The Stranger

This is what happens when two neighboring artist-run spaces work together: "a focused assemblage of photography, video, sculpture, ink on paper, and cough drop labels" with themes that include "spills, spots, piles, trash, smoke, mirrors, bread, sunsets, Jesus, trees, motor homes, and a poodle." It's an international juried show—chosen by Eric Fredericksen—with work by local artists (Gretchen Bennett, Lisa Liedgren, Brett Walker, and Jamey Braden, a former Stranger intern) as well as artists from Berlin, Las Vegas, and DeLand, Florida. (Punch, 119 Prefontaine Pl S, 621-1945; SOIL, 112 Third Ave S, 264-8061. Noon–5 pm, free.) by Jen Graves

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You can't compare this seven-hour Soviet masterpiece with an expensive Hollywood movie. War and Peace, which was made in 1968, is not related to Titanic or The Ten Commandments. Those are private projects, not state programs. Because the Soviet government paid for this incredibly huge and powerful interpretation of Tolstoy's longest novel, it must be compared with the Apollo 11 moon mission. Both have this as their purpose: to express the strength and mind of the state. (SIFF Cinema at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St, 633-7151. Part one at 1 pm, part two at 7 pm, $8–$10 separate admission for each part.) by Charles Mudede

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Billed as a "variety/talk/game show aimed at giving the drunks something to laugh about," the monthly extravaganza Get Loweded returns to Re-bar with a special holiday edition. Among the scheduled delights: Inter-Gender Arm Wrestling, a performance by People's Republic of Komedy mainstay Emmett Montgomery, an audience-interactive competition called "Would You Eat That?!" and a very special, supersecret, surprise musical guest. (Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 233-9873. 10 pm, $8.) by David Schmader

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Because the past two years have been spectacular for local hiphop, Blue Scholars, the leaders of the new school, are ending the year with a five-night spectacle. The phat carnival will have lots of local acts (Dyme Def, J.Pinder, the Saturday Knights), as well as acts from Vancouver and Portland (Swollen Members, Sirens Echo, Sleep of Oldominion, Ohmega Watts). And now, a declaration: The essence of Vancouver is pleasure, the essence of Seattle is business, and the essence of Portland is culture. Peace. (Neumo's, 925 E Pike St, 709-9467. 8 pm, $15 adv/$50 for all shows, all ages, through Dec 22. See www.thestranger.com/theprogram for more information.) by Charles Mudede

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The best westerns always undercut their own myths, and few are more gorgeously conflicted than Red River. The final entry in a little series on Howard Hawks at the Metro, the film stars John Wayne as a Texas rancher with the kind of virile ambition that crosses the line into mania. Meanwhile, his adopted son Montgomery Clift and another young ranch hand fondle each other's guns as seasoned observers predict they're destined to "tangle." Hot. (Metro, 4500 Ninth Ave NE, 781-5755. 6:45 and 9:15 pm, $8.25–$9.25.) by Annie Wagner

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