Ahoy, me hearties! I�m in Memphis, trying out the new super-duper Paradiso theater, which looks just like the Paradise theater I go to in Miami with Dad and Danielle. The same company, no doubt. The movie is showing on their uber-large 50 foot screen, and the seats are yummily comfy with plenty of leg room and arm rests that lift up. You know, for snuggling. I wouldn�t know.

The early previews for the movie didn�t leave me warm and tingly. The late previews weren�t any better. I was worried that this movie would be another big budget Jerry Bruckheimer cornball blowout. So how was it?

A big budget Bruckheimer cornball blowout. In a good way.

Belay any bad buzz you heard this spring. What say me? Thumbs up!

Aye, hoist the Jolly Roger, grab some grog and plop down! You best start believing in ghost stories. And go see this one.

I�m happy to say my expectations were met for entertainment value, and raised. I was thoroughly engrossed during Pirates of the Caribbean, and recommend it as a fun popcorn summer flick. There�s action, there�s adventure, there�s a babe, humor, pirates, and inept British redcoats. It�s all there.

As far as whether the movie answered the age-old question, I�m satisfied. Oh, what�s the question? Well, do you pronounce it kuh-rib-e-uhn or care-uh-bee-an? The latter is used in the movie, and that�s what I�m going with from now on!

The damsel in distress � OK, never mind, she�s not really in distress. It�s a modern movie, so she�s got a lot of spunk and takes care of the men most of the time, making all the decisions and is more afraid of marrying a stuffy man than cursed pirates. Anyway, her name is NOT Natalie Portman. Just looks like her. The babe-alicious heroine�s name is Keira Knightley, and she is an older and sexier Portman. I�ve never been that attracted to Portman, but Knightley? Sweet, sweet eye candy.

Don�t worry, ladies, you get yours. Orlando Bloom, less the elf ears from Lord of the Rings, gets his first hefty role as the blacksmith lad-turned-hero, and Johnny Depp is incredibly fun as the pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow He�s saunters in an arrogant stagger that�s half-drunk, half-crazy, but manages to swing between the Worst Pirate Ever and Best Pirate Ever at the opportune time. A frolicking role, grand entrance and Depp eats it up.

As does Geoffrey Rush, the captain of the Black Pearl and leader of the ragtag cursed pirates plundering the Caribbean. I would say he chews the scenery, but that would involve him having any recognizable teeth.

The cgi is admirable, especially with the skeletons changing in and out of skin and clothes as the ghost pirates move between moonlight and clouds. The swashbuckling is also on the order, full of well-organized and elaborate stunt fights with plenty of clanging of the blades and fancy moves.

There�s also a pretty exciting chase in the open seas with a close-quarter fight between the ships� cannons and the requisite boarding and hoarding by pirates.

Avast, ye scurvy scalawags, give hope to all who enter. Yo-ho-ho, a pirate movie�s for me! And if you don�t agree, to the plank with ye, where you can ponder your incorrect view in Davey Jones� locker! Argh!