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#potc game “tides of war”
dutchessofcaladan · 1 month
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Pirates of the Caribbean: Wrath of the Kraken
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My 1st Pirates fic! And before you ask: No. I didn't abandon Ghostbusters: Soul Resurgence. My hyperfixation wheel decided to spin and somehow landed on Pirates of the Caribbean (I blame Geoffrey Rush).
Anyway, this fic (and possibly others, we'll see how this goes) will be a continuation of the PotC franchise (not a reboot like Disney so stupidly decided on) and will feature new and returning characters as well as take inspiration from previous films and the mobile game Tides of War.
And just like Ghostbusters: Soul Resurgence, a bit thank you to @phantomoftheparadise0002 for beta-reading this!
Summary: When Jack recruits Smith to help him find the lost relics of Cortez, their mission doesn't go as planned when they run into terrors and joys from their past, ultimately witnessing the resurrection of the Dutchman...and her beloved Captain.
TW: Some language
Jack smiled as his face became illuminated by the moon, its light shining through the parting clouds.
"Mr. Gibbs!" He shouted from the helm.
"Cap'n?" Gibbs responded, turning to Jack.
"Prepare the Pearl for docking!"
"But Cap'n, where be the dock?"
"Look through the mist, Mr. Gibbs." Jack smiled.
As if by magic, the mist faded, revealing the fortress that had been built into the side of a mountain.
"El Silencio en el mar Caspio." Jack all but sighed, as if he was returning home. "The Silence in the Caspian Sea."
As the ship got closer to the dock, Jack hopped down to the main deck, Cotton having taken the wheel.
"ALRIGHT STEADY! STEADY!" Jack shrieked as the ship aligned itself.
A terrified look covered his face as a loud snap echoed from the front of the ship.
Turning back to Cotton he shouted, "No matter! Everything's fine!" Pulling Gibbs to him he whispered, "Let's just hope she'll go easy on him otherwise we'll need a new helmsman."
Gibbs turned to him in shock. Before he could ask who they were here to see, Jack had hopped off the ship and started down what was left of the dock.
"Oi!" One of the guards shouted, blocking Jack's way. "What do you think you're doin'?"
Jumping back slightly, Jack looked at him in confusion. "Have we met before?" He questioned bluntly.
Before the guard could answer, Jack snapped his fingers, delight painting his face.
"I've got it!" He slurred. "You're one of those guards from Port Royal!" Leaning in close he asked, "Have you learned to swim yet?"
He jumped as the guard let out an angered huff.
"Let's just forget that last bit, shall we?" His eyes widened slightly, seeing that the guards expression hadn't changed. "How 'bout this: I'll go wait in that tavern over there, have a few drinks, while you go get your Captain for me."
Before the guard could answer, Jack pushed past him towards the tavern.
"Pirate, nay. Privateer."
"I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request. Means no."
"Aye. But that's a gamble of long odds, ain't it?"
"There's no guarantee of comin' back. Passin' on, that's dead certain."
"Too long me fate has not been in me own hands. No longer."
"Do ya mean grass? On a farm? Milkin’ a cow? Makin’ cheese? While they sink me treasure?! I'm a Pirate. Always will be."
"You know the first thing I'm gonna do after the curse is lifted...eat a whole bushel of apples."
“For too long I've been parched of thirst and unable to quench it. Too long I've been starving to death and haven't died. I feel nothing. Not the wind on my face nor the spray of the sea. Nor the warmth of a woman's flesh.”
“You best start believing in ghost stories Ms. Turner. You’re in one!”
"I'm the master of me ship. Not Blackbeard. I'm the master of me fate. Not Blackbeard. So I did what needed done. I survived."
"Nay, belay that! Let ‘er run straight and true!"
"Brace up yards, ya cack-handed deck apes! Dyin' is the day worth livin' for!"
"I feel...cold."
Smith awoke in a cold sweat to someone banging on her door. Standing up, she went to open it.
"What do you want, Mullroy?" She growled, glaring daggers at the guard who'd been banging on her door.
"Pardon me for awakin' you, Captain, especially at this hour, but," the look on her face told him to get to the point, "there's a man, in the tavern. He requested that I bring you to him."
Grumbling, Smith slammed the door, only to reamerge moments later fully dressed, motioning to Mullroy to take her to him.
As Jack downed his 4th mug of rum, the door to the tavern opened.
"Jack Sparrow." Smith smirked.
"Smith! It's been too long!" Steadying himself as he stood. "Hasn't it?"
"Aye." Her smile was strained. "9 years."
Heading to the table and pulling up a chair, Smith leaned close to Jack.
"What the hell are you doing here, Jack?"
Leaning forward, Jack slurred, "I've heard stories. Of a great treasure that lies at the bottom of the Atlantic. It's said to be one of the relics of Cortez himself."
Sensing she wasn't paying attention, he poked her in the forehead.
"'re you alright?" He asked.
"I've been having these...dreams." She sighed. "Every night for the past 9 years. Every single one about Hector. It's like he's calling to me."
"Tis not Barbossa who calls to you."
Swiftly turning in the direction of the voice, Jack aimed his pistol while Smith readied her sword.
Jack's eyes widened.
"Calypso." Smith's eyes narrowed.
"In de flesh." The Sea Goddess smiled, black teeth shining in the dim light of the rising Sun.
"What do you want?" Smith held her sword more firmly.
"Not'ing more dan to give you a gift."
"A gift?" Jack questioned. "Did you bring me a gift too?"
Calypso shot him an incredulous look, causing his smile to fall.
"Tis more of a...repayment, den a gift."
Smith's eyebrows furrowed. "A repayment? For what?"
Stepping closer, Calypso smiled. "In time, you and Jack will venture to dah sea. Dehn you will fallow Deh Map No Man Can Read. Dehr you will find your repayment."
"Repayment for what?" Smith repeated.
"You'll see."
As quick as she'd arrived, Calypso vanished.
"The Map No Man Can Read." Smith repeated, turning to Jack. "You don't think-"
"Think what?"
Before he could get an answer, Smith fled the tavern.
Placing her hands upon the wheel of the Queen Anne's Revenge, Smith let out a shaky breath. For the first time in 9 years, she stood at the helm of her ship. Her. Ship. Those words felt wrong. No. This was Hector's ship. He had been the one to take it from Blackbeard. He had been the one to make the Revenge what it was today.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled her sword from its sheath and thrust it into the air, the tip of it gleaning in the newly risen Sun. As she did so, the wine colored Sails were released from their bonds, the early morning air filling them. Thrusting the sword towards the bow of the ship, she watched as her crew tumbled down the deck at the sudden burst of acceleration.
Returning the sword to its sheath, she addressed her crew. "All hands! Ply to windward! Get crackin' ye bloomin' cockroaches!" She let out a laugh as her crew joined. "The Crown served me well! But now, by the Gods of sea and sky, make way for Tortuga!" Her crew cheered as the ship continued on.
Smiling as he heard the cheers of Smith's crew, Jack whispered to himself, "That's my girl."
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sir-klauz · 1 year
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So.. I’ve started playing a new game, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tides of War, because piracy and PotC (though PotC doesn’t particularly represent real pirate life very closely, and is overly dramatised) was one of my old hyper fixations as a teen, and I’m rather enjoying it!
The type of game it is though, I usually hate/avoid, or play a lot of, but the fact I know everything about the franchise, the items all already make sense so it’s been easy to know what’s happening, especially with the lore is due to knowing so much of the lingo from when I was super into piracy/the movies/books/other games, not to mention real history about pirates anyway.
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aion-rsa · 3 years
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Why Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War Is Still Amazing Four Years Later
https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
This article is presented by Joycity.
Fan-favorite mobile game Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War is celebrating its 4th anniversary this year. Even more impressive than the milestone itself is the way Tides of War has continued to find new ways to keep its players engaged with one of the most thriving, social-friendly gaming communities on mobile devices.
The high seas of Tides of War are absolutely teeming with more action and adventure than ever before, with thousands of players and alliances contending for dominance as they hunt down abominable sea creatures, plunder hapless islands for treasures and resources, and rain cannon fire on their bitter rivals. And for the game’s 4th anniversary, the team at Joycity are rolling out a new update that includes a new ship, two new Tacticians, a new Portrait Frame customization option, and numerous events to partake in.
Whether you’re a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies who wants to hang out with your favorite characters, or just a mobile gaming enthusiast, there’s something for you to do in Tides of War. It offers a plethora of activities and game loops for you to get lost in for hours on end. There’s always a steady stream of new content and items to collect too, not to mention a ton of other players to connect with.
Constructing and leveling your fortress and surrounding buildings scratches that classic city-building gameplay itch, or you can opt for the strategy game experience by venturing out in search of treasure and resources. It’s in those high seas where you’ll run into a frightful menagerie of sea creatures, not to mention the oppressive forces of the East India Trading Company. You’re going to want to build up your fleet and fortress to ensure you’re ready for anything.
