Daily Archives: June 1, 2020

Here's how thePirates of the Caribbean movie series ranks from worst to best. They say anything can be given the movie treatment, but few would've expected a movie based on a theme park ride to become one of the highest grossing franchises in cinematic history. Indeed,Pirates of the Caribbean has a lot to answer for. Jerry Bruckheimer's nautical yarn cemented the A-list status of Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, while giving Johnny Depp arguably his most famous movie role. Captain Jack Sparrow would go on to become a film icon, and thePirates of the Caribbean series spearheaded a new generation of billion-dollar blockbusters.

There's a distinct split in thePirates of the Caribbean story. The initial trilogy of movies tell a fairly self-contained tale with the same crop of characters, but the subsequent 2 films are merely set within the same world and featured markedly different casts with only a select few familiar faces. A sixth entry is on the cards too, with Disney keen to keep one of their biggest properties alive, but details and casting remain unknown at present.

Related:Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Should Be About Disney's Controversial Ride Character

Pirates of the Caribbean might've changed the game at the box office, but has weathered stormier seas critically, with fan reaction and reviews varying wildly across the series. As a result, a general consensus on the franchise's trajectory has developed over time that audiences and critics generally agree upon. This is our ranking of the 5Pirates of the Caribbean movies from worst to best.

After the originalPirates of the Caribbean trilogy ended, the franchise found itself at a crossroads. Captain Jack'sdesire to seek out the Fountain of Youth set up a potential fourth movie, butAt World's End had more or less brought the series to a natural conclusion.On Stranger Tides was the first test of whether Depp's character could carry the property without support from the likes of Bloom and Knightley and while the answer, financially speaking, was a resounding "yes," the fourthPirates of the Caribbean film is generally considered the weakest effort in the series by some margin. Uniting Depp and Geoffrey Rush's Barbossa with newcomers Ian McShane and Penelope Cruz as Blackbeard and his daughter,On Stranger Tides certainly didn't lack for star power.

Unfortunately, the film lacks almost everywhere else. The adventure to find the Fountain of Youth is a simple premise, but one thatstill manages to feelerratic, all while lackingthe fun sense of swashbuckling exploration and danger that madePirates of the Caribbean a world-beating franchise in the first place. Predictably, the performances are strong, particularly from Depp and Rush, but Blackbeard and Angelica fail to spark the same likability or interest as the cast of the original trilogy. That's mostly the fault of the script, which barely allows room for character development among the glut of action sequences.On Stranger Tidesis, in essence,Pirates of the Caribbean lite; an overly-familiar, by-the-numbers retread that passes by without event.

At World's Endfalls victim to 2 very common movie trilogy problems. Firstly, it fails to stick the highly-anticipated landing, and secondly, the film tries to outdo all previous entries in spectacle and bombast. The final installment of the originalPirates of the Caribbeanwas the craziest yet and while it's difficult to jump the shark in a franchise that has a villainous human squid and 18th century eyeliner,At World's Endgives a damn good try. On one hand, the third installment retains thatearlyPirates magic and rounds off the stories of Jack, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann in more or less satisfying fashion. The destination isn't necessarily the problem inAt World's End, which is solid in its action, performances and spirit - it's the voyage to get there.

Related:How A Pirates of the Caribbean Reboot Can Fix The Franchise

As a (supposedly) final chapter,At World's End doesn't cut to the heart of the matter. New characters,fresh plot threads andemerginglore take up plenty of space in the already-bursting script, leaving very little room for characters to breathe, but necessitating plenty of exposition and setupbefore reaching the grand finale, which is arguably overshadowed by the climaxes of its predecessors anyway. Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski's (originalPirates of the Caribbean director) final collaboration on the high seas is far messier thanOn Stranger Tides and much more convoluted, but it does entertain more reliably.

The most recentPirates of the Caribbean offering posted the lowest box office since 2003 but was actually one of the better entries in Captain Jack's can(n)on. Wisely moving away fromOn Stranger Tides and into fresh waters entirely,Dead Men Tell No Tales makes another astute creative change by introducing younger blood in the form of Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario.Andit's difficult to go wrong with Javier Bardem on villain duty. Aside from an improved cast that brings back familiar faces without relying on them,this fifth voyage feels lighter both in terms of content and tone,making use of a streamlined plot and a return to the spirit of old. However, likeThe Force Awakens to 1977'sStar Wars,Dead Men Tell No Tales sometimes veers too close to the original's format and risks feeling derivative.

