Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2017 i Foxtel Magazine

1 DUNKIRK (M) DECEMBER 18 Christopher Nolan is a chameleon of a filmmaker. From his 2000 time-shifting international hit Memento to his superb reimagining of the well-known superhero in Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises to the exploration of mankind’s future in Interstellar, Nolan now comes up with grand saga Dunkirk. WWII and Winston Churchill seem to be flavour of the month in contemporary cinema, but no-one has approached that era with more flair and visceral filmmaking skills than Nolan. The year is 1940. More than 400,000 Allied troops have been driven back by the Germans to the beach at Dunkirk in northern France, precariously awaiting evacuation across the Channel. Nolan has a three-pronged approach, despite the differing timeframes of each: land, where the withdrawal overseen…

STARS: Sir Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newton, Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Harris, James Marsden, Jeffrey Wright, Luke Hemsworth NUMBER OF EPISODES: 10 WHY IT’S A MUST-WATCH Based on the 1973 film of the same name, this is sci-fi mystery at its absolute best, with a plotline that will appeal even to those not typically keen on the genre. Set in a Wild West-style theme park inhabited by humanoid ‘hosts’, patrons can pay to live out their depraved cowboy fantasies. But when the lifelike robots start to experience real memories and emotions, the table gets turned in the most epic way imaginable. The quality casting really lifts this series, with the park created by Dr Robert Ford – played perfectly by Sir Anthony Hopkins. “I had no idea what the development of…

STARS: Marta Dusseldorp (pictured), Noni Hazlehurst, Abby Earl, Brett Climo, Jenni Baird, Sara Wiseman, Craig Hall NUMBER OF EPISODES: 12 WHY IT’S A MUST-WATCH High society gets a shakedown in this picturesque Australian period drama. Love, betrayal, infidelity, religion, sexuality and racism are just some of the topics covered. DON’T-MISS MOMENTS Regina’s duplicity continues following her release from the mental institution. But as her portrayer, Baird, previews: “You are never sure whose team she’s on. She was this satisfying villain to play and [the writers have now] given me a new character within the old.” WHERE DO I WATCH IT? Continues Sundays at 7.30pm until December 24 on showcase [114] or catch the season five marathon Monday December 25 at 10am on showcase [114]. The entire series is also available…

STARS: Pamela Rabe, Nicole da Silva, Sigrid Thornton, Kate Atkinson, Celia Ireland, Katrina Milosevic, Robbie Magasiva, Libby Tanner, Tammy MacIntosh, Bernard Curry NUMBER OF EPISODES: 12 WHY IT’S A MUST-WATCH Classic Australian drama Prisoner may have pushed boundaries, but its 2013 reimagining, Wentworth, takes things to a new level. Life in this women’s correctional facility is tough, with shankings and bloodshed a brutal daily occurrence – the continual battle for ‘top dog’ status the driving force among the inmates. Over four seasons, fans have been rocked by shocking brawls, sabotage, backstabbing and hook-ups. But nothing has even come close to shaking us to the core as much as the tragic death of pivotal character Bea (Danielle Cormack) did. That is, until season five, when Governor-turned-prisoner Joan ‘The Freak’ Ferguson takes…

Christmas is a time for family and it’s great to see the original The Great British Bake Off brood – judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, with jolly presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins – together again for The Great British Bake Off Christmas Special. The cheer also gets turned up a notch when eight former bakers come back into the kitchen. While talents Ali Imdad, Janet Basu, Chetna Makan, Mary-Anne Boermans, Norman Calder, Howard Middleton, Cathryn Dresser and James Morton are all smiles as they settle themselves into the unique Bake Off experience, returning to the fold will see formerly frayed nerves resurface. As well as being both delicious and inspiring, there are plenty more reasons you’ll love indulging in these two 60-minute specials in the lead-up to the…

