VIEW-magazine Issue 19

VIEW-magazine Issue 19

WATCHING: CINEMA

TELEVISION STREAMING ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS MAY 2022

2021 JUNE View 7

INCREDIBLE TRUE STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. TVNZ ONDEMAND  CLICK TO SEE MORE

WATCHING OUT FILM & CINEMA

Operation Mincemeat; The Innocents; The Northman; How to Please a Woman; A Hero; Haute Couture; The Bob’s Burgers Movie; Ailey, plus more 6 14 ENTERTAINMENT & EVENTS 49 rising to the challenge 48 it’s got to be surreal WATCHING IN SKY HIGHLIGHTS Rialto Channel, BBC UKTV, Sky Arts, BBC Earth, Vibe, Country TV, History, Comedy Central, Animal Planet 27 Rialto Channel 28 BBC UKTV 30 FREE TO AIR TV 32 STREAMING 39

TVNZ OnDemand

40 43 44

hello darkness, my old friend, Disney+

Netflix

Neon

WATCHING NOW VIEWPOINT 16

bearing true north

22 34 50

it’s a business doing pleasure with you

lady Madonna

what are you watching?

James Roque: Boy Mestizo

52

cinemas nationwide

The Legends of Opera: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

The Godfather trilogy

Hotel Portofino

Clark

WATCH

LOOK VIEW ISSUE 19 – MAY 2022

POINT OF VIEW

The best things start with the letter M. May, Mother's Day, Mayhem, Music, Marianne, Michele, Muscles, Movies... VIEW’s May issue gives you all of these things and Much More! Our cover story looks at the biggest cinematic release this month, if not this year, The Northman . It’s a bloody epic and you’ll be unleashing your inner Viking in no time. For something a little more delicate, ViEW looks at the latest Aussie hit, How To Please A Woman , pondering the business of doing pleasure. Much-loved stand-out comedian Michele A’Court tells us about a few of her favourite things, and we talk with the multi-talented Shortland Street star Marianne Infante (and wish the show a very happy 30th birthday!). Whatever your point of VIEW there’s plenty of entertainment to watch in and watch out – it looks like May is going to be a Manic Month. May The 4th be with you!

WATCHING: CINEMA

TELEVISION STREAMING ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS MAY 2022

2021 JUNE View 7

GIVEAWAYS WIN ADIDAS X MARIMEKKO  Inspired by the launch of the Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival, we have three designer BE IN TOWIN A DEVONPORT CHOCOLATES CARE PACK PETITE  We have two gift packs of delicious treats to give away drink bottles to give away! – read more on page 49

 SEE THE VIEW WEBSITE COMPETITION PAGE FOR DETAILS

Editorial & Creative, Danyel Simich VIEW is published each month by View Magazine Limited.

The content of VIEW is copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced in anyway without permission. VIEW aims for accuracy and cannot be held liable for any mistakes that do occur. The opinions, statements and text in VIEWmay not necessarily be the opinions of the editors and publishers.

Michele A’Court People, page 50

Down For Love Free to Air TV, page 33

Rhys Darby: Mystic Time Bird Free to Air TV, page 32

Marianne Infante People, page 34

Films from Latin America every Monday night in May

DIRECTED BY PEETER REBANE – PREMIERES 17TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE A passionate love story set against the dangerous backdrop of an Air Force base in Soviet occupied Estonia during late 1970’s Communist rule. A soulful young soldier, counting the days until his military service ends, has his life turned upside down when he encounters a sexy, enigmatic ace fighter pilot newly assigned to his base. Driven by their undeniable attraction, they navigate the precarious line between love and friendship at a time when, for Soviet men in uniform, homosexuality and sexual affairs were met with severe repercussions. As their friendship grows into love, the men risk their freedom and their lives to be together in the face of an all-seeing Communist regime. Tom Prior, Oleg Zagorodnii. – Premiering Tuesday 17th to coincide with International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia. FIREBIRD

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FILM

HIGHLIGHTS

THE VELVET QUEEN High up on the Tibetan plateau is one of the last sanctuaries of the truely wild world. Vincent Munier, globaly renowned wildlife photographer, takes adventurer and writer Sylvain Tesson with him on his latest mission, deep into the dauntingly magnificent landscape, seeking the elusive snow leopard. Feature on page 14 – PREMIERES 5TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE THE INNOCENTS Moody and unpredictable, this nightmarish Norwegian nail-biter draws us into a troublesome world, set in a housing estate of tower blocks, playgrounds and nearby forests, where a group of young children spend most of their summer playing together – away from any adult supervision. Their casual indifference and lack of morality takes ona sinister significance as it becomes apparent that there’s something very special about these kids... PREMIERES 19TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE THE NORTHMAN An intense blood-soaked Viking revenge epic set in 10th century Iceland. After witnessing his uncle brutally murder the King, his father, and usurp the throne, a young prince flees his home, and devotes his life to the axiom: “I will avenge you, father. I will save you, mother. I will kill you, Fjölnir.” Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe. Feature on page 16 – PREMIERES 19TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE HOW TO PLEASE A WOMAN A heart-warming liberation story for women who have been afraid to ask for what they want – at home, at work and in the bedroom. Balancing humour and tenderness, the film reflects what women of a certain age – or possibly any age – experience when good sex, caring sex, respectful sex, has been absent from their lives. Inspired by a true story. Sally Phillips, Erik Thomson. Feature on page 22 – PREMIERES 26TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

OPERATION MINCEMEAT Set in 1943, during WWII, and based on true events, the film follows two brilliant British intelligence officers, Ewen Montagu and Charles Cholmondeley, who conceived an outrageously audacious plan dubbed Operation Mincemeat . The objective was to trick the Nazis into thinking that Allied forces were planning to attack southern Europe by way of Greece rather than the real strategy to go through Sicily. Their scheme was to get a volunteered corpse, invent a flase identity for it, equip it with misleading papers, then drop it off the coast of Spain where Nazi spies would hopefully take the bait. Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen. PREMIERES 12TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