It would be a stretch to suggest thatDead Men Tell No Tales breathes new life intoPirates of the Caribbean, but it at least throws out a lifeline that steadies the franchise's rapidly diminishing returns. Disney might've hoped that Thwaites and Scodelariowould lead a Depp-free future forPirates of the Caribbean, but the studio's lack of urgency in making a follow-up proves such ideas wereoverly-optimistic. The rumored casting of Karen Gillan as a brand new protagonist hints at yetanother change of direction whenPirates of the Caribbean sails once again.

Sequels are always a tricky business, and it's hard to argue thatDead Man's Chest is an improvement uponThe Curse of the Black Pearlwith a straight face. Splitting up the core cast means every main character has their own distinct motivations, which in turn makes for a more complicated plot within a movie that was already going "bigger" in terms of visuals and action sequences. While nowhere near asdisjointed as the subsequent 2 efforts would be,Dead Man's Chest does at times feel like a movie studio realizing the value ofPirates of the Caribbean and trying to angle for further installments instead of delivering the direct-to-the-veins shot of pirate goodness that wasThe Curse of the Black Pearl. HadDead Man's Chestincluded the rescue of Captain Jack as a finale instead of aiming for a cliffhanger, the sequel might've really been onto something.

Related:Pirates of the Caribbean 3: Why Chow Yun-Fat's Role Was Reduced in China

As it stands,Dead Man's Chest remains a worthy continuation of thePirates of the Caribbean world, and the franchise wouldn't have enjoyed such longevity had the initial sequel not delivered at least a little bit. Johnny Depp refines his performance as Jack Sparrow, the addition of Bill Nighy as Davy Jones is wonderful and as much asDead Man's Chest meanders around its central story, the world-building does serve to paint a more vivid and detailed fictional world. That's not to say the second film rocks the boat - the formula of the first is very much intact - but there is a subtle evolution that seesDead Man's Chest take itself atouch more seriously, not necessarily to its benefit.

By some distance, the very firstPirates of the Caribbean movie remains the one to beat andan archetype for modern franchise-building blockbusters.The Curse of the Black Pearl represented pirates on a previously unseen cinematic scale and the combination of action, humor and colorful characters ensured near-universal appeal. The visuals are stunning and although later installments would make use of improved CGI,The Curse of the Black Pearl doesn't let the sights, sounds and explosions get in the way of good characters. Free from the burden of expectation,Pirates of the Caribbean was also a (slightly) more grounded experience in 2003, introducing touches of mystical sea lore rather than huge swathes of it.

And of course,a huge part ofThe Curse of the Black Pearl's success comes from the novelty of seeing Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow for the very first time. By film 3, Sparrow was quickly developing intoa parody of himself, forcing Depp to try and out-kook himself in order to retainhis trademarkunpredictability. In his debut, however, Sparrow is a breath of fresh air in an industry that so often reuses cookie-cutter lead characters. Subsequent entries might boast bigger budgets and shinier effects, butThe Curse of the Black Pearl does a lot more with less and almost 20 years later, it's still difficult to come away not feeling entertained. Whatever the future holds for Captain Jack and his fellowPirates of the Caribbean, Disney will be hard-pressed to match this modern classic and the legacy it still holds.

More:What To Expect From Pirates of the Caribbean 6

Justice League: How The Snyder Cut Will Fix Steppenwolf

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig's interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS. Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer. Jim Carrey is Craigs top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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Every Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Ranked Worst To Best - Screen Rant

Looking for the best Xbox One games out there? Whether youre rocking the fully 4K-enabled powerhouse Xbox One X, the affordable Xbox One S, or even the original console, there are plenty of old and new Xbox One games worth your time and cash.

The Xbox One family has pushed the game industry forward with consumer-friendly services like Xbox Game Pass, Play Anywhere, xCloud, which is currently in preview, and even the huge number of Xbox One backwards compatible games.Microsoft has even ported some previously exclusive Xbox One games to Nintendo Switch.

To keep things simple, this list of the best Xbox One games is for all of you console-only gamers with an Xbox One that want the best titles you cant experience on a PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch. Well also list ten of the best non-exclusive and third-party games available for the Xbox One too!

Microsoft Xbox One S 1TB console Play games, movies and more

The Microsoft Xbox One S 1TB console can play every Xbox One game, along with many Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, and UltraHD 4K Blu-ray disks.

