The cold snaps are still snapping, so snuggle up on that couch and settle in for Friday night movies every Friday at 20:00 on M-Net channel 101. From tearjerkers to spine tinglers, there’s something for everyone this August.
The Miracle Club
Friday 2 August
You know how you get those actors who are so brilliant, you’d say about them, “I could watch them read the back of a cereal box and be fascinated”? Maggie Smith is one of those actors. But this heartwarming film is more than just Maggie (although she’s more than enough). It follows a group of women who go on a pilgrimage from Dublin to the sacred French town of Lourdes, finding faith, forgiveness, heartbreak, and healing along the way. The superb cast also includes Laura Linney and Kathy Bates.
May December
Friday 9 August
Ok, we’d watch this for Charles Melton alone 🤤; but this film also has the fabulous pairing of Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. And Melton is more than just eye candy, and this film proves it. May December follows a tough story about married couple Gracie and Joe whose controversial relationship started when she was 36 and he was 13. Moore and Melton play Gracie and Joe. With Gracie inspired by the real-life Mary Kay Letourneau, and Portman taking on the role of Elizabeth, an actor set to play Gracie in a film, it’s all very meta. It’s directed by Todd Haynes, who has collaborated with Moore four times before: for Safe, Far from Heaven, I’m Not There, and Wonderstruck.
Joika
Friday 16 August
Ballet looks beautiful and graceful onstage, but behind the scenes it’s a whole different story. Not only is it a physically and mentally gruelling world, but an elite one. Joika delves into this world, taking its inspiration from the true story of Joy Womack, one of the few Americans to be accepted by the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow.
Cat Person
Friday 23 August
This one’s for fans of psychological thrillers. Based on a short story by Kristen Roupenian, her story was published in The New Yorker before going viral online. It’s about a college student who goes on a date with an older man, and while its beginning is very “meet-cute”, it quickly spirals into a place that’s very dark but very relevant to the oft-horrid realities of contemporary dating.
Past Lives
Friday 30 August
This film racked up praise and awards since its release last year. The writing, the directing, and the acting have all been applauded. Coming from the production company A24 – known for excellent films like Moonlight, Lady Bird, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and First Reformed – you know you’re in for something beautiful and thought-provoking. Written and directed by Celine Song, Past Lives tells the story of childhood friends Nora and Hae Sung, who are separated after Nora's family emigrates from South Korea … and are then reunited decades later. If you ever watched and loved Before Sunrise (and its sequels) with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, you’ll want to give Past Lives a try.
Which Friday movie are you looking forward to watching? Join the conversation on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok using #FridayNightMovie and #MNet101.