Latest news with #Jumanji
Scottish Sun
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Top six UK theme parks you can easily reach by train this summer – and how to find the cheapest family fares
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A DAY trip to a theme park is part of what makes up the summer holidays for most families. So Trainline has revealed where you can find the top six amusement parks whether you're looking for big rollercoasters or small thrills - and they're all easily accessible on train. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 There are plenty of theme parks around the UK that are easily reached by trains Credit: Alamy 8 Chessington World of Adventures is less than 15 minutes away from the station Credit: Alamy First up is Chessington World of Adventures which is just outside of London in Chessington. The park has it all, over 40 rides, a zoo and SEA LIFE centre. Some of the best rides include the Barrel Bail Out, as long as you're not standing nearby, because the aim of the game is to soak bystanders. It's also home to Mandrill Mayhem the largest rollercoaster and themed around Jumanji. Travel Editor (Digital) Caroline McGuire visited the theme park to try out the Jumanji rollercoaster when it first opened - and here's her verdict. You can get to the theme park by getting the train to Chessington South then walking 14 minutes to the main entrance. The second theme park is Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Lancashire. Earlier this year, it was named the best family-owned theme park in the country by Blooloop. Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort first opened in 1896, and has been kept in the family since it opened. Blackpool Pleasure Beach has 38 rides, 10 rollercoasters and five water rides. I was one of the first to try Blackpool Pleasure Beache's 'new' ride 8 Trainline also have top tips on how to save money on tickets Credit: Alamy 8 Adventure Island is accessible from Southend train station Credit: Alamy Some of the most popular include The Big One, Icon, Valhalla, and the Grand National. The park also has Nickelodeon Land with rides for younger visitors. To get to park, take the train to the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Station, then a five minute walk. Adventure Island is a firm favourite with families because of its free entry policy – you only pay for the rides you go on. The colourful theme park is right on Southend's seafront and has over 40 rides and attractions. You can go start slow with the spinning teacups or get hit the big rides like the Gerstlauer Eurofighter that has a vertical drop and loop. The park also has arcades, a sea-view café strip, and a small aquarium. To get there, take a train to Southend Central, then it's a 10-minute walk to the park gates. 8 Head to this theme park in Kent to play with diggers all day Credit: Alamy Diggerland in Kent isn't everyone's cup of tea, but for digger fans, it's a dreamworld. Here, kids can operate real JCBs, ride on dump trucks, and dig holes with their digger of choice. There are hands-on driving experiences too like go-karting, and there's a soft play on-site. Pre-booked tickets to Diggerland cost £25.95pp plus a £4 booking fee - or £38pp on the day. Take the train to Strood, then take a 15-minute walk to the Diggerland entrance. 8 Dreamland is full of vintage rides - and a new log flume Credit: Alamy For fans of retro, head to Dreamland in Margate - otherwise known as the UK's trendiest seaside town. The beachside amusement park is full of restored vintage rides, a roller disco, summer concerts and art shows. It's where you'll find the UK's oldest wooden rollercoaster, the Scenic Railway which first opened in 1920. In July 2025, Dreamland opened its first ride in 25 years - a log flume water ride called Wild River. The new ride has two "high-thrill" drops with both a 50ft plunge and 30ft plunge along the way. It also has nearby water guns that guests can use to spray riders as they go past, with coin-operated pistols. Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey took a trip to Dreamland to try out some of its best attractions. To get there by train, take one to Margate, then it's just a four-minute walk to the Dreamland entrance - it's across the road from the beach. 