Entertainment picks: Con artists steal our hearts

Five get ready to fool the greedy and corrupt in 'Hustle'.

Television

It doesn't have Brad Pitt, a gymnast or the garish Vegas setting of Ocean's Eleven but Hustle (Tuesday, TV One, 8.30pm) purports to be just as witty and stylish. Which isn't too far-fetched when you consider it's made by people who did Spooks and stars Robert Vaughn (The Man from UNCLE) and Marc Warren (State of Play). Hustle follows a bunch of con artists scamming their way around London in ridiculously glamorous fashion. Only these guys are nice cons. We're allowed to like them because they only steal from the greedy and corrupt.

Which brings us to the premiere of Rockstar (Thursday, TV3, 9.30pm), where Aussie band INXS audition rock wannabes for a reality show. The winner becomes an official band member, records an album and does a tour. The band gets some much needed publicity. But is Michael Hutchence turning in his grave? Guitarist Tim Farriss reckons he'd be stoked by the concept but concedes he has no idea what Hutchence's family think of it, except to say TigerLily (a 9-year-old) would think it's awesome. Dave Navarro, who also seems desperate to resurrect his career, joins Bruce Willis' ex, Brooke Burke, to host the show. God bless the rock'n'roll ego.

It's not too late to tune into A Thing Called Love (Sunday, Prime, 8.35pm), even if you missed the first episode last week. Boys, don't be put off, this six-part BBC drama series follows a group of mates in their late-20s and early 30s, and gives a realistic and often funny view of relationships from the male perspective. Girls, that doesn't necessarily mean all we see is the inside of a strip club. We also get to see the inside of the men's dunnies. Don't ask, just watch.

Movies

In Melinda and Melinda (opening Thursday), Woody Allen cuts between parallel stories to confront the age-old conundrum: is the glass half-empty or full? In the comic version, Melinda is a single neighbour who interrupts a dinner party held by film-maker Susan (Amanda Peet) and her failed actor husband Hobie (Will Farrell). In the tragic version she's a nutty school chum of wealthy Laurel (Chloe Sevigny) and wife of cheating, out-of-work actor, Lee (Jonny Lee Miller). And no, it's nothing like Sliding Doors.

Also starting this week is award-winning film The Sea Inside, the real-life story of Spaniard Ramon Sampedro, who fought a 30-year campaign to win the right to end his life with dignity.

The film explores his relationships with two women: Julia, a lawyer who supports his cause, and Rosa, a local woman who wants to convince him life is worth living. Critics are divided over whether it's a manipulative weepy or a moving take on euthanasia. The film scooped an Oscar for best foreign film this year and a best actor award at the Venice International Film Festival for lead Javier Bardem.

Social circuit

It's the New Zealand Screen Awards at SkyCity on Wednesday night, and you know what that means. Everyone will be eyeing each other up and gossiping over their bubbly glasses about whether so-and-so was caught up in the you-know-what scandal. What really matters is that it's the first such awards in two years. Leading the TV nominations is TV2's excellent Insider's Guide to Happiness, and in the film category, the Maurice Gee adaptation, In My Father's Den.

I can't have too much fun though because it's up at dawn on Thursday to fly to Melbourne (well someone's gotta do it) for the opening of The Lion King that night. Replacing Jay Laga'aia, who led the Sydney cast, is American Geno Segers. Not only does this guy have a voice deep enough to set off a seismograph, he's a former maths and science teacher turned wrestling champ and league player. You may also remember him as the guy who told you to shove off. He used to be a bouncer at the Safari Lounge.

Speaking of bashes, on Thursday, NZ On Air are throwing one to celebrate five years of Phase Four funding. The party is at Toto's Montecristo Room and is sure to be attended by throngs of musos who wouldn't have made it into the charts without a little help from the taxpayer.

Music

Yes, the early 80s thing happened here, too, and local bands from that era are having a grand time basking in the memories. Last week it was Danse Macabre, this week it's Children's Hour (Friday, Kings Arms). The Auckland band formed in 1982 out of a mutual love for bands like Joy Division, Killing Joke and Gang of Four and made music that was somewhere between punk and Headless Chickens, which the band drummer Bevan Sweeney went on to form. Best not to stand too near the stage when they play the Kings Arms on Friday - according to frontman Chris Mathews, the band's early intentions were to "destroy everything in sight". But if you're going to Interpol next week, this should give you an idea of where they're coming from.

The 80s revival continues on Saturday at Edens Bar when stand-in Children's Hour bass player Rob Mayes plays with his band Eskimo, with David Mulcahy from Superette and Jean Paul Satre Experience, and Michael Daly (from YFC, also planning to reform).

But if you prefer to look forward rather than back, jazz pianist and producer Mark de Clive-Lowe returns from London to play the Green Room Sessions at the Maritime Museum on Saturday. He's cutting edge, y'know.