MAESTRO SERIES – ANTHONY CALLEA: ARIA NUMBER 1 HITS IN SYMPHONY WITH THE MSO Friday December 8 at 8.30pm on foxtel arts [133/806] part of the ENTERTAINMENT pack “When you get to a certain point... you want to produce something extremely special”– Anthony Callea He was just 21 when he stood on the Australian Idol grand final stage alongside winner Casey Donovan. Thirteen years later, Anthony Callea is still topping the charts. But it’s taken him all this time to feel ready to record with a symphony orchestra – an experience viewers get a front-row seat to this month as part of Foxtel’s Maestro Series. “Recording ARIA Number 1 Hits in Symphony with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was a beautiful experience,” the performer tells Foxtel magazine. “It was an honour…

FREESTYLE SKI WORLD CUP: MOGULS LIVE from Sunday December 10 at 1.30am on Eurosport [511] available in the SPORTS pack Matt Graham is in scorching form on the slopes as he plots his campaign for gold at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The 23-year-old Australian champion is placed third in world Moguls rankings and has his eye fixed firmly on going to number one when he competes at this month’s Freestyle Ski World Cup: Moguls. To achieve that along with Olympic glory, Graham will have to topple his rival and friend, Canada’s Mikaël Kingsbury, who is an all-time great of the sport. Fortunately, he’ll have the support of his best friend, Australian teammate Britt Cox, whom he’s known since childhood. Here, Graham shares the punishing schedule he hopes will result…

If you’re anything like us then you’ve barely lifted your head since being re-immersed in the terrifying zombie-infested world of The Walking Dead. As we reach the culmination of the first half of season eight, tensions mount as we prepare for the inevitable gruesome death of a hero. At least, that’s typically how these things go. If we know anything about TWD, it’s no-one is safe. Ever. Except maybe Rick (Andrew Lincoln, pictured with Danai Gurira) because, let’s face it, without him there’s no show. For cast member Chandler Riggs, who plays Rick’s son Carl, death is simply par for the course on a series like this. As sad as it is losing a co-star, it makes way for new characters to join the action. “Our cast has increased drastically,…

MUST WATCH YOUR UNMISSABLE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS DOCOS Disney is just as renowned for its theme parks as it is for its films, but you’ll no doubt be surprised to discover that Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World Orlando, Florida is one of its more unique creations. Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Alive with Magic is a peek at a day in the life of the residents that roam 235 hectares of its savannas, and the passionate keepers who care for them. The filming crew had unprecedented access to every area of the park to film this hour-long special. A collection of critters wanders through sprawling habitats, with the inhabitants including African crowned and blue cranes, Ankole-Watusi cattle, bongos, eland, Thomson’s gazelles, geese, gemsboks, giraffes, wildebeest, impalas, ostriches, meerkats, pelicans, waterbucks, stunning…

MUST WATCH YOUR UNMISSABLE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS ENTERTAINMENT IF YOU LOVE THIS, WATCH... The Royal Variety Performance 2017 on UKTV [103] For screening time, check your EPG or visit: foxtel.com.au/tvguide What a momentous occasion it was when illustrious musical Miss Saigon reached the 25th anniversary of its first performance. To commemorate the milestone, a plan was hatched for a revival, including an extravagant production with a special added finale featuring accomplished stars from the original cast. Foxtel arts now brings that electric event to your screen from the prestigious Prince Edward Theatre in London’s West End. This presentation, which was directed by London-based Australian Brett Sullivan, covers the entire show, along with a bonus 35-minute 25th Anniversary Gala where members of 1989’s troupe – Lea Salonga, Jonathan Pryce and Simon Bowman…

IN THE KNOW YOUR FIRST STOP FOR ENTERTAINMENT NEWS SNEAK PEEK They don’t get much more true blue than Matt Wright who, for a living, wrangles gigantic crocodiles on a daily basis. For two seasons now, he’s had viewers glued to their screens as he literally risks his life in order to relocate the fearsome predators. When Outback Wrangler returns for its third outing this month, the fear factor is ramped up a notch as Wright (pictured centre) and his crew face some particularly perilous situations that the star admits were some of their scariest to date. In the first two episodes alone Wright and his team – John ‘Jono’ Brown (pictured left) and Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson (right) – are charged at by an angry bull and nearly capsized by…

