Latest news with #nostalgia
CTV News
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Cape Breton Drive-In celebrates 50th anniversary
A throwback to a different era, the Cape Breton Drive-In hasn't changed much since the day it showed its first movie on the big outdoor screen. 'It was July 10, 1975 when we opened,' said Lindsay McKinnon, the drive-in's new managing owner. The drive-in theatre – located along Grand Lake Road in Sydney, N.S. – recently marked its 50th anniversary. 'I think it's a testament to this community's love for drive-in theatres and the nostalgia that comes with that,' McKinnon said of the milestone. Over the years, the drive-in has managed to keep a lot of its classic charm, offering a different experience from streaming a movie at home or seeing one in a standard theatre. 'You don't have to worry about the other audience members on their cell phones or talking or kicking your seat, and if you're the kind of person who's doing those things you don't have to worry about anyone complaining,' said McKinnon with a laugh. The Cape Breton Drive-In Theatre Lindsay McKinnon, the managing owner of The Cape Breton Drive-In Theatre, is pictured on July 15, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Ryan MacDonald) The past 50 years have included some challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and a few prolonged closures in the years leading up to it. However, MacKinnon says, in this day and age of video streaming, there appears to be a rejuvenated interest in the drive-in experience. 'I think there are somewhere in the vicinity of 50 drive-in theatres still in Canada, there are only two here in Nova Scotia,' McKinnon said. As for what's next at the Cape Breton Drive-in, McKinnon says plans include expanding their canteen menu. She also hopes to offer food delivery to vehicles in the not too distant future. McKinnon adds the cost for a snack and admission for a carload will remain a bit of a throwback, too. 'I mean, I'm not going to say we have 1975 pricing, but we definitely don't have 2025 pricing,' she said. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Mix Tape: A blissful wallow in the nostalgic afterglow of innocent young love
Mix Tape (BBC2) Funny thing — until the advent of the Pill in the 1960s, most young women married their first serious boyfriend. That's why, this year, a good many couples will be celebrating diamond or even platinum wedding anniversaries. But a lifetime later, it's almost shocking for teenagers to marry. Yet the idea of First Love is still hugely romantic... and, thanks to social media, countless people are getting back together with the schooldays crush with whom they shared their first kiss or first dance. The comedian Katherine Ryan, for instance, dated her husband, Bobby Kootstra, at school in Canada, until he dumped her on prom night. Decades later, they met again and now have two children together, and is pregnant with her third. Mix Tape wallows blissfully in the nostalgic afterglow of a teenage love affair. Jim Sturgess and Teresa Palmer play former sweethearts Daniel and Alison, who shared a heartbreakingly chaste passion for each other in school at the end of the 1980s but have long since drifted apart. Both are married, both are parents of teenagers, both are writers — but while he's a struggling music journalist still living in Sheffield, she's a bestselling novelist with a millionaire's penthouse in Sydney, Australia. A sense of missed opportunities and disappointment pervades their lives, though neither of them wants to acknowledge it. Daniel's wife is smugly satisfied that her career is so much more successful than his. Alison's husband is arrogant and overbearing, even controlling. Any bitterness in the story is offset by the flashbacks to schooldays, drenched in the music of the era. The pair first meet at a party where The Stone Roses are shaking the walls, and in a series of shy, touching scenes, they bond over a shared obsession with the wistful songs of Nick Drake and The Velvet Underground. He (Rory Walton-Smith) makes her a cassette of his favourite tracks and slips it into her bag. She (Florence Hunt) compiles her own tape and leaves it in his locker. Many years later, she smiles distantly and tells her daughter, 'You never forget the boy who makes you your first mix tape.' All nostalgia has a flattering soft-focus filter, of course. In reality, their C90s wouldn't only feature cool bands like The Smiths, The Jesus And Mary Chain and New Order. There'd be some U2 on there, some Billy Joel, possibly something truly embarrassing like Bananarama. But the whole point of the past is that we can remember it the way it should have been, not how it really was. This four-part series, based on the acclaimed novel by Jane Sanderson, evokes a Yorkshire that perhaps had already vanished by 1989, where men in back-to-back terraces kept pigeons and supped from Thermos flasks while fishing in the canal. But we believe in it, because of the guileless innocence of the young actors playing Daniel and Alison. It's all so pure, it must be true. Meanwhile elsewhere on TV, Dan from Durham, a contestant on The Great British Sewing Bee (BBC1), revealed his talent for fire-breathing. One burp, presenter Sara Pascoe warned, and an outfit could go up in flames. The show has had drag acts before, but never dragons.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
TV tonight: our highlights for Tuesday, July 15, including Mix Tape