Editors note: This list will be updated as new Xbox One games launch.

Source: Xbox Game Studios

Petrolheads with Xbox One consoles are spoilt for choice when it comes to virtual racing, but for our money, Forza Horizon 4 is out in pole position.

Related: Xbox Series X: Everything you need to know

Forza Horizon 4 sees you zipping through disturbingly realistic representations of rural Britain in everything from bulky ATVs to mouth-watering supercars.

Those that want track-based racing thrills would be better off with Forza Motorsport 7, but theres nothing that matches the adrenaline of taking a razor-sharp turn and narrowly missing a flock of sheep.

Source: Xbox Game Studios

After a lackluster fourth outing, Gears 5 marked a gory, gutsy return to form for the iconic Xbox franchise.

While developer The Coalition dropped of War from the name, Gears 5 delivers on the boots-on-the-ground, third-person shooter skirmishes fans expect, while also deftly answering some unexplained mysteries spanning the entire history of the now-venerable series.

Related: Best Xbox One accessories to level up your console gaming

The multiplayer is a little too grind-heavy, but Gears 5 ranks easily among the best Xbox One games on the strength of its stellar single-player campaign.

Source: Xbox Game Studios

While you should absolutely check out Halo 5: Guardians to see where the series is heading next in the not-so-distant future, its hard to deny the ludicrous bang for your buck you get with the Master Chief Collection.

Related: Beat the boredom with Xbox Live Gold and PS Plus deals

The bundle comes with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach (a.k.a. The Best Halo), and Halo 4.

Throw in a multiplayer system that encompasses maps and modes from all six games and youve got arguably the best gaming collection since The Orange Box.

Source: Xbox Game Studios

Arguably the biggest breakout indie series in the consoles library, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a relatively new Xbox One game that expands on the now multi-platform original game with gorgeous 3D modeling, a streamlined save system, a very welcome overhaul to combat.

Related: Is Xbox Game Pass worth buying?

Cutesy indie platformers are dime a dozen in gaming, but the second Ori game is a masterful, emotive journey that Xbox One players shouldnt miss.

Source: Xbox Game Studios

After years of mediocrity well below the standard of the halcyon days of the Nintendo 64, Rare finally delivered a game worthy of its retro heritage with Sea of Thieves a quirky pirate game where you sail the high seas in the hunt for booty with up to four co-op scallywags.

Related: Playstation 5 vs Xbox Series X: How they compare based on what we know

The online adventure is a breath of fresh air in its genre, with strict missions and hand-holding towards objectives jettisoned in favor of loose nautical escapades that frequently devolve into hilarious farce.

Cuphead A fiendishly hard platformer styled after 1930s cartoons. Best played with a friend and with a stress reliever on hand.

Dark Souls Trilogy Xbox One players miss out on the PS4 exclusive Bloodborne, but the Dark Souls Trilogy (and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice) easily fills the void of challenging FromSoftware action RPGs. Also check out the Souls-inspired Ashen.

Doom The perfect reboot of the demon-slaying shooter series. Its sequel Doom Eternal is also worth a look, though the 2016 game is a little tighter.

Hellblade: Senuas Sacrifice Dive into Senuas incredible journey into mythology and madness ahead of the Xbox-exclusive sequel coming to Xbox Series X.

Minecraft Its Minecraft. Need I say more? The sandbox phenomenon has some Xbox One-exclusive content to boot. Without doubt one of the best Xbox One games for kids.

Overwatch The Xbox One has no shortage of online shooters. Our pick of the bunch is Blizzard Entertainments Overwatch, butFortniteand Apex: Legends (two of the best free Xbox One games) will both scratch that competitive itch too.

Quantum Break A bizarre mish-mash of TV show and sci-fi action game, Remedy Entertainments Quantum Break is a unique Xbox One exclusive. Also check out Control from the same studio.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Rockstars sequel is a Western odyssey for the ages. Of course if you want more open-world action, theres also the ever-popular Grand Theft Auto 5 or The Witcher 3.

Sunset Overdrive Insomniac Games may be a PlayStation studio now, but the underrated Sunset Overdrive ranks among its best games if youre into action, shooting, and skating.

What Remains of Edith Finch A compelling story-driven title with a gut-punch ending. For something similar, give Firewatch and Return of the Obra Dinn a try.

