha Real Smooth premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where Raiff and the film's dazzling performances received overall praise, with Vogue wrote in their review that it is, “an irresistible exploration of life in limbo, anchored by a universally excellent cast.”

The Sky is Everywhere

Based on the Jandy Nelson novel of the same name, the coming-of-age romantic drama The Sky is Everywhere follows 17-year-old musical prodigy Lennie Walker as she struggles to come to terms with her older sister Bailey’s death while also experiencing romance for the first time with the charming Joe Fontaine. Grace Kauffman and Jacques Colimon appear as the endearing young lovers in the adaptation, whose romance is tested by the presence of Bailey’s heartbroken boyfriend that understands what Lennie is going through.

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On what attracted her to the project, director Josephine Decker said, “I was really drawn to it because there’s this magical, classical music element and I’m kind of a geek for classical music. Also, I’m a teenager at heart who is still working out their teen stuff. I think I just felt like this is the kind of movie I would’ve really wanted to see when I was a teenager.”

The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Touting an impressive cast led by Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, and Bill Murray, the upcoming biographical action comedy The Greatest Beer Run Ever centers on U.S. Marine Corps veteran John Donohue as he sets out to deliver beer and encouraging messages from home to his fellow service members and buddies during the ongoing war in Vietnam in 1967.

Based on the book of the same name, the uplifting flick features a mustached Efron as Donohue, who discovers far more than he ever anticipated about himself and the world on his once-in-a-lifetime journey. Peter Farrelly directs the comedy, telling Yahoo!, “What I love about this is there’s been Vietnam movies, but there’s never been one told from [this] point of view, and that’s what’s interesting. He’s looking at it from where America looked at it, not where the soldiers looked at it.”

Swan Song

Mahershala Ali headlined the 2021 sci-fi romantic drama Swan Song, which tells the story of devoted family man Cameron Turner who after being diagnosed with a terminal illness is faced with the heart-wrenching choice of either telling his wife and son about his sickness or replacing himself with a clone to spare them grief. The poignant and heavy picture features the additional talents of Naomie Harris and Awkwafina, with Ali delivering a knockout performance as the suffering father who desperately wants to do right by his loved ones; the actor rightfully earned a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal. Swan Song was well-received by critics, and in their glowing review Newsweek wrote, “Mahershala Ali crafts two clearly defined characters, allowing for the movie to ask its familiar questions about how we define our humanity in a new way.”

Luck

Peggy Holmes directed the computer-animated fantasy comedy Luck, introducing audiences to the unluckiest person in the world Sam Greenfield, an orphaned 18-year-old who is given the opportunity to reverse her continuous string of misfortune by traveling to the Land of Luck in search of powerful magical beings. With a brilliant ensemble voice cast including Simon Pegg, Jane Fonda, and Whoopi Goldberg, the whimsical and endearing movie shines a light on loneliness, depression, and the foster system while also containing an uplifting message of hope.

To prepare for the fantasy flick, Holmes and writer Kiel Murray spoke with people who grew up as foster children, with the director revealing: “In speaking to them and hearing their stories, we were so taken by several things: their generosity, their positivity, their hopefulness, and perseverance. For us, that became our beacon.”

CODA

The critically-acclaimed, Oscar-winning 2021 film CODA is a coming-of-age dramedy that follows the eponymous child of deaf adults (CODA) Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) as she finds herself faced with the decision to either go to her dream college to pursue her aspirations or stay home and help keep her family’s struggling fishing business afloat. The English-language remake of the French film La Famille Bélier features talented deaf actors including Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur, who went on to become the second deaf performer to win an Academy Award.

CODA was named one of the top films of 2021 by the American Film Institute and went on to be lauded by critics and moviegoers, with The New York Times writing that it is, “An openhearted embrace of deaf culture elevates this otherwise conventional tale of a talented teenager caught between ambition and loyalty."