Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) (Movie Review)

     

   When it comes to general Pirates in our pop-culture, Disney has probably had the biggest influence on the genera. One of Walt Disney’s first hit live-action movies was 1950’s “Treasure Island”, which would have further adaptions under the Disney banner including “Muppet’s Treasure Island” and the animated “Treasure Planet”.  Pirates would continue to appear in other Disney classics like 1968's "Blackbeard's Ghost", or “Swiss Family Robinson” in 1960, and need I forget one of Disney’s most iconic villains … one Captain Hook from “Peter Pan”. The big one however came in 1967, with the opening of the theme park attraction “Pirates of the Caribbean”, which was the final thing Walt Disney oversaw the creation of at Disneyland before his untimely passing. Needless to say, it’s remained one of Disneyland’s most iconic attractions, and the song "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" is likewise a Disney staple. Speaking personally for a moment, as a kid, I grew-up in San Diego California, and my family made it a tradition to vacation at Disneyland. As one would expect, “Pirates of the Caribbean” was one of our favorite rides, and was always one of the first we had to go on. Over time, the rides popularity sky-rocketed in 2003, with the release of a theatrical movie adaption titled “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” … and with it, Disney put the definitive staple of Pirates in adventure cinema.    

   This movie premiered at a time when Hollywood was desperate for new ideas, to the point where they were willing to release anything … no matter how strange or unusual. I bring this up because prior to its release … “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” looked like another desperate attempt to try something different. The poster looked silly, the idea of adapting a theme park ride seemed outlandish, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s name was attached after the critical and commercial failure of 2001’s “Pearl Harbor” ... no doubt the reason why the ship in the movie is named the Black Pearl.

 

Also, the films competition at the time was “The Return of the King” and the anticipated “Matrix” sequels, so it seemed like it was dead on a rival. Yet, the film subverted audience expectations, became a smashing success, and stands as one of the most commercially successful, and influential action adventure movies of its decade. It was that special breath of fresh air Hollywood needed at the time, and an important reminder that studios should take creative risks when coming up with new ideas. The big take away is that it attracted a wider audience then people who were simply fans of the ride, and the film did take an identity of its own separate from its source material. While I’ve never called myself a die-hard fan of “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”, I certainly have great fondness reserved for the film, and as far as straight forward adventure movies are concerned, I’ve always viewed this movie as a genera classic in its own right.    

   The premise revolves around a group of Pirates who got a little too greedy for their own good, and ended up stealing gold that had a curse upon it. Now, the pirates are immortal, but without the pleasures of human life, and the moon light reveals them as living corpses. 

As such, the wicked Captain Barbossa and his crew of the Black Pearl seek any means they can to lift their curse and become whole again. Believing a young woman named Elizabeth to be the key to their salvation, they kidnap her and set sail to the island of the cursed gold. Desperate to rescue her, love interest Will Turner seeks help from an inept Pirate Captain named Jack Sparrow, who was previously the captain of the cursed Black Pearl crew. The premise is simple, yet layered, and the overall experience is laced with a refreshing sense of escapist fun. What I loved most about the film was its screenplay, and how it played with certain conventions. Typically, in a genera film of this sort, the villains would be seeking immortality, but this film tries something new by presenting the pirates simultaneously as both the threats and victims of their own blundering.

  The dashing hero Will Turner is revealed to have a family heritage tied in with the pirates, but rather than being constantly spoon-fed information, he’s smart enough to learn things about his family ties on his own. Aside from that, he’s admittedly the most “vanilla” character of the film, but Orlando Bloom at least plays the part well, and he does his job as the defined hero character to cheer for. Elizabeth likewise is a girl who needs to be rescued, but she’s not a one-note damsel either, and proves to have both brains and resourcefulness. Once again, I’ve seen better examples of strong damsel characters in films like “Raiders of the Lost” and “The Mummy”, but Keira Knightley is at least a dignified actress, and gives a committed performance in the role. Also, I can’t glance over a talented supporting cast, including Jack Davenport as Commodore Norrington, Kevin McNally as Mr. Gibbs, Jonathan Pryce as Governor Swann, and a young Zoe Saldana in a minor role as a pirate named Anamaria. This was prior to her breakout roles in “Avatar”, “Star Trek” and “Gradians of the Galaxy”, and it’s great to see her in this, even if it’s a small role. A part of me wishes she could have been the female lead, or at the very least, taken a leading role in one of the many sequels.

