High expectations ruin movies for people.

[KillaMyers]

Now for me even when I've been intensely anticipating a film, I never "expect" it to be as great as I think it will be. Not that I'm a jaded dude, just that I know that 9 times out of 10 the movie isn't going to be what I thought it would. So I guess you could say that I go into every film with low expectations no matter who writes, directs or stars.

It seems that most people do this to themselfs. They can't wait to see a film, hype it up to the enth degree, and when they finally watch it, in the end they wind-up being either slightly or severely disappointed. What I mean is, it appears to me that alot of moviegoers judge a film based upon what they wanted it to be, rather than for what it really is,which is how every film should be looked at.

[Derek237]

They're playing all the Star Wars prequels on Spike TV this weekend...I think that's pretty much the stock example of people having impossible expectations. I never did see Phantom Menace in theatres, but I can't imagine the dissapointment of Star Wars fans waiting years and years for these prequels to show up and then seeing that.

But how could anyone expect the prequels to be anywhere near as great as the originals? That's like being mad at Jim Belushi for not being as hilarious as John Belushi. There's an unfair precedant, when it comes to something like that.


Anyway I think it's just all part of our nature to be excited for things. As far as I'm concerned, The Dark Knight will be the most epic motion picture of all time. Batman Begins was incredible as it was, and all the talent from that movie plus even more, plus one of the most iconic villains of all time will be gracing the screen again.

The thing about having really high expectations is that it's almost worth it to have your expectations met. Sure, it doesn't happen all the time, but when a movie is coming out, and you're super insanely excited, and you think it's going to be awesome, and it is...well....that's just glorious.

[dellamorte dellamore]

I'll take it further , put aside the breathless , fawning , pre load shooting proclamations of how unbelievably fantastic a film may be , it's the scrutinizing of all the pre and post production details that i think is ruining the cinematic experience . We demand to know what the lead actor ate for breakfast and how , why , when , and where he took a piss , 8 fekkin months before a film is released . We feed off these developments all the way until we actually see the damn thing , and there's very little surprise and wonderment left .

I said it before , the one thing is miss about the pre internet geek age , and having the ability to see and read copious amounts of info related to a film's production way before it's released , is the excitement of the element of surprise and discovery . It's all so cheap and watered down now , it's like , oh yeah , i remember i read about that scene on kenblow.com , 10 months ago , and i already saw 300 stills from the film , i knew that was coming , it's about what i thought it would be .


It would have been crazy to see Heath Ledger as the joker for the first time , when i actually watched the movie , much like it was when i saw Nicholson for the very first time when i saw the original Batman . But nooo , we pretty much know every detail about his look , mannerisms , actions , and all manner of intricacies .


I think we all need to step back a bit and stop digging up , demanding , watching , and reading all these spoilers about a film's production , we're guilty of ruining films with this penchant to uncover production details and by our compulsion to appreciate a film before it's time .

[LordSimen]

Not for me. I like movies for what they are, not what I thought they should be.

[bigred760]

I try to expect movies to be a fun time at the theater. I expect a kickass time, nothing more. I do hate seeing these overhyped expectations that happened with the Star Wars prequels, the Matrix sequels, and so on. I wish people would go into movies with a clean slate, no expectations, but thanks to trailers, the internet, and whatever else . . . that's an impossibility.

[Raimo69]

Sometimes the hype makes the movie though.

[NathanRomano]

Hype is alot of fun, but it CAN ruin the movie. I like to be in the theatre giving high fives when the trailers are done. Without Hype there would be no midnight showings or special screenings

[fooknasty]

Sometimes the hype makes the movie though.

Absolutely agree. I was so pumped to see Cloverfield since last July, and when I did my expectations were met.

However, I can see how sometimes it can backfire majorly.

[Mr.HyDe807]

My expctations are mosly relied on movie reviews unforunately. i read one praising, and i get all excited that i sometimes feel a tad disappointed in a way.

