Welcome to your weekly go-to-guide – WatchThisSpace – where we give you recommendations of films to watch in the cinema, on the television and those brilliant films hiding at the back of your DVD collection.

IN THE CINEMA

With high ratings across the board (8.4 on IMDb, 89% on Rotten Tomatoes), ‘Straight Outta Compton’ is already proving to be an even bigger success than we anticipated. Fans of N.W.A and those simply intrigued by their story will love this musical biopic.

Conversely, ‘Hitman: Agent 47’ is really struggling over in the USA (29 on Metascore and a lowly 7% on Rotten Tomatoes). It’s no real surprise that another video game adaptation has crashed and burned, but before you chuck this on the scrap heap, have a read of our review.

ON TELEVISION

Monday 18:50 GMT: We know how hard Mondays can be, and we don’t want to add more pain to your day, but if you feel strong enough, we highly recommend ‘My Sister’s Keeper’ on Film4. This heartbreaking story of the love between two sisters will almost definitely have you in tears. We apologise in advance.

Tuesday 16:40 GMT: The kids go back to school next week, so give them one last treat; get together and watch ‘Coraline’ on Film4. A beautifully made and very entertaining family film, but one which has a dark side too, nightmares could ensue for adults and children alike.

Thursday 19:00 GMT: Great actors and one of the best soundtracks EVER make ‘500 Days Of Summer’ a must see on Film4, whether this be your maiden viewing, or your 500th. A story about love, not to be confused with a love story, you’ll see just how important this distinction is.

Saturday 16:05 GMT: The weekend is here! Go on a delightful adventure with ‘Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory’ on ITV. This 70s classic will thrill the whole family with its timeless tongue-in-cheek humour and fantastical story.

Sunday 17:30 GMT: Another 70s classic, albeit of a very different nature. See the Man of Steel’s big screen debut with ‘Superman’ on Channel 5. Henry Cavill will have to pull something pretty special out of the bag to top this next year.

DIG IT OUT

This is our favourite part of the WatchThisSpace section. We delve into our own DVD collection and pick out some amazing films, that may not instantly spring to mind when you’re stuck for inspiration to make your movie night a success. Maybe you’ve never seen a film that we pick – or even heard of them for that matter – but you’re gonna have to trust us on this one, and Dig It Out.

The Departed: We think that with just over a month until the release of ‘The Martian’, now is a good time to get excited for the latest offering from Matt Damon. Our favourite Damon project to date? Martin Scorsese’s twisted crime-thriller ‘The Departed’ of course. Hailed by many as one of the greats of modern cinema, we are inclined to agree. This film, which also stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson, will enthral and shock you right to the very last scene. They don’t come much more “must-see” than this.

Filth: With the release of the first ‘Victor Frankenstein’ trailer last week, it would be easy choice to plump for a ‘Harry Potter’ marathon. Instead, challenge yourself with the gritty, in your face, Brit-flick ‘Filth’. From the team behind the classic ‘Trainspotting’, see James McAvoy play the bad cop-really bad cop role in this utterly mad production.

Star Trek: Chris Pine celebrates his birthday on Wednesday, turning 34. Nothing on his CV gleams as brightly as the successful reboot of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise – soon to become a trilogy – of which the first installment is a fantastic example of sci-fi film making. Pine leads a cast which includes Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg and Zoe Saldana, into the final frontier for an epic battle which will live long in the memory, and may even prosper!

Boyz N The Hood: As mentioned before, ‘Straight Outta Compton’ is the headline act at the box-office right now. In that vein, we politely push you in the direction of this 90s cult classic. With similar themes of tough neighbourhoods and even tougher social oppression, ‘Boyz N The Hood’ is a gripping and action-packed film, addressing issues which, sadly, are just as poignant more than two decades on.

This week’s WatchThisSpace was compiled by Jakob Lewis Barnes