FIRST LOOK Get set to kick back after a long work day and enjoy a good giggle. If a jolt of viral comedy is right up your alley, then say hello to addictive new series The Slot. Hosted by Christiaan Van Vuuren (pictured centre, in hat) of Bondi Hipsters fame and Adele Vuko (pictured centre, in fluorescent jacket) from trio Skit Box, the original Foxtel production brings together a huge array of homegrown talent, all of whom dominate the internet. “It’s funny, when we started, we actually set out to create a TV sketch comedy show,” says Madison Lloyd (pictured far left) from SketchSHE – who shot to fame with their Mime Through Time video, which saw them invited onto Ellen DeGeneres’s talk show. While the group has stayed true…

This year will be remembered as the tipping point for women in television, when a parade of gorgeous A-list movie stars took matters into their own hands to create great roles for themselves in an adaptation of Aussie Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel, Big Little Lies. But even Oscar- and Emmy-winning co-producer and star Reese Witherspoon can’t quite put her finger on why that series in particular has become such a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. “It’s something new and different and I think that’s as exciting for the audience as it is for us to work on,” she tells Foxtel magazine as she graces the cover of our December issue. The theme of powerful TV ladies continued with Oscar-winning actresses Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange drawn to the small screen to…

STARS: Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, Judy Davis, Stanley Tucci, Alfred Molina NUMBER OF EPISODES: Eight WHY IT’S A MUST-WATCH Television producer Ryan Murphy took a potentially risky idea – to chronicle the legendary rivalry between screen queens Bette Davis and Joan Crawford while making 1962’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? – and cast two equally great contemporary actresses to pull it off. DON’T-MISS MOMENTS You’d be hard-pressed to find any scenes where both Lange and Sarandon aren’t knocking it out of the acting ballpark. Lange admits she’s grateful to Murphy for casting her in FEUD as well as her Golden Globe-winning roles in multiple seasons of American Horror Story – which couldn’t be more dissimilar to the fate that befell actresses such as Crawford. “The roles for women, certainly…

STARS: Felicity Huffman, Regina King, Timothy Hutton, Lili Taylor, Sandra Oh NUMBER OF EPISODES: Eight WHY IT’S A MUST-WATCH A captivating anthology series, all three outings are plaintive reflections of some big hot-button topics. In season three – which has been likened to a modern-day The Wire – the action moves to a North Carolina farming region as the people of Alamance County find out the hard way that living the American dream is not all it’s cracked up to be. “This season has to do with xenophobia,” leading lady Felicity Huffman explains. “We are asking the question, ‘Does someone have to lose in order for the other to win?’ and how we can stop that divisiveness and come together.” DON’T-MISS MOMENTS Much of what makes this offering so good…

STARS: Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage NUMBER OF EPISODES: Seven WHY IT’S A MUST-WATCH Action, intrigue, drama, nudity, sex and… dragons! What more could you ask for? Seriously, if you’re not onboard the GoT train yet, there really is no excuse. The casting is spot-on, the characters are both beloved and despised in equal measures, the scenery is spectacular and the intricate costumery is fantastic. DON’T-MISS MOMENTS Daenerys (Clarke) and Jon Snow (Harington) finally giving into temptation – blissfully unaware that they’re in fact aunt and nephew – is terrifying, but also satisfying. WHERE DO I WATCH IT? The penultimate seventh offering screens in one huge marathon Friday December 1 at 10am on showcase [114], Thursday December 7 at 10am on BoxSets [115] or catch…

IF YOU LOVE THIS, WATCH... The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (s8) EXPRESS Wednesdays from December 20 at 1.35pm, ENCORE at 9.35pm on Arena [105] part of the ENTERTAINMENT pack THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF MELBOURNE (s4) Wednesdays from December 6 at 8.30pm on Arena [105] part of the ENTERTAINMENT pack Summer is about to get a lot hotter, as Australia’s original Real Housewives franchise makes its return to screens this month. And if you thought the fashionable fillies of Melbourne couldn’t possibly up the ante from their three previous explosive seasons, trust us when we say you haven’t seen anything yet! Of course, with several cast changes – newcomers Venus Behbahani-Clark and Sally Bloomfield join returning stars Gamble Breaux, Gina Liano, Jackie Gillies, Lydia Schiavello and Janet Roach (pictured below,…