8 Barry Island Pleasure Park is less than five minutes from the train station Credit: Alamy Of course, we cannot forget about Barry Island Pleasure Park. The classic British fairground is right by the beach, and recognisable to fans of the BBC series Gavin and Stacey. It has the classic dodgems and ghost trains as well as helter-skelters and candy floss stands. It's the best of both worlds really as once you're dizzy from the rides, head down to the golden sands of Barry Beach for an ice cream. To get there, take a train to Barry Island, then follow signs to the seafront which is less than five minutes on foot. Trainline's Top Tips On How To Save This Summer For any families taking the train this summer, follow these handy tips to save on tickets... Save with Railcards : Get discounts on off-peak fares using digital Railcards. Families can make big savings by using a Family & Friends Railcard, which gives 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off kids' tickets. Other options like the 16–25 Railcard or Two Together Railcard are perfect for friends or couples planning a fun park day out. : Get discounts on off-peak fares using digital Railcards. Families can make big savings by using a Family & Friends Railcard, which gives 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off kids' tickets. Other options like the 16–25 Railcard or Two Together Railcard are perfect for friends or couples planning a fun park day out. GroupSave perks : If you are travelling in a group of 3–9 you can save up to 1/3 on tickets when you book together. One person just needs to book for the whole group to unlock GroupSave - for eligible journeys a pop-up message in the Trainline app will prompt you to 'Apply discount' . : If you are travelling in a group of 3–9 you can save up to 1/3 on tickets when you book together. One person just needs to book for the whole group to unlock GroupSave - for eligible journeys a pop-up message in the Trainline app will prompt you to 'Apply discount' . Save with Advance Fares: Many long-distance routes to theme parks – especially popular ones like Southend, Blackpool or Margate – offer Advance train tickets that can be significantly cheaper than buying on the day. Book early for the best prices, especially during summer weekends or school holidays when demand can be higher.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Is Your Hobby Worth Anything? No? Find Something Else
'My hobbies are reading, watching movies, and playing with my dogs,' I wrote proudly in my friend's purple and pink butterfly-themed slambook in sixth grade. No one, as far as I can remember, questioned the value of my habits at the time. But if I do the same now, there will be a barrage of questions: which directors do I enjoy for their transcendental cinema? Which authors do I admire for their portrayals of the travesty that is the disease called humanity? Are the dogs of non-breeder origin adding to the collective moral value of the dogverse? When did hobbies become an intellectual contest among peers? Why can humans, bred and raised on social media, not simply enjoy and be and, as my good friend says, 'pluck grass in a green field with not a thought to spare'? Intellectual Jostling Like everything else we find wrong with society at large, let's blame this on social media. Lately, I have witnessed a trend on social media where people are competing to prove how intellectual they can be with their hobbies. And hey, I am from the media - proving you are more intellectual than the next is our survival mechanism, so no disrespect there. But do my hobbies - an activity Oxford Dictionary defines as 'an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure' - have to prove I am a productive and intellectual being? My pleasure centres do not have to align with my intellectual centres, no thanks. But we are enslaved to the algorithm, and then the algorithm shows us our peers deeply engrossed in a film made exclusively for Mubi - you can never find a print of it elsewhere. And then we are scrolling these feeds on our phones with Netflix running in the background like a plebeian. And why do you have Netflix in the first place? Mubi or theatre. Anything else is a betrayal to the art called cinema and the hobbyist called 'cinephile'. The same group - the ones playing the Intellectual Olympics - look down on genre readers and watchers. 