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Articles by Sam Hopkins
COLUMN: Movie Review: Angel and the Badman earns two-star rating
Angel and the Badman (PG-13, 105 minutes) is a remake of the 1947 movie starring John Wayne. This time the badman is played by Zachery Levi. The angel is played by Meg Fraser. Tommy Lee Jones plays the sheriff. The story concerns a wounded outlaw who is rescued by a kindly Christian family. The badman is unaccustomed to good treatment. He is being hunted by three desperados as well as the sheriff. Because of his gracious welcome, the badman defends the family from an attack by three villains.
What is Geluxe? Active travel with better beds explained
If you love the thrill of an active adventure — hiking up lush mountain passes, cycling past ancient ruins, or paddling down clear rivers — but strictly draw the line at sleeping on a paper-thin mat, eating lukewarm canned beans, or sharing a hostel bathroom with six strangers, then you're in good company. Meet the Geluxe Collection, our premium active travel style designed specifically for people who want to push their boundaries by day and sink into exceptionally comfortable beds by night.
Movie Review: By Any Means Original
By Any Means (R, 107 minutes) means that the FBI used a former mafia hit man to assist an FBI field agent in Mississippi during some investigations of 1962 civil rights murder cases. Mark Wahlberg plays the unrestricted partner of the FBI agent played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. The script is based on some historical events, though the true details of what happened may never be fully known. Hollywood adds drama to its version of what might have happened.
18-to-Thirtysomethings travel diaries: Milly’s South American adventure
At 25, graphic designer Milly from Aotearoa, New Zealand, decided she wasn’t going to wait around for someone else to be ready to travel. After an unforgettable G Adventures trip through Southeast Asia, she joined 18-to-Thirtysomethings for a second adventure — this time through South America.
‘The End of Oak Street’ earns three-star rating Original
The End of Oak Street (PG-13, 100 minutes) takes you on a sci-fi time travel back to the age of Jurassic Park. A whole suburban neighborhood is sucked through a cosmic portal into a dinosaur habitat full of danger. Anne Hathaway has a husband and two children who suddenly have to dodge flesh eating monsters. Others in their neighborhood aren't so lucky. The family flees from place to place seeking shelter from the prehistoric manhunters. The humongous stalkers include a vicious T-Rex.
Wildlife in the Falkland Islands: where penguins rule the roost
If your idea of the ultimate wildlife destination involves overcrowded beaches where the locals don't care about personal space — because the locals happen to be hundreds of thousands of king penguins — then welcome to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). Tucked far away in the South Atlantic off South America, this windswept, treeless, and rugged archipelago is one of the planet's last true wilderness frontiers and home to only around 3,600 people.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day may be best iteration yet
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (pg-13, 145 minutes) is an easy to like movie, thereby making it a box office smash hit. The amazing thing is that Tom Holland who plays Spider-Man and Zendala who plays MJ are also starring together in The Odyssey that is appearing in movie theaters at the same time. In this feature, Spider-Man meets other Marvel Comics characters including the Hulk, the Punisher, the Black Widow and Jean Gray the telepath.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day may be best iteration yet
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (pg-13, 145 minutes) is an easy to like movie, thereby making it a box office smash hit. The amazing thing is that Tom Holland who plays Spider-Man and Zendala who plays MJ are also starring together in The Odyssey that is appearing in movie theaters at the same time. In this feature, Spider-Man meets other Marvel Comics characters including the Hulk, the Punisher, the Black Widow and Jean Gray the telepath.
The Odyssey: 8 locations where Nolan’s epic was filmed
Shot over a whopping 91 days, Christopher Nolan's critical and commercial behemoth The Odyssey lives up to more than its legendary namesake. But Matt Damon et al didn’t just have the one film studio in which to shoot. Famous for his love of practical effects over CGI and real locations, in true G Adventures fashion, Nolan and his cast and crew travelled all over the world to shoot their adaptation of Homer’s epic.
Seychelles travel guide: what to see and do in the 'Garden of Eden'
If you think the islands of the Indian Ocean are only for lounging at manicured five-star resorts, then... drum roll... our brand-new destination the Seychelles is here to shatter that illusion. While it certainly has its share of breathtaking shores, this isolated archipelago is a land where ancient nature is still very much alive.