The Innocents Premieres 19th

The Northman Premieres 19th

The Velvet Queen Premieres 5th

How to Please a Woman Premieres 26th

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THE JONSSON GANG A reboot of Sweden’s favourite comedy franchise Jönssonligan . One of the gang ends up in prison following a failed heist, but upon release he finds the rest of them have somehow all become law-abiding citizens leaving him to continue his criminal career alone. When he gets ‘hired’ for a simple burglary, it turns out to be something much bigger – and he must convince his old accomplices to help him out once more. PREMIERES 12TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE NOBODY HAS TO KNOW We rely on our memories to tell us the story of who we are. If those memories vanish, whose stories will take their place? This is the quandary faced by a middle-aged Belgian farmhand on a remote Scottish island, who suffers amnesia following a stroke. His journey to recovering his identity – and the love story he’s told along the way – lies at the heart of this tender film. Writer, director and star Bouli Lanners, with Michelle Fairley. PREMIERES 19TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE TO OLIVIA It’s 1962 and Roald Dahl, an eccentric, burgeoning children’s author, and his wife Patricia Neal, a glamourous Hollywood movie star, have retreated to the English countryside to bring up their expanding young family. Tragically, their lives are turned upside down by a devastating loss, and as the couple struggles through the unimaginable, their shared grief becomes a source of redemption and strength which changes their lives forever. Hugh Bonneville, Keeley Hawes. PREMIERES 19TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE TUESDAY CLUB When a sudden change forces a woman to re-evaluate her life, an old school friend persuades her and another mutual friend to join a cooking class led by renowned chef – and so begins the “Tuesday Club”. In the hot kitchen among exotic spices, amazing food, old and new friends, more than one of Karin’s long-lost passions are reborn as she refuses to accept that life has an expiration date and realises it’s never too late to chase your dream. Marie Richardson, Peter Stormare, PREMIERES 26TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

A HERO Set against the backdrop of the vibrant Iranian city Shiraz, an affable, but desperate, man on temporary release from debtors’ prison, is almost undone by a ‘selfless’ gesture that goes viral. So much rides on pride and dignity: the appearance of respectability is all. Status is key. The mist of ambiguity around the man’s character never fully clears – the story is tense and thought-provoking throughout – it’s a superb morality play that immerses the audience deeply in a society’s values and rituals, and keeps us guessing right to its powerful final shot. Directed by Asghar Farhadi. PREMIERES 5TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE FOR FILMS SHOWING NEAR YOU SEE OUR NATIONWIDE CINEMA DIRECTORY PAGE 52

To Olivia Premieres 19th

The Jonsson Gang Premieres 12th

Tuesday Club Premieres 26th

Nobody Has to Know9 Premieres 12th

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HAUTE COUTURE DIRECTED BY SYLVIE OHAYON – PREMIERES 19TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

The story centres on Esther, the head seamstress at Dior’s Avenue Montaigne Workshop, who is preparing her last collection before retiring from the French fashion house. One day, she has her bag snatched by 20-year-old Jade, who, filled with remorse, later returns it. Esther decides to take care of the young woman and offers her an apprenticeship, seeing the opportunity to pass on her skills – the craft of dressmaking, her only wealth. Amongst the frenetic, highly codified world of haute couture, Esther will give Jade La Beauté Du Geste – the beauty of the gesture – a way to reach beyond herself. Nathalie Baye, Lyna Khoudri.

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DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS The boundaries of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are pushed further than ever before as Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a new adversary who looks uncannily like... Doctor Strange. To recap: this is a sequel to Doctor Strange , Avengers: Endgame , WandaVision and Spider-Man: No Way Home , and a crossover/ sequel to the first season of Loki ... Directed by Sam Raimi. Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong. PREMIERES 5TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE TOP GUN: MAVERICK After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Peter “Maverick” Mitchell is still pushing the envelope as a test pilot. He is assigned to mentor a team of Top Gun graduates – one of whom is the son of his late friend, “Goose” – for an unprecedentedly dangerous mission. Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell. PREMIERES 26TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE PINOCCHIO: A TRUE STORY Young Pinocchio wants to see the world, and accompanied by the horse Tibalt he runs away to join a traveling circus.. A Russian animated adaptation of the classic adventure story retold with a humorous spin and infused with a love story. PREMIERES 19TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

FOR FILMS SHOWING NEAR YOU SEE OUR NATIONWIDE CINEMA DIRECTORY PAGE 52 to keep the business afloat, these underdogs help each other find hope, and fight to get back behind the counter, where they belong. PREMIERES 26TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE begins when a ruptured water main creates an enormous sinkhole right in front of Bob’s Burgers, blocking the restaurant entrance indefinitely and ruining the Belcher family’s plans for a successful summer. As they struggle THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE A big-screen, musical comedy-mystery-adventure based on the long-running animated series. The story

Top Gun: Maverick Premieres 26th

Pinocchio: A True Story Premieres 19th

The Bob’s Burgers Movie Premieres 26th

2022 MAY View 11

WATCHING OUT CINEMA

THIS MUCH I KNOW TO BE TRUE Celebrating the remarkable creative union between Nick Cave and his longtime collaborator and bandmate Warren Ellis. The two men make compelling figures in performance, with Cave the shamanistic rocker conveying transported intensity at the grand piano or behind a mic stand, and Ellis the spectacularly bearded wild-man multi-instrumentalist, looking like he’s wandered in from the remote hills, as he dances, plays fiddle or conducts. Andrew Dominik directs. With Marianne Faithfull. Special event – PREMIERES 11TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE TWENTY ONE PILOTS CINEMA EXPERIENCE Journey inside the minds of duo, with a worldwide celebration of their 2021 Scaled And Icy album release. Experience their psychedelic reimagined take on live theatre and performance, but on a massive scale. Tyler Joseph, Josh Dun. Special event – PREMIERES 19TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONY PORN This Romanian black comedy follows a schoolteacher forced into a confrontation with her students’ parents after a personal sex tape finds its way online. The parents want her dismissed. She refuses to surrender to the hypocracy of her misogynistic accusers who pass judgement on her while overlooking the fault of the exploiter who uploaded the video. PREMIERES 12TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

