9 Best Laurence Fishburne Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 6, 2026

Laurence Fishburne has moved between prestige drama and blockbuster sci-fi for four decades without losing the gravitas that made him a star. The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded make him the rebel crew’s mentor, John Wick joins a retired hitman’s revenge after his dog is killed, Mystic River reunites childhood friends after a daughter’s murder, and Boyz n the Hood, What’s Love Got to Do with It, Higher Learning and Othello show his dramatic range. Apocalypse Now rounds out the list.

John Wick (2014)

IMDb ★ 7.5 RT 87% Metacritic 68

A retired hitman is pulled back into violence after a small act of cruelty against him.

Directed by Chad Stahelski · 1h 41m · Rated R

5 wins & 10 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mystic River (2003)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 89% Metacritic 84

Three childhood friends reunite as adults after one of their daughters is murdered.

Directed by Clint Eastwood · 2h 18m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars57 wins & 144 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

TMDB ★ 7.2

Bigger, stranger, and still visually influential for a sequel.

Directed by Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski · 2h 18m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV, VIX · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Matrix (1999)

IMDb ★ 8.7 RT 83% Metacritic 73

A hacker discovers reality is a simulation built to keep humanity docile.

Directed by Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski · 2h 16m · Rated R

Won 4 Oscars42 wins & 52 nominations

Where to watch

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Othello (1995)

TMDB ★ 6.8

A Moorish general's marriage is destroyed by a scheming subordinate's manipulations and lies.

Directed by Oliver Parker · 2h 03m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Higher Learning (1995)

TMDB ★ 6.4

Students at a diverse university confront racial tension, identity and radicalisation.

Directed by John Singleton · 2h 08m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)

TMDB ★ 7.3

Angela Bassett earned an Oscar nomination as Tina Turner, charting the singer's rise through an abusive marriage.

Directed by Brian Gibson · 1h 58m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Starz Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Boyz n the Hood (1991)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 93% Metacritic 76

John Singleton's debut follows three friends growing up in South Central and heading for very different fates.

Directed by John Singleton · 1h 52m · Rated R

Nominated for 2 Oscars12 wins & 28 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Starz Apple TV channel, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Apocalypse Now (1979)

IMDb ★ 8.4 RT 91% Metacritic 94

A captain travels up a war-torn river to kill a renegade colonel who has set up his own jungle kingdom.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola · 2h 27m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars21 wins & 33 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

9 Best Laurence Fishburne Movies

John Wick (2014)

Mystic River (2003)

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

The Matrix (1999)

Othello (1995)

Higher Learning (1995)

What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)

Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

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