Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2012)
THE PROCRASTINATOR’S gift guide Michelin 3-star Sukiyabashi restaurant in a Japan subway station. Watch Ono, who pulls his two sons into his sushi dynasty, on his life-long pursuit of the perfect roll. fun to watch Christian Bale brood and Michael Cain charm. Prometheus for: Sci-fi nerds, mystery lovers The Cabin in the Woods Horror movie enthusiasts, Joss Whedon followers Who knew a campy horror film could be so meta? And funny? And unpredictable? This gory flick deftly employs and comments on overused horror tropes (you know, cabins, in the woods, horny teenagers, ancient curses). Co-written by Joss Whedon (who also directed 2012’s The Avengers), it’s no wonder it received a 91 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. for: The Dark Knight Rises for: Comic book collectors, action fiends, conspiracy theorists The first 15 minutes of this film have got to be one of the most thrilling, “hold on to your butts,” explosively fun openers in a superhero film ever. Although the action flick could have easily shaved off 20 minutes, Rises offers up one of the most terrifying villains in comic book-to-film history, as well as on-point commentary about wealth disparities and corrupt government. And, of course, it’s always This pseudo-prequel to the Alien franchise gets the nod for the most striking imagery — after all, director Ridley Scott spent well over $100 million on principal photography, shot across England, Iceland, Spain and Scotland. The story, although clumsy at times, is strange and eerie enough to pull the viewer along — think ancient cultures leaving clues about extraterrestrial life. Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds) and Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) give shining performances. The Hunger Games for: Teens, young adult fiction readers, dystopia fans Yes, the books by Suzanne Collins are bet- ter, but the film is still an exciting and visually beautiful romp. The fear- less 16-year-old heroine Katniss Everdine acts as the viewer’s guide into the post-apocalyptic world of Panem, where the Capi- tol pits children against each other for bloodsport. It’s like Lord of the Flies, except the adults are the ones who have gone mad with power. The Artist for: Foreign film fans, musical comedy lovers Forget subtitles, one of the most successful films to ever hop the pond from Europe (France, specifically) is a silent film. The black- and-white romantic, musical dramedy sparkles as it follows an up-and-coming silent starlet (played by the magnetic Bérénice Bejo) in 1920s Hollywood as she adjusts to the rise of “talkies.” For a film that doesn’t “say” much, it racked up quite an award collection, including Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. Joy is a Gift Simple, local & unique inspirations QDWXUDOEDWK ERG\FDUHERRNV JLIWVIRUWKHJDUGHQHUFDOHQGDUV SHW WR\V WUHDWV FDQGOHV ELUG IHHGHUV VXSSOLHV ZRRO DOSDFD KDWV VFDUYHV VRFNV WUDYHO PXJV %RJV ERRWV UHF\FOHG JODVVZDUH FKRFRODWHV NLWFKHQZDUH PXFK PRUH Brave for: Kids, Pixar lovers Pixar’s first feature film carried by a female protago- nist is a sweet and plucky tale. In the Highlands of Scotland, the tradition-defy- ing, raven-haired, cracker- jack archer Princess Merida must save her family from a curse that befell them after she visited a witch. For Brave, Pixar revamped their entire system for the first time in 25 years to make the digital imagery really pop, and they succeeded. — Alex Notman traveling soon? medical advice for global travelers t he t ravel c linic John D. Wilson, M.D. 1200 Hilyard St., Suite S-560 541/343-6028 www.TravelClinicOregon.com Questions? Email us at travelclinicoregon.3436028@gmail.com Questions? Email us at travelclinic3436028 @ gmail.com WE’VE MOVED! Your local last minute gift store 3UDFWLF DO* 1DWXUDO RRGVIRU /LYLQJ JLIWFDUG DTE gift D c cards are p perfect! classic. inspired. delicious. 769 monroe (next to sweet life) +20(*$5'(1 WK 2OLYH6WUHHW 0RQ6DW 6XQ *,)7 WK :LOODPHWWH noliitaliancafe.com | 541.844.1663 | We do takeout LUNCH: Tues-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm DINNER: Tues-Thurs 5pm - 9pm Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm 2SHQµWLOSP'HF&ORVLQJSP'HF&ORVHG&KULVWPDV'D\ eugeneweekly.com • December 20, 2012 17