'You are reading science fiction when you could be reading the biography of Einstein? What. A. Loser.' If you watch comedy, pick a dark, thought-provoking comedy over a silly thing like Jumanji made for children. Oh yes. The ego Olympics of being more intellectual at a hobby, while definitely amplified on social media, is starkly visible in real-life tweets well. Heard of Alpha Males in the manosphere who outdo one another in being the worst? We have Alpha cinephiles and readers as well. They can recite the entire Mubi catalog and their bookshelf is filled with history, non-fiction, and only the Literary 'Greats'. While none of these things are 'wrong', they do become a tool to flex the intellectual muscles on social media about these being the superior way to perform a hobby. Yes, perform. Not enjoy. And never indulge. And you are nothing but Beta if you are caught with a Dan Brown on your bookshelf or a David Dhawan blockbuster in your 'previously watched' list. Because at the end of the day, under our current economic and social structure, productivity reigns supreme, and so our hobbies - like the radical Marxist idea - can never be 'just leisure'. Leisure is the enemy of productivity. And if you are not productive for even one hour of one day, you have failed as a functional human in a civilised society. And this is because we are taught under capitalism that no moment of our lives can be non-productive. Hence, even things that give us joy have to enhance us in some moral or intellectual design or be useful in a way where we can brag to our friends and social media followers. Funny how the same people don't find doomscrolling unproductive to the extent they chastise someone watching a David Dhawan film. Monetisation On, Relaxation Off A big selling point of having a hobby in the first place is to relax, to get a respite from the gruelling world, to engage parts of the brain elsewise suppressed in the productive juices of 'hustle' and 'grind'. But the grind must continue, as all the 'finfluencers' and life coaches will tell you. So, on the polar opposite end of leisure and in line with making hobbies productive, you are left with no option but to monetise your hobbies. There are many resources online that help you upskill your hobby. While this can be a great thing, you are not doing it to be better at a thing you enjoy for leisure, but to monetise it and use social media to make meaning out of the hobby. Meaning, value, or purpose are now supposed to be an integral part of your hobbies. Reading a book because it's a great thriller? And you enjoy it? But what did you gain from those hours indulging in this frivolous book when you could have gained a right to be intellectually superior to your peers at dinner parties? More importantly, why paint a subpar image of your dog when you can upskill on Skillshare and then sell that art on Instagram? After all, if there is no monetary benefit to a hobby you inculcated in you for leisure, why even indulge? So be productive and monetise. Or be productive by becoming intellectually superior to your peers. Burn those vampire fictions and unsubscribe to Netflix.
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
13 things to do in Hamilton this weekend
The city continues to buzz with events this weekend. Several highly-anticipated festivals are back, including Art Crawl and the Because Beer and Hamilton Food Truck festivals. There will be a mix of sun and cloud, with Environment Canada forecasting temperatures in the high 20s. There is also a chance of rain on Saturday night and Sunday. Down with Webster (Friday) and the Sheepdogs (Saturday) headline the Because Beer craft beer festival at Pier 4 Park ( 64 Leander Dr. ). Advance single-day tickets are $67.15 and advance weekend tickets are $111.38, both including fees and taxes. Visit for more. Gage Park ( 1000 Main St. E. ) will soon be the scene of another free summer festival featuring meals from 30 food trucks, children's games, tribute bands, cold beer and eating challenges. It runs Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. For more information, check out . James Street North will be filled with vendors and performances on Friday. Galleries, shops and restaurants will be open late. The festival closes James Street North between York Boulevard and Murray Street . Done shopping? Park Crawl is at Gore Park ( 1 Hughson St. S. ) from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, with a screening of 'Jumanji' at 9:30 p.m., as well as John Rebecca Park ( 76 John St. N. ), where there is a children's entertainment hub from 4 to 8 p.m. See for details. The Germania Club ( 863 King St. E. ) hosts Hamilton Pro Wrestling Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $22.63, including fees and taxes, on Eventbrite . Find out more at . Ooey Gooey's ( 107 George St. ) presents the Something Strange Sideshow on Saturday from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Doors open at 7:45 p.m. The opening act is magician and 'unusualist' Poppa Jimbo. The show also features 'pain-proof people,' sword swallowers, fortune tellers, mind readers and an oddities market. Tickets are $24.76 on Eventbrite . The fourth annual Flamborough Book Fair and Outdoor Crafters Market is Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. at West Avenue Cider House ( 84 Concession Rd. 8 E. ). Meet Canadian