In fact, building out your fleet to take on the dangers that await you is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game, particularly when you start accumulating ships in large numbers. Each ship is upgradeable in several categories, which adds a lot of depth to the experience. Best of all, you can customize your ships to reflect you as a player, adding personality to your fleet with different flags and coordinated colors. You can also admire your ships via the game’s 360 degree view, an immersive way to interact with your fleet.
The “Hell Hound” is a powerful new Tier 19 ship making its debut for the game’s 4th anniversary. It’s as fearsome and formidable as any on the open sea. The game is already full of frightening characters and ships, including the tentacled Davy Jones and his Flying Dutchman, and the ghastly Salazar and his Silent Mary. But the Hell Hound is easily one of the coolest, darkest ships you can add to your fleet.
Start Playing Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War for Free Right Now! * Includes in-game purchases
Tacticians are unique captains that you can assign to ships in your fleet, giving them a variety of stat boosts. They are collected via tactician invitation letters, and you’ll want to find these tacticians to build out a dream team of pirates! They’re a lot of fun to collect, particularly if you’re lucky enough to land one of the iconic pirates from the movies, like Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann.
The fact that there will be two new tacticians added to the already deep roster is exciting to say the least. Each of the new tacticians also comes with their own skills and talismans, which allow you to match pirates with different ship types/features for optimal combinations. Not all tacticians are created equal—some come equipped with one skill, some come with three, and all tacticians and skills have level progressions. You’ll need a diverse mix of tacticians and ships with different strengths to be ready for any and all types of missions and battles, so balance is key.
But when you need a little extra help in battle, there’s also the game’s alliance system. Joining an alliance means you’ll have other players at your side to send you helpful items, work toward group goals, and complete PVE missions. There are also PVP encounters for those looking for the toughest challenges, and your Alliance Power level and Alliance Silver all depend on how much of a collective effort you put in alongside your mates. From alliance buildings, skills, research, and trades, there are plenty of ways for players to contribute. Alliances are also a great way to connect with like-minded fans and geek out over everything POTC.
Speaking of the movies, there are plenty of easter eggs and references to find throughout Tides of War. By entering Shansa’s mystical cave, you’ll be able to relive many of the franchise’s most iconic moments as well as take part in some of the classic sea battles from the films, which is one of the absolute highlights of the game if you’re looking for a new way to experience the POTC story.
I’ve been playing Tides of War for a few years now, and it’s always been a nice way to escape the doldrums of everyday life and get caught up in the world of POTC along with my alliance-mates. Like every good mobile game, Tides of War has deep but easy-to-understand gameplay mechanics that are bolstered by fun cooperative play. The game has been around for a while now, but it’s as fun to play as ever, and its community is always growing.
To top off all of the anniversary festivities, Joycity is holding a sweepstakes* event on the game’s Facebook page from May 11 to May 23. Players will have the chance to win a plethora of in-game prizes that will help them expand their influence as well as their alliance’s. Aside from the chance to win big, the game’s Facebook page is yet another great way to connect with other players and talk about all things POTC. And be sure to check into the game every day to collect valuable rewards…just for showing up!
Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War is available on iOS and Android devices. You can download the game here.
*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter Sweepstakes between 5/12/21 at 10:00 AM PDT and 5/23/21 at 11:59 PM PDT. For full official rules and details, visit http://bit.ly/POTC4YearsSweepstakes
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quilloftheclouds · 4 years
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Novel Prep Tag
Tagged by @ahowlinwolf! I don’t usually do tag games, but this one was fun and it happens to align with the new wip I’m working on~
Rules: answer the questions and then tag as many writers as there are questions answered (or as many as you can) to spread the positivity! Even if these questions are not explicitly brought up in the novel, they are still good to keep in mind when writing.
Tagging @livvywrites @tenacious-scripturient @abalonetea @aslanwrites @surroundedbypearls @ditzysworld @h-faith-marr-writeblr and @ardawyn! Only a few, because I’m not quite sure who’s open to tag games or not. Feel free to ignore!
I’ll be doing this one for Two Witches Woven, since I just starting writing the first draft about a week ago! It’s the second book in the One Siren’s Soul series! (I don’t yet have an introduction up, but I’m working on that now.)
FIRST LOOK
1. Describe your novel in 1-2 sentences (elevator pitch).
The Diluculo's crew sets off to return the magical Siren's Soul to its true guardians, their voyage drawing the attention of a rather peculiar pirate captain as it leads them directly into the heart of siren territory. But that’s not all that hinders them: war rides on the tides, and it’s quickly coming in.
2. How long do you plan for your novel to be? (Is it a novella, single book, book series, etc.)
This is book two of a trilogy! If you’re curious about the first book, check out the introduction post for One Siren’s Soul here~
3. What is your novel’s aesthetic?
This book focuses a bit more on the Forest sirens than the first one did, but a lot is still the same.
Storm clouds churning with violet lightning and swells of foam seething waves below; sunlight filtering down through calm water and pillars of giant kelp, shoals of fish glittering between; a massive ship with black wood, gold and gemstone dragons, and amber, ribbed sails; a room of secrets locked behind a black door; the clash of blades and smell of gunpowder and taste of blood; mist-like green magic whirling chaotically; glowing eyes and fanged snarls and slick scales and wing-like fins; and a world of endless stars.
4. What other stories inspire your novel?
Quite a darn lot! Of course, the major inspiration from movies was probably Pirates of the Caribbean. There’s also Avatar: The Last Airbender in there and How to Train Your Dragon and LOTS of Peter Pan and just. Lots.
But mostly it was inspired by my personal experience living on the coast and fishing/kayaking/hiking, and from my uni courses! Lots of marine biology and other science! And honestly. So much of my ideas are from music. Heck. Ah. Like, this song in particular was stuck on the wip playlist since the start, and for more epic stuff, all of the PotC soundtrack and epic instrumentals like this and this.
5. Share 3+ images that give a feel for your novel.
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I wanted to include some ships and piratey stuff too but... only three. Auughh.
MAIN CHARACTER
6. Who is your protagonist?
Celestine, Dione, Caelin, Lá Lúa, and [spoiler] all have perspectives! But Celestine is kinda the main main character.
7. Who is their closest ally?
Uhhhh Phoenix? Maybe? Also someone Celestine doesn’t even remember~
8. Who is their enemy?
Technically the British Royal Navy! Although, Captain Ryans and Rose are pretty close to being the main antagonists.
9. What do they want more than anything?
Celestine just wants to live peacefully for once! Really! To stop having people chasing them for the bounty on their head, have plenty of time and materials for their machine building, maybe possibly get away with a bit of thievery. Is that so much to ask for?
Also! In this book, the main goal is getting a magical artifact called the Siren’s Soul back to the sirens who were supposed to be guarding it!
10. Why can’t they have it?
BECAUSE PEOPLE KEEP CHASING THEM AND BEING ANNOYING (and also there’s some magic chaos going on that prevents it).
11. What do they wrongly believe about themselves?
Aww. Celestine believes that she’s bad luck. Everyone she’s come close to in the past have come to severe harm or have lost their lives, so she’s rather frightened of getting close to anyone new. Hence the belief that she wants to live in isolation, which is... really not true. Nor is it what she needs.
12. Draw your protagonist! (Or share a description)
nnnmmmmm don’t feel like writing a physical description. Have an art instead:
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PLOT POINTS
13. What is the internal conflict?
There’s. A lot! But as I said above, that belief that she’s bad luck versus several people getting close to her (and her desire to get close to them even though she’s trying to convince herself that’s not a thing). Celestine also has severe PTSD and has plenty of guilt towards her mother’s death, and her hydrophobia is especially prominent as an internal obstacle to what she wants to do.
14. What is the external conflict?
THERE’S A WHOLE HECKIN’ WAR? Between sirens and humans? And Celestine’s caught right in the middle of it. Oops. Also the selfishness and greed of humans when it comes to gaining magic from the sirens, and both parties being rife with fear and misunderstanding. 
15. What is the worst thing that could happen to your protagonist?
Celestine really just does not want to lose someone else she’s close to. Being responsible for that would be the worst, though. c:<
16. What secret will be revealed that changes the course of the story?
Someone’s not wholly human.
17. Do you know how it ends?
Yeppers.
BITS AND BOBS
18. What is the theme?
Lost years, healing from trauma, family being more than blood and home being more than place. The consequences of aging/time passing and the inability to return to what once was, but learning to live with the current. (Haha puns. c;)
19. What is a recurring symbol?
LIGHTNING. Zappy zap. You’ll learn why soon.
20. Where is the story set? (Share a description!)
I haven’t really decided on a specific place yet, but it takes place on an alternate Earth during the Golden Age of Piracy! The first book was in the Northern Atlantic off the coast of New Acadia (modern day Nova Scotia), but I think the second book (this one) will take place in the Caribbean!
21. Do you have any images or scenes in your mind already?
Ooohhohhh yeah.
22. What excited you about this story?
I mean. Captain Xuân being my favourite character. Is a thing. They make a major appearance in this book. Also just! All sorts of new siren worldbuilding I get to reveal and cool magic stuff!
23. Tell us about your usual writing method!
I have a basic bullet point outline I’m working from, though I often stray from it. I write in order, and if I get stuck, I often find just writing the dialogue like a script is much easier, so I do that and skip parts I can’t write at that time and return to them later!
