Title: Real Madrid's Fixture Congestion: Players Struggling with Back-to-Back Matches and Injury Risks
The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Nicole Kidman stars as Romy Mathis, the chief executive of Tensile, a robotics business that pioneered automotive warehouses. In the movie’s opening credits, a maze of conveyor belts and bots shuttle boxes this way and that without a human in sight. Romy, too, is a little robotic. She intensely presides over the company. Her eyes are glued to her phone. She gets Botox injections, practices corporate-speak presentations (“Look up, smile and never show your weakness”) and maintains a floor-through New York apartment, along with a mansion in the suburbs that she shares with her theater-director husband ( Antonio Banderas ) and two teenage daughters (Esther McGregor and Vaughan Reilly). But the veneer of control is only that in “Babygirl,” a sometimes campy, frequently entertaining modern update to the erotically charged movies of the 1990s, like “Basic Instinct” and “9 1⁄2 Weeks.” Reijn, the Danish director of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” has critically made her film from a more female point of view, resulting in ever-shifting gender and power dynamics that make “Babygirl” seldom predictable — even if the film is never quite as daring as it seems to thinks it is. RELATED COVERAGE The snubs and surprises in the 2025 Golden Globe nominations List of Golden Globe nominees ‘Emilia Pérez’ leads Golden Globe nominations with 10, followed by ‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Conclave’ The opening moments of “Babygirl,” which A24 releases Wednesday, are of Kidman in close-up and apparent climax. But moments after she and her husband finish and say “I love you,” she retreats down the hall to writhe on the floor while watching cheap, transgressive internet pornography. The breathy soundtrack, by the composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer, heaves and puffs along with the film’s main character. One day while walking into the office, Romy is taken by a scene on the street. A violent dog gets loose but a young man, with remarkable calmness, calls to the dog and settles it. She seems infatuated. The young man turns out to be Samuel (Harris Dickinson), one of the interns just starting at Tensile. When they meet inside the building, his manner with her is disarmingly frank. Samuel arranges for a brief meeting with Romy, during which he tells her, point blank, “I think you like to be told what to do.” She doesn’t disagree. Some of the same dynamic seen on the sidewalk, of animalistic urges and submission to them, ensues between Samuel and Romy. A great deal of the pleasure in “Babygirl” comes in watching Kidman, who so indelibly depicted uncompromised female desire in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” again wade into the mysteries of sexual hunger. “Babygirl,” which Reijn also wrote, is sometimes a bit much. (In one scene, Samuel feeds Romy saucers of milk while George Michael’s “Father Figure” blares.) But its two lead actors are never anything but completely magnetic. Kidman deftly portrays Romy as a woman falling helplessly into an affair; she both knows what she’s doing and doesn’t. Dickinson exudes a disarming intensity; his chemistry with Kidman, despite their quickly forgotten age gap, is visceral. As their affair evolves, Samuel’s sense of control expands and he begins to threaten a call to HR. That he could destroy her doesn’t necessarily make Romy any less interested in seeing him, though there are some delicious post-#MeToo ironies in their clandestine CEO-intern relationship. Also in the mix is Romy’s executive assistant, Esme (Sophie Wilde, also very good), who’s eager for her own promotion. Where “Babygirl” heads from here, I won’t say. But the movie is less interested in workplace politics than it is in acknowledging authentic desires, even if they’re a little ludicrous. There’s genuine tenderness in their meetings, no matter the games that are played. Late in the film, Samuel describes it as “two children playing.” As a kind of erotic parable of control, “Babygirl” is also, either fittingly or ironically, shot in the very New York headquarters of its distributor, A24. For a studio that’s sometimes been accused of having a “house style,” here’s a movie that goes one step further by literally moving in. What about that automation stuff earlier? Well, our collective submission to digital overloads might have been a compelling jumping-off point for the film, but along the way, not every thread gets unraveled in the easily distracted “Babygirl.” Saucers of milk will do that. “Babygirl,” an A24 release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “strong sexual content, nudity and language.” Running time: 114 minutes. Three stars out of four.
