Jacqueline Smith's week of it

MP Paula Bennett stars in the upcoming TV ONE series 'Make The Politician Work'. Photo / Herald on Sunday

TV
When both Anzac Day and Easter fall on the same weekend it makes for a shake-up in TV programming. The major networks take it upon themselves to educate the nation, with commemorative documentaries and live coverage of the Dawn Service on Monday, while Maori Television leads the charge with a full day of Anzac specials.

Meanwhile TV One viewers can cast their votes early as a new reality series Make the Politician Work, turns MPs into prime time stars for reasons not pertaining to scandal. This week Paula Bennett dons a hairnet and takes a job in a soup kitchen.

MOVIES
Russell Brand seems to be enjoying being a big kid on the big screen now that he is all grown up and married. As well as voicing a bunny in Easter movie Hop, he plays the useless, drunken playboy of an heir in a remake of the 1981 film Arthur, out today.

Helen Mirren plays his nanny. And for those hankering for a Vin Diesel Easter fix, the Fast and the Furious 5 - the Brazil edition, which starts with the ex-conman cornered in Rio de Janeiro - also releases today.

Or, for a more delicate drama, check out Mike Leigh's latest British flick Another Year, which focuses on a blissfully happy retired couple whose only conflict seems to come from the depressed people who walk through their front door.

MUSIC
It reads like a hall of legends; Leon Russell, George Clinton, BB King and Herbie Hancock. All grace Auckland venues this week, starting with Leon Russell's extensive back catalogue at the Powerstation tonight. BB King was of course lined up to play at the Grassroots festival before it was cancelled but that did not deter the King of Blues from keeping his promise to New Zealand. He plays at the Civic on Sunday.

The architect of funk, George Clinton, digs up his Funkadelic and Parliament roots for a show at The Powerstation on Saturday and Herbie Hancock brings his lightning fingers to play 50 years of hits at the ASB Theatre on Tuesday.

OR...
Relive the days of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the vintage motor racing event at Meremere on Saturday and Sunday. Pre-war, post-war, 1960s vintage sports cars, Formula Fords and pre-1963 motorcycles will be out for a hoon, and the posh picnic ladies out for a scone.

-TimeOut