I have to basically always be listening to music while doing anything ever, so. It doesn’t always have to follow the theme or similar emotions to what I’m writing, but it can help with the mood if it does match!
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perlukafarinn · 4 years
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Movies (I saw) of the 2010s, ranked
Because I had lots of better things to do but no inclination to do them.
As I went through all the new releases I watched this decade, a few things came to mind: 
I missed so much! Most recently, I still haven’t seen Parasite, The Lighthouse or The Irishman. I’ve also seen only one of Disney’s live action remakes, two out of four Star Wars films of the decade, and I’ve missed quite a few of Marvel and DC’s outings. My tendency to mostly watch older films came to bite me in the ass here. But c’est la vie, there’s only so many hours in the day! 
A huge part of my viewing history took place during film festivals, so festival movies are way over-represented here. I’m not mad about it.
There’s not too many outright bad movies on my list, because I tend to avoid movies that look bad or like I might not like them (shocker, I know). Even the ones in my bottom ten aren’t as dreadful as I was expecting. 
There’s no way I can rank all these films numerically! What about movies that I can tell are good but just aren’t for me? What about movies that are bad but enjoyable? How can you compare tired Oscar-bait with soulless blockbusters? It’s impossible!
Hence these categories. I’m doing a top 10 worst and best, and the categories go roughly from worse to better movies, but otherwise this isn’t based on quality so much as what clever category names I could come up with (or couldn’t, as the case may be). I’m also listing the movies within each category alphabetically because that’s even less ranking I need to do.
Buckle up, this is over 6000 words...
Oh, and if you don’t feel like reading the whole thing I still encourage you to reply with your own favorite movies of the decade! 
The Worst Exactly what it says on the tin. These movies aren’t just unenjoyable or disposable, they are actively unpleasant to watch. 
American Hustle (2013) Wait, this got how many Oscar nominations again??
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) This movie is so bloated and yet they couldn’t find any time to actually develop most of the main characters? I had such a bad time watching this one, I ended up skipping out on the last part of the trilogy. 
Hurricane Bianca (2016) This looked like it might be enjoyably bad but it wasn’t. I still love Bianca Del Rio, don’t get me wrong, but her humor is not the kind you build a whole movie around, yet alone two. And yet…
Hurricane Bianca: From Russia With Hate (2018) Yeah, I watched them both. I’m a simple woman: I see Katya in a trailer, I watch. I really shouldn’t have bothered, this one is even worse.
Iron Man 2 (2010) Superhero fatigue got me bad in the past few years but even before then I hated this movie. Literally nothing enjoyable here, I was aggressively bored while watching. The Lack (2014) This is a movie about women, written and directed by a man, called “The Lack”. You might think I’m being uncharitable to say this movie is entirely about penis envy but the writer/director himself confirmed this at the Q&A I was at. This is why Q&As are always a bad idea, people!
Left Behind (2014) This one tips into “enjoyably bad” at times but in the end, it’s still two hours of your life wasted on a movie meant to make its Evangelical viewers feel vindicated in their horrible beliefs. Morgenrøde (2014) I have a fairly high tolerance for slow movies but this movie is sloooowwww and literally nothing happens in it. This is the movie that taught me not to trust it when festival brochures use the word “contemplative”.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) Just dreadful. This is the worst kind of film in my books: the kind made to follow a trend, not to tell a story. 
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) It’s been eight years since the fourth PotC movie came out?? God, it’s been a long decade.
The Utterly Disposable I didn’t exactly have a bad time watching these but they left no impression on me. 
Alex Strangelove (2018)  Netflix has released so many unremarkable-looking teen movies this decade. This is one of the few I bothered to watch and it’s cute enough, I guess. 
Fyrir framan annað fólk (2016)  I am Icelandic but I don’t watch a whole lot of Icelandic movies and I feel kind of guilty about that. Not guilty enough to give a boring movie a pass, though.
Ghostbusters (2016)  This super did not need to exist and not even my love for Kate McKinnon makes it any less disposable. 
The Great Gatsby (2013)  At least it’s pretty.
Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) I remember this getting a few laughs out of me but that’s about it.
The Imitation Game (2014) I think I just… don’t like Beneditch Cumberbatch? Sorry. This movie is the perfect expression of the bland, middle-of-the-road biopic, with the added mishandling of the subject’s sexuality.
Isn’t It Romantic (2019)  I love a good satire but this ain’t it, chief. This movie isn’t doing anything that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend hasn’t done 100x better.
John Carter (2012)  If you’re gonna throw this much money into something, you could at least hire a charismatic lead actor. Then again, it seemed to work for Avatar. Magic Mike (2012)  I did like that this sexy stripper movie kept showing how unhappy the main character is doing what he does as if that wouldn’t totally ruin the fantasy.
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)  Watched this on an airplane, which is fitting. This feels like a quintessential airplane movie; it’s mildly entertaining but ultimately disposable enough that it has completely slipped your mind by the time you reach baggage claim.
Paul (2011)  Occasionally funny, I think? Barely remember it tbh.
Planetary (2015)     There’s some interesting points buried in here but the movie’s too busy trying to look important to actually get them across effectively. Also feels surprisingly padded for just 80 minutes. Valentine’s Day (2010) Taylor Swift was actually kind of funny in this, which was a pleasant surprise. Zero impact otherwise. 
“I Have No Memory of This Place” Movies I literally could not remember watching until I had read the entire synopsis, but for one reason or another was not comfortable calling “disposable”. 
Bobby Sands: 66 Days (2015), The Departure (2017),  Hell Is Empty: All the Devils Are Here (2016), Innsæi (2016), Last of the Elephant Men (2015), Late Summer (2016), Speed Sisters (2015), Una (2016), The War Show (2016) Lumping all of these together because they’re all festival movies I have hardly any memory of and that I may have in fact fallen asleep over.
Incendies (2010)  Chalk this up to me seeing it almost a decade ago. When I finally remembered it, I could vaguely recall finding it affective. Probably due for a rewatch.
Prisoners (2013), Rush (2013), Warrior (2011) Around 2012-2014 I was working my way through IMdB’s top 250 list and I saw so many forgettable movies about men committing various violent acts. Literally can’t remember a single thing about these movies.
I’m So Sick of Superheroes Dear God Make It Stop I’d probably like some of these more if not for superhero fatigue but that is the trade-off for total global dominance. A couple of superhero movies did escape this category and you’ll see them later on my list.
Thor (2011), Iron Man Three (2013), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Ant-Man (2015), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Lumping all of Marvel’s movies in this category together because I don’t really have a lot to say about Marvel anymore. Special mention to Winter Soldier for being the movie that soured on me the most and to Age of Ultron for in hindsight being the beginning of my superhero fatigue. 
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Boy, this trilogy ended on a sour note.  Man of Steel (2013)  Confused story structure aside, this movie is utterly grey and joyless. It’s also army propaganda! 
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) The only reason I watched this was because it was on IMdB’s top 250 list. Peter Dinklage was good in it, if I recall correctly.
Don’t Like This Nope.
12 Years a Slave (2013)  Very uncomfortable to sit through, which I get was the point, but I’m not sure it was the right choice. It honestly feels like misery porn.
Black Swan (2010) I’ve long made peace with the fact that Darren Aronofsky will just never click with me.
The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012) This movie is exhausting to watch because of the near constant country music playing. Loudly. 
Kate Plays Christine (2016)  This is a movie about a really interesting topic but instead of the real tragedy that actually happened it chooses to focus on an actress’s fictional struggle to connect with her role. I think the movie wanted us to think the struggle was real (heh) but for that they would’ve needed a better actress.  La La Land (2016)  I love classic musicals and I really wanted to like this movie but in the end I just couldn’t. As a movie it’s okay but it’s not a good musical and the whole white savior of jazz thing was……….. an odd choice.
Last Days in the Desert (2015)  I’m a sucker for good, thoughtful religious films. The idea of Jesus and the devil being played by the same actor was intriguing to me and I liked that the devil wasn’t evil so much as just tired. But ultimately, this movie felt a little too cold for me.
Magic Mike: XXL (2015)  I have no idea why every critic on the planet seems to love this movie. Strippers aggressively thrusting their crotch in your face is not sexy, it’s uncomfortable!
A Silent Voice (2016)  Melodramatic and not in the fun, over-the-top way.
Vonarstræti (2014) It’s good but it’s just not for me.
Wir Monster (2015) I saw this at a Q&A screening and decided I didn’t wanna stick around after the credits rolled. On my way out, I tripped and almost fell onto the actors as they were walking past me. That experience had a way bigger impact on me than the movie itself. Make of that what you will.
Guilty Pleasures/So Bad They’re Good An enjoyably bad movie is a better watch than a middlingly competent one.
#REALITYHIGH (2017)  Incredibly clichéd and tries way too hard to be “hip” or “lit” or whatever it is the kids were saying back in 2017. Don’t care, I’ve seen it four times. 
Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016) The first Bridget Jones is a highlight of the genre. The second one is just bad but the third tips over into enjoyably bad. I also loved having Renée Zellweger back on my screen!