AILEY An immersive portrait, told in his own words, of one of America’s most famous dancers and choreographers, Alvin Ailey (1931-1989), a trailblazing pioneer who founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958 at age 27. He was a visionary who, when confronted by a world that refused to embrace him, was determined to build one that would – finding salvation through dance, and taking audiences on a journey through Black spiritual and cultural life in America. PREMIERES 5TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE FOR FILMS SHOWING NEAR YOU SEE OUR NATIONWIDE CINEMA DIRECTORY PAGE 52

Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn Premieres 12th

This Much I Know to be True Premieres 11th

Ailey Premieres 15th

Twenty One Pilots Cinematic Experience Premieres 19th

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WATCHING NOW VIEWPOINT

THE VELVET QUEEN DIRECTED BY MARIE AMIGUET & VINCENT MUNIER

A gorgeous, humbling documentary that looks out-, up- and inward – a nature film about not only beauty and beasts but also the very human urge to make sense of our place in it all. Vincent Munier, one of the world’s most renowned wildlife photographers, guides writer and adventurer, Sylvain Tesson, on a trip into the Tibetan highlands, filmed unobtrustively by Marie Amiguet (making her feature debut co-directing with Munier). It starts as a quest for the elusive, endangered snow leopard, but settles gracefully into an appreciation for the journey, and any, and all, the wonders it uncovers. Munier introduces Tesson to the subtle art of waiting from a blind spot, tracking animals, and finding the patience to observe the sometimes little-known creatures in their wild glory. The film traverses a deeply moving procession of epic and pristine landscapes, at times seemingly barren – but with patience from the onlooker, its manifold forms of life reveal themselves slowly and subtly, often in canny camouflage, as they in turn watch the watchers. With hauntingly original music by Warren Ellis, featuring Nick Cave, this elegant and unusual documentary is a poetic and philisophical exploration – an exquisite experience that leaves the audience contemplating the place of humankind in nature. PREMIERES 5TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

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“I WILL AVENGE YOU, FATHER. I WILL SAVE YOU, MOTHER. I WILL KILL YOU, FJÖLNIR.”

WATCHING OUT CINEMA

BEARING TRUE NORTH A VIKING REVENGE STORY WITH MANY A DEVILISH TWIST, THE NORTHMAN HAS BEEN BILLED AS FRESH, CHALLENGING, ENGAGING, STUNNING – AND BLOODY.

Already hailed as one of the most violent revenge tales ever told on screen, The Northman is an action-filled epic that follows a Viking prince on his quest to avenge his father’s murder. Helmed by visionary director Robert Eggers, it looks ab- solutely beautiful, even at its most gruesome, with fastidious at- tention to detail, and boasts an all-star cast that includes Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Björk, and Willem Dafoe – as well as one hell of a backstory. Recalling familiar stories ranging from Hamlet and Beowulf to The Lion King , The Northman takes its roots from the timeless story of a young man scorned and forced adrift, who plots re- venge as he tries to make sense of his place in the universe. “The most famous story of family revenge in literature is Ham- let ,” says producer and star Alexander Skarsgård, who spent ten years developing a Viking film that eventually became The Northman with producer Lars Knudsen. “ Hamlet ’s key influence and predecessor is the Scandinavian legend of Amleth and that’s essentially the movie we’ve made, infusing the flavours of the old Norse myths with the dry, laconic language of the Icelandic sagas and retaining the supernatural elements from the Amleth legend.” Keen to remain true to the authentic vision and cultural refer- ence points of its producers, Eggers co-wrote the film’s screen- play with Icelandic poet, novelist, lyricist and screenwriter Sjón – AKA Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson – who he met at a dinner party. Sjón is well-known for his work on the likes of Red Milk and

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WATCHING OUT CINEMA

“THE VIKINGS... [HAD] A FULL AND COMPLEX CIVILIZATION OF BEAUTIFUL ART, CULTURAL & RELIGIOUS FUSION... CODES OF HONOUR & JUSTICE... BUT IT WAS ALSO A CULTURE OF EXTREME VIOLENCE & SUBJUGATION – ONE WHERE HORRIFIC CYCLES OF REVENGE KNEW NO END. HUMANKIND, IT SEEMS, NEVER CHANGES.” – Director, Robert Eggers

CoDex 1962: A Trilogy , and was nominated for an Academy Award for his lyrics in Lars von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark . “I asked him what he wrote about and he said his last novel was about witchcraft in 17th century Iceland, so we got on like a house on fire,” says Eggers, whose debut feature was set in a similar milieu. “When I returned to the States I read his books, and found myself completely enamoured of the way that he’s immersed the past in his work.” As a way of introduction, Eggers sent Skars- gård and Knudsen the mythic prologue to Sjón’s 2008 witchcraft novel, From the Mouth of the Whale . “I just felt from the prologue alone that he was the perfect person to write this Viking project with me,” says Eggers. “Alexander and Lars agreed, and Sjón came aboard as our co-writer.” Eggers returned to Iceland in 2018 to begin writing The Northman with Sjón, focusing on the Icelandic Sagas, and thinking about the insular culture and unforgiving but breath- taking landscape of Iceland as a location for the movie. “Having an Icelander, especially someone as brilliant and magical as Sjón to

