Spike Lee’s crime drama starring Denzel Washington keeps pulling in a large audience, defying a possible second week drop off. Highest 2 Lowest earned a spot among the most popular films on streaming, according to two companies that track ratings. It’s a win for Apple TV+.
Plus, Apple TV+’s comedy The Studio had a comeback after winning lots of awards this week, and Apple’s adaptation of the sci-fi classic Foundation stayed popular even as its third season wrapped up.
Highest 2 Lowest hits the heights
Movies with big stars attached often open strong but then tank in the second week if they aren’t well made. That’s not happening with Highest 2 Lowest — it is doing quite well on streaming.
The film — directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington — is a modern crime-thriller set in New York City that reimagines Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low (“Heaven and Hell” in Japanese). Washington plays music mogul David King, whose world is thrown into chaos when kidnappers mistakenly seize the son of his chauffeur instead of his own, forcing King into a moral and financial quandary as he must decide what matters most: family, legacy or power.
Movie and TV search engine Reelgood publishes a weekly ratings list of the 10 most popular films in the U.S. on streaming services, and Highest 2 Lowest sits at No. 4 for the week of September 11 through September 17. Rival service JustWatch also put the series in the No. 4 slot of popular streaming films the week of September 8 through September 14.
Ratings estimates from companies like JustWatch and Reelgood are necessary because streaming services rarely reveal how many people tune in to their offerings.
Highest 2 Lowest is ready to stream now on Apple TV+.
Seth Rogen’s comedy The Studio gets an Emmy-powered comeback
The Studio comedy series relentlessly mocks Hollywood and the film industry. It stayed popular during its first season, but that wrapped up months ago. This didn’t stop viewers from tuning in after the show garnered an amazing 13 Emmy awards this week.
The was enough to put the show at the No. 4 slot on Reelgood’s list of top streaming series last week.
The official Apple TV+ description says:
“In The Studio, Seth Rogen stars as Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of embattled Continental Studios. As movies struggle to stay alive and relevant, Matt and his core team of infighting executives battle their own insecurities as they wrangle narcissistic artists and craven corporate overlords in the ever-elusive pursuit of making great films. With their power suits masking their never-ending sense of panic, every party, set visit, casting decision, marketing meeting and award show presents them with an opportunity for glittering success or career-ending catastrophe. As someone who eats, sleeps and breathes movies, it’s the job Matt’s been pursuing his whole life, and it may very well destroy him.”
The Cult of Mac review says, “The Studio blends sharp industry critique with genuine appreciation for filmmaking. Through its clever storytelling, stellar performances, and exceptional production, the series offers viewers a rare glimpse into Hollywood — the good and the bad.”
The entire first season is ready to watch now. Get binging!
Complex and thrilling Foundation still earns high ratings
Foundation season 3 is a huge hit for Apple TV+ with the series staying popular through its full run. JustWatch also tracks streaming series, and the Apple TV+ sci-fi epic got the No. 8 spot on its chart of most popular ones last week.
The ongoing show tells the story of a band of exiles struggling to save humanity during and after the fall of a Galactic Empire. The Apple TV+ series adapts Isaac Asimov’s groundbreaking novels from the 1940s and 1950s. Bringing seminal novels to the screen is always challenging, but Apple is nailing it.
The entire Foundation season 3 is ready to stream now, as the season finale premiered last Friday. And that’s not the end: Apple TV+ approved season 4!
Watch these and more on Apple TV+
Streaming hits like Highest 2 Lowest, Foundation and The Studio, plus many others, come with a subscription to Apple TV+. The service is $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it at a discount via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle.
And Apple’s streaming video service also includes a library of drama, comedies, musicals, children’s shows, nature documentaries, etc.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
