
'Materialists' with Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal: Exploring modern love and matchmaking
New romantic comedy "Materialists" dives into the world of high-end dating in Manhattan, where luxury, status and desire blur the lines of love. Dakota Johnson stars as a professional matchmaker, caught between Pedro Pascal's millionaire dreamboat and Chris Evans as her idealistic ex. Oscar-nominated director Celine Song describes the film as a "Victorian romance for 2025", showing how dating today can feel like a game of social value and transactions. Eve Jackson meets Celine in Paris – and hits the streets – to ask: is love still about connection, or has it become a carefully calculated deal?

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Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
Celebrity reactions to split Diddy verdict: ‘I'm gonna vomit'
Sean 'Diddy' Combs was convicted yesterday of a prostitution-related offense but acquitted of more serious counts that could have put him behind bars for life. Combs, 55, could still face a maximum of 10 years in prison. He was denied bail after being convicted, as prosecutors said Combs remains a flight risk. A hearing has been set by the judge for 8 July to discuss the sentencing process. The verdict has drawn divided reactions by his fellow celebrities. 'Oh, this makes me physically ill,' said singer Aubrey O'Day, formerly of the music group Danity Kane, on her Instagram story as she watched the verdicts come in. "Cassie probably feels so horrible. I'm gonna vomit.' Danity Kane formed on Combs' MTV reality television program 'Making the Band' and signed to his Bad Boy Records. O'Day posted a separate statement: 'The cultural weight of this decision is immeasurable. It is heartbreaking to witness how many lives have been impacted by their experiences with Sean Combs - only for those stories to fall short in the eyes of a jury." She added: "I can only hope these jurors never have to watch someone they love endure what so many survivors have described.' Une publication partagée par Rosie O'Donnell (@rosie) 'I guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion, wow,' wrote actress Rosie O'Donnell on Instagram. 'This decision got me angry.' Grammy-nominated singer Kesha posted the following in solitary with Cassie Ventura, Combs ex-girlfriend who testified as a witness: 'Cassie, I believe you. I love you. Your strength is a beacon for every survivor.' Kesha had previously announced that she was changing the lyric in her 2010 hit 'TiK ToK' to 'fuck P. Diddy' from the original 'feeling like P. Diddy' after the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct were leveled against Combs. Elsewhere, rapper 50 Cent, who has been a vocal critic of Combs and previously said that he would reach out to Donald Trump to prevent a Diddy pardon, posted: "Diddy beat the (RICO charge), that boy a bad man !" alongside an artificial intelligence-generated photo of himself. He also mocked Diddy and compared him to mobster John Gotti. Une publication partagée par 50 Cent (@50cent) Conversely, rapper Boosie BadAzz said in an Instagram video captioned 'GREAT DAY N HIP HOP" that the courts had spoken. 'I'm tired of seeing us Black moguls get took down like that," he said. He added that he was "tired of seeing us Black people go against us Black moguls like that.' Also on Diddy's side where some crowds outside the courthouse. Some of Combs' fans expressed enthusiasm by covering themselves in baby oil, a controversial item referenced throughout the sex-crimes case. Thousands of bottles of baby oil and lubricant were among the paraphernalia discovered during the federal raids of Combs' homes in March 2024. In one crass celebration, a woman danced around while a man poured baby oil on her – a tasteless homage to an activity at Combs' so-called 'freak-offs' and 'hotel nights.' However, the general consensus online is one of dismay. "The verdict for Diddy is a message to all women that they are not believed. Sorry to the women out there," wrote an X user. "The victims especially, they deserved better."

LeMonde
2 days ago
- LeMonde
With 'Materialists,' Celine Song explores love in the cruel era of dating
Love can sometimes feel like an impossible quest. We wait for that unmistakable connection with another person, a chemistry of minds and bodies, and hope they check off a list of more or less fanciful criteria, from certain physical traits to "do they watch films in the original language?" This tension between romance and practicality sits at the very core of Materialists, Celine Song's second feature film. It's inspired by her own experience as a matchmaker, a profession she practiced for six months in New York some years ago. The director of the acclaimed Past Lives (2023) brings the romantic comedy into the realm of modern dating, a universe much maligned and rarely explored given its outsized role in contemporary life. Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a successful matchmaker, spending her days catering to clients desperate to find the right person. Age, height, weight, income: The criteria pile up as quantifiable data, making Lucy compare her job to that of an insurance worker. Yet in her own life, she is single, waiting to find a man to marry and preferably one who is very wealthy.


France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
Scarlett Johansson brings near-extinct Jurassic Park franchise roaring back to life
Next, "Dreams" completes the acclaimed "Oslo Trilogy", offering an intimate and nuanced look at teenage love through the eyes of Johanne, a young woman navigating her feelings for her schoolteacher in understated Nordic style. From the thriller genre comes "Islands", a stylish and atmospheric film set in Fuerteventura, where Sam Riley stars as a lost tennis coach drawn into a mysterious holiday family's secrets. Rounding out the lineup is "Materialists", a sharp rom-com by Celine Song starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, which explores the complexities of love and marriage in a modern, material-driven world. Eve and Emma unpack the themes, performances and cinematic craftsmanship behind each film, giving viewers an insightful guide to this week's must-see movies.