I like to mark many if not most special occasions with movie watching. Why should Valentine’s Day be any different?

Of course, this year was unusual.

First of all, the movie I saw was geared toward kids of all ages: Coco. An animated feature on February 14th may have been a first for me, but it turned out to be appropriate choice because this is a love story on several levels.

Second, my “date” for this movie was one of the students studying with me in Copenhagen this semester. He had already seen Coco with his girlfriend, sister, and mom before he left his home in Texas over the holiday break, but he knew that I hadn’t seen it and wanted to, so he kindly looked up an English-language screening for us.

Most of the English-language films I see in Copenhagen are subtitled in Danish, but children’s movies are an exception. Most of these are dubbed into Danish (for obvious reasons). My student and I were a little nervous during the ads and preview trailers because they were in Danish, but we collectively exhaled in relief (really, we did) when the movie started with English words emerging from animated lips.

I had read that the filmmakers went to great lengths to ensure cultural accuracy and sensitivity, and that research pays off in the film

The third way this proved an unusual Valentine viewing experience was my chocolate.

Yes, this is one of the many licorice candies lining the walls of the concession stands at the movies in Denmark. I’m not a big fan of licorice (when it tastes like licorice, anyway), but this mainly tastes like a not terribly sweet chocolate.

But, still, chocolate. What’s not to love?

Sort of like Coco. Satisfying on all levels.