A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (2019) Recently watched this with my sister while baking and wrapping Christmas presents. It’s a terrible movie but we had fun (mostly by making fun of it).
Descendants (2015), Descendants 2 (2017), Descendants 3 (2019) I’m not apologizing for this even though I feel like I kind of should. 
The Kissing Booth (2018) This movie is like a 13-year-old’s first fanfic come to life so of course I’m gonna love it. Even if the love interest is incredibly unappealing.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) Who would’ve thought at the start of the decade that Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson would turn into indie darlings starring in one critically acclaimed film after the next? I love that for them.
Oscar Bait but I’m Not Biting Not sure the Oscars weren’t a mistake tbh.
The Artist (2011) I kind of enjoyed this but ultimately it’s watered-down Hollywood history made appealing to modern audiences and its aim is far higher than its reach.
Birdman (2014) It was a fun watch but it left no impression.
Darkest Hour (2017) Technically a good movie but such obvious Oscar bait I just couldn’t fully enjoy it.
The Help (2011) Let’s leave the white savior narrative behind in the 2010s, shall we?
The King’s Speech (2010) I love Colin Firth. I barely remember this movie.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)  Don’t love that the racist cop is the most fully fleshed-out character in this movie while the black characters are all unnamed extras.   
Whiplash (2014) It’s just drumming, J.K. Simmons, it’s not that serious. 
I Feel Like I Should Like This More This category is mostly three camps, as you’ll see. 
120 battements par minute (2017), 69 Minutes of 86 Days (2017),  Fire at Sea (2016),  I, Daniel Blake (2016) All important movies with a worthy message that I just couldn’t connect with on a personal level.
Adieu au langage (2014), Before We Vanish (2017), Bridesmaids (2011), Jagten (2012),  A Separation (2011), Timbuktu (2014), Transit (2018), Winter’s Bone (2010) Critically acclaimed, maybe it’s just me?
Her (2013) The rest is all movies I expected to like more than I did. I’m not sure what didn’t click with this one. It’s been a while since I saw it.
Get Out (2017) I wasn’t gonna watch it because I don’t really watch horror so when I finally caved, I knew pretty much everything about it. Watching a movie the first time  knowing everything that happens in it and after seeing it dissected for months on end by every critic on the planet does take a lot of the enjoyment away, as it turns out.
Gone Girl (2014) Really thought I’d love it. It’s good just didn’t click with me.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)  It’s pretty. Liam Neeson is always fun. 
Pacific Rim (2013)  Mako is great and I enjoy the chemistry between her and Raleigh but ultimately this one just kind of slipped out of my mind as soon as I’d seen it. 
Toni Erdmann (2016)  It’s too damn long!
The Tree of Life (2011)  I just watched this the other day so it’s very possible my opinion will change. I was expecting to love it but I… didn’t. It felt like this movie was trying too hard to be profound and important, at the cost of actually saying something, well, profound and important.
No Strong Feelings One Way or the Other I actually have nothing to say about any of these movies and most of them are good but they had to go somewhere.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), Boyhood (2014), Brave (2012), Creed (2015), Django Unchained (2012), Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010), Flavours of Youth (2018), Frozen (2013), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), Interstellar (2014), Intouchable (2011), The Jungle Book (2016), Monsters University (2013), Rogue One (2016), Schaste moe (2010), Shutter Island (2010), Three Identical Strangers (2018), To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018), Undir trénu (2017), Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Middling Festival Fare I have nothing to say about these either but I couldn’t lump them in with the others. I mostly liked them more than the movies in the previous category and they took bigger risks. Some of them might even be great, just very much not my cup of tea.
3 Tage in Quiberon (2018), Acid Forest (2018), Amateurs in Space (2016), Barakah Meets Barakah (2015), Der Andständige (2014), Disappearance (2017), Dreams by the Sea (2017), En fremmed flytter ind (2017), Føniks (2018), The Girl Down Loch Aenzi (2016), God Exists, Her Name is Petrunija (2019), Gods of Molenbeek (2019), Jag är Ingrid (2015), Já, Olga Hepnarová (2016), Looking for Oum Kulthum (2017), Mister Universo (2016), Neruda (2016), The Raven and the Seagull (2018), Rester vertical (2016), Slow West (2015), Sugar Coated (2015), Summer Survivors (2018), Tickled (2016), Worldly Girl (2016)
Maybe Not the Best But a Lot of Fun Better than those guilty pleasures but generally pretty flawed. Austenland (2013) A very cute little romcom. Extra points for Jennifer Coolidge, the most underrated character actress of this century.
Baby Driver (2017) I feel like revisiting this one might not be as enjoyable for reasons that have nothing to do with the film’s quality but I had fun watching it in the theater. 
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) I was a fan of this franchise from the start so even though this movie is kind of dour and dark, it was still a blast to watch. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Do I love every choice this movie made? No. But I saw this at a midnight screening, in full cosplay with my friends, in a theater packed with fans. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I, Tonya (2017)  For a movie that contains so much abuse and such a bummer ending, it’s surprisingly entertaining!
The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)    Lego Batman is my favorite Batman.
Nothing Like a Dame (2018)  I just really love Maggie Smith.
On - drakon (2015) This movie feels like it was pitched as “Twilight but with dragons!”. It’s fun, though, and it’s got an interesting aesthetic and a proactive heroine who gets herself out of trouble with ingenuity and bravery.
Sing Street (2016) I love the soundtrack to this movie and the characters are incredibly endearing. The story is very simple in not a great way but it doesn’t need to be deep to be enjoyable.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) I like that they skip the origin story for once and keep the scope of it fairly limited. A very nice little slice-of-life teen movie combined with a superhero flick. Tom Holland is a good Spider-Man. Would’ve been better without Iron Man tbh. Star Trek Beyond (2016)  I feel like they got the characters right here, which was a problem for the first Star Trek of the rebooted trilogy. It’s a fairly inconsequential movie but it’s a blast.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) I’m not the biggest Star Wars fan so I don’t have a lot of opinions here. It’s fun! Not a lot more I want from Star Wars. Ultimately didn’t intrigue me enough to wanna see the rest of the trilogy.
Ten no Chasuke (2015) This movie is a little weird, a little goofy and a lot of fun. I like the guy who just constantly lives through different movie plots because the angel writing his life can’t think of anything original, that tickled me.
Good Movies I Don’t Have a Clever Title Here They’re good movies, Brent. 
Barbara Rubin and the Exploding NY Underground (2018)  An enjoyable, well-made documentary but considering its subject matter disappointingly conventional.
Black Panther (2018) This movie could have been much better had it not been under the constraints of the MCU. Still one of the best offerings of the genre this decade.
Boy Meets Girl (2014) We need more movies like this. Not just for representation (although that is important) but also because cinema needs a greater variety of stories than are currently being told. 
Brooklyn (2015) The scope of this movie is very small but the characterization is nuanced and every aspect of the film goes towards furthering that. 
Bugs (2016) The focus of this movie is split between its very interesting subject matter (the use of bugs as food around the world) and the chefs we’re following around who kind of seem like dicks and honestly drag the movie down a lot.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)  Steve Rogers is one of my favorite MCU characters, purely on the strength of this movie. In a world where no one seems to know how to adapt Superman to film, it’s nice they got this one right.
Cloud Atlas (2012) This movie has such lofty ambitions and I admire it for that, even if the execution is off at times. But the use of yellowface is..... bad. It’s very bad and the directors should have known better. 
Cold War (2018) I love the music in this, which is good because it is near constant.
Damsel (2018) I love a deconstructed western and I love Robert Pattinson. It’s a shame that the female character at the center of the story wasn’t better developed, considering how much screen time she got.
Damsels in Distress (2011) This movie is quirky and cutesie, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (and usually isn’t mine) but I love it. Some solid acting goes a long way.
Der kommer en dag (2016) This movie is two hours of children suffering yet it comes across as so optimistic? I think it’s the space race stuff. Who doesn’t love the space race?
Frantz (2016) I am always down for stories that reckon with the effects of WWI. 
Future Baby (2016) There’s a scene in this movie where a surrogate mother gives birth and it is both very graphic and heart-wrenching. If the rest of the movie were more like that one scene, it’d be on my shortlist for the best of the decade.
Fyre (2019)  How was Fyre Festival a real thing that happened?
Girls Don’t Fly (2016) Girls don’t fly because the man training them to be pilots is a dick and treats them horribly. It’s a bummer but important to uncover. 
Hidden Figures (2016) Kevin Costner’s character needed to be written out - black stories that don’t involve “good” white people are both possible and necessary. But I adore all three main actresses and they do some amazing work.
Hjartasteinn (2016) The subject matter is cliché but it’s handled beautifully. 
The Lego Movie (2014) Everything is awesome! Everything is cool when you’re part of a team!
Journey to the Shore (2015) I honestly wasn’t sure how to feel for most of the run time of this movie but by the end it got me.
On Body and Soul (2017) This movie feels like a dream and I mean that in a good way.
The Salvation (2014) Have I mentioned that I love deconstructed westerns? Mads Mikkelsen is always on point, even with garbage material, but he’s got some good stuff to work with here.
