#2 The Friday Five | James Baldwin, Jack Wright & Japanese Art

Welcome to the second issue of The Friday Five, a semi-regular Field Notes supplement designed to help you plan a better weekend.

The format is simple: five things to read, five things to watch, five things to listen to, five things to do and five great finds that will save you scrolling through the algorithmic sludge.

In this edition: the only two films I’ve given 5 stars so far this year, my TV picks, the Substack reads that have genuinely changed me, my July playlist and five anti-brain rot things for you to do this weekend.

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Okay, let’s get into it!

• I, Jack Wright

  I loved this murder mystery wrapped in a family saga starring a whole host of British acting legends, including Nikki Amuka-Bird and John Simm. Warning: almost every character in this show is deliciously despicable. (BBC iPlayer)

• The Capture (Season 3)

  I am embarrassed to admit we binged the first three episodes of this in one night. It’s seriously edge of the seat stuff. If you saw the first two seasons (the first starring Callum Turner, the second centring an MP played by Paapa Essiedu), you’ll know it’s on-the-pulse explorations of technology are Black Mirror-esque in the best possible way. &, Really, that’s all I can say to keep this spoiler free! (BBC iPlayer)

• Sorry, Baby

  I gave this film five stars on Letterboxd and there is only one other movie I have done that for in the last year. The film is written by, directed by and stars Eva Victor, who plays a troubled (yet still hilarious) university professor recently reunited with her best friend (Naomi Ackie). The two navigate our protagonist’s past trauma whilst also managing a huge shift in the dynamics of their friendship when one of them falls in love.

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  This is the other film I gave five stars. No, I’m not joking and yes, I am aware I have very diverse taste. It’s an understatement to say that I am a massive Marvel geek. I am, admittedly, obsessed. But I also have the wherewithal to stand up and say if I think the quality of Marvel’s output is slipping and we definitely went through a period of that a couple of years ago. But BND is an emphatic return to form, cementing Tom Holland as the best Spider-Man ever. I cried a lot during this film, which really speaks to Marvel’s focus on creating a story with an emotional heart - but that’s not to say there isn’t, also, plenty of action.

• The Rapture

  From The Capture to The Rapture! In this timely mystery thriller we are flung into the fiery depths of the climate crisis with two unlikely heroes taking centre stage. India Amarteifio stars as Bethany Krall, a teenage artistic savant of sorts, locked away in a mental health facility after supposedly murdering her mother. But is she a killer or a prophet? & How does her new therapist (played by Ruth Madeley) fit into the bigger picture?

• Another Country by James Baldwin

  I’m only 115 pages into this novel and already I know it is one I will never forget. Baldwin writes flawed characters with such aplomb - they simply leap off the page to greet you. But the real mastery is in how adept he is at describing setting - you can almost smell the time and place. A stunning classic.

• Let’s Just Say the Quiet Part Out Loud by Natalie Reilly

  This piece is an absolute masterclass in how a relatively small word count can create such a profound internal shift for so many readers. It is no wonder Natalie has blown up on this platform recently - her incisive cultural commentary is incredible. These two sentences alone have left me forever changed:

  “bell hooks called it “the politics of envy” where women, instead of rising up to defeat the narrow, white supremacist idea of capitalistic beauty standards, instead compete with each other for the prize. […] And for too many millennia now, the prize has been some goofy guy who is light on relational skills and heavy on the singular pursuit of what makes him happy, at the direct expense of anyone who dares to demand his attention after the limerence has faded.”

• Milk Teeth by Jessica Andrews

  What happens when a Geordie girl with an eating disorder falls for a chef based in Barcelona? A whole lot of angst and yearning, that’s what. But Andrews’ writing is undeniably gorgeous and my desire to fill my brain with more of her beautiful sentences is what kept me hooked on this book.

• Ann Widdecombe - Dancing Queen of the Homophobes, Murdered At 78. But Why? by Jack Cullen

  Compassionate, funny and honest, Cullen has somehow managed to capture the bizarre nature of Ann Widdecombe’s life and death.

• Can a Spiritual Business be wildly Successful and still — Ethical? by Amanda Baudier

  Amanda’s writing is brilliant and I’m slightly mystified as to why she’s not a Substack Bestseller yet. This fascinating exploration of wellness gone wrong was right up my street.

• Japanese Art at the Whitworth

  My husband and I went to see Beneath the Great Wave: Hokusai and Hiroshige at the Whitworth Gallery (on until 15 November 2026 - free entry) a couple of weekends ago and it was glorious. The way these two iconic artists captured scenes of nature, commerce, travel and war was so ahead of their time.

• Learn a new skill, entirely for fun
  Those of us who are creative often have a bad habit of learning a new skill so we can monetise it - or taking up a hobby for fun and then attempting to turn it into a side hustle. It’s symptomatic of the world (and very difficult industry) we are living and working within but, my God, doesn’t it just suck the fun out of everything?! So, your challenge this weekend is to learn something totally pointless, just for the enjoyment of it. Origami. Flower arranging. A magic trick. Calligraphy. A dance routine. How to identify five birds. Trust me, being a beginner is good for your brain.

• An analogue afternoon
  Put your phone away for three hours. Take a book, notebook, newspaper, crossword, sketchbook or disposable camera somewhere nice and see what happens to your attention span. Just don’t forget to leave a note for whoever might report you missing!

• Enjoy the UK’s answer to Cappadocia

  When I first visited Bristol at 8 years old, I arrived just as their famous International Balloon Fiesta was starting and I was absolutely awestruck at how incredible hundreds of hot air balloons looked as they ascended over the city. This weekend (8-9 August), they’re doing it again and it’s sure to be a stunning affair.

• Go on a £10/$10 treasure hunt
  Hit a charity shop, flea market, antiques store, vintage shop or second-hand bookshop and see what genuinely excellent thing you can find within this strict budget. &, If you’re feeling particularly generous, gift what you find to a loved one - especially if their birthday isn’t for months. It’ll make their day.

Check out July’s playlist here.

• This absolutely spot on take:

• This clever new development designed to thwart AI:

• A genius way to pack

• These gorgeous pics of Josephine Baker having the most fantastic time in France:

• The comments on this video made me laugh ‘til I cried.

That’s all for this issue. Have a fabulous weekend! I’ll be celebrating Manchester Carnival tomorrow so let’s pray the weather is decent, shall we!

With love,

xK