Home > Culture > Life > The Monthly Hot List – August 2022

Film & TV

Bullet Train – Cinemas nationwide (3rd August)
Bullet Train – Cinemas nationwide (3rd August)

Bullet Train is going to be the action smash hit film of the summer starring Brad Pitt (as gorgeous as ever), Sandra Bullock and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. “In Bullet Train, Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world’s fastest train. The end of the line is just the beginning of this non-stop thrill ride through modern-day Japan!”

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House of the Dragon – Sky Atlantic and NOW (22nd August)
House of the Dragon – Sky Atlantic and NOW (22nd August)

House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones and is based on George R.R. Martin’s ‘Fire and Blood’ series. It’s set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and tells the history of House Targaryen. If you loved Game of Thrones then you’ll love this! It’s the big blockbuster TV series of the summer and as you would expect, the new series looks epic. The scale is huge, the scenery stunning, the costumes magnificent and the acting superb!

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Books

Honey & Spice – Bolu Babalola
Honey & Spice – Bolu Babalola

Bolu Babalola is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Honey & Spice, her second book, is a witty romantic comedy that questions gender, sexuality, and dating. “The sharp-tongued (and secretly soft-hearted) Kiki Banjo is an expert in relationship evasion. As the host of the popular student radio show, Brown Sugar, it is her mission to make sure the women who make up the Afro-Caribbean Society at Whitewell University also do not fall into the mess of ‘situationships’, players and heartbreak. But when Kiki meets the distressingly handsome and charming newcomer Malakai Korede – who she has publicly denounced as ‘The Wasteman of Whitewell’ – her defences are weakened, and her heart is compromised. A clash embroils them in a fake relationship to salvage both their reputations and save their futures, and soon she finds herself in danger of falling for the very man she warned her girls about.”

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Lessons in Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus
Lessons in Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus

Lessons in Chemistry is a superb debut novel by Bonnie Garmus. It tells the story of an unconventional female scientist with a quiet game plan to change the world! “Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with – of all things – her mind. True chemistry results. But like science, life is unpredictable. This is why a few years later, Elizabeth Zott finds herself on a different path that dares to chnage the status quo’

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Podcasts

CBeebies Radio Podcast
CBeebies Radio Podcast

The summer holidays are now upon us and so we all need things to entertain the children. The Cbeebies Radio Podcast does a brilliant job at amusing the children, especially on long trips! “CBeebies Radio takes you to a world of sound and music, where you can share imaginative adventures and listen to stories with your favourite CBeebies friends and characters.”

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Slow Burn – Roe v Wade – Slate Podcasts
Slow Burn – Roe v Wade – Slate Podcasts

Slow Burn explores the history of abortion in America. It discusses what has happened since the landmark decision in the 1970s by the US Supreme Court to protect a pregnant woman’s right to choose an abortion without excessive government restriction – which the Supreme Court now plans to revoke in 2022. “Host Susan Matthews explores the path to Roe—a time when more Republicans than Democrats supported abortion rights. You’ll hear the forgotten story of the first woman ever to be convicted of manslaughter for having an abortion, the unlikely Catholic power couple who helped ignite the pro-life movement, and a rookie Supreme Court justice who got assigned the opinion of a lifetime.”

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Events

Festival of Sport – Holkham Park, Norfolk 12th-15th August 2022
Festival of Sport – Holkham Park, Norfolk 12th-15th August 2022

Festival of Sport is back for its second year at Holkham Park. It’s the ultimate family sports festival founded by former England rugby stars Will Greenwood and Austin Healey. “There’s entertainment, camping, competitions, and coaching from world-class sporting legends, all set within the stunning grounds of Holkham. Centred around a programme of core sports, the Festival of Sport at Holkham provides an amazing opportunity for kids to try new sports for the first time whilst also receiving expert coaching and learning new skills in the sports they love. Sports include rugby, hockey, cricket, football, gymnastics, netball, tennis, rowing, and athletics. There are also taster sessions for sports such as trampolining, boxing, archery, MMA, dodgeball, and many more.” It’s designed for all the family regardless of age or experience and promises to be a thoroughly fun-filled weekend.

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Camp Bestival – Weston Park, Shropshire 18th – 21st August 2022
Camp Bestival – Weston Park, Shropshire 18th – 21st August 2022

Camp Bestival in Dorset is absolutely awesome and so the team behind it have created a sister festival for even more family fun – Camp Bestival in Shropshire! There is so much family fun to be had: “Featuring truly enormous kids’ gardens your little ones will be utterly spoilt for choice. There are a host of thrilling activities and family fun from soft play and circus skills to bushcraft, the world’s biggest bouncy castle, and much more excitement for kids of all ages spread across the spacious grounds of Weston Park. Plus, there are kids’ shows and performances on the Main Stage and in the Big Top, daring antics and crafty delights to be had at Wild Tribe, and fairy-tale escapism in the Dingly Dell.”

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Camp Kindling – Seven Oaks, Kent    19th – 22nd August 2022
Camp Kindling – Seven Oaks, Kent 19th – 22nd August 2022

Set in a stunning first location, just 40 minutes on the train from London, camp kindling Caesar’s experience of a Family festival with an activity-packed summer camp, bringing all generations together in an immersive weekend of adventure, music, and life-affirming inspiration. Over three days, families take part in a choice of more than 100 pre-booked activities. Each activity is designed for the whole family to enjoy together, inspiring, and challenging campers of all ages. Activities ranging from Mountain Biking, Zorbing, Nerf Battles, Tree Climbing, and Survival Skills to Astronomy, Campfire, Bread Baking, Sand Art, and Yoga. And the fun doesn’t stop there! Every night, after dark, the Camp transforms into a magical forest festival where kids and their grown-ups can celebrate that day’s achievements by dancing to a line-up of more than 50 music acts.

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