Apple TV may have the hottest show streaming right now with Pluribus, but let’s not forget that the streaming giant also has a pretty solid selection of movies to watch, too.
I like to throw on a movie or two during the week to break things up, especially when the episodes of the shows I watch aren’t on until the weekend. This week I’m sharing a handful of great ones I’ve watched over the last little while, including a few documentaries (I’ve been on a kick lately), and a light Mark Wahlberg sequel. Enjoy.
5
Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost
To me, Jerry Stiller will always embody two of my favorite characters from any movie or TV show of all time: George’s Festivus-inventing dad, Frank Costanza, from Seinfeld, and Derek’s excellently sleazy agent, Maury Ballstein, from Zoolander. Of course, I knew Stiller was Ben’s dad, but as I would learn from his beautiful documentary, Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, that recently hit Apple TV, there was so much more to the iconic comedic actor, not least of which was his professional and personal life partnership with his equally-legendary wife of 61 years, Anne Meara. Directed by Ben, the doc is an intimate portrait of his parents, which uses a combination of archival footage, home movies, love letters, and interviews with those who knew and loved them. It chronicles their life together, from groundbreaking comedy act and numerous TV appearances, through their trials and tribulations, and how their careers affected their family life. Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost currently carries a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
4
The Family Plan 2
If you’re looking for a fun, action-packed holiday family movie that’s a little different than the dozens of Santa-based movies that are about to descend on us all, then The Family Plan 2 might be the watch you’re looking for. The sequel to 2023’s The Family Plan catches us up with Dan Morgan (Mark Wahlberg), a car salesman who’s dragged back into his past life as a covert assassin. Since the events of the first film, life is hunky-dory with Dan, his wife Jessica (Michelle Monaghan) and their two sons. But with eldest daughter Nina away at school in London, the family decides to surprise her for the holidays. But would you believe that while there, Dan’s past catches up to him as the Morgans are again dragged into car chases, bank-heists, and hand-to-hand combat scenes as a mysterious adversary (Kit Harrington) threatens the family. Family Plan 2 is fun, funny, and Wahlberg and Monaghan make a good on-screen pairing in this holiday action-comedy.
The Family Plan 2
Release Date
April 10, 2026
Runtime
106 Minutes
Director
Simon Cellan Jones
3
Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds
Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds had me at Verner Herzog. His distinct German accent is delightful, yes, but the prolific documentary filmmaker has a unique and fascinating way about him, whether the subject is volcanoes, elephants, or grizzly bears. Co-directed by geoscientist Clive Oppenheimer, Fireball is a fascinating and gorgeously-shot exploration of meteors, comets, and impact craters, but not just their physical impact on our planet, but on human culture. The doc travels the world visiting some of the most interesting impact sites on the planet where the effects of these celestial objects has been felt; from Mexico and Hawaii to India and Australia. Herzog brings his mix of hard science and poetic reflection to Fireball, and the film is also full of experts who weigh in, making for an enlightening watch.
2
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
As a kid of the ’80s and ’90s (and Canadian), Michael J. Fox holds a special place in my pop-culture upbringing. From Alex P. Keaton to Teen Wolf to Marty McFly, Fox was the coolest actor in the coolest movies, and all the kids I knew wanted to be him. Director Davis Guggenheim’s Emmy-winning documentary Still: A MIchael J. Fox Movie, is a beautiful portrait of the iconic Back to the Future star, as told by the man himself and through some pretty incredible archival footage and interviews. It traces Fox’s life from his Canadian roots through his meteoric rise to fame, virtually overnight, in the ’80s, to his Parkinson’s diagnosis when he was just 29 years old that changed his life. Since then, Fox, along with his wife Tracy Pollan, and through his remarkable foundation, has become an advocate and trailblazer in the battle against the disease. Fox remains a remarkable, inspiring icon, and Still is a beautiful representation of the man’s life.
still-a-michael-j-fox-movie-poster.jpg
Release Date
May 12, 2023
Runtime
95 Minutes
Director
Davis Guggenheim
Writers
Michael J. Fox
1
The Bloody Hundredth
I know it’s a week on since Remembrance Day, but you don’t need a specific day to revel in the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for the world’s freedom. War is, of course, full of harrowing and inspiring stories, and The Bloody Hundredth is one of them. Produced by Stephen Spielberg and narrated by Tom Hanks, this hour-long documentary film is a mind-blowing look at the real-life legendary 100th Bomb Group of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Named due to the huge casualties the group suffered during its brutal daylight bombing missions from England, deep into Nazi-occupied Eurppe in the summer and fall of 1943, the doc uses restored archival footage, interviews, and commentary to paint a stark portrait. Originally, the documentary was released on Apple TV as a companion to the hugely popular fictionalized series about the 100th Bomb Group, Masters of the Air, starring Austin Butler, and as good as that is, this real-life account is all the more poignant.
the bloody hundredth
Apple TV has a great selection of movies to choose from, and while it might not be as broad its TV show offerings, with a bit of digging you can find some gems to add to your work week watch list.