  

   Geoffery Rush is a versatile actor who can shine in a number of roles, whether it be a loving father figure in “The Book Thief” or a super-villain in “Mystery Men”, but I think most would agree that he’s never shined brighter then as the Pirate Captain Barbossa. He just feels like a talent that was born to play a pirate, and he’s consistently fun to watch as he chews up the scenery in this performance. The only person who could match him is the equally larger than life portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, who’s played masterfully by Johnny Depp. While the portrayal got a little stale in follow-up sequels, as well as virtually every other role Depp would play post Pirates, one still can’t forget just how refreshing and new this performance was in the first film. It was one of those special lightning in a bottle performances that took audiences by storm and made a house hold name out of Johnny Depp. While he had a number of credible roles beforehand ranging from “Ed Wood”, to “Sleepy Hollow”, to “Edward Scissorhands”, I think most would agree the Jack Sparrow is his signature career defining role. Depp respectfully received an Oscar nomination for best actor, which is saying a lot considering that he’s portraying a quirky pirate … and that’s really not the kind of role that the Oscars would take note of, but in this case they did. While the Jack Sparrow gimmicks overstayed their welcome in future films, he’s still infectiously fun and charismatic in this first movie, and along with “Indiana Jones”, this can be viewed as one of the great iconic character performances of the adventure genera. 

   The only other talents who deserve more credit are Klaus Badelt and his music producer Hans Zimmer, for composing one of the all-time great adventure scores in this movie. Hans Zimmer already had a hand in composing high-sea adventure music in “Muppets Treasure Island”, so it’s no wonder he was brought on to help with the score for “Pirates of the Caribbean”. There’s no question about it, this music gets me hyped for adventure, and is one of the chief components to the films overall fun factor. 

The music also helps convey a sense of doom whenever the villains are on the approach. Also, even though I wasn’t really invested in the romantic parts of the picture, the score is absolutely breathtaking when it plays as a romantic balled. I’m actually shocked that of all the films acolytes, this music score didn’t get nominated at the Academy Awards. The film did however receive four other respected Oscar nominations for best makeup, best sound design, best sound mixing, and of course for best special effects … which I feel should have won. While it’s competition “Return of the King” did admittedly have some extraordinary effects on display, I feel it offered nothing as visually unique as what “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” gave us. Seeing these pirates walk in-and-out of the moon light, and transforming into skeletons is one of the most aw-inspiring feats of special effects that the decade had to offer. Still to this day, the transitions from man to skeleton is seamless, and it still makes me wonder how they pulled it off.  

   The re-animated skeletons sailing boats was only a minor detail on the ride, but I’m glad they put the focus on that, as it made the movie feel more unique then straight-forward pirates pillaging towns. On that note, for whatever it’s worth, when I was a little kid going on the ride, it was the visuals of the Pirates raiding and pillaging that scared me more then any of the supernatural elements, and the movie did a fine job replicating those disturbing shots. We also have the rum-drinking man sleeping with the pigs, and the crime ridden town of Tortuga. The iconic song is referenced in passing, but I would have liked a full-on musical number of "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" during the Tortuga segment. The most obvious nod to the ride comes in the form of the dog holding the keys to a prison cell, which was cute at first, but I feel that joke overstayed it’s welcome. There’s also a number of odd Disney branded references, including a random name-drop of “The Little Mermaid”, and another character dressed as Captain Hook from “Peter Pan”. Still, despite all the call backs to the ride and other Disney properties, the film still has its own unique voice, and is more than capable to stand on its own.

   What the film truly succeeds in is providing the audience with a refreshing sense of escape, and helped breathe new life into swashbuckling action and fun. I will admit that the film drags in spots, and the run time is a bit much, but the film still delivers the goods that make me want to give it a repeat viewing. The action comes in a terrific variety, and is spread out enough that we don’t feel exhausted when the next exciting action-set-piece comes around. 

