I havent seenLa La Landyet, but I want to.
The hype is strong with this one.
But maybe theres a way to go in with a clean slate.
Maybe theres a way to slay the hype monster before it can strike.
My story actually starts withDeadpool, the Ryan Reynolds movie that came out last February.
I knew going in that everybody loved it.
I knew that it was the best superhero movie that isnt a superhero movie ever.
And I knew that it was the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.
The movie wasfine, but when I left the theater all I could think was Thats it?
Thats what everyone was shitting their pants over?
The hype monster had stolen away a movie from me, and I wont let it happen again.
La La Landhas been out now for over a month now.
And if Im going to give this movie a fair shake, I need to take some precautions.
His name is Kent, and hes a cynical asshole that hates everything.
And guess what, Kent?
Your ass aint invited.
Im seeingLa La Landwithout you, so why dont you stay home and complain aboutOverwatchcharacter balance.
If I start to be too critical while I watch the movie, Ill remind him he wasnt invited.
Next,Ill fake it til I make it.
Im going to take a page out of film critic Roger Eberts book andgo in wanting to like it.
Im going to tell myself that I do like it.
Its okay to like things that everybody else likes, Ill tell myself, What about pizza?
How Ill Manage My Expectations
Disappointment is the direct result of mismanaged expectations.
Its important I remember thatexpectations almost never line up with reality.
And I should be mindful of the fact that the past doesnt necessarily predict the future.
Its pretty tasty no matter what.
Whats in theLa La Landburrito?
Some catchy music, interesting characters, dance routines, and a little spectacle.
We grabbed some snacks, hunkered down on the couch, and watched two not-so-great movies back to back.
The first,Seventh Son, was pretty bad, but our jokes and jabs made the experience enjoyable.
The second wasGods of Egypt, a movie we all expected to be equally as bad or worse.
After wading through the sewage that isSeventh Son,Gods of Egyptwas like taking a refreshing shower.
Somehow we had found the bottom and could only go up from there.
I need to do the same thing withLa La Land.
But I figure it should be within the same genre of movie musical.
My pick:Grease 2.
Its widely considered one of the worst movie musicals ever made.
If I watch it right before I go to the theater,La La Landwill almost certainly impress me.
I feel the same way at the movies.
Ive unfairly labeledInside Outin my mind as dont like, but really I havent given it a fair chance.
Fortunately, priming my environment for it should be easy.
Illgo to a matineewhen there are fewer people around, and hopefully no kids.
Ill go to the nice theater that has the super comfy seats that recline.
Ill get there extra early so I dont miss any previews or get stuck with crappy snacks.
Ill turn off my phone completely.
And Ill dress very warmly and comfortably.
Im outspoken, opinionated, blunt, and honestly, kind of a jerk sometimes.
I know these things and I take a stab at be aware of them as much as possible.
And part of that is because I feel like theyll be watching me and how Ill react.
Did ya see that?
What did ya think of that bit?
Pretty great, right?!
But I dont want to do that.
I know these are flaws of mine, so Ill sidestep them right out of the gate.
The Results
Well, after all of that, Id call my experiment a moderate success.
SeeingLa La Landwas a delight.
And while its not my favorite movie, I certainly didnt leave the theater disappointed.
Seeing it alone proved to be the most important aspect of enjoying the experience for me.
I occasionally had to tell Kent to go away, but he did and my critiques remain few.
I still havent talked about the movie with friends.
Priming my mind with a bad movie was also huge.
It definitely lowered the bar in my mind and helped me adjust my expectations accordingly.
When you go in hoping the movie will yo be better thanGrease 2,La La Landblows you away.
Image by Jim Cooke.
Stills via Summit Entertainment.