Thats it for our list of the best Xbox One games you can buy. Well update this list as more games are released. In the meantime, be sure to check out our other gaming content below!

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The best Xbox One games you can buy: Halo, Gears, Forza, and more - Android Authority

A luxury cruise ship sailing the Clyde isn't the first thing you'd expect to see in Glasgow, given everything that is going on.

That's why Twitter has been abuzz this morning, with surprised locals posting pictures of the ocean liner on social media.

And there was a bit of debate about what on earth was happening, since the vast majority of cruise holidays have been postponed in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Luckily, we can clear things up.

Luxury ship Azamara Pursuit, which set sail from Miami, is returning with skeleton crews for a short-term berth at King George V docks in Shieldhall.

The 30,000-tonne ship, which has a crew of around 40 onboard, has not had any cases of coronavirus.

Harbour operator Peel Ports have confirmed that the vessel is the first of three ships to be moored at the dock near Braehead during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

David Huck, Peel Ports group managing director said: Due to the current suspension of the cruise industry, cruise lines require to moor vessels in ports worldwide. Like our counterparts in other countries, UK ports are already berthing cruise vessels on a temporary basis, including at Rosyth, Tilbury, Bristol and Southampton.

We currently have no plans to moor cruise ships at Greenock, but are due to receive the first of three cruise vessels for temporary berths at King George V Docks at the beginning of next month.

We send a range of newsletters each day on the latest news, up to the minute stories and information on coronavirus, as well as the latest foodie news.

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These are vessels which have skeleton crews of around 40 crew members each and have not had passengers on board for many weeks. The vessels involved have been deep-cleaned, are free from Covid and will be on the high seas for at least two weeks prior to arriving on the Clyde.

There are literally hundreds of vessels arriving and departing from British ports daily, carrying vital goods and supplies, all subject to strict controls, statutory checks and regulations and these vessels are no different.

Inverclyde Council has been strongly opposed to cruise ships laying up on the Lower Clyde.

It comes following an ongoing dispute between the company and Inverclyde Council over the ships being docked in Greenock, with the local authority opposing the proposal.

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Here's why a cruise ship has been spotted sailing up the Clyde - Glasgow Live

Although sailors like Ko Aung Ye Zaw earn a good wage, they pay mentally spending long months without friends and family, on a boat surrounded by thousands of kilometers of open ocean.

They keep counting the days before they can return home, and dream about things to do on shore. But, unfortunately, all their plans have been ruined and smashed-up like the choppy sea.

It's so sad that we can't go back home, Ko Aung Ye Zaw, a 27-year-old sailor from the LOI DREAM ship, said.

There are more than 30,000 Myanmar sailors currently at sea, with more than 10,000 over their contract. Aung Ye Zaw is one of those sailors putting in the extra hours, not able to return to shore because of COVID-19.

Though COVID-19 has bought a halt to life on land, the shipping industry continues to transport essential goods and supplies around the world. Though the sky is clear of commercial airlines, maritime transport continues to flow with the ocean.

Maritime trade is an important part of the world economy, and an income stream for many Myanmar sailors working on the waves.

In order for the world to operate smoothly, freight will continue to move around the globe. Goods and money will continue to flow, but the flow of humans from place to place has been disrupted.

Many countries have canceled flights in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19, and this makes it difficult for many sailors to return home.

As a result, the crew aboard the LOI DREAM had to sign a renewal contract. They were less than happy about working extra weeks at sea, but had no option. Some sailors say the company has ignored their requests to return home, due to the high costs of travel during the COVID-19 restrictions.

In Taiwan, which is where Aung Ye Zaw's ship is docked, air traffic has been shut down and, even if it were reopened, the sailors still need to quarantine themselves before travelling elsewhere. The sailors are permitted to stay in hotel quarantine in Taipei, but the cost is around $3,000 for two weeks. "If you can afford it, you can return," a company official told the sailors.

"There's no way we can afford that, but the company could quite easily help us out, Aung Ye Zaw said.

As a result, the crew is still under contract. They are required to work on the ship, but many worry that the long hours and weeks at sea will cause psychological problems soon.

Surveys show that about a fifth of sailors have considered suicide, at least once whilst on a voyage.

The sailors even protested their situation last week, demanding to be allowed home, Aung Ye Zaw said. However, the crew were given a warning and told not to protest.

No one wants to work on the ship anymore," said Aung Ye Zaw.

