Entertainment picks: Test hazardous part for the kids

Movies

How's this for hypocritical. When the producers announced their remake of Dukes of Hazzard with Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott, they invited John Schneider (Bo Duke in the hit 70s TV series) to get involved. The answer was a resounding no.

Schneider explained in an interview that he thought it would be "a terribly offensive, inappropriate rendition of a family show ... I'm afraid people are going to bring their little kids to it expecting to see what it was, and hear bad language and see very strange intentions".

Well, guess who turned up to the LA premiere in July and had a rather chummy photo taken with Seann? Perhaps he clicked that he might get to meet Jessica Simpson, who spent every waking hour doing squats and lunges to fit into those Daisy Dukes.

Schneider does have a point, though. If you're concerned about what your kids will be watching these holidays, it might pay to buy them tickets to the new Disney movie while you check out Jessica in the next-door theatre.

Sky High sounds like The Incredibles with real people. Jeremy is a teenager trying to live up to the legacy of his superhero parents, Commander Stronghold (Kurt Russell, whose chin obviously helped him get the role) and Josie Jetstream (Kelly Preston, a Scientologist who probably believes she has superpowers anyway).

Critics have praised the film's wacky action sequences and blend of the high-school comedy and superhero genres, but they're not so sure about the other fantasy flick on offer, The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl. The 3-D film was written by Robert Rodriguez (the genius behind Sin City and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over) with help from his kids. This could explain why the central characters are raised by sharks and are able to emit flames.

"Charming," said one critic. "A low-rent Wizard of Oz," said another.

Prefer not to wear Darth Vader's sunglasses for 90 minutes? Head to The Perfect Catch, the Farrelly Brothers adaptation of the Nick Hornby bestseller Fever Pitch, with baseball replacing footie and the Boston Red Sox standing in for Arsenal. Whereas Colin Firth was the lead in the British version, here Jimmy Fallon plays the Red Sox supporter who falls for a corporate hotshot, played by Drew Barrymore.

TV

From the team who brought us Eating Media Lunch comes The Unauthorised History of New Zealand (TV2, Tuesday, 10pm), a droll insight into our country's past. Host Jeremy Wells and friends have plundered the TVNZ archives to expose our most important events and figures, including such luminaries as the Ingham Twins.

Some of the footage was too shocking to screen at the time, such as the 1920s animated series Happy Hori. In other words, says Wells, "The history we were taught at school was all wrong."

Truth is, we're not much better than the Americans when it comes to recycling reality TV. Blame the success of NZ Idol, Celebrity Treasure Island and Dancing with the Stars for Sing Like a Superstar (TV3, Thursday, 7.30pm), in which a bunch of Kiwi celebrities (including TV3 reporters and - surprise, surprise - CanWest affiliates from The Edge) will attempt to serenade and dazzle us with their singing and dancing moves until the winner is crowned and threatens to release an album. Oh goodie, just like Christmas in the Park.

Music

Imagine trying to be hip-hop with a name like Rodney Smith. It's not exactly conducive to stardom, so thankfully the British artist changed it to Roots Manuva.

Big things followed. His 2001 debut album Run Come Save Me, with its Mercury Music prize nomination, and two more albums of thrilling hip-hop, dub, garage, trip-hop, calypso and electro and everything in between. Since word spread that Mr Manuva was on his way here to promote his third album, Awfully Deep, Wednesday night's gig at the Studio sold out in a flash so now he's playing on Thursday as well.

On Friday night New Zealand hosts hip-hop stars of a different nature with the Bugg'n Tour at the North Shore Events Centre. Method Man, Redman, DJ Premier of Gang Starr, Rahzel, DJ JS-1 of the Rock Steady Crew and DJ Kool promise four and a half hours of hip-hop and drum'n'bass with local support from DJ Logikal, Frontline and Deceptikonz. And on Saturday night, d'n'b veterans Ed Rush and Optical bring their Virus Vaults Tour to the Fu Bar, with local support from Riddle, Bline, Cern and Nick D.

Theatre

We're pretty accustomed to hearing sheep jokes but for those attending Edward Albee's The Goat, directed by Oliver Driver, at the Silo Theatre until October 15, be warned. Martin is a famous architect whose life is turned upside down by his infidelity with a goat. The comedy opened on Broadway in 2002 with Sally Field and Bill Pullman in the lead roles (Pullman as Martin, that is) and here the stars are real-life couple Michael Hurst and Jennifer Ward-Lealand.

Social

Isn't it funny how you can feel so small when you walk into certain fashion boutiques - and by small I don't mean skinny but frumpy/daggy/behind the times etc - and then you go and get an invite to an event they're holding?

On Thursday, the Auckland Museum is launching an exhibition for Zambesi called the Edge of Darkness. That could refer to the way you feel when browsing said shop in a House-of-G number, but it's actually to celebrate 25 years of the label. The exhibition runs until November 6.