Searching for Ingmar Bergman (2018) This movie made me more interested in its director, Margarethe von Trotta, than Bergman himself. Everyone should check out The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum!
The Shape of Water (2017) This movie is very much like a fairy-tale, which means it’s not particularly nuanced or complicated, but it is beautiful.
Still the Water (2014)  This movie starts with a cow being graphically slaughtered and yet the only word I can think of to describe it is “gentle”. But maybe skip the first five minutes if you’re sensitive to blood or animal death.
Studio 54 (2018) How were the 70s even real?
Sumarbörn (2017)    It’s a rare feat to get such good acting out of child actors.
Thor: Ragnarök (2017)    The best MCU movie. It’s a lot of fun without once losing its heart, which is a rare thing for Marvel (just google the words “bathos” and “mcu”, other people have covered this already). 
Warm Bodies (2013) The cutest rom-com of the decade features a zombie as its main lead. I’m not mad about it.
Wild Tales (2014) The dissonance between the realist shooting style and the cartoonish violence often results in some excellent dark humor. The rest of the time, it just feels kind of off. 
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) Jordan Belfast is both a lot of fun and utterly despicable and the movie is not afraid to go as balls to the walls as it needs to.
The Young Karl Marx (2017) So like... Marx and Engel were into each other? At least a little, right?
Great Movies Also No Clever Title
Andið eðlilega (2018) Okay so I don’t watch a lot of Icelandic cinema but from what I have seen, I am incredibly encouraged by the direction it is heading. Call this exhibit A.
Ága (2018)  This movie is very slow and not a lot happens but that’s kind of why it works so well. It hooked me in and had me genuinely interested in every uneventful scene.
Brecht’s Threepenny Film (2018)  I walked away feeling like I’d understood maybe one third of this film but it left me with a feeling of exhilaration that’s hard to define and that few films manage.
Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010)  Adèle Blanc-Sec is like Tintin and Indiana Jones combined except way better. In a just world, she would be a much more popular character and the reported film trilogy would have actually happened.
En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron (2014)  This movie is delightfully weird and messed up. Nothing more to say here.
The Favourite (2018)  I was honestly expecting to be let down by this movie after all the overwhelming praise but as it turns out, it deserved all of the accolades and possibly more.
Gravity (2013)  This movie was kind of marketed as “realistic sci-fi” and while I can’t say it felt particularly real, the emotional arc sure as hell did.
Inception (2010) The complexity of this film was vastly over-hyped but it’s still the best work I’ve seen by Nolan (though to be fair, I still haven’t seen Dunkirk).  Kreuzweg (2014) The film is composed of just fourteen still shots, representing the Stations of the Cross. That could have come across as really gimmicky but it works because the shots are well staged and the material is just that good. Loveless (2017) This is the bleakest, most depressing movie I think I’ve ever seen.  The Martian (2015)  The best thing about this movie is the way it shows the world coming together just to save this one guy. International cooperation is the future!
Paradies: Liebe (2012)  This is a movie about sex tourism and it is as unpleasant to watch as that sounds. But it’s also incredible. 
Paradies: Hoffnung (2013)  The third in Seidl’s paradise trilogy (I missed the middle part, don’t remember why). Just as messed up as Liebe but mildly more palatable.
Une nouvelle amie (2014)  I saw this movie with my dad, which was kind of awkward, but that doesn’t take away from its beauty. We really do need more stories like this.
Tale of Tales (2015)  I am always here for a fairytale adaptation, particularly ones that stick close to the dark, gruesome, humorous tone of most traditional fairytales. 
Welcome to Norway (2016)  This movie is just really, really funny.
White God (2014) If you’re sensitive to animal abuse then this is not the film for you. The dogs in this movie actually won the Palm Dog Award and it was well deserved. They’re very good dogs! Tom of Finland (2017) How refreshing to see a movie about a historical gay person that isn’t all death and tragedy! It does have some of that, unavoidably, but it’s also a lot of fun and ultimately is a celebration of a very important sub-cultural figure.
Vinterbrødre (2017) I wasn’t expecting a movie set in a mining community to look this beautiful. 
Wonder Woman (2017) The best superhero movie of the decade, despite the slightly messy third act. It’s such an earnest, hopeful movie and unlike most films of the genre, it’s not afraid to take itself seriously or to come across as cheesy. Superheroes are cheesy! That’s one of the best things about them!
Amazing Animation I don’t like animation being singled out from live action as if it’s somehow less, but I wanted to highlight how many excellent animated films were made this decade. 
The Breadwinner (2017) I’ve seen this film’s production company, Cartoon Saloon, been called the Irish version of Disney but Disney has never made anything half this daring. Coco (2017)  The ending made me sob like a little kid. This movie doesn’t get enough credit for being one of only two Pixar films this decade to live up to their early work.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010) The flight scenes in this movie gave me actual vertigo and I loved it.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)  The rare sequel that’s actually better than the original! For all the franchises that exist out there just to continue milking that cash cow, it’s nice to see something get continued because the filmmakers had more stories to tell.
Loving Vincent (2017)  This movie has been criticized for a weak plot, to which I say: it’s an animated movie made up of oil paintings! Do you really care about the plot? Sometimes the spectacle is all you need, especially when it’s something that touches you as deeply as Vincent van Gogh’s art does.
Moana (2016)  Moana’s scenes with her grandmother and Te Fiti are up there with some of the most emotionally evocative stuff to come out of Disney studios. It’s a pity the rest of the movie couldn’t quite live up to that.
Rise of the Guardians (2012)  Mostly, this movie just looks incredible. I am also an eternal sucker for Chris Pine, even if his voice sounds weird coming out of a teenager’s mouth.  
Song of the Sea (2014)  This is the most beautiful animated film I’ve ever seen outside of Studio Ghibli’s best, both the look and the feel of it. 
Tangled (2010) I know I sound like an old fogy but this movie would’ve been much better if it had been traditionally animated. Still pretty good!
Toy Story 3 (2010) It’s been nine years since the third Toy Story came out?? Christ, this decade.
Your Name (2016) I really should be watching more anime.
Zootopia (2016) Disney’s best work since Treasure Planet, which is an underrated masterpiece. It’s almost worth the resurgence in furries (jk furries, you’re okay).
This Is Why You Guys Should Be Watching Documentaries Because documentaries are a seriously underrated art form.
Ama-San (2016) This is the kind of cinema vérité filmmaking I live for.
Behind the Curve (2018) The existence of flat earthers remains baffling (well, maybe not that baffling when you look at the rest of our society) but this documentary is excellent.
Dawson City: Frozen Time (2016)  This is a documentary about a cache of lost silent films that were found in the 70s and most of the movie is silent, with information being conveyed through text and images. It’s these kinds of choices that elevate a good documentary beyond just educational programming.
Exodus: Where I Come From Is Disappearing (2016)  Absolutely heart-wrenching. It’s difficult to watch but the issues it discusses shouldn’t be looked away from. 
Foodies (2014) There’s a foodie in this movie who rates his food on looks before he even tastes it and a chef whose signature dish is a dessert called “sex on the beach” which includes a very realistic-looking used condom. I wanted those two to meet but they never did and that is my one criticism of this film.
Free Solo (2018)  I developed a fear of heights after watching this movie.
The Great Green Wall (2019)  I had never heard of the great green wall before seeing this movie. It’s so surreal to get a window into a society where no one is arguing about climate change because they are already undeniably feeling the effects of it. And by strange, I mean incredibly sad and upsetting.
How to Let Go of the World: and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change (2016)  Speaking of climate change. This movie takes on climate grief and shows why you can’t stop at that, why you need to push past it and keep fighting. I’d argue The Great Green Wall actually does that same thing and better but it’s still a very necessary message.
Into the Inferno (2016)  Werner Herzog is just. The best. Especially his documentaries.
Kismet (2014) This movie examines how art affects people by way of one of the least respected art forms out there (soap operas). I just really love that premise and the execution is even better.
Merchants of Doubt (2014) Honestly fuck every single person making money by hastening our descent towards climate catastrophe. Good movie, though.
My Scientology Movie (2015)  This was the first Louis Theroux movie I saw and it’s a great one to start with. For all they’ve been treated like a joke, Scientologists are actually pretty scary.
The Other Side of Everything (2017)  The personal is the political in this film. What an incredible look at the ways our past shapes our present and future. 
Pervert Park (2014) This movie fucked me up.
The Prison in Twelve Landscapes (2016) The conceit of this film is looking at the US prison system indirectly by keeping the camera outside the actual prisons and off actual prisoners. It works incredibly well, just astounding documentary film making. 
Push (2019)  Just when you thought you couldn’t hate the rental market any more!
Safari (2016) Fuck trophy hunters.
The Silence of Others (2018)  I didn’t even know about the Spanish 1977 Amnesty Law until I saw this movie. Maybe that’s just my own ignorance but I feel it shows how necessary documentaries like these are. 
Tower (2016) I cried like a baby watching this movie. Using rotoscope animation to tell the story of the 1966 shootings a the University of Texas was I think an excellent choice and made for a unique documentary.
