Eugene Weekly : Calendar : 11.10.05

Juliette Lewis — arguably best known for her psychotic turn in Natural Born Killers — is hardly the first Hollywood actor to take to the stage — the beer-stained, smoky stage of the rock club, that is. Keanu Reeves has Dogstar; My So-Called Life hunk and Fight Club whipping boy Jared Leto has 30 Seconds to Mars; even indie heartthrob Seth Cohen (sorry, uh, Adam Brody) is in a band (one he admits is pretty bad). But none of those bands have John Henry's as an apparently regular stop on their tour schedule. Juliette and the Licks are back for their second show in a year, still touring behind their first full-length release, You're Speaking My Language. It's pretty clear by now that this isn't just a hobby for Lewis, who writhes and kicks her way across stages and declares, in a press release, "We're saying, 'Juliette and the Licks are here to spread the Gospel. This is the New Testament of rock and roll. We're gonna bring everything we possess and make believers out of you.'" See Thursday, Nov. 17 Calendar.

Yes, it really is that time already. Get a jump on your holiday shopping with this weekend's Neigborhood Studio Sale, which takes place around Emerald and Onyx Streets. Three individual artists — Jerry Ross, Terry McIlrath and Steve Oshatz — will have their studios open to customers, while the ArtChics, a local women's group of seven artists, will be selling orginal art cards and donating the proceeds to BRING's new headquarters, the Planet Improvement Center. Each artist has created and donated 200 cards, meaning 1,400 tiny works of art are up for grabs at reasonable, card-sized prices. The sale is for a great cause and features some lovely cards (at one example at left), but it's not the only holiday game in town: You could also check out the Gem Faire and the Holiday Food and Gift Festival, both at the Fairgrounds Friday through Sunday; the Nature's Designer Gift Sale, at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History Friday and Saturday; and the Olive Street Boutiques, at First United Methodist Church Saturday. And don't forget that this week is the last Saturday Market of the year! See Calendar.

There's a theme to Booter Crunk, the newest from Oregon-based Rage Films: rails, rails and more rails. But it's not just all park rats jibbing and throwing 1250 spins. Booter Crunk also has some seriously rowdy backcountry footage with monstrous, boney cliffs playing center stage. And while they travel to foreign shores and do their share of global storm chasing in Europe and Alaska, the Rage crew often keep it close to home. Some of those chutes and lines look a lot like the best kept secrets of the Cascade Mountain backcountry. The cinematography is notably different from the ski and board flicks we've seen so far this season. Often shot from farther away, you can't always see the skiers as closely, but the added wide-angle view gives you a true appreciation for the huge drops and sheer slopes. All the while, they keep it real with wipe-out shots that make you cringe. Best of all, Booter Crunk has 55 minutes of bumping grooves that includes some of Eugene's very own: Listen carefully and you'll hear hip hoppers Genus Pro rep Eugene. If one more amazing ski flick to get you amped for the season isn't enough, get out there to support your locals. See Wednesday Calendar.