FOR LITTLIES Christmas on CBeebies Every day is Christmas Day on CBeebies, with all your little ones’ favourite programs airing daily throughout December. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving! The kids will be thoroughly entertained with themed episodes from the likes of Hey Duggee, Sarah and Duck, Charlie and Lola and plenty more, including a Go Jetters special featuring a trip to the North Pole. Funky guide Ubercorn has lots of fun geographical facts to share but the Go Jetters are interested in finding Santa. Daily from Friday December 1 at 4.25pm on CBeebies [705] available in the KIDS pack The Lion Guard: Timon and Pumbaa’s Christmas Lion Guard fans are in for an extra special treat this year, with the premiere of the first ever Christmas-themed outing…

1 LA LA LAND Sunday December 24 at 8.30pm on Premiere Movies [401] or catch up On Demand This light-footed, quick-witted modern musical waltzed off with six Oscars, including best director and best actress, in February. Writer and director Damien Chazelle’s love letter to Hollywood is more re-sole than reboot. The romantic chemistry between Emma Stone’s aspiring actress and Ryan Gosling’s frustrated jazz musician (both pictured) is reminiscent of such classic movie couplings as Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. Reunited for the third time (after Crazy Stupid Love and Gangster Squad), Hollywood’s hottest on-screen couple melts hearts in this bittersweet story of hard knocks, big dreams and creative sacrifice. The film pays homage to cinemascope epics of the ’50s and ’60s and, while there is a strong fantasy element to…

When I look back on my upbringing I have so much to thank my parents for. My folks are like best friends and they instilled in me from a young age to make the most of every opportunity, to keep things real, because there are never any guarantees in life. My mum was pregnant when they were sailing around New Zealand and the boat got hit by a whale. I was a three-month-old baby, resting in my cot between sail bags, when we sailed up the coast to Lord Howe Island. You can see they’re adventurous. I’m blessed to have a partner, Ellidy Vlug, who understands and supports me. She won’t often travel with me because the itinerary is horrific. She has helped open my mind and understands when there’s…

MUST WATCH YOUR UNMISSABLE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS LIFESTYLE IF YOU LOVE THIS, WATCH... Nigella: At My Table Wednesdays from December 6 at 8.30pm on Lifestyle FOOD [127] available in the ENTERTAINMENT PLUS pack The festive season full of food, fun and frivolity is upon us. While for many it’s an exciting prospect, for the rest it can be downright daunting. Fortunately, Brit Jamie Oliver is here to help, with Jamie’s Christmas Cookbook showcasing how to knock-up a perfect stress-free Christmas feast. Pukka! Famous for his quick and simple attitude to cooking, Oliver also has a wealth of knowledge to share when it comes to creating solo or dinner party showstoppers. In this one-hour special the energetic chef serves up a scrumptious starter, the foundations of the Christmas main and a delicious…

In this day and age the term ‘celebrity’ is loosely bandied about, with ‘stars’ made in the most unusual and unglamorous ways – including committing crimes. Their infamous deeds are splashed all over magazines and newspapers, further continuing to build their profiles in the pop-culture world. This six-part docu-series explores the role the media plays in this growing phenomenon. Each hour-long episode investigates the heinous crimes that have made household names out of everyday people – including Casey Anthony (pictured), Tonya Harding and Lorena Bobbitt. Using archival material and commentary from inside sources, this series will spark interest. Fridays from December 22 at 7.30pm on Crime + Investigation [613]…

