Latest news with #BenJerry
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
Materialists: Is The Golden Age Of Rom-Coms Officially Back ?
Materialists arrives in cinemas on June 13, championing the age-old charm of an irresistible rom-com, but did we ever really fall out of love with them? For a (long) while, it felt like rom-coms were, well… on life support (or to be honest almost non-existent). We some how slipped into an era of superhero showdowns, dystopian dramas, and movies with enough CGI to make anyone's head spin. But where are the messy love triangles, the awkward meet-cutes, the breathless kisses in the rain, that we all once (and to be honest, still) use to devour with a side of Ben & Jerry's in hand. Maybe that's part of why dating and romance seem different these days. When those stories stopped being shown on screen, it was like we lost a little bit of the magic. Or maybe it's the other way around—maybe the way we date now made those kinds of movies feel outdated. Either way, the late '90s-early 2000s were the golden age of romantic comedies, and it feels like something is missing from our box office billing. Granted, they weren't always the most sophisticated ouevres de cinema. They didn't have fancy special effects or deep, complex plots. But that was part of their charm. Back then, life was simpler (though still plenty chaotic) and those films captured that messiness with panache. Without all the social media hype and endless marketing we have today, those straightforward movies about life and love still found a way to connect with people. They felt personal, they felt real. And even now, the old rom-coms are the ones we go back to watch over and over again. When Harry Met Sally, Pretty Women, How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days, and many more. These movies are comforting, cosy, and timeless. These days, it feels like a lot of movies are made just to be watched once, created to showcase a production's digital prowess on the big screen or simply streamed on your phone screen, to then forget about entirely. But those classic rom-coms? They're the kind of movies you can watch ten times, a hundred times, and still fall in love, every single time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by A24 (@a24) Perhaps though, there is hope. Materialist s, starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal is set to be released on June 13, and just from the trailer, people are already excited. It has that same rom-com energy—tricky love triangle, the girl next door, and all the clichés we secretly love (and miss). Even though the movie isn't out yet, social media is already buzzing. It's a reminder that people still want those kinds of stories. The ones with charm, humour, a little drama, and a lot of heart. Maybe we got too caught up in big-budget superhero movies and high-concept fantasies and forgot how much we love the simple, sweet familiarity of romantic comedies. The truth is, no amount of flashy effects or marketing can replace a good story with relatable characters and emotions. And if the excitement around this new movie is anything to go by, it seems like rom-coms might be making a comeback. Maybe love on screen—and in life—isn't dead after all.
Reuters
27-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Exclusive: Unilever to guarantee European ice cream workers' employment terms for 3 years, memo shows
LONDON, May 27 (Reuters) - Ben & Jerry's maker Unilever (ULVR.L), opens new tab has agreed to guarantee its ice cream workers' employment terms in Europe and Britain for at least three years after the business' spin-off, according to a memo, tripling the usual period in such deals. Under European Union and British legislation, employees' contracts and collective agreements can be renegotiated one year after sales or spin-off deals. The decision will lock the new ice cream company into a three-year deal that will impact how it treats and pays employees in Europe, regardless of uncertainty or changes to the environment in which it operates. Unilever announced the spin off of its ice cream unit, which includes five of the world's top 10 category brands including Magnum and Wall's, in March 2024 and said it would cut 7,500 jobs from the group globally to save costs. About 3,200 layoffs were initially expected in Europe but Reuters reported in November that the British consumer company had nearly halved this figure by moving people to the ice cream unit. The new ice cream business will have its primary listing in Amsterdam. "Working conditions will be protected for at least three years and cannot be worsened," according to the memo reviewed by Reuters and sent on Tuesday from the European Works Council to Unilever employees after nearly a year of negotiations with the company. Unilever did not respond to a request for comment. The ice cream unit's roughly 6,000 workers will be able to maintain the same conditions on salaries, bonuses, share plans, pensions and holidays, according to a source familiar with the discussions with Mustafa Seçkin, the chairperson of the new company's European business. The source, who did not have permission to speak with the press, said further layoffs were unlikely at the business, which generated sales of 8.3 billion euros ($9.4 billion) in 2024 and is to be named The Magnum Ice Cream Company. On July 1, the business is expected to launch as an independent company under the Unilever umbrella, ahead of the demerger at the end of this year. Ben & Jerry's independent board members were not part of the negotiations with the European works council, nor were they consulted, the source said. Unilever has been embroiled for nearly a year in an acrimonious legal battle with the independent board of Ben & Jerry's, one of its biggest brands, over allegations that it is muzzling the Vermont-based company - including on political issues - hurting its ability to carry out its social mission. ($1 = 0.8809 euros)
