Clone Wars: Sam Rockwell descends into the dark side of the moon

Posted inCulture

Clone Wars: Sam Rockwell descends into the dark side of the moon

Intern

This is ground control to Major Bowie…your son directed this movie.The previews for Moon are misleading and for once that's a good thing. This is not a space-age horror/time-warp/psychological thriller, but rather a socio-politico commentary on the present, taking place in the not so distant future.

The film focuses on the psychological ramifications of cabin fever and the bleak outlook of the onset of cloning. Sam Rockwell plays two roles-a lone astronaut about to go home in two weeks, and his clone. Revealing the clone is no spoiler; It's all set up fairly early.
Beginning with a TV commercial touting Lunar Industries, a company that makes safer, cleaner air by harvesting moon rocks, Moon veers into strange territory almost immediately. Sam Bell (Rockwell) is the sole worker on a moon outpost, in charge of maintaining all the equipment, vehicles and the moon station itself. His only companionship is a beat-up, helper robot computer (reminiscent of 2001's HAL) named Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey). Gerty shuffles and glides around to assist Sam at every step. Resembling a dilapidated X-ray machine, with a "kick me" sticker on his back and a yellow smiley face on a video screen to exhibit his "emotions," Gerty provides comic relief-or does he? Deception and perhaps hallucinations come into play as Sam receives mail from his wife in the form of delayed video feeds thanks to a busted communications satellite. Sam has little interest in anything but going home. But soon, one thing after another goes wrong and Sam is face to face with a cloned version of himself. Their confusion (and consequently ours) becomes the main focus as to what's next on this planetary agenda.

Posted inCulture

Bend likes Brรผno?: Yep, except for this list of moments

Intern

Animal cruelty?At the opening night screening of Brรผno at the Old Mill cinema no one walked out. Not the giggling groups of teenage boys, not those engaged in middle-aged man-dates, not the hand-holding couples, not even the lady who gasped, "Oh my god" at five-minute intervals. No, the entire audience sat stalwartly through the sexual equivalent of Saw V. The mechanical dildos, the swinging penis, the champagne bottle butt plug, the anal bleaching, it was all very well received.

I don't think we can discern whether the Bend community is inured to onscreen iniquity, jaded, or actually more liberal than previously thought. Yet, there were a handful of moments when the laughter disappeared, and the audience quieted to a nervous-coughing hush-and from these moments we can learn. There are some things that can still shock, that cannot be tolerated, and so instead of the article that we had in mind (Bend's Ten Biggest Walk-Out-of-Brรผno Moments) here instead is… Bend's Six Biggest Though-We-Understand-We're-Watching-Brรผno-We're-Not-OK-With-That Moments.
1. The souvenir severed foot of an African elephant retrieved from an airport luggage conveyor. The illegal procurement of animal limbs for novel umbrella stands is NOT okay with the people of Bend and will be met with a dire silence. An African baby arriving subsequently in a box marked "fragile," is, however, very funny. And, with "awws" everywhere, also quite cute. From this we presume Bend to be extremely environmentally friendly.

Posted inFood & Drink

The Be Better Bloody Blues

Intern

I, along with many, have experienced the worst of the worst this allergy season. One day I was frolicking about, allowing the sun to make my golden tresses blonder, my pale skin bronzier, and my deranged spirit lighter. And then, mysteriously, I couldn’t breathe. There was no doubt that a little hit of Advil Cold & Sinus would allow me to smile while telling people about the soup de jour.
Sniffling my way through the pill aisle, I found my beloved tablet wasn’t there. Assuming they were out-of-stock, I immediately ordered online only to find they couldn’t be shipped to Oregon. Thanks to this state’s abundance of meth producers, my only chance of not blowing snot bubbles while setting down someone’s tenderloin was blown.
In my college days, ephedrine was on every gas station counter-the bright blue and red Mini Thin label screaming out to, “Eat me, I’m so much fun with a margarita.” Or, “Eat twelve of me and you could write two term papers, take a ten-mile run, and scrub all your floors with a toothbrush and still feel fresh.