Expect for ‘The Odyssey’ to earn awards
The Odyssey (R, 173 minutes) is a marvelous screen adaptation of Homer’s Greek epic poem about the 10 year long voyage home of the warrior Odysseus after the 10 year long Trojan War. Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, is the king of Ithaca and longs to be back with his wife Penelope, played by Anne Hathaway, and his son Telemachus, played by Tom Holland. In his absence, a band of suitors have gathered at his palace seeking to marry Penelope since they presume that Odysseus has been killed in the war.
MOVIE REVIEW: 'Minions and Monsters' earns three-star rating
Minions and Monsters (PG, 89 minutes) highlights the funniest cartoon characters in today’s movies, the minions. Their slapstick comedy and constant gibberish are enough to make you laugh out loud at their pratfalls and antics. This story traces the wreck shorn pathway through history caused by the minions as they sought to follow some evil leaders. Eventually one bad guy leads them to Hollywood where they become stars in the age of silent movies.
Canada's national parks: 12 incredible wild spaces to explore from coast to coast
From jagged, snow-capped mountains and turquoise lakes to windswept coastlines and ancient temperate rainforests, Canada’s national parks showcase some of the planet's most dramatic landscapes. While the recent Canada Day often inspires people to get outside and explore their own backyard, there is no better time to discover the active adventures waiting across this massive country.
Alcock's 'Supergirl' earns three-star entertainment rating
Supergirl (PG-13, 110 minutes) is a prequel of how Supergirl, played by Milly Alcock, decided to settle down on earth. As the story begins, she is celebrating her 23rd birthday by partying in the universe. Life in the bistros on other planets looks like the characters from a Star Wars film. The heroine is out to have a good time until brigands attack and wound her dog with a poison dart. The dog has only three days to live unless Supergirl can get the antidote away from the pirates.
Away Games: more than just matchday
Look, let's settle this right now. If you're reading this in the United States or Canada, you probably call it soccer. If you're reading this in the UK, Spain, or pretty much anywhere else in the world, it's football. Different name… same obsession. For more than 150 years, football (or soccer) has brought people together in ways few things can. The modern game officially kicked off in England in 1863, when a group of clubs met in London to agree on a standard set of rules.
Queer movie filming locations around the world well worth travelling for
Great films can change the way we see a place. Sometimes it's a mountain range. Sometimes it's a neighbourhood. Sometimes it's a city you've never considered visiting before. For decades, LGBTQ+ and queer cinema has told stories of love, identity, resistance, community, and self-discovery against the backdrop of some pretty extraordinary destinations.
Quietcations: 10 dreamy destinations for a digital detox
Nowadays, it’s very hard to switch off from your phone let alone Wi-Fi. But the rewards of a digital detox, ‘quietcations’ or ‘deadzoning’ — where access to phones, social media and work notifications are limited — are palpable.
MOVIE REVIEW: The Mandalorian and Grogu
The Mandalorian and Grogu (PG-13, 132 minutes) is a spinoff of the Star Wars movies. There was a Disney T.V. series for three years about the Mandalorian. In this story he works for the New Republic in hunting down former leaders of the evil Empire. The film’s actions are his battles with opposing warriors and deadly beasts. He conquers others like the John Wick of the universe. The Mandalorian has a young ward named Grogu who comes from the same species as did Yoda. He is cute and cuddly.
Mortal Kombat II play falls flat, earns two-star rating
Mortal Kombat II (R, 116) is the 12th movie of a fantasy film series that started in 1995 and is based on the violent Mortal Kombat video game. Karl Urban stars in this edition as an American actor who was once a martial arts champion. He is unexpectedly drawn into a cosmic win or die tournament to determine the fate of our world. He joins a team of competitors who have special powers. He wonders how he can compete as a mere mortal. The opposition is powerful and merciless.
Dominica travel guide: what to see and do on the 'Nature Island of the Caribbean'
If you think the Caribbean is all white sand and manicured five-star resorts, then... drum roll... our brand-new destination Dominica is here to shatter that illusion. Aptly-known as the ‘Nature Island’, this is a land where the earth is still very much alive. Conjuring up images of Jurassic Park, its place of roaring rivers — 365 in fact — prehistoric ferns, and towering volcanic peaks that disappear into the clouds.