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write this with me, made it possible to make this story as authentic as I felt it needed to be,” says Eggers. “Later on, I found myself laughing out loud on set thinking about the things we cooked up in his kitchen as I watched the story come to life.” Eggers and Sjón blended the aforementioned Amleth legend with elements from the Ice- landic sagas and Norse mythology to create a completely original story that plays out around the turn of the 10th century. Written in Old Icelandic (a dialect of Old Norse) and tak- ing place in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries, the Icelandic family sagas are prose narratives based on historical events that pri- marily centre on local life. In contrast, the leg- endary sagas, from which the Amleth story originated, used elements of Medieval ro- mance to spin more supernatural and adven- ture-derived stories. “The legendary sagas are still mostly set in the Viking Age but they are much more fanciful than the family sagas in that they feature monsters, dragons and heroes rescuing princesses,” says Neil Price, a British archaeol- ogy professor and author specialising in magic,

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WATCHING OUT CINEMA

sorcery and religion in the Viking Age, who was also a consultant on the film. More than forty Icelandic sagas survive—and most defi- nitely give the fullest description of Viking lives and attitudes—but they were written in me- dieval times, after Scandinavia had converted to Christianity. Much of the research that went into The Northman was about trying to see past those later cultural inflections to an earlier, pagan belief system. The screenwriters divided the story into three central locations, using the dawn of the tenth century as an historical anchor point. The movie opens in the middle of the Viking Age, after the Scandinavians have expanded across the North Sea and begin to settle in the British Isles and across the North Atlantic. During the story’s prologue, set on the fictitious island kingdom of Hrafnsey – located some- where around the Orkney and Shetland Is- lands – Amleth is a young boy who is being groomed to inherit the throne of his father. The young Prince is on the cusp of becoming a man when he witnesses the brutal murder of his father by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy’s mother. Fleeing his island kingdom by boat, Amleth vows to avenge his father, save his mother, and kill his uncle. Two decades later, he finds himself in a radically different environment. Now a seasoned berserker war- rior, he is part of a raiding party working the rivers of Eastern Europe, where the eastern Vikings traded, plundered and settled during the 10th century. Disguised on a slave ship bound for Iceland in 914, Amleth reaches shore in a territory that has only been settled for a few decades. A unique social experiment as a land without kings, Iceland was created as a republic for free farmers – a place where someone could start a new life, or in the case of Amleth’s uncle Fjölnir, flee from an old one. “This is by far the most accurate depiction of the Viking Age I’ve ever seen,” says Price. “I was on set during pre-production when they were in the process of bringing all of this to life and I found it overwhelming – I’ve never seen this level of attention to detail in an historical film before.” Brutal and boasting all of the intrigue of a Ja- cobean epic, The Northman takes the block- buster genre and turns it on its head – and far from its Hollywood origins.

THE NORTHMAN PREMIERES IN CINEMAS 19TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

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A FEMALE STORY TOLD FROM A FEMALE PERSPECTIVE – THE NEW FILM HOW TO PLEASE A WOMAN GETS DOWN TO THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF SEX & PLEASURE. IT’S A BUSINESS DOINGPLEASUREWITHYOU

Sex, or the lack of it, is not always a laughing matter. Despite that, How to Please a Woman writer and director Renée Webster has deftly found the perfect balance of humour and tenderness that reflects what women experience when good sex, caring sex, respectful sex, has been absent from their lives. In fact, learning to ask for what they want is just the first step. Soon to arrive in cinemas, the film stars the brilliant Sally Phillips, whose credits include the Bridget Jones’s Diary movies, and a recurring guest role as the Finnish Prime Minister in Veep . She plays Gina, a middle-aged woman who feels she has become “invisible to everyone.” She has lost her (largely dull) job, and feels stuck and frustrated in a passionless marriage. You could say that she has always lived life on the side-lines – that is, until she is met with the ground-breaking business opportunity of converting a team of well-built moving men into well-built housecleaners. With benefits. Initially the response from her local ocean-swimming commu- nity is immediate, and her all-male cleaning staff an instant hit. For the first time, women are experiencing desire on their own terms. And as Gina faces the highs and lows, the joys and struggles of maintaining such a unique business, she learns to stand up for herself, to look out for her own happiness and pleasure, and to truly take control of her life. Finally, she is the boss she has always wanted to be. The idea for the movie was inspired by the true story of an Australian company that offered sexual services exclusively for women. When Webster spoke to the founders and discovered more about the company – the clients, the sexual providers and the two women running the show (who were the most unlikely candidates) – she found the unique mix to be the perfect melting pot of fun, drama and humanity. Hence the

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A GROUND-BREAKING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY – CONVERTING A TEAM OF WELL-BUILT MOVING MEN INTO WELL-BUILT HOUSECLEANERS. WITH BENEFITS.

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idea for her debut feature film began to take shape, but it needed a very special talent to star as its relatable and inspir- ing main character. Enter the inimitable Sally Phillips, who had definitely done her research when it came to female sexual satisfaction. When the actor came on board, one of the first things she shared with Webster was a statistic showing heterosexual married women have the least orgasms. “As I was wondering who gathers these kinds of figures, Sally also casually mentioned that women’s life expectancy goes down when they marry a man, and men’s life expectancy goes up,” says Webster. “And ap- parently, housework has something to do with it.” Having said that, the director is keen to point out that the film is not an objection to marriage. “There are positive marriage stories within it,” she says, “it’s more of an objection to getting lumped with the housework and being in the demographic that is on the wrong side of the pleasure gap. The thing that makes comedy work best is when it comes from a place that is real, that strikes a nerve and feels a little bit precarious.” She also wanted to really find meaningful ways to explore themes of female sexual empowerment. “There is a lot of sexual content in the film” says Webster, “but I don’t sexualise the visual representation of women. Instead, we honour what women look like, and I give sexual stories to women in that huge, under ex- plored area of those ‘no longer young, and not yet old’.” The director says that she always knew Phillips was fearless, “and it was this quality, along with instincts for fun and hilarity