Posted inFood & Drink

Over the River and Through the Woods: Kokanee Café brings fine dining down to earth

Alice Finer

Head out to the river for Ocean finds like this at Kokanee Cafe.Until a recent visit to Kokanee Café, my exposure to executive chef Roscoe Roberson was limited to his winning performance in this year’s Top Chef competition at the Bite of Bend. With gutsy dishes like chilled watermelon-ginger and pork cheek medallion soup as well as a black chef’s uniform, cowboy hat and swaggering personality to match, Roberson stole the show. At Kokanee, I expected flamboyance, a little city-goes-to-the-country juxtaposition of culinary flash against a tranquil backdrop. But as anyone who has been to Kokanee already knows, only half of that assessment is true. Yes, the spot is serene, the digs are rustic and the service friendly and unimposing, but what I tasted, while cosmopolitan in quality, was as quiet as the setting and completely without gimmick.

Housed in a wooden cottage with a stone chimney and screened-in porch just yards from the Metolius River and the Camp Sherman Store and Fly Shop, Kokanee blends in seamlessly with the giant ponderosa pines surrounding it and neighboring cabins that make up the Metolius River Resort. Only about 45 minutes from Bend, just north of Sisters, the settlement of Camp Sherman (permanent population 250) and the river that runs through it offer world-class fishing, hiking and camping, but it’s worth the drive just for dinner at Kokanee. The menu, which changes every year, is largely Northwest cuisine focusing on fish and game and local ingredients.

Posted inFood & Drink

Over the River and Through the Woods: Kokanee Café brings fine dining down to earth

Alice Finer

Head out to the river for Ocean finds like this at Kokanee Cafe.Until a recent visit to Kokanee Café, my exposure to executive chef Roscoe Roberson was limited to his winning performance in this year's Top Chef competition at the Bite of Bend. With gutsy dishes like chilled watermelon-ginger and pork cheek medallion soup as well as a black chef's uniform, cowboy hat and swaggering personality to match, Roberson stole the show. At Kokanee, I expected flamboyance, a little city-goes-to-the-country juxtaposition of culinary flash against a tranquil backdrop. But as anyone who has been to Kokanee already knows, only half of that assessment is true. Yes, the spot is serene, the digs are rustic and the service friendly and unimposing, but what I tasted, while cosmopolitan in quality, was as quiet as the setting and completely without gimmick.

Housed in a wooden cottage with a stone chimney and screened-in porch just yards from the Metolius River and the Camp Sherman Store and Fly Shop, Kokanee blends in seamlessly with the giant ponderosa pines surrounding it and neighboring cabins that make up the Metolius River Resort. Only about 45 minutes from Bend, just north of Sisters, the settlement of Camp Sherman (permanent population 250) and the river that runs through it offer world-class fishing, hiking and camping, but it's worth the drive just for dinner at Kokanee. The menu, which changes every year, is largely Northwest cuisine focusing on fish and game and local ingredients.

Posted inMusic

Anderson: Electro indie-pop all the way from the Netherlands

Anne Pick

We're dutch, isn't that crazy?!If there is one thing the Central Oregon music scene is severely lacking its electro, indie-pop, which is a shame because, well, it's a pretty freaking awesome genre. But the time has finally come for synth-rocking electronica to make an appearance and Anderson, a Netherlands-based duo, is the band to bring it to the High Desert. We caught up with Jeroen van der Werken to talk about the band's U.S. tour and their Postal Service-ish sound.

tSW: How did you guys get started together?
Jeroen van der Werken: About five years ago, Bas and I met in the Netherlands when we were camping out in the summer. We found out that we both were working on writing songs and that we were into the same music. I really liked his stuff and he really liked mine, and one thing led to another.
Coming to America, what are you guys most excited to see? Experience? Try?
Jeroen: The West Coast is made for being on the road, we love it! Long drives, empty roads, good music on the iPod, meeting nice people, enjoying local food. We just spent some time in Los Angeles - we had our album release party in Hollywood and that was great. We're very much looking forward to visiting San Francisco, but also to our time in the Northwest, our favorite part of the U.S.

Posted inMusic

Keeping it Real: Reverend Peyton on wood, steel, CCR, country blues and his Big Damn Band

Mike Bookey

The pig plays bass….sometimes.The Reverend Peyton likes to keep it real, and not in the vague hip-hop sort of way.