Coastal bliss, sailing and glamour: 11 places to visit on the Amalfi Coast
There’s a reason that Italy’s famous Amalfi Coast is often called the Divina Costiera, or Divine Coast. After all, it’s a place where jagged limestone cliffs plunge vertically into a sea so blue that it looks like a painting, and where gravity-defying villages cling to the rocks like colourful barnacles. From the scent of heavy lemon blossoms in the air to the salt spray hitting your face as you sail past the glamorous island of Capri, it’s a destination really built for the senses.
From rescue to release: inside Naxos Wildlife Protection’s turtle conservation
Naxos Wildlife Protection is one of the impactful organisations supported through a collaboration between G Adventures and Planeterra, bringing conservation education directly to travellers. At the heart of this initiative is Sophia Lykouropoulou, who leads engaging, educational talks focused on wildlife rescue — especially sea turtles — for sailing groups visiting the region.
MOVIE REVIEW: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is good family entertainment
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (PG, 99 minutes) is a children’s animated movie full of familiar images in new settings. Mario and his brother Luigi begin in mushroom land and end up helping in the Honeybee Galaxy. Two sisters who are princesses are key characters in the story. There are two characters, Bowser and Bowser Jr., who provide the conflict in the adventure. kAm%96 8C2A9:4D 2C6 9:89 BF2=:EJ[ 6G6? E9@F89 E96 DE@CJ 86ED 4@?G@=FE65] %9@D6 H9@ 2C6 72>:=:2C H:E9 $FA6C |2C:@ H:== 56=:89E :?
Europe off-script: alternative cities and towns for curious travellers
There’s a different rhythm to Europe once you step off the well-worn path — and away from cities like London, Rome, and Paris — and find an underrated gem. It’s in the early morning markets of Ljubljana, the layered histories etched into the streets of Tallinn, and the quiet resilience behind the whitewashed stone facades of Berat. These aren’t places you rush through… they’re places that ask you to slow down, look closer, and just soak it all in.
MOVIE REVIEW: Project Hail Mary is overly long, but still good sci-fi flick
Project Hail Mary (PG-13, 157 minutes) fills the screen with sci-fi images of a spaceship flying to a distant sun to gain information to save the dying sun in the earth’s universe. Ryan Gosling plays a science teacher who is the sole survivor of his crew on his spaceship. He awakens with no memory of how he got on the ship or why he is there. Little by little he recalls that he is on a suicide mission because there is not enough fuel to return to the earth.
Movie Review: ‘Reminders of Him’ rates two and a half stars
Reminders of Him (PG-13, (114 minutes) is based on a top selling, romantic novel written by Colleen Hoover. The story opens with a young woman named Kenna, played by Maika Monroe, being released from prison and returning to Laramie, Wyoming. She had a car accident that killed her fiancé, Randy. Kenna was sent to prison where she had a baby girl whose custodial rights were given to her dead boyfriend’s parents.
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Hoppers’ earns three and one half stars
Hoppers (PG, (105 minutes) is a well made animated sci-fi/fantasy film. In this movie, a group of professors have invented animal robots that have human minds infused in them. The object is to communicate with animals in a form that looks like an animal. A young girl falls in love with a pond and its animal life. When she gets older, she learns that the city is building an expressway whose pathway will go through the pond. She is unable to get public opinion to oppose the construction.
COLUMN: MOVIE REVIEW: ‘I Can Only Imagine’ earns three stars
I Can Only Imagine 2 (PG, (110 minutes) is the follow up to the 2018 faith-based film about the start of the Christian music band, Mercy Me. The group composed and recorded what would become the most popular Christian pop song ever written. Some 10 or more years later, the group would compose and record another big hit, "Even If." This movie covers the background of events that led up to this inspiring song.
Jellyfish, drifts and giants: the very best things to do in Palau
Scattered across Oceania’s remote western Pacific, Palau is an archipelago of more than 300 jungle-clad islands where life revolves around the sea. Its UNESCO-listed Rock Islands are a maze of limestone outcrops, hidden, emerald lagoons and mangrove channels — made for kayaking, snorkelling and slow exploration by boat. Proper Robinson Crusoe stuff. But it’s what lies beneath the surface that really sets Palau apart.
‘GOAT’ feature earns three-star rating
GOAT (PG, 100 minutes) stands for "Greatest of All Time" in sports lingo. In this lovable animal animated comedy, a young billy goat aspires to be the GOAT in his favorite game of Roar ball. The game is like basketball with some added obstacles on the court. His favorite sports hero plays for his hometown team, the Thorns. The little goat practices shooting baskets as well as Steph Curry in the NBA. By an unusual set of circumstances, the aspiring goat gets to play on the Thorns team.
