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Movies & TV

28th May 2024

One of the most powerful war drama movies ever is on TV tonight

Stephen Porzio

Featuring a massive A-list star, it won two Oscars.

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Tuesday, 28 May) is Born on the Fourth of July, the 1989 biographical anti-war drama starring Tom Cruise.

Earning his first Oscar nomination for his performance in the film, Cruise plays the real-life Ron Kovic – a young patriotic American who enlists to serve in the Vietnam War where he becomes permanently paralysed in battle.

Struggling with his paralysis and an uncaring, bureaucratic United States upon returning home, he becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist.

Part of co-writer and director Oliver Stone’s Vietnam War trilogy – which also includes Platoon and Heaven & Earth – Born on the Fourth of July’s powerful real life story, its visceral filmmaking and Cruise’s intense and transformational performance made the movie a massive critical and commercial success.

It was even nominated for eight Oscars and won two – with Stone taking home the Best Director trophy.

Born on the Fourth of July is airing on TV tonight on Film4 at 9pm. It is also available to rent on Apple TV, Google Play, Rakuten TV and the Sky Store.

Check out its trailer right here:

Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight:

This is the End – Comedy Central – 9pm

In this hilarious comedy horror, the apocalypse kicks off while a bunch of celebrities (all playing themselves) are at a gaff party in LA.

Murder by Decree – Legend Xtra – 9pm

Christopher Plummer is Sherlock Holmes in this ’70s mystery thriller flick.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army – ITV4 – 10pm

Ron Perlman’s reprises his role as the heroic half-demon in this wildly inventive sequel that might be better than the original.

Assault on Precinct 13 – Legend – 11.10pm

Halloween and The Thing director John Carpenter’s breakthrough movie, Assault on Precinct 13 revolves around the inhabitants of a defunct police precinct who must defend themselves against a relentless criminal gang.

One of the tensest, tightest thrillers of all time.

The Vanishing – Film4 – 11.50pm

Gerard Butler drops his action man persona to play a lighthouse keeper in this critically acclaimed thriller from 2018.

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