ACTION BLOCKBUSTERS nightly from Friday December 1 at 8.30pm on Action Movies [406] available in the MOVIES pack “If you love something, you don’t just read about it; you hug it, you mess with it, you play with it, you argue with it” “FROM WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I HAD CHORES EVERY DAY. I HAD TO COOK DINNER OR NO-ONE ATE” “I can live with a failure if it is born of conviction” “I’M AFRAID OF DEATH. I’D LOVE TO FEEL THAT I WAS BEYOND IT, BUT I’M NOT THERE YET” “WHATEVER YOUR DREAM IS, WHATEVER YOUR GOAL IS, IT’S A FRACTION OF WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED” “I was brought up in a way where you treat people with respect… not being a wanker” “MY NUMBER ONE RULE FOR…

STARS: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Adam Scott, Alexander Skarsgård NUMBER OF EPISODES: Seven ACCOLADES: 16 Emmy nominations and eight wins WHY IT’S A MUST-WATCH Witherspoon says she’s had plenty of feedback from audiences who responded to the intimacy of Big Little Lies’ central storylines. “I think it talks openly and honestly about how women really feel about marriage and motherhood, and it’s not afraid to touch on very sensitive topics – including sexual violence, domestic violence, and not being black and white about any of those issues.” DON’T-MISS MOMENTS Each character has their time to shine, but it’s hard to go past Celeste (Kidman) justifying her husband’s physical abuse of her during a therapy session, or the humour that comes from Madeline’s (Witherspoon) sharp…

STARS: Riz Ahmed, John Turturro, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Michael Kenneth Williams NUMBER OF EPISODES: Eight WHY IT’S A MUCH-WATCH This five-time Emmy-winning drama is one of the most fantastic whodunits you’re ever likely to see. Riz Ahmed portrays college student Nasir ‘Naz’ Khan, whose life turns upside down when he is accused of a young woman’s murder. Problem is, he experiences a significant gap in his memory during which time anything could have happened and Naz’s future now hangs in the balance. The series is based on BAFTA-winning 2008 production Criminal Justice. “One of the themes of the show is, in the wrong circumstances, people are capable of anything,” Ahmed explains. “By being realistic and nuanced, a lot of themes that are resonant today in society also come to the fore…

STARS: Elizabeth Debicki, Matthew Le Nevez, Damon Gameau, Henry Nixon, Damien Garvey, Sacha Horler, Anthony Phelan NUMBER OF EPISODES: Eight WHY IT’S A MUST-WATCH Aside from the stunning backdrop of Tasmania, which is arguably a character in itself, this locally-produced mystery will keep you guessing until the very end. Debicki is at her best as Dr Anna Macy, whose return to her hometown of Kettering is foreshadowed by the disappearance of a young girl. The case brings up unresolved issues for Anna, as the circumstances are eerily similar to the fate that befell her childhood best friend 15 years earlier. DON’T-MISS MOMENTS Heartbreak, mystery, secrets and lies – this has it all, including alien abductions! Well, it’s a theory at least. It’s a slick drama that shows exactly what our…

CALL THE MIDWIFE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Tuesday December 26 at 8.30pm on BBC First [117] available in the DRAMA pack Last Christmas the midwives of Nonnatus House sweated under the heat of the South African sun after responding to an SOS call from a tiny mission hospital. In the new Call the Midwife Christmas Special, their circumstances couldn’t be more different. At their base in Poplar, East London they shiver like never before as the capital experiences the ‘Big Freeze’ – the coldest winter Britain experienced for 300 years. The country was brought to a standstill as rivers iced over, docks and airports were closed, and road and rail transport was severely disrupted under a blanket of snow. With food supplies hindered, the price of what was available skyrocketed and people…

Since LEGO® appeared under Christmas trees more than 60 years ago, the building blocks have been a mainstay on wish lists the world over. Just in time for this year’s festivities, new documentary A Big LEGO® Christmas goes behind the scenes to detail what happens in the lead-up to the year’s busiest shopping period. The special was filmed in the UK as well as at the company’s headquarters in Billund, Denmark as preparations got underway to open its biggest store in Leicester Square, London. Employees ready for the occasion by installing replica models of London icons. There’s a red telephone box, a collaboration with The Beatles, plus a seven-metre-high Big Ben statue made up of 350,000 bricks. A BIG LEGO® CHRISTMAS Thursday December 7 at 8.30pm on Lifestyle [106] part…