Movie Review: 'Solo Mio' gets three stars worth of entertainment
Solo Mio (PG, (7 minutes) is a romantic comedy released in time for Valentine’s Day. Kevin James stars as a groom who gets left at the altar in a wedding set in Rome. He is dejected as he sips coffee in a sidewalk café. Actress Nicole Grimaudo befriends him while waiting on his table. Two newly married American couples take interest in supporting Kevin James through his breakup. James turns his prearranged honeymoon into a site seeing Italian vacation.
A love letter to the places that really make you pause this Valentine’s Day
No matter if you’re flying solo, hitched, somewhere in between — or don’t identify with any of it at all — Valentine’s Day has a way of putting love front and centre. But this isn’t a love letter about roses, chocolates, or restaurant reservations… It’s about the kind of love you feel on the road. The kind sparked by rolling, wide-open landscapes, early mornings or late nights, and moments that make you stop mid-step.
National Geographic Signature with G Adventures: how we're redefining high-end travel
“Luxury today isn’t about excess — it’s about access, learning, and leaving a positive impact. That’s what we set out to build with National Geographic Signature" — Yves Marceau, Head of Product, G Adventures. With the launch of National Geographic Signature with G Adventures, we've introduced a new approach to high-end travel: one built on deep learning, rare access, small-group connection, and community impact, without sacrificing the comfort today’s premium travellers expect.
National Geographic Signature with G Adventures: travel that goes deeper
Travel isn’t just about where you go. It’s about how deeply you connect once you’re there. That idea is the foundation of National Geographic Signature with G Adventures — a new collection of expert-led, small-group trips designed for travellers who want more insight, more access, and a more comfortable, unhurried way to explore the world.
COLUMN: 'Wicked: For Good' is among best movies of the year
"Wicked: for Good" (PG, 138 minutes) is part two of the "Wicked" musical drama series that re-imagines the background of "The Wizard of OZ." Even if you missed the first movie, "Wicked," you can easily follow the storyline since "The Wizard of Oz" is so well known. The principle theme is that Glinda the Good, played by Ariana Grande, and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West, played by Cynthia Erivo, have been friends and still have regard for each other.
Movie Review: The Running Man is a remake worth watching
The Running Man (R, 134 minutes) is a stirring remake of the 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The script was adapted from a 1982 novel by Stephen King. The setting is in the near dystopian future when a worker, played by Glen Powell, loses his job and needs money for medical care of his sick baby girl. Desperate for cash, he tries to enter a game show, but ends up on a network deadly chase program.
10 magical European Christmas markets to visit this year
When December hits Central Europe, days shorten and temperatures drop, but Christmas markets begin to pop up everywhere, from big cities to small towns. City squares are transformed into a Christmas fairy-tale world of lights, roasted chestnuts, and incense. Although there are similarities across markets, each one has its own feel and its own specialties. We never tire of them. Here are 10 of our favourite Christmas markets across Central Europe.
Travel gifts guide: adventures to book this Black Friday
The best gifts don’t fit in a box — they're experiences that change lives. This Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday, skip the stuff and give the gift of travel instead. With a gift like this, travellers can embrace the unexpected, explore new horizons, and create memories that stick around forever.
Total Solar Eclipse 2027: The Best Places to Watch It
On August 2, 2027, a total solar eclipse will cast its shadow across parts of North Africa and the Middle East and southern Europe. With more than six minutes of totality in some locations, it will be one of the longest eclipses visible from land this century, a rare opportunity for skywatchers, photographers, and curious travellers alike.
Haunted & Hair-Raising: 12 of the Scariest Places on Earth with G Adventures
Every destination in the world has its ghost stories, but some places have a chill in the air that’s hard to ignore. From ancient castles and abandoned prisons to fog-shrouded forests and underground labyrinths, these are the scariest places on Earth, and they’re waiting for bold travellers to explore. Whether you believe in ghosts or just love a good thrill, these legendary locations are best experienced in good company and preferably not alone...
GX Jordan through our eyes: a journey of connection
Smiles greeted us everywhere. Tea appeared before we even asked. "Welcome to Jordan" wasn’t just a greeting — it set the tone for the genuine warmth that followed us everywhere as soon as we stepped off the plane. Jordan is a country that surprises you in the best ways: safe, deeply hospitable, and overflowing with stories waiting to be shared. Over just a few days, our team felt its magic through floating in the Dead Sea, exploring the hidden paths of Petra, and gazing at the stars in Wadi Rum.