Granted, there’s nothing subtle about the action on display, but at least it’s not stupid, where as the sequels just went too overboard with outlandish fights and implausible stunts. I feel this first film struck the right balance with the fantastical, and kept the spectacle just grounded enough. My favorite action sequence of the whole movie is Jack Sparrows dual with Will Turner in the Black Smith shop, as it’s all in camera, and the appeal comes from how the set-design is utilized with the swift sword fighting choreography on display. I honestly think it’s the best staged sequence in the film, as it goes from moving around these giant wooden gears, to balancing on a cart, to leaping on the roof’s support beams, and it’s just a beautifully executed sequence. The only feat of action I found underwhelming … of all things … was actually the final duel. After all the exciting battles at sea, and thrilling chases, the film comes to a close with kind of a small fight in a dark, damp and boring cave. While the climax overall is great, with more awesome effects, and cool moments, the final showdown between Jack and Barbosa always felt kind of average to me, at least when compared to everything that proceeded it. Although, we do at least get a very satisfying villain death, as Captain Sparrow uses the single bullet he’d saved for his greatest enemy ... I just try to push the villain’s resurrection in the sequels out of my mind.   

  While there were many sequels that followed, I personally fond them all consistent one-and-done experiences. By that I mean, each sequel gave me enough flash that made me glad a saw them once, but I’ve honesty never had any interest in re-watching any of them. The first “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” by contrast has absolutely held-up over the years as a consistently re-watchable piece of entertainment, and it’s still one of my favorites of adventure cinema. Truthfully, the first film is all I really needed to get my fix of high-sailing adventures at sea with this fantastic cast of memorable characters. The performances are larger than life, the music riveting, the battles exciting, the effects eye-popping, and it stands as a great reminder for Hollywood to take ambitious risks when coming up with new ideas. If you feel that “Pirates of the Caribbean” lost it's flair due to an overabundance of sequels, I’d still encourage you to look back at the first, as it still holds-up as a refreshing escape from what Hollywood traditionally produces.

Thanks for reading my review of the 2003 adventure classic “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” … and continue to enjoy the movies you love.

Disney’s Mulan (1998) (Movie Review)

   I've been a fan of Disney animation for as long as I can remember, and one curious detail amongst my absolute favorites is that, with two or three exceptions ... the lead title character usually isn't where my fondness comes from. Movies like "Aladdin", "Peter Pan", "Robin Hood" and "Hercules" are absolutely some of my most favorite to come from the studio, but my feelings for those films come from all the side-characters, love interests, villains, songs, and individual settings as opposed to the character the movie is named after. However, Disney’s 1998 animated picture “Mulan” is one exception, in which my fondness absolutely comes from the lead character first. “Mulan” was Disney’s 36^th animated feature, and of all the ladder pictures to come from Disney’s Renaissance era, this one seems to have aged the best with the general public. I will admit, much like my personal feelings for “The Lion King”, I certainly have fondness for the picture, I enjoy watching it every once in a while, but it's never quiet ranked as high on my personal Disney movie totem pole ... although the main character absolutely dose.

   The movie begins with a beautiful title card sequence, done in the style of a Chines ink-wash painting, and it perfectly sets the mood of the film. Now, I’m usually not one to go into the details of behind the scenes content … but I have to quickly mention the original opening for this movie. Initially, this film was going to begin with the Emperor of China having a nightmare, in which his beautiful country is overwhelmed by a malevolent force on the horizon. Instead of taking a physical form, the invading danger take on the appearance of these haunting dream-like entities, including a giant Raven, who’s face morphs into a skull, and there’s a sinister looking dragon that swallows the sun, and proceeds to rain fire on the valley below. Both the visuals and the accompanying song were truly epic and haunting spectacles. Had this original opening been kept, it could have potentially surpassed both “The Lion King” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” as my favorite opening of any animated Disney picture. Still, the actual opening is good enough, as we see the invading Hun army breach the Great Wall, and begin their invasion of China. On a side note, it was through watching this movie as a kid that I was introduced to the Great Wall of China, so whenever I think of it, this opening always comes to mind.   

   Next, we’re introduced to our leading lady Mulan, who’s preparing to be a Bride for a potential mate, and … in a mature turn of events, Mulan is quite content with herself and her position … she’s just not very good at it, and needs a boost in the confidence department. Once news of the invading Hun army reaches home, she decides to sneak out in her fathers place to aid in protecting China, knowing that her father wouldn't survive another battle in his condition. 