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Hayley McElhinney, Tasma Walton, Sally Phillips, Caroline Brazier.

that I wanted to bring to the drama of the story. The cast were so brave and open in getting the tone right, and it’s this coura- geous commitment that underpins the tone of the drama within the comedy”. Webster says that it was equally as impor- tant that she infuse the film’s male characters with humanity and compassion. “Having Alexander England play the lead stripper/sex worker, Tom, was a key decision for us. As soon as we’d cast Alex, I knew the audience would see the real human, not just a hunky guy who loves to take off his clothes.” Also in the cast is New Zealand actor, comedian, presenter, writer and director, Josh Thomson, and Australian acting roy- alty Erik Thomson (no relation), who has been profiled previ- ously in VIEW . The feminine focus is most definitely well-represented behind the camera too, with numerous women in senior crew roles in- cluding both producers, Tania Chambers OAM S.P.A. and Judi Levine p.g.a, together with the film’s Line Producer and de- partmental heads for Production Design, Costume, and Hair & Makeup. The camera department, grip and gaffer depart- ments also included many talented women. “From my experi- ence,” said Webster, “when you start to have more women in the room, the energy changes. I find that really enabling and great for the creative process.” The end result is a precarious, often hilarious – and definitely eye-opening – journey into the vulnerable world of what women really want and how hard it can be to get it right. Prepare to be enlightened.

HOW TO PLEASE A WOMAN PREMIERES IN CINEMAS 26TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

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RIALTO BRITISH  CLICK TO SEE MORE SUNDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30

The North Water the final three episodes of the acclaimed series, continuing until 15th Three Families Northern Ireland, 2013. A mother questions her own beliefs when her teenage daughter falls pregnant and she must make a hard choice, but she soon discovers that she could face a prison sentence for breaking one of the country’s most controversial laws. When they discover that their pregnancy is not viable, a young couple find their choices are very limited. Exclusive two-part drama, 22nd & 29th RIALTO WORLD  CLICK TO SEE MORE MONDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30 The best of independent international film and filmmakers. This month: Latin America Identifying Features a missing son, crime, lies and a mother’s surreal journey. Mexico, 2nd Litigante Woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Columbia, 9th Neon Bull a rodeo bull wrangler dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Brazil, 16th Three Summers the crimes of wealthy employers leads to unexpected oppurtunities. Brazil 23rd New Order a rich family can no longer ignore social upheaval in the real world. Mexico, 30th RIALTO SERIES  CLICK TO SEE MORE TUESDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30 Dough exclusive series continues. RIALTO DOCUMENTARY  CLICK TO SEE MORE WEDNESDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30 RIALTO DOCUMENTARY  CLICK TO SEE MORE THURSDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30 This month: exposing the truth – see double documentary special page 30 RIALTO FILM  CLICK TO SEE MORE FRIDAY PREMIERES AT 8:30 This month: indie horrors Sputnik , 6th; Anonymous Animals , 13th; The Night , 20th; Werewolves Within 27th

SKY

HIGHLIGHTS

RIALTO CHANNEL PREMIERES RIALTO SELECTION  CLICK TO SEE MORE PREMIERE FILMS EVERY SATURDAY AT 8:30 Saint Maud a chilling vision of faith, madness, and salvation. A reclusive, newly devout hospice nurse, becomes obsessed with saving her dying patient’s soul – but sinister forces, and her own sinful past, threaten to put an end to her holy calling. 7th Little Fish a romance set in the midst of an epidemic that causes rapid memory loss. 14th – see feature next page The Last Vermeer centres around the trial of Han Van Meegeren, one of the most successful forgers of all time. In post WWII, Holland, as Nazi sympathisers were arrested, Van Meegeren was charged with treason for selling priceless Vermeer paintings to HermannGöring. But did he?Guy Pearce. 21st Help After finding her calling working in a Liverpool care home, a woman forms a bond with a challenging resident struggling with early-onset Dementia. However, the Covid-19 outbreak throws everything into disarray, with horrifying consequences. 28th

The Defendant / Litigante Rialto World

The Last Vermeer Rialto Selection

Help Rialto Selection

Three Families Rialto British

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LITTLE FISH – RIALTO CHANNEL, PREMIERES 8:30, SATURDAY 14TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE A young couple are trying to preserve their romance in this disquieting, poignant, and prescient, story of doomed love. Set in a near-future America ravaged by a pandemic causing rapid dementia-like memory loss. The disease has created havoc, with planes crashing because pilots suddenly forget how to fly, and marathon runners disappearing into the night because they’ve forgotten to stop. The couple’s best friends have been hit by the disease, and they are now themselves anxiously monitoring each other for the first signs of forgetfulness, while desperately hoarding their memories against the great forthcoming oblivion. Jack O’Connell, Olivia Cooke.