authors and publishers, shop from vendors and taste cider. From 1 to 3 p.m., there will be a meet and greet and photo opportunities with Elsa from 'Frozen' and Superman. Explore the interactive children's space 'Sophia's Garden' at Dundurn Castle ( 610 York Blvd. ) on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3:30 p.m. The pop-up is inspired by excerpts from 'The Diary of Sophia MacNab,' in which Sophia describes playing in the kitchen garden, where the family grew fruits and vegetables. Families can explore plants, animals and insects and participate in hands-on activities. Visit for more. Historian Robin McKee is hosting a free, two-hour walking tour on Saturday at 11 a.m., commencing at the Hamilton Cemetery gatehouse ( 777 York Blvd. ). The week's theme is Art Crawl. More information at . The Hamilton Tiger-Cats host the Ottawa Redblacks in Canadian Football League action at Hamilton Stadium ( 64 Melrose Ave. N. ) Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $31.07, including fees and taxes. Get them at . The Hamilton Cardinals face the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers in an Intercounty Baseball League game at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium ( 1100 Mohawk Rd. E. ) Friday at 7:35 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $13.56, including fees and taxes, at . Calling all romance readers and writers. The Hamilton Public Library is hosting the first Steel Town Love festival at the central branch ( 55 York Blvd. ) on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Author Farah Heron leads a writing workshop at 11 a.m. before chatting with writer, author and teacher Uzma Jalaluddin at 1 p.m. Then, authors Jackie Lau, Kate Robb and Ellie K. Wilde take part in a panel discussion at 2 p.m., with author signings at 3 p.m. Starting at 11 a.m., there is also a 'meet-cute' market on the first floor, craft stations in the fourth-floor Makerspace, a green screen and time to lounge in the Hamilton Farmers' Market. Visit for details. A man pushes a cart with his purchases along Beach Boulevard for the annual community garage sale. The event returns on Sunday. An opportunity for social fun and thrifty finds is back with the Beach Boulevard annual garage sale on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The sale has run for decades and commonly attracts hundreds of shoppers. The monthly FARTS comedy show, featuring Carly Anna Billings, Jody Boston, Kit Simmons and more, returns to the Staircase Theatre ( 27 Dundurn St. N. ) Saturday. The event takes place in the venue's The Bright Room, starting at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are $22.63 at . See for more. Cheyenne Bholla is a reporter at The Hamilton Spectator. cbholla@ Error! 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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Top 10 highest paid actors in the world feature only one woman; check out the list
List of highest-paid film actors in the world: Star power remains the backbone of the global film industry. Whether it's a billion-dollar franchise or a streaming-exclusive blockbuster, the actors fronting these projects often define their success, not just on screen, but at the box office and in brand boardrooms. Today's top actors are not just performers, they are business moguls, global influencers, and marketing giants whose earnings stretch far beyond traditional paychecks thanks to backend deals, endorsement empires, and their ability to draw crowds worldwide. From Hollywood heavyweights like Dwayne Johnson, whose Fast & Furious and Jumanji franchises have raked in billions, to India's very own Allu Arjun, who's reportedly commanding up to Rs 300 crore for the Pushpa phenomenon, star salaries are climbing to unprecedented heights. Even on a global scale, the dynamics are shifting: Scarlett Johansson has now become the highest-grossing Hollywood actor ever, overtaking Marvel co-stars like Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr., following the massive success of Jurassic World Rebirth. So, who's topping the charts when it comes to raw earnings in 2024? Here's a closer look at the top 10 highest paid actors in the world right now. Source: Forbes A post shared by Les Déferlantes Sud de France 2025 (@lesdeferlantessuddefrance) Will Smith made a strong return with Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which crossed $1 billion worldwide. The film alone earned him $26 million, pushing his annual total to $30 million. The Oscar winner also profits from brand partnerships with Adobe, Insta360, and others, along with his work as a producer and entrepreneur. A post shared by The Tonight Show (BTS) (@fallontonightbts) Sandler continued his run with Netflix, starring in titles like Spaceman and prepping Happy Gilmore 2. He pulled in $35 million this year, thanks to both new content and enduring popularity of his classics. Sandler also appears in campaigns for Pepsi, Subway, and several gaming brands. A post shared by Nicole Kidman (@nicolekidman) The only woman on the list, Nicole Kidman tops all actresses with $41 million in gross earnings. She starred in hit series across Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount+, earning over $1 million per episode. She also headlined two romantic dramas – A Family Affair and Babygirl –and remains active as a producer and voice actor. Clooney reportedly earned $31 million for Apple's Wolfs, though some sources claim his fee neared $35 million. Known for his selective approach, Clooney typically signs on to a few high-profile, big-budget productions where he can negotiate premium deals, solidifying his status as one of the industry's top-earning and most bankable stars. Pitt earned a solid $42 million in 2024, driven largely by Wolfs and the highly anticipated F1 film, which released to massive fanfare in 2025. In addition to acting, Pitt's production company, Plan B, continued to back both commercial hits and award-season favourites, keeping him firmly in the industry spotlight. Off-screen, with lucrative endorsement deals from luxury and lifestyle giants like Chanel, Brioni, Heineken, and De'Longhi contributing significantly to his earnings. A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman) Jackman's return as Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine earned him a reported $50 million—his highest payday yet. This blockbuster reunion with Ryan Reynolds not only thrilled fans but also significantly boosted Jackman's position among the highest-paid actors globally. Beyond the screen, Jackman continues to diversify his portfolio: he's an established Broadway performer, a film producer, and a savvy businessman. His brand associations with Montblanc, R.M. Williams, and Micromax, alongside investments in stage musicals, reflect his wide-ranging creative and commercial pursuits that go far beyond traditional Hollywood stardom. A post shared by The Tonight Show (@fallontonight) Seinfeld brought in $70 million over the past year, thanks largely to the enduring success of Seinfeld reruns. Beyond television, he remains a sought-after stand-up comedian, regularly performing live. He also ventured into filmmaking with Unfrosted on Netflix, which he directed and starred in. At 70, Seinfeld's commercial appeal shows no signs of slowing down. A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) Hart earned a staggering $108 million, placing him among the top-earning actors globally. Known for his dynamic presence as a comedian, TV producer, and voice actor, Hart headlined several major projects across streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Roku. Beyond acting, he remained active in the stand-up comedy circuit, hosted popular podcasts, and served as the face of major brand campaigns for companies such as DraftKings and Chase. A post shared by Ryan Reynolds (@vancityreynolds) Reynolds brought in an impressive $100 million from Deadpool & Wolverine, where he was actor, producer, and co-writer. His creative imprint extended beyond the screen through his marketing company, Maximum Effort, which played a key role in the film's marketing success and contributed to its billion-dollar box office run. Reynolds also remained highly visible thanks to his work on Hulu projects and the film IF, directed by John Krasinski. Off-screen, he's proven to be a sharp entrepreneur, holding stakes in high-profile ventures like Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile, and his own marketing agency, all of which have boosted both his financial standing and his brand power. A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock) Dwayne Johnson leads the pack as the highest-paid actor in the world in 2024, with earnings soaring to $103 million. A former professional wrestler and football player-turned global superstar, Johnson has built an empire that extends far beyond the screen. His massive payday includes a record-breaking $50 million deal for Red One, the highest known amount ever paid for a streaming film, along with lucrative backend earnings from Moana 2, which surpassed the $1 billion mark globally. With a staggering 393 million followers on Instagram, he's a marketing powerhouse, helping fuel partnerships with major brands like Under Armour (Project Rock), Ford, Apple, Voss Water, and ZOA Energy, an energy drink company he co-founded.