Uwill Founder & CEO Michael London Named Innovator in HealthcareSupermarket shopping can be a chore at the best of times, but at Christmas it can take on a whole new level of inconvenience, with queues, inflated prices and items out of stock. So, it pays to know when your particular store might be quietest, when staff will have restocked the shelves and when items get marked down for the best yellow sticker bargains. With nearly 30% of Brits admitting Christmas food shopping is their holiday nightmare, Britsuperstore has analysed the UK's top 10 supermarket chains to find the perfect times to do your Christmas shopping at each one. Top 10 Supermarkets: Aldi Busiest: Monday-Friday 5-6pm, Saturday 12pm, Sunday 3pm Quietest: Monday-Friday 8-9am and 9-10pm, Saturday 8-9am and 9-10pm, Sunday 11am Restock: Before opening and 3pm (Special Buys every Thursday and Sunday) Reductions: Before 8am and before closing (fresh produce with red stickers typically discounted 30-75%) The exact time of day for reductions will vary from store to store, but most will happen just before the store closes. Fresh products with reduced prices will be marked by a red sticker, and are typically reduced as they are at the end of their shelf life. They will normally be discounted by either 30% or 75%. Dried groceries and tinned food may also be discounted if they have imperfections. Recommended reading: DWP Christmas bonus to be paid to people on these benefits Savings accounts: best and worst for savings interest Housing benefit payments to be frozen next year Lidl Busiest: Monday-Friday 12-1pm and 5-6pm, Saturday 12-3pm, Sunday 12pm Quietest: Monday-Friday 8am and 10-11pm, Saturday 8am and 10-11pm, Sunday 4-5pm Restock: Late night and overnight Reduction: Morning and before closing (they have a two-wave reduction system, first thing in the morning and a few hours before closing) Again, the schedule for price reductions varies from store to store, but the majority of branches operate on a two-wave basis. Products are reduced first thing in the morning and a few hours before the store closes, although some stores may opt to make reductions throughout the day based on the volume of stock and sell-by dates. Morrisons Busiest: Monday-Friday 12-1pm, Saturday 1pm, Sunday 12pm Quietest: Monday-Friday 7-9am and 9-11 pm, Saturday 7-8am and 9-11pm, Sunday 4pm Restock: 5-6pm Reduction: Starts at 3pm (50% off for near-expiry items), followed by a further reduction at 5pm (75% off) with final dramatic reductions on in-store cooked food at 8pm (schedule may vary) Morrison stores typically have several waves of price reductions. Reductions begin at 3pm, with products at the end of their shelf life reduced by 50%. At 5pm, these products are reduced again, retailing at 75% of their original price. If you’re looking for a bargain on in-store cooked food, we recommend visiting the store at 8pm, as items will be dramatically reduced. Remember, the schedule for reductions may vary depending on the branch. The Co-Operative Busiest: Monday-Friday 5-6pm, Saturday 6pm, Sunday 5-6pm Quietest: Monday-Friday 7am and 9-10pm, Saturday 7-8am and 9-10pm, Sunday 7-8am and 9-10pm Restock: Mostly overnight Reduction: Starts around 6pm (50% off for expiry-date items), with a possible further reduction at 8pm (schedule may vary) Visit your local Co-op at around 6pm to be sure of a discount, although, at some stores, reductions start at 5pm. Items on sale on the day of their expiration date will usually be sold at 50% of their original price Tesco Busiest: Monday-Friday 3-6pm, Saturday 12-2pm, Sunday 12pm Quietest: Monday-Friday 7am and 8-11pm, Saturday 7-9am and 9-11pm, Sunday 7-8am and 10-11pm Restock: 6:30 AM Reduction: Starts at 9am (around 10% off), with further reductions between 4-5pm (around 30% off). Best reductions around 8pm (schedule may vary) At around 9am, items are reduced by around 10%. Some products are reduced further between 4pm and 5pm, by about 30%. For the best reductions, visit about 8pm, but again, keep in mind discount schedule may vary by store. Sainsbury's Busiest: Monday-Friday 12-4pm, Saturday12 pm, Sunday 3pm Quietest: Monday-Friday 7-9am and 7-10 pm, Saturday 8-9am and 9pm, Sunday 11pm and 4pm Restock: When closed and throughout the day Reduction: Starts after lunch (biggest discounts between 5-7pm) with significant variations by store (check with your local store) Reduction