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BBC UKTV – 9:30, MONDAYS FROM 23RD  CLICK TO SEE MORE A glamorous period drama, set on the Italian Riviera in 1920s Italy, as Benito Mussolini’s brand of fascism was on the rise. The story revolves around the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, who moves to Italy to set up a quintessentially British hotel for wealthy Engilsh travellers, in the breathtakingly beautiful town of Portofino. As well as demanding guests, she struggles to contend with an errant husband, and being blackmailed by the local fascist politician. The family drama serves up a cocktail of sub-plots, woven throughout with a classic ‘whodunit’ murder mystery. Natascha McElhone, Mark Umbers, Anna Chancellor. Six-part series

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SKY CHANNELS PREMIERES SKY ARTS  CLICK TO SEE MORE A Story of One’s Own five adoptees share their common experiences of being separated from their countries and families of origin as children to be brought up in families abroad. Based on testimonies not dissimilar to her own, the filmmaker draws a political reflection on the complex matter of international adoption. 8:30, Saturday 7th BBC EARTH  CLICK TO SEE MORE One Cup, a Thousand Stories the drink that changed the world – tea. It has spread globally from its origins in China to influence cultures, beliefs and behaviours across the globe in surprising ways, and is now playing a major role in forging a more sustainable future. 8:30, from Sunday 22nd VIBE  CLICK TO SEE MORE Birdsong an English soldier facing the horrors of WWI trenches in northern France, is haunted by memories of his forbidden love affair with a French woman. Eddie Redmayne, Clémence Poésy. Two part mini-series, 8:30, Tuesdays from 10th COUNTRY TV  CLICK TO SEE MORE My Bluegrass Story S1– filmed inside America’s Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, with some of the best bluegrass musicians and artists interacting with artifacts and talking about their careers – plus giving musical performances. 8pm, Saturday 7th Growing A Greener World S8 – all about environmentally friendly outdoor living, combined with traditional know-how – including hands-on gardening and making simple cuisine using fresh, local ingredients. 8:30, Weds 18th

HISTORY  CLICK TO SEE MORE THE UNXPLAINED

WITH WILLIAM SHATNER S4 – from alleged UFO encounters, to sudden disappearances, to evil possessions, host William Shatner attempts to get to the truth behind bizarre and mysterious events. With the help of scientists and experts, with first-hand“experiencer” accounts, and dramatic re-enactments, viewers gain surprising insights into what really happened. 7:30, Wednesdays from 4th VE Day: Minute by Minute special event marking the 75th anniversary of VE day, this documentary chronicles the events of May 8th 1945 as they took place across the world. From key moments such as the surrender of German forces to the untold stories of soldiers tentatively stepping out of Prisoner of War camps into an era of peace. Narrated by Tony Robinson. COMEDY CENTRAL  CLICK TO SEE MORE Bob’s Burgers marathon event 12pm – 4pm, Sunday 15th & Sunday 22nd ANIMAL PLANET  CLICK TO SEE MORE The Zoo: San Diego Special: Babies! staffers welcome new bundles of joy. 7:30, Saturday 7th

Birdsong Vibe

Bob’s Burgers Comedy Central

One Cup, a Thousand Stories BBC Earth

My Bluegrass Story Country TV

2022 MAY View 29

WATCHING IN TELEVISION

RIALTO CHANNEL DOUBLE DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL EXPOSING THE TRUTH

NZ TV PREMIERES, 8:30PM, WEDNESDAYS  CLICK TO SEE MORE The Dissident the story that shook the world. In October 2018, Washington Post journalist and dissident, Jamal Khashoggi, entered the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul. He never came out. Despite evidence of his murder, and worldwide demands for answers, the consulate denied any wrong doing. 4th The Gig is Up Uber, DoorDash, Citi Bikes and the like, are part of the global explosion of the “gig economy”and consumer convenience. They provide desperately-needed income opportunities for otherwise marginalised workers – but often convenience comes with high hidden costs. 11th Collective In 2015, a fire in a Bucharest nightclub leaves 27 dead and 180 injured. Soon, more burn victims with non-life- threatening wounds, begin dying in hospitals. When a doctor blows the whistle to a team of investigative journalists, they uncover a shockingly vast web of healthcare fraud. 18th NZ TV PREMIERES, 8:30PM, THURSDAYS  CLICK TO SEE MORE Crime + Punishment examines the United States’ most powerful police department in New York City, and a landmark class action lawsuit enabled by the actions of a brave group of Black and Latino whistleblower cops and a tenacious private investigator. They risked their careers, and safety, to expose ongoing illegal policing quotas discriminating against minority groups. 5th Exposed: The Church’s Darkest Secret Peter Ball was a bishop, a friend of the establishment, and Prince Charles – and a serial rapist of vulnerable young men. This is the story about how the Anglican church tried to cover up the whole scandal and helped him escape punishment for decades. 19th In the Cold Dark Night a multi-layered story of one town in the American South, set in two different eras, examining the differences between two investigations, in 1983 and 2018, into the racially-motivated murder of a young Black man, Timothy Coggins. The film highlights how one era enabled this crime to go without punishment, and the other attempts to bring justice, while questioning presumptions of guilt or innocence. 26th

KILLING ESCOBAR The true story of a group of mercenaries, led by a Scottish ex-SAS operative, Peter McAleese, were hired by a Colombian drug cartel to assassinate the world’s most dangerous and wanted man, Pablo Escobar. With heart-stopping drama reconstruction, access to never-before-seen footage of the mission and first-person accounts, this documentary thriller reveals how one man’s violent upbringing in Glasgow, training in the SAS, and experience as a mercenary in Africa, led him to the jungles of Colombia and the heart of the Medellín cocaine empire. Years later, McAleese revealed this was the most dangerous mission of his entire career. 8:30PM, THURSDAY 12TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

Exposed: The Church’s Darkest Secret Thursday 19th

The Dissident Wednesday 4th

The Gig is Up Wednesday 11th

Collective Wednesday 18th

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RIALTO CHANNEL – PREMIERES 8:30, WEDNESDAY 25TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE A real-life undercover thriller about two ordinary men who embark on an outrageously dangerous ten-year mission to penetrate the world’s most secretive and brutal dictatorship – North Korea. “The Mole” is an ordinary family man, turned secret agent, from Denmark, and “Mr. James”, a former jet-set cocaine-pusher posing as a Scandinavian billionaire. Together with director Mads Brügger, they attempt to find a smoking gun to prove how North Korea is flouting UN sanctions, and to expose the regime’s illegal weapons trade, drug manufacturing and other criminal activities. But how far can they go without blowing their cover?