Buzz Feed
08-07-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
26 Products That Helped Reviewers Transform Their Gardening Skills (and We Have The Pics To Prove It)
A standing weeder (without the chemicals!) to help improve your view of your yard. You're not the only one who has trouble enjoying weed-filled scenery. And hey, while you're weeding with this, there's no bending over! Your back will thank you. And a crack weeder tool that'll go where the larger weeder (and your hands!) can't. A dog spot repair if your puppy has a favorite pee spot and it shows... This stuff will get new grass growin' in no time so you can get back to hosting BBQs. A pack of four plant supporters can perk up any slumped plants right back up while blending in enough so they don't look super obvious. A Hori Hori Japanese weeding knife made of stainless steel with measurement markings on the blade to make sure that you're going as deep as you need. (That'll especially come in handy for planting stuff in the ground you want there.) A pack of Miracle-Gro water-storing crystals that'll help you get your watering levels juuuuust right so you don't over- or underwater your plants. All you have to do is mix in said crystals with your regular soil and they'll absorb water and hydrate your soil as needed. A variety of sunflower seeds that might just turn your backyard into the #1 destination for pics this year. And a pack of wildflower seeds can help transform empty spots in your garden beds and yard without having to map out which kind of plant goes where. It includes 30,000+ seeds total with 23 varieties to help you fill in some gardening gaps. Some colorful flower pots with draining holes and hooks so the plants inside can ~thrive~ while they sit there looking pretty. (Don't worry, artificial flowers will thrive in there too.) Cloning paste for orchids and other houseplants that you're about ready to declutter. Apply its lanolin and vitamin-rich formula to nodes to encourage new growth, which both you and your plant deserve. Sticky plant traps in case acquiring some new indoor plants also came with a bunch of gross gnats. It happens! But you can also deal with it. Scotts Green Max Lawn Food, which is really just fancy talk for fertilizer, plus 5% iron for a faster greener process. If your yard is looking a little more yellow and brown than green as of late, this is worth a try. A pair of stainless-steel gardening shears that'll help you get in there with precision for all kinds of tasks like harvesting a few tomatoes while keeping the stem intact, deadheading daylilies, trimming zucchini plants, and even cutting through THICK stalks. But they're super lightweight! Or some Fiskars long-handled loppers to help you reach and trim overgrown stuff so your backyard gets back to looking like a garden instead of a jungle in Jumanji. A pack of reusable Velcro garden ties can help your tomato plants (and tons of other plants) out of their sophomore slump. They'll help you attach stems to cages, trellises, stakes, and other structures without causing any damage. And they're adjustable so you can make adjustments as your plants grow. A wooden wall-mounted trellis here to support your growing climbing plants or hanging planters. If your backyard doesn't have as much space for foliage, this is a great way to get in some more greenery out of basically thin air. A pack of the 20 most popular vegetable seeds that'll help you make good on the threat that you're going to start growing your own after getting grocery store sticker shock. A seed and seedling spacer tool with color coding can do all the math you need to space out your seeds for success. All you do is press it in the soil, poke holes with the dibbler, and then plant your seeds. A soaker hose to help you *evenly* water your garden beds for barely any effort. Joyful Dirt organic concentrated plant food and fertilizer you can mix in with your water or sprinkle directly onto your plant's soil to help give your lil' plants an energizing dose to grow their biggest and brightest. Everybody needs a little help sometimes, including your plants! A pack of three rolling plant caddies that'll help you scoot your plant babies around as needed, like making sure your geranium doesn't get swamped in a summer downpour. Each of these bad boys can hold up to 80 pounds! A cordless grass trimmer can let you touch up little parts of your garden and places where your regular lawnmower can't go, like around pavers and garden features. A little trim can make quite the impact! Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food to help cover your outdoor *and* indoor plant food bases so all the work you've lovingly put into your greenery will pay off beautifully. Fabric grow bags with handles so you'll easily move around your growing darlings as needed without them toppling over or you losing any precious soil. The non-woven fabric lets your plants breathe and prevents overwatering and circling root structures. Plus, they're reusable! Or some Miracle-Gro tree and shrub plant food spikes in case you need a little more muscle for the bigger garden features. They also come in a fruit and citrus version in case you're lucky enough to have an orange tree that's seen better days. Liquid Fence deer and rabbit repellent can help deter local (though cute) pests from snacking on your gorgeous plant beds. It basically just makes all the stuff you spray it on smell really gross to them.