times at Sainsbury’s varies significantly by store. Make sure to visit after lunch, as this is when most stores begin to reduce their products. The best time to visit is between 5 pm and 7 pm, as this is when the biggest discounts will happen. ASDA (24 hours) Busiest: Monday-Friday 5-6pm, Saturday 1pm, Sunday 12pm Quietest: Monday 6-8am and 10-2pm, Tuesday-Friday 10pm-7am, Saturday 12-7am, Sunday 11am and 4pm Restock: 10 pm Reduction: Early morning (6-10am), 5pm, and 7:30pm (schedule may vary) Reductions at ASDA typically begin between 6 am and 10 am. There is a second round of reductions takes place at about 5 pm, and final reductions begin at around 7:30 pm. Again, discount schedules may vary from store to store. M&S Busiest: Monday-Friday 5-6pm, Saturday 4pm, Sunday 1-3pm Quietest: Monday-Friday 8am and 8-9pm, Saturday 8-9am and 6-7pm, Sunday 5-6pm Restock: 7 am Reduction: Around 9am (10% off), 2pm (30% off), and after 4pm (70-90% off) At most Marks & Spencer stores, there are three waves of reductions. The first wave takes place around 9 am, where some items may be reduced by 10%. The real reductions, however, begin around 2 pm. Here, products are normally reduced by 30%. The final wave of reductions happens after 4 pm, where products are reduced between 70% and 90%. Waitrose Busiest : Monday-Friday 6-7 pm, Saturday 6 pm, Sunday 4 pm Quietest: Monday-Friday 8-9am and 9-10pm, Saturday 8-9am and 9-10pm, Sunday 12pm Restock: 11am Reduction: Two hours before closing (around 50% off fresh food) The majority of Waitrose branches begin to reduce their products just after the lunchtime rush. For the best shot at reduced items at the best price, however, we recommend visiting stores two hours before closing time, when some stock, and in particular fresh food, is reduced by around 50%. Iceland Busiest: Monday-Friday 5pm, Saturday 1pm, Sunday 1pm Quietest: Monday-Friday 8-9am, Saturday 8-9am, Sunday 10am Restock: Before opening Reduction: Added to deliveries, plus flash discounts and schemes (check local store) At Iceland, reductions are added to deliveries. Iceland also offers “flash discounts”, and discount schemes, so be on the lookout for these. Last year, for example, they announced a scheme which allowed customers over the age of 60 to get 10% off their groceries with no minimum spend every Tuesday. Remember: Reduction schedules may vary by store for every chain, so always check with your local branch. Seven expert Christmas food shopping hacks Richard Price, Director of Britsuperstore , an online supermarket which specialises in food for expats, shares his seven tips to save this Christmas. Shop online to avoid queues and see what's in stock. Use budget shops like Home Bargains, Poundland, B&M, Lidl, and Aldi for good value food and own-brand spirits. Bulk buy and check prices per kilogram and consider warehouse clubs like Costco or Food Warehouse. Set a budget, make a list, and avoid impulse buys. Substitute national brands with store brands to save up to 30%. Don't just shop at eye level make sure to look above and below for better deals. Plan ahead and aim to finish your shopping by December 22 to beat the last-minute rush.
In response to Trump's unsubstantiated claim, President Zelensky reiterated that the actual death toll among Ukrainian forces stood at 43,000. While any loss of life in the conflict is tragic, the significant disparity between Trump's figure and Zelensky's figure raises serious concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the information being disseminated about the conflict.In response to the arrests, opposition parties have called for the immediate resignation of President Yoon and have demanded a full investigation into the allegations of corruption and abuse of power. Civil society groups and grassroots activists have also voiced their concerns, calling for greater transparency and accountability in government.As the debate rages on and fans continue to discuss and analyze the merits of each athlete, one thing is certain - the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Jordan, and Tom Brady in the realm of sports has elevated the level of competition, inspired countless individuals, and brought joy to millions of fans worldwide. Regardless of who is ultimately crowned the GOAT, these three legends will forever hold a special place in the hearts and minds of sports enthusiasts everywhere.