So im gonna do a test with Dark knight. im not gonna read any review or go on joblo for the week that its coming out. I know my parents will spoil a review at soem point, but ill do what i can:D

[The Postmaster General]

Here was a rant I did a few years back on how The Two Towers was ruined for me...

Ew. Gollum! He's so real! This movie is amazing! Shit man! You'll want to ear fuck your dead dog this movie kicks so much ass! Wow! Lord of the rings! I have to masturbate this movie is so good. Can I? Can I do it right now as I talk, talk, talk, talk, talk your fucking head off telling you about this movie is! Oh, and did I mention Gollum looks sooooo real!"

I've never read the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. This doesn't mean I'm no fan of these movies, but when The Two Towers came out, I opted to see Gangs of New York instead - this is where I stand in my adoration of these, so far, two films which I consider to be among the best of recent times.

In fact, I waited to see the most recent of The Trilogy until it was on DVD. Let me tell you what happened.

I laughed during the first hour and a half. Non-stop. Everytime some unusual looking character appeared on screen, I would erupt into a machine gun attack of giggles. Do you realize how many unusual looking characters there are in this movie. Yeah, that's a lot of uncontrolled giggles.

There was no use holding it in - doing everything I can to supress the sound of laughter. Hell no! I carry around a few pounds. Sure, I could keep myself quiet, but I couldn't control the shift of my body that caused tremors through out the seat I was sharing with die-hard fans. Yeah, it got ugly.

They could tell I was laughing. Even though, they couldn't hear me, they could feel the seat vibrating. One looked over at me in a confused outpuring. "What the hell?" They asked, sort of trying to laugh along like they were humoring me, but were intensely worried.

Yeah, "What?" That's what I wanted to know! Through all of this laughter, I missed key points of the plot. What the hell was going on? So, I would turn to them, and then start asking about all of these things to do with the movie. There would be so much that I couldn't help but to laugh while saying all of these names like "Frodo" and stuff. I mean, isn't Frodo a funny word? Say it a few times!

How could I help it? The sheer hype of this movie built more tension in me than any metaphore could explain.

It was nervous laughter, sure! What if I didn't like this movie? What if I thought elves and trolls and shit funny? Not funny in a Man Show sort of way with the little people being like props that are below us, and stuff, just sort of like, "Whoa, man! Haha! Check that shit! It's a fucking hobbit! Whoa!"

Shit, I'm laughing! Oh, my god, I hope they don't think I'm laughing at the movie. Hey, that's kind of funny. Oh god, now I'm laughing at that. They think I'm laughing because they know I realize they are aware I'm laughing. What if they think I'm laughing because I think it's stupid. It's not though, it's awesome! There is so much irony, and irony is funny.

Damn, why couldn't I see this movie cold?

I couldn't. No one would keep their fucking mouths closed about this movie. If someone were going to let me borrow it, I couldn't just borrow it. They had to remind me how great it is, and go on and on.

If I was going to sit down and watch it, I couldn't just do that - I had them pointing out the majesty of the whole thing.

Gollum looked good, sure. I thought Jar Jar Binks looked good as well. That's not to say that he looked like shit. Everyone says he looks like shit, but, you know, I liked the way he looked. It was pretty neat seeing that, but everyone was crapping on him, so it wasn't really funny. See how that might be funny?

This happens all the time though. People rave to endless means about how good a movie is. Oh, it's not just a movie I should check out, it's THE BEST.

Why all of this personal stake in movies, where they have to throw their own spin on why you should see it. I understand well in advance why I should see this movie, so why are you acting like Daffy Duck when you know I can't share in your enthusiasm.

Shit, I just realized I refered to Lord of the Rings as among THE BEST at the start of this post.

I'm going to try and avoid all of this frustration, and see Return of the King cold on opening night.

I'm just afraid.

Am I going to release the monster on an unsuspecting audience?