Visages villages (2017) Agnès Varda is possibly my favorite director and it hurts to leave this one off the “best” list (call it an unofficial #11). Still not sure I shouldn’t have swapped out one of the actual top ten for it. 
Welcome to Sodom (2018) The world is so fucked up. 
It Stayed With Me Movies that left me reeling and that I couldn’t get out of my head for days after watching (call all of them an unofficial joint #12).
The Act of Killing (2012) Speaking of fucked up! It is absolutely surreal seeing these mass murderers try to justify their actions to the interviewers. “I was just doing my job” is no excuse and trying to use it as one is actually reprehensible. 
Arrival (2016) I didn’t actually see it until this year and I felt it couldn’t possibly live up to the hype but it did! It’s reminiscent of Interstellar in that in this ‘hard’ science fiction story the ultimate solution is based on an emotional revelation but Arrival pulled it off much better. The Congress (2013)  This is basically two movies in one; one is fairly grounded sci-fi and the other is just a straight up acid trip in film form. In any case, Robin Wright is absolutely flawless.
Carol (2015) Cate Blanchett please date me. Grüße aus Fukushima (2016)  I’m always gonna be a sucker for a movie about women connecting and helping each other through trauma. 
High Life (2018) I saw this one knowing nothing about it and ngl it shocked me a bit. The way it incrementally got more and more fucked up made me feel a bit like a frog being slowly boiled alive.  November (2017) The atmosphere this movie creates is unreal. Maybe not the strongest characterization but it balances a feeling of magic and wonder with just utter bleakness and it left me reeling. Paterson (2016) I can’t even fully explain why I loved this movie so much or why it stuck me. Mostly, it’s just so damn cozy.  The Square (2017) I mean, that scene with the ape man was fucked up right?  Tangerine (2015) I don’t think filming on your iPhone is the future of cinema or anything but it does show how accessible filmmaking is slowly becoming. Also, that scene of Alexandra performing Toyland is one of the best musical moments in cinema this decade and that is not up for debate. Team Hurricane (2017) I’ve never seen a movie with an aesthetic like this before (it’s very vaporwave) but this film is about and was mostly shot by a group of actual teenage girls. It’s a little melodramatic in places but at the same time that feels very sincere and the girls all clearly have a lot of talent and a lot to say.  Varda par Agnes (2019) This movie probably wouldn’t have stuck with me so much if Agnès Varda hadn’t died earlier this year. She is a truly unparalleled figure in film history.
The Best According to me, anyway. But I’m right.
Cameraperson (2016) This is a different kind of documentary filmmaking. What it most reminds me of is Beaches of Agnès (no, I’m never done talking about Agnès Varda) but even that is not a perfect comparison. It’s deeply personal while also covering an insane variety of topics.  Embrace of the Serpent (2015) This movie feels like a dream and I mean that in the best way possible. At turns beautiful, brutal, and absolutely baffling. The Florida Project (2017) I’ve seen this movie criticized for glorifying poverty and I can’t discount that opinion. For my part, I thought this movie did an incredible job balancing the world as seen through the eyes of a carefree child enjoying her summer and the dangerous, precarious reality of living in poverty.  Inside Out (2015) When Pixar gets it right, they get it really right. The Love Witch (2016) I just really, really love witches. The best looking live action movie of the decade. The fact that writer/director/editor/producer Anna Biller hasn’t made another film since is an actual crime.  Melancholia (2011) No movie has ever hit me this hard in such a visceral way; I was miserable for days after seeing it. Lars von Trier is an asshole but he knows how to film depression.  Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Believe the hype, it is actually perfect. And I don’t even like action movies! Moonlight (2016) It’s rare to see a movie this deeply, devastatingly human. The final two shots of the film, paired together, are literally the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in a theater. Kona fer í stríð (2018) The best Icelandic movie that’s been made yet. Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir is a national treasure.  Shoplifters (2018) I mean, who’s expecting a movie called ‘Shoplifters’ to be so devastating? It’s such a painful film but it is also heartwarming and intimate.  Un couteau dans le coeur (2018) This movie is strange and funny and violent and gorgeous. I’ve never had such a good experience at a film festival as I did the two times I went to see this movie.
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empathetixss · 5 years
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Margaery Tyrell Verses ( taken from my old blog )
( V: YOU WERE JUST A ROSEBUD ONCE (YOUTH) )
Margaery as a child growing up in Highgarden.
( V: THE GOLDEN ROSE OF HIGHGARDEN )
Margaery as a teenager in Highgarden. (ages 13-14)
( V: LOVELY AS A DAWN (GOT/ACOK) )
Margaery during her marriage to Renly. sub versus: (listed with particular players.)
When Winter met Spring (Robb Stark marries Margaery after Renly dies)
( V: GROWING STRONG EVEN UNDER LION’S CLAWS (ASOS) )
Book Canon. Margaery of House Tyrell. She is gentle and kind, sweet and beloved by the small folk. Recently engaged to one Joffrey Baratheon. She is the QUEEN to be, though the real question is, does she desire it? Verses that are housed under this verse LOTR Verse - Elvish Rose - Mace Tyrell is Half-Elven. He marries a human, Alerie Hightower and chooses the fate of the mortals. His children have the choice as well, His youngest has not chosen her fate yet. Lady Rose - Lady of a keep. Margaery is a mortal, that lives close to Rivendell. (or in some verses Mirkwood)
( V: OF THORNS (AFFC/ADWD) )
During Margaery’s Trial by Faith. She’s held in a tower by the septa’s and The High Sparrow. After the evidence falls away from Margaery, she is released into the custody of Randyll Tarly.
( V: UNE ROSE DANS DE LE NORD )
After House Tyrell falls on the ‘wrong side of history.’ Loras is sent to the Stormlands, Garlan is sent to the vale, and sweet, young, Margaery is sent to the North. On top of all of this, the Tyrell’s must pay a certain amount of gold every year to the crown to keep the children fed. Or so they are told. Margaery wins over House Stark and eventually ends up betrothed to Robb Stark.
( V: WINTER IN OUR BONES )
Margaery is engaged to marry Robb Stark, but it all ends at the Red Wedding. Jon Snow, now Jon Stark, saves her life. (with: @moreastark )
( V: THE FRANKISH ROSE )
Season 2-3: Margaery is the daughter of Frankish King Mace Tyrell. He’s done his best with all three of his sons, now he wants Margaery in on the game. Yet there was a reason she was kept hidden. To keep his kingdom safe Mace was forced to give up his beautiful daughter to King Ragnar. Now in Kattegat, she has to survive.
Season 4B: Margaery is the daughter of a Frankish Lord. She resides in Paris and among Princess Gisla and Duke Rollo's court. She's just a lady in the court, curious about the Viking Raiders among them at the moment.
( V: DRIPPING IN GOLD )
A royalty au currently under construction. (Verse with: halfawolf)
( V: HOIST THE COLOURS )
grim tides/Black Sails/POTC/Pirate!Queen Margaery. Queen of the Pacific, and Agean, The Rose of Highgarden has truly come a long way. From stowing away on a ship as a small child to escape the British Attack on her family, to having her own crew, she’s practically unstoppable. It doesn’t hurt that many of her male counterparts doubt her ability as a pirate captain because she’s a woman. She proves them wrong, Every. Single. Time.
( V: THINGS WE LOST )
From a young age, Margaery was betrothed to Jon Targaryen. The Heir to the Seven Kingdoms. Now, it’s time for them to bring their families together. (w: halfawolf)
V: THINGS WE LOST TO THE FLAME
Jon is exiled and stripped of his title, Margaery is forced to wed another, life is not as she planned it until Jon comes back to her. (w: moreastark)
( V: THE RELUCTANCE OF THE WOLF )
(A WANTED VERSE) Forced into marriage with one another by Lady Olenna and Lady Catelyn’s arrangement. Margaery tries to make the best of her fate. Lady Catelyn is a joy and kind to her. Wonderful in every way. While Robb… Robb is cold to her. Margaery becomes scared that she is trapped in another loveless marriage and struggles to understand her cold & grim husband.
( V: A MODERN ROSE )
Margaery works for her father a respected lawyer in the Tyrell Firm. In her spare time, she paints.
Gangster Lawyer: assilat-vojjor Drogo is a respected Gang leader on trial for a murder he didn’t commit. Margaery is his Lawyer. Our Gentle Sin: astormcrow. Margaery and Daario get close to one another, start an affair. At the same time, he kills people for a living. Crushing them in high heels and pearls: wintersking. Margaery is Robb’s boss. Currently they’re having a torrid affair.
If you let my soul out (it’ll come right back to you.)  Reincarnation verse.
The Drifter: Margaery Tyrell runs into Jon Snow while wandering the streets of Paris. & she can’t help but be drawn to him. Little does she know that he is hiding a secret. (w: moreastark)
( V: A COLLEGE ROSE QUEEN )
Margaery is the Youngest of the Tyrell’s. Attending Harvard Law in the fall, Margaery is just trying to make it in a family that vacations in Europe for the hell of it. Mostly she’s just looking for fun.