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Here's our TV tonight picks for Tuesday, July 15 (for more information about what's on TV, see our TV Guide)... The tale of two teenage sweethearts reconnecting decades later is hardly new ground in the world of drama, yet this four-part tale portrays the excitement and intensity of those moments better than most. Told across two timelines – 1989 and 2015 – the story follows Alison (Florence Hunt / Teresa Palmer) and Daniel (Rory Walton-Smith / Jim Sturgess) as they fall for each other, only to be parted in traumatic circumstances, before getting a second chance as middle age beckons. Complete with a superb soundtrack of 1980s hits, it's a thoughtful story about the intoxicating nature of nostalgia. Continues tomorrow. Sara Pascoe hosts as the reality competition returns with 12 new contestants – a scientist, a bus driver and a lecturer among them. Patrick Grant and Esme Young are also back at the mill as the sewers tackle themes including Design Icons, Korea and the Roaring 20s. But tonight in The Sewing Bee 2025, it's all about Shape. Things begin with a difficult Pattern challenge that involves creating a tie-front blouse, while the Transformation sees the reshaping of circle skirts. Finally, someone comes undone in the Made to Measure, which tests pleating skills, and will face finishing. Countryfile pals JB Gill, Jules Hudson and Helen Skelton swap farming for an adventure around the British coastline. Tonight, while JB is in sunny Kent and Jules on Devon's Jurassic Coast, Helen finds herself in a chilly and windy Redcar in North Yorkshire. Luckily, however, she has the perfect conditions to try out land yachting, while she also gets to warm up in the UK's deepest mine where the temperature 1,100m below the sea is a balmy 35C. Meanwhile, JB hunts for leeches and Jules sets sail on a traditional Salcombe yawl. Another chance to see Si King and Dave Myers' final series, filmed in 2023 when Dave was having cancer treatment. His zest for life was so palpable that when he died as the series aired last year, it came as a huge shock to the Bikers' legion of fans. Over seven episodes, the pair travel down the west coast of the UK, starting on the Isle of Bute, trying local food and meeting the producers. It's a poignant watch and it's fitting that the two great friends' parting words at the end of the series are simply "Love you" and "Love you, too". Tonight's repeat visit to the county of Midsomer is during the Scarecrow Festival, when the body of a store owner is found in a shop window. Jessica Ellerby, real-life wife of actor Nick Hendrix (DS Winter), guest stars.
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Iconic British toy chain reveals top 100 toys of all time including retro classics – did your favourite make the list?
AN ICONIC toy chain has revealed a list of the top 100 toys of all time, including some childhood classics. The team of buyers at Hamleys has rounded up its favourite games, dolls and more throughout history as it marks its 265th birthday. 6 Victoria Kay, head buyer at Hamleys, said: "Once you start looking at this (list), it turns rapidly into a nostalgia-fest – even for toys from four or five years ago." Classic toys such as Barbie dolls, first launched in 1959, made the top 100 list, as well as iconic card game UNO. LEGO Harry Potter, which first went on sale in 2018, also made Hamleys' list. Some nostalgic toys also featured, including space hoppers, which first launched in 1970, and Jenga. We reveal the top 100 list down below, but here are five standouts. Monopoly 6 A game which inevitably leads to debate and arguments among friends and family, Monopoly first launched in 1935. The true icon of board games, more than 113 local editions exist in countries across the world with it available in 46 languages. Since its launch almost a century ago, it is believed to have sold over 300million copies worldwide. You can currently pick up the classic Monopoly game from Smyths Toys for £14.99. A simple but endlessly enjoyable game, more than 150million sets of UNO have sold worldwide across 80 countries. Pokemon star dead at 71: Legendary voice actor James Carter Cathcart played string of fan-favourite characters in show The game, which you win by getting rid of all your cards, was first invented in 1971. A pack of UNO cards is on sale for £3.99 currently on Rubik's Cube 6 No list of top toys would be complete without the Rubik's Cube, of which more than 500million copies have been sold globally. Hamleys claims this makes it the biggest selling puzzle game of all time, after its launch in 1974. The current world record for solving a Rubik's Cube is held by Xuanyi Geng, who completed a 3x3x3 cube in just over three seconds. The Works is selling one on its website for £3. Nintendo Game Boy Three Nintendo consoles made it onto Hamleys' top 100 list, including the 1989 Game Boy. The first of its kind, the Game Boy line went on to become a cultural icon of the 1990s and 2000s. An original 1989 device is currently on sale for £75 on CeX's website. They have been known to sell for as much as £620 in the past though, while other retro computer games have gone for up to £1.5million. Barbie 6 An undoubted staple in many children's lives growing up, the first Barbie doll launched in 1959. Since then, one billion of the dolls, made by Mattel, are thought to have been sold worldwide. So famous is the toy, a feature-length film was released in 2023 chronicling about the character. Shoppers can currently buy a Barbie Fashionista doll on The Entertainer's website for £7. Sell a