In general, just about every other female lead is anything but content with their place in life, and are against tradition, so they set-off to make some kind of point. By contrast, when Mulan is called to action, it’s purely out of love for her father that she sets off to fight against the invading army, as she fears he’s too old, and a cripple. When she tries her best to fit in with the army, it’s no different then in the opening when she was trying her best to be a bride, and she never once is trying to enforce a gender message … instead, we have a genuinely good person who’s just trying to do their best to accomplish what’s right. As such, Mulan is an excellent role model for both boys and girls in equal measure, and it’s something that feel Hollywood has all but forgotten. There’s a huge assortment of strong females in the movies right now, and while many are great, more then half of them are simply there to prove an obvious point … that woman can be just as strong or stronger than men. 

Instead, what they should be focusing on are strong “characters” in-of themselves that just happen to be females. Mulan proves that you don’t need to preach about being a strong female lead, you can just be an excellent character, and a great role model to get the point across. I also love that she’s far from perfect, as it makes her feel more relatable. She’ll wake-up in bed a mess, and even go so far as to wright cheat notes on her arm. In my view, the best characters are the ones that still have their faults, but have more then enough good virtues to balance out. Without question, this is a title character who stands as the best character of the whole film, and remains one of the best and most respectful of Disney leads. Also, as something of a side note, I never felt that Mulan belonged in the same group of the marketable Disney Princesses … that always felt degrading of her status. In my view, she belongs on a higher pedestal then just another “Princess”. She’s the protector of an entire nation, and besides, it’s not like she marries someone of royal heritage. More to the point, while this movie has never really surpassed “good” for me, the lead character herself absolutely ranks among Disney’s best. Now, if I was to get picky, I will say that her personality doesn’t leap off the screen like with some of the other girls. That’s not to say she’s devoid of personality … far from it, as the scenes when she pretends to be a boy are great … and voice actress Ming-Na Wen is terrific in the role. It’s just that by comparison, she isn’t quiet as entertaining a presence. Still, those are small potatoes, as she still remains one of the greats.  
        

   One of the film’s most important ingredients to get right was Mulan’s relationship with her father Fa Zhou, and I’m happy to say it was handled perfectly. The two can strike an emotional chord without getting overly emotional, and while their scenes together are brief, the two never the less convey this incredibly warm chemistry. It’s also great that Mulan actually has both her parents … like holly cow, how many other Disney girls have both their parents alive and together? 

Shang is the commanding General of the Chines army, and serves as our male lead. He’s easily one of Disney’s best male companions, and can stand outside of Mulan’s shadow as a credible character on his own … something that rarely happens in Disney animation. It’s interesting to note that Shang is voiced by BD Wong (a talent who I’ve always associated with “Jurassic Park”), while in the Chines version he’s voiced by Jackie Chan. Now, Chan was already an international super star, so it begs the question ... why not just have him in the American version to begin with? Another talent I have to mention is James Hong as the obnoxious pencil-pusher named Chi-Fu. I’ve loved this guy ever sense I was introduced to him as the villain Lopan from “Big Trouble in Little China”, and he’s always a great talent to have in a picture. He’s also done a lot of voice acting in a number of Western animation programs, and he’s distinctly recognizable every time I hear his voice. Also, The Emperor is voiced by the late Pat Morita … also known as Mr. Miyagi from “The Karate Kid” ... talk about ideal casting there. At last, being a long time “Star Trek” fan, I have to highlight George Takei as First spiritual Ancestor … with him, you can’t go wrong.

