Expectations

Films and expectations can be a tricky thing. Too many times a film is promoted to death and the movie is a huge disappointment. This is one of the things wrong with the movie industry today. Films become promoted in the media so much that the films can not possibly live up to the hype created by the explosion of publicity the film receives. Furthermore, the saturation of the market by items advertising the film further advances what is expected from the film.

Occassionally, one's expectations for a film can be reached or even exceeded. These are wonderful moments in one's journey through the pantheon of film. Sometimes you go into a film with low or no expectations and can be pleasantly surprised. I can recall two times when this happened to me specifically. The first time was when I was still in the process of matriculating from Clemson University. I was just beginning to appreciate films for all they had to offer. The different types were each unique and special in their own way, like a snowflake. One night, solely on a whim, a couple of friends and I decided to travel to a nearby town to see Old School, the comedy starring Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn. Going in, I had absolutely no expectations of this film whatsoever. It turned out to be a fantastic film and I was extremely pleased.

The second time I remember was when I went to see Pan's Labyrinth. I decided to see this film at the recommendation of a friend, so knowing that he had never steered me wrong before, we went and it turned out to be one of the best films I have ever seen. Going in, I was a little hesitant because I had no idea what to expect, but it turned out my friend was correct, the film was indeed spectacular. I went back and saw that film in the theater four times and have seen it countless times since.

So, I guess what I am trying to say is given the amount of publicity that many of the Hollywood blockbuster films receive, it is best to temper your expectations and be wary of expecting the unacheiveable. However, don't let that keep from you from always going in with an open mind, because you never know what hidden gem might await.