Please don't make me laugh.

[sirdizzy]

The Phantom Menace is a prime example of a movie that had no chance because of high expectations. The movie is a decent film but when compared the original trilogy yes there is a very very large decline in quality. Sure you can nitpick the film as it has a lot going for it but for me it was still a fun film. I was entertained and while it didn't come anywhere near my expectations I left the theatre satisfied and wanting more.

I was always thought about it what if this movie had came out in 1977 instead of 1999, people would have been blown away by it. The problem was the movie was a visual spectacle lacking in other areas and story. It was a visual effects masterpiece and most of the other elements of the film were mediocre like the story. And people just aren't as blown away by special effects anymore, they have become too common place and we have become jaded. The last movie to leave me with my jaw on the grown because of the effects was Jurassic Park in 1993. The lord of the rings were beautiful but they didn't leave me stunned like Star Wars and Jurassic Park once did.

[Z_oasis]

THis topic pretty much sums it up why i HATE 300... I mean HHAATTEE 300. I loathe it. Its cuz of ALL the hype, Jocks and frat boys quoting it more than nerds back in 90s saying "The Truth is Out THere" seriously!

[God of War]

High expectation is the mother of all letdowns in alot of cases. Expect nothing, and you won't be disappointed. Expect the world, and for the most part, you will be shit on. :)

[Scarfather]

The Phantom Menace could have been the greatest event in film history, it had a chance, it had big chances, big, enormous, bulbous fucking chances:

George Lucas is just a worthless fuckhead who ruined it.

Anyone could have done that film better than him, Renny Harlin could have made that film better than him, any random fanboy could have made that film better than him.

Fuckhead.

[Cunning Visions]

any random fanboy could have made that film better than him.

They did, remember The Phantom Edit?? :D

Seriously though, I've noticed this happens A LOT with horror films. Every other month there's a horror flick coming out that seems to be "the next horror classic!" or "the scariest film in ages!!!!", and of course they never live up to those expectations and cause people to run to the internets to voice their frustration *cough* :p

[Ayestrain]

I think the prime example of this rant is Spiderman 3. I had high expectations for it too. Was I disappointed. Yes indeed. Did I still enjoy it for what it was? Yes, enough to buy the DVD.

Now everyone is falling all over themselves to mother-fuck that movie, when in reality, they themselves built themselves up for disappointment.

[Le_Big_Mac]

I tend to think any film won't be as great as it seems. That doesn't mean 10/10s don't exist for many movies. They just look more like 11/10s. With that philosophy, hype hasn't really dragged down the rating for a movie from what's fairest, for me. Although that doesn't mean I won't still be disappointed.

[X-Nightcrawler]

They're playing all the Star Wars prequels on Spike TV this weekend...I think that's pretty much the stock example of people having impossible expectations. I never did see Phantom Menace in theatres, but I can't imagine the dissapointment of Star Wars fans waiting years and years for these prequels to show up and then seeing that. Hardly; most Star Wars fan took the prequels like the Holy Grail they were expecting.

[sirdizzy]

The Phantom Menace could have been the greatest event in film history, it had a chance, it had big chances, big, enormous, bulbous fucking chances:

George Lucas is just a worthless fuckhead who ruined it.

Anyone could have done that film better than him, Renny Harlin could have made that film better than him, any random fanboy could have made that film better than him.

Fuckhead.

I never get these comments, the movie was his, the original idea for star wars was his, without Lucas there would be no Star Wars and no fanboys to make it better.

Let me tell you my Phantom Menace experience and why the movie met every expectation I ever had for it. I fondly remember being six years old and my dad taking me to see Return of the Jedi, it was one of the greatest experiences of my young life. The dark theatre, a six year old boy and one of the greatest space operas ever told watching it with his dad. I had all the toys, I had Return of the Jedi bed sheets, and Star Wars brought me my love for film and the theatre. Fast forward 16 years later and hearing about a new star wars film and the chance to be six years old all over again I was pumped from the first time I saw the trailer, I must have watched the Phantom Menace trailer on my computer a 100 times.