What is the Foxtel Kids# app? The Foxtel Kids app is a safe place for children to download or stream their favourite shows, with hours of the best programming available at the touch of a button, whether you’re at home or away. Who can access it? Foxtel customers with the KIDS pack can access the app as part of their subscription, simply by downloading it from the App Store or Google Play for use on compatible mobile or tablet devices. You can register as many as five devices and watch content on two devices at the same time. Can I access shows on-the-go? You sure can. Download your kids’ favourite episodes or series, including Teen Titans Go! (pictured), while connected to wi-fi before leaving home and they’ll be all set,…

1 FOOTBALL Hyundai A-League LIVE from Friday December 1 at 7pm on FOX SPORTS 501 Spread the Christmas cheer with a massive month of fixtures, including Australia’s two biggest football derbies exploding into action. On December 9, Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC will write another chapter of their volatile history in front of a packed ANZ Stadium. Attention will then turn to Tim Cahill (pictured right) and his Melbourne City club as they host cross-town foes Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on December 23, in what will be another passionate match. 2 AMERICAN FOOTBALL NFL LIVE from Friday December 1 at 12.15pm on ESPN [508] In the final weeks of the regular season before January’s playoffs take flight, the NFL will feature games with huge postseason ramifications. The Cowboys…

Saturday nights out could become a thing of the past with Nat Geo WILD presenting three hours of captivating footage as part of a month-long Wild Winter series – showcasing the incredible survival of animals in some of the most rugged conditions in the world. Kicking things off we head to Siberia – an isolated province of North Russia bordering on the Arctic Ocean – for Wild Year: Siberia. During the course of a year cameras filmed local wildlife to capture how they battle to survive one of the most unforgiving seasons. Incredible footage allows viewers to witness the icy winter, as well as spring – the busiest and shortest time of the year – when animals desperately gather and store food in preparation for hibernation. In the first of…

MUST WATCH YOUR UNMISSABLE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS DOCOS The enduring fascination with ruler Queen Elizabeth I is undeniable. One wouldn’t even attempt to count the movies, miniseries, documentaries and specials featuring the red-haired monarch, but Elizabeth I and Her Enemies is one of note. This three-part production starring model-turned-actress Lily Cole (pictured) and presented by historians Dan Jones and Dr Suzannah Lipscomb – who both added their commentary to the 2016 miniseries Henry VIII and His Six Wives – begins the day Anne Boleyn gave birth to Elizabeth on September 7, 1533. Lipscomb and Jones tell a heady tale of jealousy, treachery, ambition and tragedy in this lavish offering, which convincingly transports viewers to the key clashes that shaped Elizabeth and England. Combining drama and insights, the first episode covers her…

As the fifth outing of Australia’s favourite period drama comes to a close on Christmas Eve, fans are waiting with bated breath to find out how the townsfolk of Inverness will fare. While it won’t be happily ever after for everyone, Tim Draxl’s dashing Dr Henry Fox (pictured) looks set to round out the year on a more positive note, telling Foxtel magazine: “Henry has been through some significant changes and has not always dealt with it in his usual level-headed manner. He’s been a bit off-centre, but he finds it again towards the end by focusing on the needs of his new ‘family’.” Draxl forewarns to brace for tragedy, though. “Be prepared for some high drama. The storylines are definitively wrapped up, and satisfyingly so.” Following the finale, enjoy…

• Most people who join reality TV shows are in it for the fame. But when Foxtel magazine spent the day with the two newest additions to the cast of The Real Housewives of Melbourne – busy working mums Sally Bloomfield and Venus Behbahani-Clark – we were surprised to learn that both women are actually a little nervous about being thrust into the spotlight when season four of the hit series premieres this month. “I find fame to be intimidating a little bit,” Behbahani-Clark admits. “I don’t know if I agree with all publicity being good publicity.” It’s a sentiment echoed by her co-star. “I really have no idea what to expect, but I kind of figure that with everything I’ve been through, I’m not afraid of a few Housewives!”…