vintage model and you could end up getting nearly £1,000 though, according to one expert. What else made the list? Other best-selling dolls made the list including Tiny Tears, Polly Pocket, My Little Pony and Bratz. Action figures such as Action Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Star Wars figurines also made the cut. Clackers from the 1960s featured - combining two balls attached to a piece of string that you can bang together to make a "clack" sound. Hamleys' top 100 list Lego Classic Bricks Monopoly Beanie Babies Polly Pocket My Little Pony UNO Rubik's Cube Tamagotchi Clackers Trivial Pursuit Slime Scooter Pogo Stick LUDO Subbuteo Transformers Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Operation Hungry Hippos Connect 4 Kaledeiscope Hatchimals Bratz Care Bearas Yo Yo Weebles Masters of the Universe Matchbox Cars Speak and Spell LeapPad Teletubby Doll Thunderbirds Tracy Island Power Rangers Pie Face Lite-Brite Nerf Blasters Sylvanian Families Battleships Nintendo Game Boy 1989 Stretch Armstrong Furby Hot Wheels Cars Troll Dols Play-Doh Pokemon Cards Slinky Cabbage Patch Kids Mr. Potato Head Tiny Tears Doll Mouse Trap Nintendo Wii View-Master Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot LOL Surprise Dolls Pogs Fingerlings Barbie Doll Simon LEGO Harry Potter Etch a Sketch Action Man Spirograph Glo Worm Nintendo Switch Hula Hoop Super Soaker Baby Alive Doll Tiddlywinks Fisher-Price Telephone Space Hoppers Plasticine Meccano Marbles Tammy Doll Skittles K'nex Walkie Talkies Boggle Rubik's Snake Playmobil Jenga Horny Trains Buckaroo Zapf Creation Dolls Top Trumps Scalextric Cluedo Spinning Tops Fuzzy Felt Space Invaders Hamley Bear Silly Putty Magic Markers Tonka Trucks Sindy Doll Wooden London Bus Rocking Horse Toy Soliders Snakes and Ladders Boglins Pokemon cards and Top Trumps were also selected by the buying team at Hamleys. Meanwhile, Playstation and the Xbox also made an appearance. Victoria, head buyer, said there were a multitude of reasons why toys are so successful among shoppers. "They can be educational, encourage role play, drive imagination or problem-solving, they can bring comfort or develop hand-eye coordination – there can be so many factors in creating immersiveness. 'You can never underestimate the power of togetherness created around some of the big-sellers – those toys that bring people of all ages together – get families around a table talking, playing, challenging, maybe even cheating. 'We also mustn't forget that simplicity is often key – the joy of cuddling a doll or storytelling with an action figure or a superfast Hot Wheel car. "Combined with a good dose of jeopardy and you have something truly memorable." .
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
From Tammy to Tamagotchi: Hamleys releases list of 100 top toys of all time
It's a list that will take you back to your childhood, whenever that was: train sets, Tonka Trucks, Top Trumps and Tamagotchis have all been named among the top 100 toys of all time. Drawn up by buyers at the retailer Hamleys to mark its 265th anniversary, the selection includes both hardy perennials and passing playground crazes, all of which have appeared on the toy shop's shelves, and children's Christmas lists, over that time. About a fifth of the picks are dolls and action figures – Sindy, launched in 1963, and Barbie, from 1959, have aged well, while the Tammy doll is no longer with us. The category continues to grow, with the global doll market worth a reported £9.8bn last year. Among the classic toys on the list are hula hoops and marbles, which were some of the first toys sold by Hamleys when it opened its original shop in London in 1760. The game of marbles dates back thousands of years, and they are known to have been made commercially since the 1840s. Recent years have seen electronic toys grow in popularity and the list traces the trend from some of the earliest versions, including the first Scalextric in 1957, to 2017's Nintendo Switch, via the Speak and Spell and the memory game Simon, both from 1978. Some of the toys on the list burned fast and bright – becoming must-haves before falling out of fashion. Thunderbird Tracy Island flew off the shelves so quickly that Blue Peter taught disappointed children how to make their own. And the list would not have been complete without sets from Lego – currently the biggest toy maker in the world – or the Rubik's Cube. More than 500m cubes have been sold since it launched in 1974, making it the biggest-selling puzzle game of all time. Victoria Kay, head buyer at Hamleys and chair of the panel that created the list, said her favourites included the Sindy doll. 'I also adored Glo Worm, even though I was maybe a bit old for it, and Simon felt like properly cutting-edge, advanced technology when it came out – it was literally the soundtrack of Christmas in the 80s,' she said. Kay said a toy could have many purposes, including education, problem solving or offering comfort, and that some of the big-selling games also brought together people of all ages. Simplicity combined 'with a good dose of jeopardy and you have something truly memorable – think Operation or KerPlunk, Jenga or Buckaroo – they are so simple. I used to panic trying to balance the boot in Mousetrap and be terrified of the noise Operation would make when I got it wrong or just burst with panicky laughter when the Jenga tower finally wobbled and collapsed. Toys like that will last forever,' she said. Despite reporting profits for 2024, Hamleys recently closed 29 shops.