So I was working graveyards at the time and I had a really good friend who worked with me who was also a big star wars fan. It was Friday night around Midnight the movie was released on Thursday or Wednesday at midnight to be technical. He comes rushing it and he's like dude people are already lined up to get tickets I am going to go get in line meet me there in the morning. What had happened is a local radio station had a contest to see who would get to line up to get them tickets over the air, they supplied them with sleeping bags, tents and brought them breakfast, lunch and dinner and they got to each keep one of the tickets that the radio would be buying. There was four of them and my friend was right behind them 5th in line. I would work graveyard shifts, come out and hang out all day while he got to home and get some sleep and it was like a five day party. People brought tv's, N64's, playstations, board games and every night we played a different Star Wars movie. We had a matress thrown on the ground in front of the theatre and would take turns taking naps. It was the one of the funnest 5 day stretches in my life and to this day I still regret having not taken those 5 nights off so I could have spent all the time there and not have had to leave for work every night (I had taken the Wednesday night off hoping to have tickets to see the movie at midnight).

The last day Tuesday I switched to the 6pm to 2pm shift so I could be there and party a little bit more. I hadn't slept in almost 5 days except for the occasional nap and the radio showed up at 6am and woke me up. They sold tickets at 9am and everyone hampered down for the day tell they let us in about 11pm. Funny thing is my friend got to see it that day with the theatre employees at like 11am because it was his birthday and he knew some of the employees. When the time came everyone ran into the theatre and the crowd absolutely exploded when the lucas film logo came on the screen. I nearly fell asleep that first showing because all I was running on was adreneline at that point. And I walked out of that theatre around 2:30 am feeling like a six year old kid once more. I saw the movie 16 times that summer in the theatres and everytime it was like I was six again. Sure the movie is flawed and the weakest of the six movies but for me the movie contains the most nostalgia and the most memories for that fun filled summer. The movie met every expectation I had for it, it wasn't about the story or the plot, it was about the effects and being six years old again.

I tried to recreate the experience for Revenge of the Sith and nearly did. This time around I made the schedules and scheduled myself for the 9-5 the Tuesday before the movie opened and gave myself Wednesday and Thursday off. I showed up at the theatre around 5:30 almost 31 hours early and was the first one in line. This time I had tickets already as they had started to presell tickets a few weeks early a couple years back and all I was waiting for was seats. Sure enough in a couple of hours there was a fair line going (in 1999 if you weren't in line by Sunday Afternoon three days before the movie aired you didn't get to see it for the midnight showing). Me and my fiance now my wife had a blast that entire day, we brought a tent and slept in it that night and had my laptop and board games. I went a little crazy that day as we waited in the sun most of the morning before they let us line up inside the theatre (I live in the desert and it was May) and someone brought us icecream around 9pm and the mixture of sugar and the heat from earlier in the day went straight to my head. we had light saber duels and people dressed up. a line of fanboys can be one of the funnest things ever and once more I got to be six again.

To me that was the flaw of that Lucas missed, the movies were meant for kids like inclusion of Jar Jar a very childish character for the kids but all these adults who grew up on star wars couldn't find the kid in them again for two hours. I mean put aside the plot problems, the cheesy lines and just enjoy being young once more and revel in the experience.

[starcat]

That was awesomely put Sir Dizzy...

the biggest example i can think of where too high expectations ruined the movie would definately have to be the matrix sequels... but for some reason here lately there seems to be alot of this happening to me. I would think that movies are just way shitty, but sometimes I'll watch a movie that i know nothing about and it will blow me away... then they will make a sequel and i will get really excited... its just a real vicious cycle!!!

[KcMsterpce]

I get frustrated when people say that the Star Wars prequels aren't good only "because expectations were too high", and no one should have gone in thinking they'd "be better than the originals."