   

  There’s also a cute little bug named Cri-Kee, who’s fine, but if I’m being honest, I would have preferred Mulan’s pet dog as the cute animal side-kick. At last, we come to the most marketable character of all ... Mulan’s wise cracking guardian Dragon named Mushu, who’s voiced by Eddie Murphy. Oh boy … I’ve got some mixed feelings about this character. Positives … I find Mushu one of the most quotable of the comedic Disney characters. In fact, I’ve referenced his lines in my daily life without realizing who I was quoting. Some of my favorite Mushu quotes include … after Mulan fails at making an angry face, Mushu sarcastically follows with “oh, I think my bunny slippers just ran for cover”. Also, after some soldiers follow Mulan in the lake for a swim, Mushu states “There’s a couple things there bound to notice”. Negatives … while Eddie Murphy dose a fine job bringing energy and wit to the character, I was personally never on board with him raising his voice. It's something of a personal taste for me, but I just prefer my comedic characters to be a little more quiet and subdued, as opposed to loud, and shouting their lines. Still, I remember enjoying him fine back when I was a kid, and I can see why he still has a fan base all these years later. 

     Another character I have mixed feelings about is the Hun leader named Shan Yu, who I’ve never been able to decide if he’s a cool Disney villain or an average forgettable one. When I think of the really great animated Disney villains, this guy never once comes to mind … yet, with that said, I find him a consistently exciting presence whenever he’s on screen. Contrasting his monstrous appearance, Shan Yu is a rather calm, and soft-spoken individual, which I love. Quds to the Late Miguel Ferrer in his portrayal of Shan Yu, as he stays collected, while giving the character a wicked personality. His best scene by a mile is when he releases two troops to deliver a message to the Emperor, to which he chillingly follows up with ... “How many men does it take to deliver a message?” … that was quiet effective. The villain’s music score likewise is riveting, and it adds a level of excitement whenever he appears on screen. Still, he’s unfortunately not in the movie for very long, and I just can’t say the character leaves as big an impression as other memorable Disney foes. I think the big reason for that is because Shaun Yu doesn’t meet either Mulan or Shang until the very end of the movie, and part of what makes a villain so great is their relationship with the heroes. 

   One thing this movie absolutely has over its peers of the time is a balanced tone. For as much as I love “Hercules”, “Pocahontas” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, their tones were very jarring, as they’d jump from overly kid-friendly, to heavy adult drama and never really felt balanced. “Mulan” by contrast has its mature moments, and dramatic scenes, but they never exceed their grasp. Likewise, the comedy on display is very charming, and can appeal to more then the little kids.

At times there's deliberate tonal shifts, like jumping from a cheerful song to a burned-down village, and yet, the film maintains a steady balance in tone. It’s a case of … never going outside the box, but making that box feel very cozy and appealing while inside. The only time the comedy felt off-putting is during the appearances of the Chines Ghosts, who are all ancestors. What should have been very mystical, and enchanting comes off like a family sit-come, and it just feels like a waist. With that said, I do enjoy the simplicity of how the Chines Culture is portrayed. This was the first time Disney dived into Chines folklore … but it also mixes pieces of history, and if not handled with a mature presentation, you could end up with another controversial picture like “Pocahontas”. As such, while I would have loved to explore more culture and Chines mythology, I’m glad the film played it simple and didn’t distract from what’s really important. The animation likewise is very subtle, as it looks beautiful without ever feeling like it’s showing off. Again, even though I adore the animation in “Pocahontas”, it did feel like is was showing off its artistry, while “Mulan” is content to just let the simple colors and layouts speak for themselves. The only time it really tried to be epic was the battle on the mountain side, and it’s a cool scene, with lots of energy, and it even incorporated some innovative POV shots.      
    

   Now, for all the talents involved in this picture, the most important to me is the late composer Jerry Goldsmith, who is personally my biggest hero when it comes to movie music scores. “Mulan” was the only animated Disney movie he ever composed a score for, but it’s another great one, and it remains one of the films biggest strengths. This score was even nominated at the Oscars for best original music. Naturally, this score adds to the size and scope of the epic battle scenes, but I find this score even more effective during the softer and quieter moments. I love the subtle scenes in which there’s minimal dialogue, and everything is conveyed through both the visuals and this score. My favorite scene of the whole movie, and easily one of my top five favorite individual moments from any Disney movie is the moment when Mulan makes her choice, and leaves home to join the army. This is visual story telling at its most inspiring, as every shot, visual and transition in this moment is a work of art, and conveys a hundred words. I love that Mulan doesn’t even need to speak a single line of dialogue … we just see her sitting there in the rain, she’s looking at the silhouettes of her parents in the window, her damp hair has her face framed in a box, which illustrates how boxed-in the character is, and then with one swipe of the hair … she’s maid her choice, she’s going out there, and Jerry Goldsmith’s riveting music track gives me chills all over. If individual scenes could win an Oscar, this would be one of them.   

