Friday's TV highlights

7.30PM, TV ONE
NZ HOUSE AND GARDEN
Peta visits a one-stop gourmet food and wine experience in Hawke's Bay, and Miriama discovers a French-inspired contemporary home.

7.30PM, TV2
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
Christine's former marriage counsellor turns up at her gym, leading to some awkward moments. Richard's cryptic reaction leads her to question whether it was in the counsellor's best interests to encourage their divorce.

8.30PM, TV ONE
NEW TRICKS
In 1987, a woman's torso was found in woodland near Kent. The original investigation failed to put the pieces of the case together, but now there are hopes it may be solved.

9.30PM, TV3
ROVE LIVE
Guests include the barb-tongued Joan Rivers, Harrison Ford, and comedian Dave Williams. And Ben Harper performs his hit, Better Way.


MOVIES
[rated out of 5]

8.40PM, PRIME
SINGLE WHITE FEMALE
Herald rating: * * *
The solid pairing of Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh really works in this thriller about a young woman who seems to have found the perfect room-mate, until she discovers that borrowing a few clothes has escalated into full-on obsession and identity theft. (1992)

MIDNIGHT, TV3
SEXY BEAST
Herald rating: * * * *
Ray Winstone plays ex-villain Gal Dove, who has done his time behind bars and is retired and sunning himself Ronnie Biggs-style at his Spanish villa.

His peaceful retirement can't last though - enter his old associate Don Logan, played by Ben Kingsley. Logan is hell-bent on getting Gal to go back to London to pull off one last job.

The first half of this excellent crime film focuses on negotiations between the gangsters; the second is devoted to a heist and its consequences.

The Cockney patter between the two villains is hugely entertaining. Winstone's performance is a pleasure to watch - Gal wins over viewers with his obvious devotion to his wife, friends and neighbours.

But the lighter elements are overshadowed by Kingsley's menacing performance. He steals the show.

The great supporting cast includes Ian McShane (Deadwood) and Amanda Redman (At Home with the Braithwaites). (2000)

8.30PM, SKY MOVIES 1
NATIONAL TREASURE
Herald rating: * * *
Time to employ a secret handshake, run up a flag and break out the popcorn. Treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicholas Cage) figures out where a missing war chest is, but must beat his enemy and the FBI to it. Since childhood, Gates has known that he is descended from a long line of people whose job is to guard a treasure hidden centuries ago by the Founding Fathers of the US. (2004)

10.35PM, RIALTO SKY DIGITAL
DOGVILLE
Herald rating: * * * *
Director Lars von Trier shot this powerful film with a minimum of props. It stars Nicole Kidman as a woman on the run from the Mob, who is reluctantly accepted by the community in a small Colorado town. (2003)


SPORT

11.30PM, TV3
WORLD MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Look for Kiwis Kashi Leuchs (cross-country) and Vanessa Quin and Scarlett Hagen (downhill) to feature strongly in this Rotorua-based event. Tonight we get 4X highlights, on Saturday TV3 will have downhill highlights (11.25pm) and on Sunday will have two highlights packages at 5pm and 10.55pm featuring 4X, downhill and cross-country.

7.30PM, SKY SPORT 1 LIVE
AIR NEW ZEALAND CUP: WELLINGTON V AUCKLAND
The provincial competition hasn't had much of the limelight recently but this encounter at the Caketin should be a free-flowing affair between two attacking sides.