Well, in my humble fucking opinion... I'll only mention Phantom Menace, but...

It's a bad movie. As a movie that has no relevance to the Star Wars mythos... it's just NOT a good movie. I was expecting to have a good time, but wasn't expecting EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. That would be a ridiculous presumption.
I wanted to have a fun, and at least get a decent moviegoing experience. I didn't even get that, which is why I was pissed with it.

I wasn't looking for a momentous movie watching event. I didn't think it was going to change my outlook on life, or the world of sci-fi movies. I just wanted to be mindlessly entertained with some QUALITY filmmaking. That's where it failed for me.

I hated it for what it was. A bad movie. I don't care about the hype or history going into it.

[Scarfather]

.

Give me the cliff notes version, I can't be bothered to read all that.

[KcMsterpce]

Give me the cliff notes version, I can't be bothered to read all that.

Something about how he camped out for Phantom Menace.
And that makes everything worth it, because of the fun to be had doing that. The movie was only a sidenote to the adventure of what happened beforehand.

From what I read.

[sirdizzy]

That works or how the movie made me feel like a six year old kid again with the wonderment of the effects and the visuals. Movies can be a very moving visual experience and while the film lacked in story and plot it was still a very good visual movie. despite all the films flaws I still enjoyed the movie and felt like a kid again watching it.

Or take what you can get from the whole movie going experience, sure maybe I didn't get the movie I expected and hoped for but I still got an experience that I will never forget and will always treasure.

[HoyleHaw]

I agree about the high expectations thing. I usually try not to let that happen. It works especially if I can find two contrasting reviews, don't even bother reading the reviews, just know that this person liked it and that person thought it was overrated to say the least. I don't always succeed with my expectations, but more often than not.

Essentially, go into every movie with the idea that you might actually not like it, or find some fault with it, or else go in with some good notion of what kind of movie you're watching anyway, and enjoy it on its own merits.

[corran horn]

I usually try to keep my expectations modest, so that I avoid jinxing the film (which I've done too many times) and my enjoyment of it. I will say that if a film has an outstanding cast and crew, it is a little difficult to keep one's expectations under control. Best thing to do in that case is to not think about it.

I will say that there were a few films that surpassed my high expectations, the LOTR trilogy being the best example.

[soad]

Well, i had MONSTER expectations for TWBB, No Country, Death Proof and i liked hell out of them. 3 of my favourite movies of 2007 and generally they're on my favourite list.

[a7xfan]

i think one movie this year that's getting enormous hype it 'the dark knight' now i'm not gonna say it will be bad, but i think some people are treating it like it is the directional debut of God.

[Juliet Bravo]

Well, I personally don't expect anything before watching, and yet get disappointed anyway. My most recent disappointment: Sex and Death 101.

[hoojib127]

Yes, buying into the hype of any movie is the cardinal sin of moviegoing. Basically, all you have to do is just check out EW's spring/summer/fall/holiday movie preview issues, check off the ones that look/sound interesting to you, and don't think about them again until you're seeing them in the theater (or on your own TV) for the first time.

While we're on it, the SW prequels actually did make me feel as though I were 5 years old again. Perhaps the Force is just strong with me ;). But let's face it -- the SW saga was always little more than six glorified 'B' movies. The originals were like "Citizan Kane," "Casablanca," and "Gone with the Wind" to me pretty much all the way up through my teens...then in my 20's, I started discovering other films, such as those of Kubrick, Bergman, Cassavetes, Buñuel, Altman, etc., and saw there was a lot of stuff out there that was just as good, if not better. Mind you, I still have a place in my heart for the SW movies (and all the other ones on which I grew up that I probably wouldn't give a second glance if they came out today), but there are a lot more films of significance out there.

Bottom line is, you have to conform to what the movie is, since, because it's already been completed, it's not going to conform to you. I know for people like me, 'conform' is pretty much a dirty word, but if you want to enjoy more of the movies you see, this is really the only way to do it.