   With all my praise given to the music, I probably should mention the individual songs themselves. Right off the bat, my favorite song is “I’ll Make A Man Out of You”, which has held up to this day as one of the all-time great training montage songs ... right on the same pedestal as “Rocky’s” “”Gonna Fly Now”, or “The Karate Kids” “You’re the Best”. 

I distinctly remember being back in Elementary school, and all the kids during P.E. would be singing this song. Still to this day, the song leaves me feeling hyped, like I could just go off and run a mile. I think that of all the animated Disney renaissance movies of the 90’s, this one was trying the least to be a full-on musical, and was just trying to be a mature film with an occasional song here and there. The first song “Honor to Us All” is kind of basic by the standards of opening song numbers, as it’s not very grand or catchy. It just does its job setting-up both the character and the theme of the film, and then it moves on. 

I was also a little surprised that Mushu didn’t get a song number, as it’s a Disney staple to give the marketable comedic mascot a big, colorful show-stopper. Instead, it’s the army singing “A Girl Worth Fighting For” that provides the film with some levity and charm. The finale song “True to Your Heart” is performed by Steve Wonder, with 98 Degrees, and while the song is a little catchy, it can’t help but feel like the product of a by-gone era, in which boy bands were everywhere. Naturally, it’s tradition for our female lead to have a solo number, and in my own personal opinion, every solo Disney Princess song can ride the coat tails of Mulan’s “Reflection”. I don’t even know how to explain it, but this song manages to convey the emotional struggles of our lead, while also coming off as an inspiring peace. It’s a trait utilized with a number of Disney Princesses ranging from “Cinereal”, to “The Little Mermaid”, to “Frozen”, in which they make their emotional pleads come off as something beautiful and awe inspiring. For whatever reason, “Reflection” is the one that always got to me the most, and helped secure Mulan’s status as one of my favorite leading Disney girls. It’s also the song that introduced me to Christina Aguilera, and for all her success with “Come on Over Baby”, “What a Girl Wants”, and so forth … “Reflection” remains my favorite cover of hers.     

  Once we get to the third act, Mulan’s secret is revealed, and the army have to trust her for who she really is. The villains soon invade the palace and take the Emperor captive, leaving Mulan and friends to mount a daring rescue. While this climax isn’t nearly as epic as the proceeding battle on the mountain slope, it’s still one of the best staged action scenes of any animated Disney picture. The fight choreography is quick, and also very creative as it utilized the surroundings with the fighting moves. It’s also genuinely tense, as some of the characters take a beating, and there’s a sense of urgency when the villain chases after our hero’s. This climax also builds to one of my absolute favorite villain deaths of any Disney picture, in which the bad guy is harpooned by a rocket and launched into a building full of explosives, which all blow shy-high … it’s awesome. My one problem is that at the very last second, the movie starts a romance between Mulan and Shang, which never felt necessary to me. The two had perfect chemistry as fellow comrades in arms, and I feel it should have just stayed that way. Also, I never liked that the movie ended on a joke that felt like the closing punch-line of a sit-com, when it really should have quietly faded to black on the emotional reunion between Mulan and her father.    
   

  In the end, minor gripes aside, Disney’s “Mulan” still holds up as … not one of my absolute favorits … but a great one all the same. I think this one can appeal to a wider audience better then most of the films of it’s time, as it’s got the simplicity and charm of a Disney classic, and balances it with just enough mature themes and adult elements. It can also be credited as one of the first to break from the familiar Disney formula, and explore deeper themes of honor and family duty. Mulan herself again has earned the right to be called one of Disney’s most dignified leading ladies, and superior to most of the Princess brand. Throw in some gorgeous animation, a unique setting and culture to explore, some memorable songs, and “Mulan” can easily satisfy as just … a simple good time at the movies. It’s one of those Disney films I don’t think about, but it sneaks up on me once and a while, and leaves me feeling happy every time I watch it.   

Thanks for reading my review of the Disney's 1998 animated classic “Mulan” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!