( V: OBLIVION )
Margaery Tyrell is a British-born scientist, working for the government. She double majored in biology and anthropology. She’s never really thought much of the superhero’s other than the fact that they’ve saved the world. She proud of the work she does and believes in what’s right for the future. That being said, her loyalty is not easily swayed or bought. (Notes for Marvel-verse)
* Recruited by Nick Fury. * Security Level Clearance: 5 (sub verses): Webbed Roses with webheadedhero You Can Keep Your Shield On with buyxwarxbonds Notes for DC verse * Recruited by the Secretary of Defense. * Lived in Metropolis
(V: A LADY IN WAITING (TWQ) )
The White Queen Verse: Margaery is a noble lady. Her family has the symbol of the Golden rose. They are neither York or Lancaster. Tyrell’s are really all for themselves.
( V: A LADY IN WAITING (TUDOR) )
Upon hearing of the death of her beloved cousin Anne, Margaery ventures to King Henry VIII’s court for answers. - She’s managed to ensnare the king in her thorns and finds herself caught as well, because her feelings fro him have grown beyond what she thought they would. (Timeline: Anne of Cleves is queen, but before Kitty Howard meets Henry.) - Anne sent for her cousin before her death and she has been there since her second miscarriage. verse with vivatreginam -Margaery arrives after the death of her cousin Anne, taking in Elizabeth and offering up her home as a place for her. verse with any elizabeth
( V: A ROSE OF FRANCE )
French born, but Spain raised Margaery Tyrell, is brought back to court along with the rest of her family when they hear of Prince Francis’ wedding to Mary Stuart. Of course they are overjoyed and offer their services to the young couple swearing themselves to them. While Margaery’s ambitious grandmother seeks a powerful marriage for Margaery perhaps with a royal of Scotland, Margaery skeeks to get to know the future queen better. Hoping to call her friend one day.
( V: LA BELLE PETITE ROSE )
BBC’s The Musketeers Verse. Margaery is the King’s Cousin, but that doesn’t mean much in France. Serving under Queen Anne as a Lady in Waiting, she is happy with her position. Although, she is intrigued by The Musketeers in the service of the King. 
Une Rose de Versailles: A Noble Catholic Lady from the south of france, originally she’s engaged to the Dux De Baratheon known as Joffrey. She’s not very happy with the match, as the man has a reputation for cruelty. She has come to Versailles, when the King moves court from Paris to there. She finds herself a bit more at ease there, she is able to be herself more and be around women other than her future mother-in-law. Her fiance hates it and wishes to return to Paris. She has hope that she might catch the king’s eye, but she knows that women here are everywhere each wanting a piece of the king.
( V: OF IRON THORNS )
Margaery has taken the Iron Throne through her son after the death of her husband. Now she has to keep it. (husband can be Renly, Joffrey, or Tommen.)
( V: THE TALES ARE REAL )
The Original Rose Beauty: Margaery was a noble lady in Snow’s court, but also a friend for Queen Regina until her identity as a Princess and future Queen of her own realm was reviled. Margaery was Aurora’s mother, the first sleeping beauty. Sometimes known as Briar Rose. She tried her best to shield her daughter from the curse but was unable to do so. When the first curse hit, she was swept up and sent to Storybrooke. Living under the curse, she works in the flower shop owned by Moe French. She spends her days doing inventory and ordering new flowers when needed. The day that repeated for 28 years, she would visit the sheriff's station with coffee, and cut flowers in the shop. When Emma came to town, she was curious about the woman who seemed to be hanging around Young Henry but said nothing of it. Sticking to herself and the solitary life the curse forced her to lead. After the curse breaks, every memory is brought back to her. She believes she is without her brothers, her husband, and her daughter in this land without magic and would give anything just to see them again.
( V: LIFE IS WAR )
A modern twist on a love story. Verse with moreastark
( V: A LOYAL KNIGHT )
Athos entered Margaery’s service when she was still married to Joffrey. The sadness that surrounded the man caught her attention and she did everything she could to get him to smile. Little did she know she would fall head over heels in love with the knight. They hide it as best as they can although she would rather be with him than apart from him. (w: dettexhonneur)
( V: DON'T FEAR THE REAPER )
Margaery had gotten out. More than that. She had made a place for herself outside of the MC. Her father had just been the MC's lawyer, it wasn't like she had to be anything to them, right? She could go and do whatever she wanted. That is until, she came home. She came home for a funeral and saw... Him again. Jon. She had been to High School with him. He had been her first everything. She had thought for a while, he would be her everything. Until she grew up. She went to college, became a lawyer, and seeing Jon again, made her feel like a teenage girl. Especially on the back of his bike. Now she's got a choice. Stay, start over with the man she loves, or go back... (verse with: moreastark)
( V: DON’T LET YOURSELF BE HUNTED )
When Margaery was a child she always knew there was something different about her, and her family. She always just thought it was odd that her father could influence those around him with a word, her grandmother’s plants never died, and her brothers… Well, Willas’ super memory and intelligence was next to none, and his ability to seemingly communicate with Animals, Garlan and his super strength, Loras and his agility, she wondered what her powers would be. At nine the voices started. She could hear them even in her sleep, it was all so very loud and overwhelming, she just wanted it to stop, but it didn’t. It just got worse and louder, it wasn’t until later that she learned these voices were not in her head, they were in the heads of others. She also learned that she could feel other’s emotions as well and project her own on them. Margaery harnesses the powers of empathy and telepathy, her grandmother does her best to help her control it.
Her family is heavily involved in the Hellfire club, and Margaery didn’t have much of a choice, but to do the same. She has always admired the X-Men though and is considering switching sides.
( V: IN A LAND OF WONDER )
Margaery Tyrell is visiting the Kingdom of Camelot with her father and brother.
( V: MAGIC AMONG US )
Growing Strong. It’s the Tyrell House motto, it’s also Margaery’s personal mantra. She's a Ravenclaw.
( V: GROW TILL YOU CAN’T ANYMORE )
District Eleven, Margaery, and her family have much knowledge about plants, orchards, and people. When Margaery is picked as a tribute, she proves herself and wins her games… Allowing herself to be taken in by the charms of the capitol like her brother before her. She’s become the favorite of many. Alt verses: Burn it all down - Margaery joins the rebellion.
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PotC: Tides Of War
Hey guys, so I’ve been on this mobile game for Pirates of the Caribbean and it’s awesome. You guys should consider trying it if you haven’t. You play as a pirate with your own island, one of those kingdom-building games where you have set buildings and you just keep upgrading. You get to chat with Jones, Barbossa, Gibbs, Will, everyone in Shansa’s Cave as you play through some of the events from the movies.
It’s not that simple, but you basically get to be part of the battles. The whole point is that you’re in the Caribbean. Build a fleet, hunt monsters, hire crews, build weapons, join an alliance, attack merchant ships, and attack both other players and the EITC (East India Trading Company) outposts.
I’ve made my own alliance in the game since the one I was in basically left me for dead and screwed me over. Other alliances were either too spread out, or just not active enough for my taste. So, if you wanna try and play with someone you know, jump on and message me here so you can have someone to chat with who checks in a lot and will help you get started or answer any questions
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makenzie-rush · 7 years
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FILM ASK GAME: All of them >D
....barbara, we’re going to have to have a talk about you requesting all the options in an ask game. This is like the fourth time you’ve done this. 
Putting it under a read more because this will be long
What’s the most depressing movie you’ve ever watched?Tuck Everlasting. Both the movie AND the book ruined me
What’s the most disturbing movie you’ve ever watched?The only one that really sticks out is a 2006 film called The Haunted Airman.
An actor/actress you’ve seen in more than 8 movies? Name the movies.The only one I can think of right off the top of my head is Johnny Depp. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, PotC: On Stranger Tides, Sweeney Todd, PotC: At World’s End, PotC: Dead Man’s Chest, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finding Neverland, PotC: Curse of the Black Pearl
A film you could watch on repeat for the rest of your life?Probably Lion King
What’s the very first film you remember watching?I don’t remember the title, but I know it was a Sesame Street movie
A film you wish you hadn’t watched?The Last Airbender
A film you wish had a sequel?MEGAMIND
Which book would you like to see adapted into a film?There’s quite a few: Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue all by Kristin Cashore, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and Eon byAlison Goodman
The most aesthetically pleasing movie you’ve ever watched?Kubo and the Two Strings. That movie is an animation GIFT 
What’s your favourite movie director?Either Mamoru Hosoda or Hayao Miyazaki. Studio Ghibli films are always an automatic go to for me, but goddamn is hard to find a film better than Summer Wars or Wolf Children.
Your favourite movie genre?I will watch anything except horror and the fast and the furious series for personal reasons. 
A movie that holds a special place in your heart?The Last Unicorn. That is a movie I have cherished since early parts of my childhood and it will be a movie I cherish until death. 
Your favourite comedy film?Any comedy directed by Mel Brooks
A music video you would love to see developed into a film?Beer for My Horses by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson. That music video is a blessing.
A film everyone loves but you hate?Unpopular Opinion: Frozen. I liked it at first, but the more I watched it, the sloppier the writing seemed to be. 