[freakandgeek]

i admit, i do this to myself all the time. i will hype a movie up in my head, and then when i see it, i am disappointed. buuuuuuut, i also will try and see a movie in a year or so, and give it a second chance, because i know i hyped it up....so i am waiting for a year to watch superbad again. :D

[Derek237]

Hardly; most Star Wars fan took the prequels like the Holy Grail they were expecting.

What?


No.

[psycheoutsteve]

I agree with both sides of the argument because each brings up some valid points. For me though, it really just depends upon the specific movie I'm watching. Of course, I'll have high expectations for a film like The Dark Knight, but I'll try to walk into other films with a clear head. The line is drawn when a film fails to entertain, it deserves all the ridicule it gets if it can't fulfill the most basic requirement of a good film. After that though, I'll be open to anything the film becomes as long as it captures my interest and doesn't completely insult my intelligence, (some mindless action pics are the exceptions).

Sometimes it's a good thing when all the expectations of a particular person are not met by a movie. A lot of us on these boards are aspiring filmmakers, and seeing films fall short of expectations gives us a chance to question what our own imaginations could've devised to make the film better. I personally, love critiquing films in that manner because I believe those sorts of questions challenge one's imagination and creativity. If you're not satisfied, could you come up with something better?

I also love when a film manages to completely surprise me with or without expectations. I felt this way about The Fountain, which was so much different than what I thought it would be like. When I watch movies that accomplish this feat, my mind is also broadened in new directions and challenged by a different approach to filming.

There is something amazing about films reaching our own expectations though. It's as if the director was somehow on par with almost every detail of what we value in a film, and as a result the film can also connect on a very personal level. I do get chills down my spine when I experience a scene that mirrors my own vision of it.

So to wrap this up, I think the best kind of film is one that strikes a balance between surprising the viewer, and meeting at least some of his/her expectations. It makes for the most enjoyable film experience, IMO.

Personal examples of films with good balance, The Matrix, The Fountain, Batman Begins

[X-Nightcrawler]

What?


No. Please. Every SW nerd I've ever talked to masturbated to the prequels upon release. It happened here in JoBlo, especially in ROTS when I ranted about it. Look at all the old 2005 threads when the POS was released. Everyone was cumming their goddamn pants.

*released in theatres*
"THIS MOVIE FUCKING BLOWS, WHAT THE FUCK!"
"No way. *rant about how increidble it is and how the plotholes aren't plotholes and how the dialogue is brilliant and the performances are perfect*"
*released in video*
"THIS MOVIE FUCKING BLOWS!"
"Yeah, it kinda does."

What sucks is that since those first impressions of "It's brilliant!" are the ones that stay in printed/internet reviews and aren't changed later, we get shit like this (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_wars_3/).

[Derek237]

Yes but there are also...certain people... here that believe Reese Witherspoon deserved that Oscar for Walk the Line. Like, truly deserved it. Maybe there's something in the water. :p

[X-Nightcrawler]

Yes but there are also...certain people... here that believe Reese Witherspoon deserved that Oscar for Walk the Line. Like, truly deserved it. Maybe there's something in the water. :pIt was a competent portrayal of a complex character!

[Kikabi]

It was a competent portrayal of a complex character!
So true.

I'm one of the rare ones who just ignores all the hype and tries not to have any expectations at all (but doesn't always succeeds). But sometimes, the hype is shoved in your face - as someone has pointed out already about Heath Ledger playing the Joker. I've really want to see that, but it's hard to ignore all the pictures and video clips I've stumble across. It's one thing to go looking for these things, it's another to have it displayed half the time I turn my head.

Last high expectation of a movie that was doused - yep, The Phantom Menace - it was about trade negotiations, for crying out loud. Last feeling real excitement about going to see a movie that exceeded any expectations: LOTR: Return of the King.