When thinking about their motherland, some crew members said they were annoyed about paying high taxes to the government only to receive so little in return.

The International Maritime Organization (IOM) has warned maritime companies and governments to make crew changes in June.

International airlines have also announced that they will resume flights next month, giving the crew a glimmer of hope that their water prison sentence will end soon.

Captain Soe Min Aung, chairman of the Myanmar Maritime Federation, said he was unsure whether the crew could return in June, but urged governments and companies to maintain good records of those on board helping to expedite their return when the time comes.

For those returning from their work at sea, whether commercial sailors or marines, a two-week quarantine period on-shore is still mandatory.

Whilst some sailors are itching to get back to life on the land, others are desperate to leave for the high seas.

Ko Ye Min Thu is a 29-year-old sailor living in Yangon, who has been living on-shore for nearly seven months. With the current COVID-19 restrictions, his work plans were temporarily halted but he can't wait to get on the next ship, no matter what the cost.

We are just making money on the water, so some of us really want to go back to work which just happens to be on the ship, he said.

It's going to be very frustrating if we have to wait until this pandemic is. We are already suffering with all the closures, he added.

People on the ship are eager to go home, and people on the land are eager to get back to their former lives at sea.

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Stuck at sea in the water prison - Myanmar Times

Swimming in Goa seas have been banned for next 48 hours in view of the heavy pre-monsoon showers and the fast currents and high waves, a statement issued by a private beach management agency said on Monday.

Drishti Marine is a private agency appointed by the Goa government for the maintenance of lifeguard services.

The coastal belt will also witness fast currents and high waves in the range of 2.8 to four metres in height. Citizens are advised to be cautious as rough weather and sea conditions will prevail during these days, it said.

Visitors should also avoid rocky areas, cliffs and hills on the shoreline specially to click selfies. These can be very slippery. Moreover, the wave height and intensity are expected to be high and one can easily lose their footing, the statement said.

It also urged special care of children while visiting beaches to ensure that they do not venture into the sea.

Over the last few weeks, Goas popular beaches had seen a steady trickle of visitors since the gradual relaxation in the lockdown.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant hinted that Goa may make room for allowing more activities, other than those specified by the Central government in Unlock-1.

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Swimming in Goa seas banned for next 48 hours in view of pre-monsoon showers, high waves - The Statesman

Chairman of the Tema canoe owners association, Nii Adjieteh Quaye, is celebrating what he calls peace on the seas that is ensured by the exploits of the Eastern Naval Command.

According to him, the part of Ghanas seas sprawling the Tema maritime area have become tranquil of late as the Navy had rid of the activities of pirates.

We no longer go to sea in fear of being attacked by pirates and this has really improved productivity. Naval Commander, Commodore Sam Walker and his men are really doing a yeomans job, enthused Nii Adjieteh Quaye, in an interview with the Ghana news agency in Accra said.

According to him, the Eastern Naval Command was a strong bulwark that was serving as a powerful muscle of President Akufo-Addo.

In fact, I think I can confidently say that President Akufo-Addos best men on the seas are in the Eastern Naval Command.

Nii Adjieteh Quaye thumbed Commodore Sam Walker and his predecessor, J.O Kontoh for high praise, but was quick to also name his second in command, Commander Nyaaba, for praise as well.

The Tema Canoe owners Association Chairman also praised the Eastern Naval Commands effective collaboration with the Head of security at the Tema Port, Colonel William Kwabiah.On behalf of all canoe owners in Tema, I say ayekoo! to all of them.

He recalled how just a few years ago, pirates in other African countries, had escalated their nefarious activities to the maritime waters of Ghana.

According to him, because of the pirates, fishermen were afraid. Some of our people were being robbed, some were being abducted on the seas. Because of the fear, it became difficult for us to go on the high seas for catch even though Ghanas maritime waters is up to 12 nautical miles, Nii Adjieteh Quaye said.

He said however, that the Eastern Naval Command quickly rallied and took the battle to the pirates. You were in Ghana and I believe you heard the news about the exploits of our gallant Navy. They even rescued a tanker ship that was hijacked off the coast of Nigeria, Nii Adjieteh Quaye said.

According to him, the Navys strong arm against piracy made the countrys waters safe and free of the verminous presence of high sea robbers.

Source: GNA

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'President Akufo-Addo's Best Men On The Seas Are In The Eastern Naval Command' - Peace FM Online