COLUMN: Movie Review: Downton Abbey earns four star cinematic rating
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (PG, 123 minutes) is a captivating drama about the affairs of an upper class family set in 1930 England. This is the third and final movie about the family who lives in Downton Abbey. The three films were based on a popular television series about the social and financial business transactions that occur in the abbey. kAmx?
COLUMN: MOVIE REVIEW: 'Caught Stealing'
Caught Stealing (R, 107 minutes) is a terrific crime thriller movie that has some dark comedy added for good measure. The lead character, played by Austin Butler, works in a New York City bar circa 1998, and is a San Francisco Giants baseball fan. His British neighbor asks him to take care of his cat while he is gone to London. Tough guys come onto the scene seeking stolen drug money, and the drama begins. kAm+@6 zC2G:EK A=2JD qFE=6C’D 8:C=7C:6?5[ 2?5 86ED 5C2H?
MOVIE REVIEW: Nobody 2 delivers as well as the first
Nobody 2 (R, 89 minutes) features Bob Odenkirk as a character with special skills like in movies starring Jason Statham and Jackie Chan. In this movie he is accepting dirty work assignments to pay off a large debt he owes to a powerful man. He takes a break from his “work” to take his family on a vacation. Although trying to be a low key guy, trouble follows him. In defense of his daughter at a video game arcade, he takes on some guys and beats them up.
COLUMN: Freakier Friday earns three and a half stars entertainment rating
Freakier Friday (PG, 111 minutes) repeats the fantasy story about adults switching places with teenagers. Only this time there are generations of women and a foreign girl from England who change places. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan appear as a grandmother and single mom. The single mom’s ninth grade daughter is played by Julia Butters, and the snobbish English girl is played by Sophia Hammons. Butters and Hammons don’t get along despite the impending marriage of their parents.
COLUMN: Movie Review - The Naked Gun continues to make audiences laugh
The Naked Gun (PG-13, 95 minutes) casts Liam Neeson in a comedic role where he uses deadpan humor in this parody of cop crime stories. Pamela Anderson plays a femme fatale who becomes involved with Neeson while trying to solve a homicide of her brother. The movie begins with a bank robbery that is more about stealing a computer device than taking the money. The device can be used to revert human behavior back to primitive aggression.
Save the date: 8 once-in-a-lifetime experiences
Ready to swap the ordinary for the unforgettable? We’re talking once-in-a-lifetime experiences that go far beyond the usual traveller trail, and give your passport more than its fair share of stories. Think dancing through the barrios with a caipirinha at Rio’s legendary Carnival, chasing colour at India’s Holi Festival, or standing in awe beneath an Arctic Circle eclipse.
COLUMN: Movie Review: Superman
Superman (PG-13, 119 minutes) revives stories about the Man of Steel and his quest to bring peace and justice to the world. This time he needs help from his pet dog named Krypto. Superman, played by David Corenswet, also gets help from metahumans Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl. However, archenemy Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult, has powerful evil metahuman allies who occasionally get the best of Superman. kAm{FE9@C FD6D 2 G:56@ >6DD286 E92E 5:D4C65:ED $FA6C>2? 2?5 >2<6D 9:> 2?
Movie Review: F1 is for all audiences, not just racing fans
F1(PG-13, 155 minutes) introduces audiences to Formula One speed car racing. The car design, the driver’s strategy and the dirty tricks that driver’s teams play on competitors fill the screen. Brad Pitt plays an older driver who had been out of F1 racing for 30 years because of a horrible track crash when he was starting his career. Javier Bardem is a racing team director who asks Pitt to come help fill a vacancy on his racing team. The other team’s young car driver is played by Damson Idris.
COLUMN: Elio: A delayed release worth the wait
Elio (PG, 99 minutes) is the long awaited Pixar primo animated movie that was advertised for release in Spring 2024 and finally got here. The premise is that a lonely young boy wishes he could meet with aliens to escape his own life since his parents are dead and he has to live with his aunt who is an Air Force officer. After touring a NASA exhibit of the Voyager mission to outer space to communicate with life in the universe, Elio sets up a ham radio to send out signals of his own.
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