Still, I believe it's unfair to any movie to go into it with any expectations of it at all. Just let it unfold and judge it on its own merits.

[EZM22]

I think the prime example of this rant is Spiderman 3. I had high expectations for it too.

I had high expectations too, I loved the other two movies, love the comics and thought Raimi could do no wrong.

I tried so hard not to bash it when it ended, but I was incredibly frustrated. That seldom happens to me. I hated that damn movie.

[Jig Saw 123]

Spider-Man 3 was the only film that I had expectations for and it sucked. I mean there were so many things wrong with SP3, it made me wish it was never made and they had ended it with SP2. Revenge of the Sith was one of those movies that met my expectations, it ended with a dark tone, yet most of the acting was terrible, but I could put up with it. I'm expecting for The Dark Knight to be the best comic book movie ever created and I think I won't be let down, since Nolan has never made a bad film in my eyes.

[The Postmaster General]

Give me the cliff notes version, I can't be bothered to read all that.


Apparently that's what was said by whomever greenlit Southland Tales.

[mel1ssa]

Spider-Man 3 was the only film that I had expectations for and it sucked. I mean there were so many things wrong with SP3, it made me wish it was never made and they had ended it with SP2.

agree fully. i don't even know where to start when talking about all of the wrong things with this movie. (actually, yes i do -- no more dunst, please! no more dunst!)

i am so used to seeing movies that i expect to be silly (b-rated cheesy horror for instance) and i always go in giving them a chance. hell, i watched the american version of missed one call tonight...and didn't turn it off mid-way through! i guess i've trained myself to do that with all movies. (and really, what do i expect out of ironman - for it to change my life?)

what i really don't like is when writers insult us by forcing unnecessary dialog or neatly packaged endings on us. i guess my minimum standards for highly anticipated sequels is that they are true to form and treat us like we're intelligent...that we haven't been stuck in a time warp for 10 or 20 years.

[JohnLocke2342]

At 21 years of age the only movies I can say honestly blew my expectations out of the water and exceeded them by 492 miles was the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy.

When the first one came out I wanted nothing to do with it. I remember the teaser poster of Elijah Wood holding a ring and looking shocked and I thought that it looked horrible. Awful. I had no desire to see this movie. And then, I started seeing some previews, and I thought it looked ok. Then my best friend (who read the books) told me that he just got back from seeing fellowship with his brothers and it was pretty fucking awesome. So a bunch of my friends and I (8 of us) went into the theater, about a month or so after it's realease and saw The Fellowship of the Ring. I couldn't believe what I witnessed. It was the greatest movie I've ever seen on screen. I was completely sucked into middle-earth.. and I didn't want to leave. The movie felt like a half an hour to me, and when Frodo and Sam got over the first hill and stared out towards Mordor and the movie ended, I wanted so badly to see the second part I could barely control myself.

That movie changed my life. I went home, bought all of the books, and read them all. I started reading up on the new movies, and found out every single little fact I could about them. Every time a new one was released, I had all of my friends over the night before and we watched fellowship or two towers. And every time I went into the theater I was blown away.. ultimately being destroyed by The Return of the Kings' awesomness. It fucking rocked my balls off. I went into two towers and return of the king expecting the second coming of christ, and I walked out feeling like we played a game of catch.

Now, everytime it gets cold out, and the days become darker, and Christmas gets closer.. I think about LOTR, and I put them on, and they put me in a different place and state of mind. And I love that.. and I wouldn't trade anything for it. :cool:


But high expectations completely destroyed Spider-Man for me. I was expecting awesomely incredible movies and hated all of them. After seeing all of them at midnight and being insanely excited and having the posters as my wallpaper.. I actually hated them.

I try not to have high expectations anymore, and u can sometimes tell urself that u dont.. but then ur mind says "yeah fucking right! This movie is gonna be EPICCCCC!!!!" and that idea goes out the window.