ONE of the most tense episodes of recent history is the subject of Thirteen Days (12), starring Kevin Costner, showing at Malvern Cinema this week.

The film takes us back to October 1962, when the Cuban missile crisis brought the world closer to nuclear war than ever before or since. The film has been widely praised as one of the best political thrillers of recent years.

Costner plays political aide Kenny O'Donnell, while Bruce Greenwood and Steven Culp are Jack and Bobby Kennedy.

Thirteen Days is on tonight (Friday), tomorrow and Sunday at 7pm, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 7.30pm and on Wednesday at 3pm.

A mini-season of one-off screenings starts on Wednesday with Dancer in the Dark (15), at 7.45pm.

The award-winning film stars singer Bjork as a single mother trying to save her son from the eye disease which is blinding her.

Rugrats in Paris (U) is on today and tomorrow at 3pm and Sunday at 4pm.