Brush up your Oscar knowledge.

Byline: BUZZWORTHY The Register-Guard

The Oscar nominations are out, and we hope for your sake you don't have too many nominated films to catch up on before the 79th annual Academy Awards on Feb. 25.

You still have the chance to get current by seeing "Volver" opens this week, and "The Queen" expands to a second theater. Compare the performances of Penelope Cruz and Helen Mirren, who are both nominated for best actress.

There's still about a month to watch as many of these films as you can, so come Oscar night you can say, "No way!" or, "I knew Will Smith would get it" with some authority.

In other good-spirited competitions, two bands that live together in Seattle are traveling together to Eugene with shows tonight. Will you see Thee Emergency at Diablo's/Downtown Lounge or Iceage Cobra at Sam Bond's? Both shows have good local openers, but in the case of Thee Emergency, local rockers the Dead Americans are the headliners. And if the recent State of the Union made you anxious, the Dead Americans will serve up political rock for you to rage to.

Tough choice, because as loud rock goes, both shows should be, to quote Oregon Ducks guard Aaron Brooks, "tight." That means good.

Another show that will certainly be tight in more ways than one is KRS-One at the WOW Hall tonight. He is a legend, the original teacher MC. He stays relevant by keeping up with today's politics and collaborating with his many students, including local hip-hop act Animal Farm, which will have the privilege of recording a song with KRS-One during the gig.

While KRS-One is a legend, the biggest name in entertainment to come through our area this weekend is David Copperfield, who for decades has come up with new ways for up to $50 to disappear from so many of our bank accounts.

It's always worth the price of admission to see his astounding trickery.