It's like the Jeopardy category "Potpourri"

Happy belated Canada Day. You don't look a day over 29, baby. And Happy Independence Day to our older sister to the south. I had an enjoyable Canada Day; for the two days before, I was stuck in all-day training sessions for our new web content management system so I was very much looking forward to a day off. I enjoyed my recent DVD purchase of Entourage: Season 5. I didn't get to any official fireworks festivities, but I did watch a couple drunken yokels setting off illegal fireworks in the park down the street from my apartment. Fortunately (or unfortunately - depending on your perspective), there were no missing appendages, eyebrows, or hair.

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I went to the Royal Ontario Museum last weekend. I don't know what gave me the idea. I had not been in years and the last time I was there most of the building was still under construction. I really wanted to go because I love their dinosaur exhibits (and dinosaurs are the coolest things to have ever lived on planet Earth - and that includes humanity). I also enjoyed their exhibit tracing the development of style in Europe from the Middle Ages to the post-Second World War period. I certainly got my fill of olde tymey goodness. Unfortunately, I forgot about the Museum's stuffed birds exhibit. Live birds are quite scary, but this is just disturbing - it reminds me of the Bates Motel. Well, when I rule the world and can control the birds, I will close down the exhibit.

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I recently watched Funny Games. I had seen the preview for it several moons ago and I was intrigued. So, when I saw it at my local video rental outlet and I was in a mood to be scared, I brought the movie home. 

From the preview, I knew the film was about home invasion, something I think is much more scarier than seeing a bunch of sexy teens get slashed by a goalie-mask wearing mental asylum escapee with a chainsaw. 

Well, the movie was certainly about that and the performances were very strong, but it had absolutely no redeeming qualities. Spoiler alert: there is no happy ending. A lot of the violence is done off-camera but I believe is done to show the antagonists' lack of conscience and humanity. In one scene, one of the antagonists is deciding which one of the protagonists he should kill. However, the audience only hears this. What the audience sees is the other antagonist in the kitchen, making a sandwich. The film also breaks the fourth wall several times by having the antagonists address the audience. Although I found it strange, I think it does work for the movie. No longer is the audience passively watching the movie - they are engaged with the plot and the horrendous act. 

Anyway, if you find you're too happy and/or high on life, you don't need to get a prescription for some downers - just watch this movie. Otherwise, I would just skip it all together.

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Well, at this point, I must bid you all adieu. I'm off to my optometrist to get my eyes checked and update my "look" (yes, those quotation marks were intentional) with some new frames. I also need to procure a new shower curtain. I don't know what kind I'll get: maybe the one with the abstract design, the one with the fishies, or the clear one so that I can see if any knife-wielding maniacs come into my bathroom while I'm in the shower. So many choices.