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RHYS DARBY: MYSTIC TIME BIRD THREE – PREMIERES 8:30, THURSDAY 5TH  CLICK TO SEE MORE

Kiwi comedian Rhys Darby brings silly wonder to the stage in his latest stand-up show. His unique brand of physical comedy combines obscure observations and sound effects as he takes you on a fantastical journey into the world of mysticism, past lives...and birds. In this comedy special, Rhys turns to the world of ancient mysticism to find answers to the world’s problems. In doing so, he discovers that he was a bird in a past life, and this knowledge takes him on an unexpected path. Darby will address the big questions like "Are we truly free in this day and age, or is alien technology guiding us into an even greater trap?"

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WATCHING IN TELEVISION

FREE TO AIR TV

HIGHLIGHTS MA¯ ORI TELEVISION  CLICK TO SEE MORE The Legends of Opera: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa an in-depth look at the life and career of one of the all-time singing greats, featuring archival footage, commentary, and interviews – including with Dame Kiri herself. 7:30, Sunday 1st Te Ao Ma¯ori: Moko a glimpse into the lives and practice of some of the best ta¯ moko artists in Aotearoa, and those who wear moko. Documentary series. 7:30, Mondays from 16th – Also on demand and on the MA¯ ORI+ app. EDEN  CLICK TO SEE MORE Finding Alice moving into their new family home should have been a dream come true, but instead it turns into a nightmare when the husband ends up dead at the bottom of the stairs. Soon, as his wife is shocked to discover, secrets surface, debt mounts and suspicions grow. Keeley Hawes, Joanna Lumley, Nigel Havers. Darkly comic six-part drama series, 8:30 Thursdays, from 5th RUSH  CLICK TO SEE MORE Unexplained and Unexplored with expert researchers and laser mapping tools, explorer Justin Fornal investigates mysteries lost to time – searching for mythical locations, detailed in historical maps which are brought to life through cutting-edge 3-D animation. Season premiere, 7:30, Fridays from 6th TVNZ 1  CLICK TO SEE MORE 1News Budget Special 2022 comedy horror, show hosted by Jack Tame. 2pm, Thurs 19th PRIME  CLICK TO SEE MORE

TVNZ 2  CLICK TO SEE MORE DOWN FOR LOVE

A local dating show with a difference. This heart-warming documentary series follows six young people living with Down Syndrome on their quest for romance. They all have hopes and dreams like everyone else – and finding a soulmate is top of their list. Created in consultation with the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association. 8:30, Mondays from 9th Lego Masters NZ for the very first time, more than 2.5 million bricks have made their way into LEGO Masters NZ’s brick pit. Hosted by Dai Henwood. 7:30, Mondays & Tuesdays from 9th – Also available on TVNZ OnDemand. The Filipino ‘step-son’ of NZ comedy, answers the question: what happens when someone who gets told to go back to where he came from, actually does? A show about karaoke, history and loving who you are – baggage and all. 8:30, Thursday 12th – Also available on Three Now. TVNZ DUKE  CLICK TO SEE MORE The Harper House when the matriarch of a wealthy family loses her job, they are forced to move into a dilapidated mansion on the poor side of town. Animated comedy. 9:25, from 2nd THREE  CLICK TO SEE MORE James Roque: Boy Mestizo

Unexpolained and Unexplored Rush

James Roque: Boy Mestizo Three

Finding Alice eden

Lego Masters NZ TVNZ 2

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WATCHING NOW PEOPLE

LADY MADONNA MARIANNE INFANTE IN THE YEAR OF SHORTLAND STREET ’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY, WRITER HÉLÈNE RAVLICH TALKS TOONE OF ITS BRIGHTEST – AND MOST ACCOMPLISHED – STARS.

An interdisciplinary Kapampangan actor, producer, writer – and Shortland Street star – Marianne Infante takes the term ‘multi-hyphenate’ to new levels. Playing the legendary New Zealand soap’s first Filipino core cast member has taken her name and her talents mainstream, but it’s closer to home where she truly finds her passion. “My whakapapa and wha¯nau is from Pampanga, Philippines,” says the actor, who grew up in the Central Luzon province until she and her family moved to O¯ tautahi, Christchurch, when she was just 11 years old. She went on to study stage and screen acting in Auckland after leaving high school, graduating with a Bachelor in Performing and Screen Arts from Unitec in 2016. The self-confessed “theatre baby” says she was raised by the theatre community, working in front of and behind the scenes before she established her own Filipino production house. As a young and fresh playwright, Infante developed her first theatre script, PINAY through Proudly Asian Theatre’s Fresh Off the Page initiative in 2018, which then premiered to full houses at Base- ment Theatre in 2019. The production made history as Aotearoa’s first Filipino-Kiwi multilingual theatre script and pro- duction, winning 2019’s Auckland Theatre Awards’ Excellence for Overall Production. Infante first appeared on our screens as the inimitable Nurse Madonna Diaz almost a year ago, but for fans of Shortland Street , it feels like the feisty character has been part of the fur- niture for much longer. Madonna most definitely arrived fully formed, and the actor is super excited to be playing a role in the official 30th year anniversary episodes that are coming up. “It’s a huge honour and feels so historical to me,” she says, and fans of the character will undoubtedly be equally as thrilled to see Nurse Madonna play a key role. When asked how she felt the first time she appeared on the