As the namesake and leader of The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, a family collective that includes brother Jayme on drums and wife Breezy on washboard while he plays fingerstyle guitar, Peyton wears suspenders, a massive beard, claims that Credence Clearwater Revival is the greatest rock band of all time and shies away from much of the cutting-edge technology that surrounds today's music business. But his band's upbeat country blues has won over crowds at both punk clubs and hippie festivals over the past couple of years, and through endless months on the road, the rural Indiana pickers have kept it real.
"There's so much in this world that's fake and plastic, from margarine to social networking sites, it's all just really impersonal. I just like things that are made out of wood and steel, sweat and blood - that's what I'm all about," says Peyton in his baritone drawl, trucking through East Colorado as part of a tour that keeps them on the road through mid-September.
Still in their 20s but with a sound reminiscent of jam sessions on back porches built long before they were born, all the Peytons still live in Brown County, Indiana, a rural area that's home to 15,000 some residents, which includes several pickers. Of the area, Peyton jokes, "On the street we live on now, I think you have to have a five-string banjo to live there. It's a rule."

Posted inCulture

Our Picks for the Week 7/16-7/23

Mike Bookey

Taarka

thursday 16

The folk-powered world music machine known as Taarka is back in town once again, this time rocking the upper confines of the Summit Saloon and Stage before crossing the mountains for the Northwest String Summit. Yes, it's that time of year again when all the NWSS bands stop off here in Bend to warm up (or warm down) for one of the West Coast's biggest acoustic music festivals. 8pm. The Summit Saloon & Stage, 125 NW Oregon Ave.
Anderson

friday 17
Read more about this electro, indie-pop band from the Netherlands in the On Stage column. Then you'll almost certainly want to hit up Backporch (which is suddenly a music venue on occasion) for this Postal Service-like duo. 7pm. Backporch Coffee Roasters, 1075 NW Newport Ave.

Posted inCulture

New to the Game: Up-river watersports you probably haven’t heard of

Intern

Editor’s Note: For more great Summer Adventure articles like this one, pick up our special issue for the full spread.

River Boarding

Several groups of river boarders reside in the area, each having a slightly different system. Some have bigger or different shaped boards, some use braided bungee for their stretch and some use a garage door spring to launch themselves upstream or into the air. The better riders will ride it backwards, without a handle or completely submerge themselves under the water and erupt out like some strange porpoise.
A River board is basically a large skimboard with a rope and handle that pass through the nose allowing the rider to lean back into the current and shoot upstream. The origins of the activity are unclear, but whisperings have been heard of Oregon coastal river denizens as late as 50 years ago using a deflated truck tire for stretch and homemade boards.
One of the great advantages of river boarding is the proximity of a great location within a few miles of downtown. The First Street rapids draw groups on any hot day taking turns bobbing back and forth with the current like a giant fishing lure. Since no company constructs the equipment needed for this sport, the best way to get involved would be to go to the rapids and check the action out, make some new friends and get in the water.

Posted inNews

Mt. B’s Radical New Rates: Locals catch a break at Bachelor, Shire Update and more

Eric Flowers

If you've lived in Bend for more than a year or two, you've probably had one of those days when you head up to Bachelor hoping for 6-8 inches of untracked powder only to find that the rain in town translates to rain on the mountain. And unless you're a season pass holder, you've either outright asked or wondered why you couldn't get a refund.

This year it's going to be a little different on our local ski hill, according to Mt. Bachelor officials who announced their new pricing structure for next year. And while the mountain won't be giving out refunds, it has announced a radical and, from what we can tell, unprecedented, tiered pricing structure for daily lift tickets this coming season. This winter, guests will pay on a sliding scale depending on the weather and lift operations. On the worst of non-holidays, Bachelor will charge guests $49 to ski or ride. Average days will be $59 and optimal conditions with full lift operations will be $69.
The new pricing is designed to pair the cost of skiing with the conditions, which can be widely variable at Bachelor, said Alex Kaufman, marketing director.
"If it's ugly, it's going to be the cheap rate. If it's an average day, it's going to be the middle rate. If it's a bomber day, it's the high rate. We're trying to match the number to the experience," Kaufman said.
Other major changes in store for next year include a long-overdue multi-day pass that's available to locals.

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