Don't worry, this isn't going to be a critique of the Oscar ceremony or the Academy's choices for best actor, actress and best picture. I was in bed when most of the big show was on Sunday night and I've only seen two of the five nominees for best picture, so I don't believe I'm qualified to give my opinion.

However, I did watch one of the best picture nominees over the weekend and I was curious if you've ever had the same experience I did. I watched "The Departed" on DVD, which ended up winning the Oscar for best picture and finally allowed Martin Scorcese to win for best director, an honor that should have been bestowed on him a long time ago. (I would have picked him for "Goodfellas," but I don't have a vote.)

With all the Oscar hype and a great cast including Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, I had very high expectations for this film. And I was disappointed. It was a good movie, maybe even a great one. All three of the actors I just mentioned gave strong performances and the plot was interesting, but there was something lacking and I think I know part of the reason for that, at least in my own head.

My expectations were too high. Sometimes, if you just go into a film with nothing for it to live up to, it can be a much more pleasant experience. I think I watched a good movie that could have never reached the level I expected. In our modern media-laden society, however, where you hear so much about a movie beforehand, it's hard to go in with an open mind, especially if you're like me and have two young children. I wait until movies come out on DVD instead of watching them in the theater, which requires a baby sitter.

So I think Scorcese's Oscar-winning film was a victim of Hollywood hype for me. Of course, there's a another example that proves my theory wrong. The only other best picture nominee I've seen is "Little Miss Sunshine." I had high expectations for that movie as well, and it met them. In fact, I was hoping it would win the Academy Award. So perhaps "The Departed" wasn't a victim after all. Maybe it just wasn't a great movie, even if it did win an Oscar. I guess that's why I don't have a vote.