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Shortland Street set, the actor confesses that it wasn’t her first rodeo. “I was very fortunate to do an internship at Shortland Street whilst I was still studying at Unitec. I was there as an assis- tant director as I really wanted to learn my craft and build awareness around how the in- dustry works,” she says, as well as explore work- ing on both sides of the camera. Infante says it gave her an incredible insight into what she calls a “beast of a platform”, discovering how much mahi goes into bringing the Ferndale ex- perience to life. “I had heard word on the street – outside of Ferndale that is! – that the show is the fastest turnaround production in the Southern Hemisphere,” she says, “and it can feel like that. It is pretty hectic!” She says she has an enormous respect for those behind the camera, “which makes me even more eager not to let them down.” Talks turns to how much of the devout Madonna Diaz is like Infante herself, with the actor immediately saying: “a lot of her beliefs are very different to mine, but a lot of her character traits are actually very similar in that she can be quite bold, and quite tenacious when it comes to sticking up for new people and welcoming them into the community”. The actor also very much respects her charac- ter’s drive and ambition, “her determination to do well and succeed in life. And we’re both very hard on ourselves, that’s for sure!” Speaking of being hard on oneself, she says

“I HAD HEARD WORD ON THE STREET – OUTSIDE OF FERNDALE THAT IS! – THAT [ SHORTLAND STREET ] IS THE FASTEST TURNAROUND PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.”

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Photo: Alyssa Medel

that her role as Shortland Street ’s first Filipino core character is “a huge honour”, as well as adding a bit of weight to her shoulders. “I felt very excited to bring a Filipino voice to prime- time New Zealand TV,” she explains, “ but I had a little anxiety around not screwing it up, both for Filipino actors and other Asian minori- ties who would love having the opportunity to tell their stories.” Infante adds that “pressure aside, I’m working full time in a job that I am just so passionate about and I was so hungry for, and it’s a great time.” The Filipino voice was also one that was long overdue in a show that portrays our health- care system, “which is a big, big part of our identity here in Aotearoa. We are the fastest growing Asian population in the country, and we occupy one in eleven healthcare roles in New Zealand.” She adds that it’s also a chance for her to take the hard-working mi- grant community’s “mind off the grind, and watch me play a role in a really cute love story that shows us in our vulnerability, too”. Infante was also the writer and producer of MEKENI , a ground-breaking short film that proudly presents an authentic Filipino immigrant story. It is Aotearoa’s first short film in Kapam- pangan-Filipino. Kapampangan, an Austrone- sian language and one of the eight major languages in the Philippines, is a language and culture that is facing imminent extinction. This drove the actor/writer/producer to create the film: to celebrate and preserve her culture. MEKENI is a story about family, unconditional love, and grief. It examines the ripple effects an immigrant family can feel when they lose an essential bridge to the country they now call home, and a way in which Infante can address the fact that she grew up never see- ing faces like her own in the media. About the experience she says: “ MEKENI is all sorts of wonderful for me. This is the first EVER project where I have been able to express myself in my indigenous reo, the language I feel most at home in, Kapampangan”. “To be able to write this story in my language, and work together with fellow Asian creatives, to tell more authentic stories about immigrants with such care has been a highlight of my career so far. This project is a love story to my culture and my whanau, and the hard mahi they put in to help create the amazing life I am now living.”

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STREAMING HIGHLIGHTS DISNEY +  CLICK TO SEE MORE

Pistol the story of a band of spotty, noisy, working-class kids with “no future”, who shook the boring, corrupt Establishment to its core, threatened to bring down the government, and changed music and culture forever. Based on the legendary Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones’ 2017 memoir Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol . Directed by Danny Boyle. Six-part limited series, from Tuesday 31st The Valet a world famous movie star faces a PR disaster when a paparazzi snaps a photo of her with her married lover. However a hard-working valet accidentally appears in the same photo and is enlisted to pose as a ‘cover’ boyfriend. Eugenio Derbez, Samara Weaving, Max Greenfield. Fish-out-of-water romantic comedy film premieres 20th Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers hybrid live- action/animated action-adventure film. John Mulaney, Andy Samberg. From 20th Sneakerella in this high-energy, music-driven Cinderella story, an aspiring sneaker designer from Queens, works as a stock boy in a shoe store and hides his talent. Sparks fly after a chance encounter with a Manhattan ‘Princess Charming’ and, with a nudge and a sprinkle of magic, he finds the courage to lace up and dream big. Releasing 13th Bob's Burgers S12 – the continuing saga of the Belcher family. New episodes weekly, Wednesdays from 11th DISTRICT  CLICK TO SEE MORE An otherworldly destination for fans of the supernatural, superheroes, sci-fi and fantasy.

TVNZ ONDEMAND  CLICK TO SEE MORE Star Trek: Strange New Worlds the latest addition to the Star Trek universe, following Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and the crew as they explore new worlds around the galaxy. Weekly episodes from Thursday 5th 2000s Baby this is a special year for those born in the millennium – they’re turning 21! This NZ docuseries made by Re: follows Misha, Ra¯whiti, Poe, Alison and Tristan as they plan their milestone celebrations, navigating the challenges along the way. 5 Eps from Sat 7th Four Lives the true stories of four gay men murdered in cold blood by a serial killer. This heart-breaking drama asks whether the police did enough to apprehend the perpetrator – and whether prejudice played a part in the loss of lives. Stephen Merchant, Sheridan Smith. Season available Tuesday 3rd Ghosts a rundown country estate is home to numerous restless spirits who have died there over the centuries. But their lives – or, rather, afterlives – are thrown into turmoil when a young couple inherit the quiet house and make plans to turn it into a bustling hotel. Rose McIvor, Utkarsh Ambudkar. Full season from 1st Angelyne the true story of the woman who reinvented herself as a blonde bombshell – known for her self-promoting L.A. billboards and pink Corvette – and being famous simply for being famous. Full season, Thursday 19th

2000s Baby TVNZ OnDemand

Ghosts TVNZ OnDemand

Angelyne TVNZ OnDemand

Bob’s Burgers Disney+

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