"The best movie I've ever seen!"

I think I was in high school at the time.

A group of us were bored on a random week night. I think it was the Christmas holidays.

We looked to see what was playing at the movie theater and saw Tom Cruise had a new movie, Vanilla Sky. That was the extent of the due diligence.

Well... I think I may have been vaguely aware that the movie was made by "the same guy who made Jerry Maguire".

So we go see this movie knowing absolutely nothing about it. And I was mesmerized I tell you. Absolutely mesmerized. At this point, I have no recollection why. I credit my angsty teen years. I like Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz and Kurt Russell.

I guess that was enough for me.

Shortly thereafter, my sister and brother-in-law asked for movie recommendations. I, still under the spell of my experience, say "Watch Vanilla Sky. It's the best movie I've ever seen." Or something similarly hyperbolic.

They've never let me live that down. That's fair. The movie has not held up.

I've reflected a lot over the nearly 30 years since I made that comment.

Why did I think it was the best movie ever? Why did I recommend it with such enthusiasm?

If I have to guess, the thing I really enjoyed was the experience of going into a movie without any preconceptions at all. I was then met with a really unique movie (regardless of what you think about the movie... it is unique).

So I went in. The lights dimmed and the movie began. I knew nothing about it and expected nothing from it.

And enjoyed it.

Which makes me wonder, how much more would I enjoy other things in life if I just experienced them as they are rather than what I'd like them to be.

But boy is it hard. We all carry a load of baggage with us that we take into everything we do.

The baggage we take into money might be the grand poobah of them all.

Nobody comes to money without baggage.

You inherit a script before you ever earn a dollar.

From your parents. From whether the house felt tight or comfortable growing up. From the first boss, the first paycheck, the first thing that scared you.

By the time you're an adult, you're not seeing money. You're seeing your baggage about money.

I wonder what it would look like to walk into it the way I walked into that theater. Lights down, no preconceptions, no idea what's supposed to happen.

Just looking at the thing as it actually is.

Most people never do. They watch the same movie about money their whole lives and never once wonder if it's any good.

Best,

John

P.S. What's a movie you loved once that hasn't held up? Or better yet, one that got better with time...?