THIS WEEK’S BEST FILMS

MONDAY

A Few Good Men (1992) (Sony Movies, 9pm)

Navy lawyer Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) has a reputation for settling out of court and not caring too much about his clients. This soon changes when he and fellow legal eagle JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore) are given the task of defending two Marines accused of murdering one of their comrades, and their investigation unearths evidence that the pair were acting under orders from their superiors. Rob Reiner’s courtroom drama may initially seem a little long-winded, but it’s building to a showdown between Cruise and a scene-stealing Jack Nicholson that is definitely worth the wait. The film’s sharp script was written by West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin and based on his own stage play.

Capernaum (2018) (Film4, 11.40pm)

A 12-year-old boy survives by his wits in present-day Lebanon in director Nadine Labaki’s emotionally wrought drama, which was deservedly nominated for a Best Foreign Language Oscar. Zain (Zain Al Rafeea) lives in cramped conditions with his parents and siblings in Beirut. The family survives by smuggling drugs into prison. It’s an ingenious scheme: the children soak clothes in Tramadolsaturated water, which are dried and taken into prison as gifts for inmates. The illegal operation hits a snag and Zain’s parents decide to raise funds by selling his younger sister Samar (Cedra Izam) as a child bride. The boy vows to make his parents pay and heads onto the streets in search of Samar.

TUESDAY

Destry Rides Again (1939) (Film4, 11am)

The all-American James Stewart and the sultry Marlene Dietrich may not have seemed like an obvious pairing back in 1939, but their chemistry positively sizzles in this classic comedy Western. A principled lawman arrives in the town of Bottleneck, determined to end the stranglehold of a corrupt local businessman and the crooked mayor. However, he doesn’t realise he’ll also have to take on a seductive saloon singer. As well as a sharp script and a terrific cast, the movie also boasts

Tom Cruise and Sarah Wright in American Made which recreates the late 1970s and 1980s with a swagger. Cruise plays a bored pilot who becomes embroiled in a plot to smuggle drugs, on Wednesday, on Film4, at 9pm