A film you love but everyone else hates?The Amazing Spider Man 1 and 2. 
Which cinematic universe would you like to live in?already answered 
What’s your favourite biopic?Selena
Mainstream movies or indie movies?both. I’m not picky. 
Old movies or contemporary movies?Both???
A film with an amazing soundtrack?My top three are PotC: Dead Man’s Chest, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Land Before Time 
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dutchessofcaladan · 29 days
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Pirates of the Caribbean: Wrath of the Kraken
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Chapter 1
Chapter 2! I hope you guys are enjoying this story! As always, thank you to @phantomoftheparadise0002 for beta-reading this!
Summary: When Jack recruits Smith to help him find the lost relics of Cortez, their mission doesn't go as planned when they run into terrors and joys from their past, ultimately witnessing the resurrection of the Dutchman...and her beloved Captain.
TW: Slight Violence
Looking up at the night sky, Smith carefully watched the stars.
"Captain?" Murtogg question, standing as straight as a board.
"Aye?" Smith didn't take her eyes off the stars.
"I was wonderin' if Mullroy and I could, uh, releave you of your current duties as helmsman."
Smith sighed. She knew Murtogg wasn't doing this out of the goodness of his heart. When she became overly tired or stressed, she had a habit of snapping at anyone who even breathed to loudly.
Nodding, she beckoned him to the wheel. "Follow that line of stars there." She ordered, indicating the "map". "Do not change course until we reach the island at that point there." She pointed to the last star.
"Aye." Murtogg nodded as Smith descended the stairs and entered the Captain's Cabin.
Smith stumbled slightly as she attempted to not trip over the piles of treasure that littered the cave, her and Hector's swords clashing with Jack's.
Placing the stolen coin in his hand, Jack sliced his palm, allowing his blood to seep onto the coin before tossing it to Will.
Noticing this, Smith and Hector aimed their guns at Elizabeth, who was running their way.
Freezing at the sound of a gunshot, Elizabeth's eyes went wide.
Knowing they hadn't fired, Smith and Hector looked at Jack, who had his gun aimed at Hector, a cold look of revenge on his face as the smoke cleared.
"Ten years ye carry that pistol and now ye waste you're shot." Hector taunted, gun still aimed at Elizabeth.
"He didn't waste it!" Will shouted from atop the treasure mound where the chest sat.
Hector and Smith watched as he dropped the remaining coins into the chest, blood dripping from his hand.
Elizabeth smiled at her lover, amazed at how he and Jack were able to outsmart Barbossa.
Dropping his weapons, Hector opened his coat, he and Smith watching as a river of blood seeped through the thin fabric of his shirt.
Smith's heart thundered in her chest as a wave of tears flooded her eyes, her body refusing to move.
A mix of emotions flitted across Barbossa's face. Relief. Shock. Acceptance. "I feel," he breathed, "cold." As the word left him, his body fell limp against the heap of treasure behind him, an apple falling from his hand into the crevice between the rocks.
Dropping her weapons, Smith fell to her knees at her dead lover's side. "No." She sobbed, placing her hands on his chest and shaking him. "You're gonna wake up, right?" She asked, her tears beginning to spill onto the blood-stained fabric. "You have to wake up."
Once the realization of what had happened set in, she slowly turned to Jack, her breath coming out in short, angry huffs.
"You." She growled. "You will pay for this."
As she reached for her pistol, a white hot pain ran through her. Looking down, she saw the blade of a sword poking through her stomach.
As the sword was removed, Smith's corpse fell back against Barbossa's, revealing Will, a bloodied sword in his hand.
Jerking awake, Smith felt of her stomach, expecting to feel the blade of Will's sword, but finding nothing at all. Taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, she stood up from the bed and went to the window, looking up at the stars.
"Stole him heart, you did."
Jumping, Smith turned to face Calypso.
"What?" She panted, failing miserably at calming her rapid heart.
"Barbossa." The Goddess stated bluntly. "Him told me. Him told me all about you." She smiled.
"What did he say?"
"Not'ing to personal." Calypso reassured. "It after he t'reaten me. Say if I do not bring you back he drive a sword t'rough my heart." Placing a hand over her heart, she put on a pained expression. "I tell him I bring you back. Not because of his t'reat, no...because man cannot live without him heart. If man try to live wit'out him heart-"
"It will turn him into a monster." Smith finished. "Like what happened with Davy Jones."
"You will not speak dat name!" Calypso roared, a look of great pain on her face.
"But it's true, isn't it?" Smith moved closer. "You took away Davy Jones' heart by cursing him to be Captain of the Dutchman for so long. You took him away from the thing he loved most...you."
Straightening her posture, a look of fear on her face, she vanished as the seas became rough, dark clouds blocking the stars.
"MAELSTROM!"
Smith ran from the cabin and into the pouring rain, instantly becoming soaked as she stared at the swirling pool in front of them.
"JACK!" She screamed. "IT'S CALYPSO!"
As soon as her name was uttered, something began to rise from the maelstrom. A ship.
Recognizing the now visible bow, Jack and Smith ordered their crews to steer the ship away.
"HIGH TO PORT! GATHER WAY! KEEP HER TRIM!" She ordered.
The ragged sails of the drenched ship were beginning to become visible.
Running up the stairs, Smith pushed Murtogg, taking the helm. Turning the wheel sharply to the left, pulling the Revenge out of the maelstrom.
Panting, Smith watched as the rest of the ship emerged from the swirl of water.
Jack's eyes widened in horror. The name Dutchman the only thing leaving his lips.
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comiconverse · 7 years
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Game Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War
Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War attempts to cash-in on both the new film and the free-to-play market. Have Disney and developer JoyCity done enough to stand out in a crowded market? ComiConverse contributor Dan Goad takes to the high seas with this review.
Game Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War
Movie tie-ins have always had a mixed history, even more so now that developers have mainly decided to forgo AAA console games and offer free-to-play mobile titles instead. The mouthful that is Pirates of Caribbean: Tides of War is not the worst licensed game ever, but it’s by no means the best either. If you’re familiar with Joy-City’s work you’ll be familiar with this, which is essentially a re-skinned version of Oceans & Empires. Players take control of a pirate island, building and upgrading structures and ships. These ships can be used to raid other players’ islands for valuable resources.
Your pirate island Credit: Disney/JoyCity
A long-winded tutorial phase will guide you through all the mechanics of the game, but nothing was hugely well explained and I’d forgotten most of it by the time I was given the freedom to do as you please. The tutorial will tell you to build a particular structure, but will never tell you why you should build it or what it does. The end result is that once you can choose your own actions, you have no idea what you should or shouldn’t be prioritising. There are an awful lot of buttons here. After a few hours I had an inventory filled with items, and in many cases no idea what they did.
Even after the tutorial ends, there is still given a set of objectives to follow, generally consisting of building/upgrading a certain structure, hunting a certain sea creature or completing a story mission. It’s nice to have the option of either following these objectives or not, but it usually only takes a few minutes of tapping around at random before you reach an impasse and have to go back to the objectives.
The story missions are a fairly dull retread of the significant events of the PotC films, and virtually every mission consists of picking which of your ships you’ll send to defeat some other ships. In fact, that is pretty much all combat ever consists of. You pick an opponent, pick some ships, and wait. You usually don’t even watch the battle properly, just an overhead view of some ships firing guns (often in the wrong direction). Where the battle does consist of more than this, such as a closer view of the action, there is no indication as to whether you can have any input into what is happening.
The city building element of the game can be enjoyable, but similar things have been paired with much better batting systems in mobile games such as Medieval: Total War. And if you just want to build things then there are more rewarding building games available. As is common in these game you can join an alliance with other players, but there didn’t seem to be any events like a “pirate war” for the alliance to take part in, it was more of a resource sharing group.
We’re in free-to-play territory, so expect a generous helping of premium currency and items early on, then later on long waits and some of the most expensive in-app purchases I’ve ever seen. The most expensive comes in at an eye-watering $399.99, so don’t let your kids have free rein on this one.
On the plus side, graphically the game looks great and a lot of effort seems to have been put in to this side of it. The portraits of PotC characters look good and a number of the player avatars seem to have been inspired by characters in the Starz pirate series Black Sails. The pirate islands also have plenty of detail and have more life than a lot of mobile city builders.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, then you might get something out of this. There must be plenty of you out there, since the last (and, by most accounts, worst) film made over a billion dollars. But I’m not sure enough people really care. The fact the studio recently refused to pay money to hackers who were threatening to release the new film early indicates that not even they care. For anyone who is only mildly interested, you’ll get a few days of play out of it, but you’ll swiftly hit a point where it isn’t worth going back to if you don’t invest some money.
  The post Game Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War appeared first on ComiConverse.
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dutchessofcaladan · 28 days
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Pirates of the Caribbean: Wrath of the Kraken
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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3! This is where my knowledge of Tides of War comes in handy to fix that plothole from Dead Men Tell No Tales' end credit. Also, I get to bring back one of my favorite characters (aka the fictional love of my life). This story has been really fun so far and I hope you guys have enjoyed! As always, a big thanks to @phantomoftheparadise0002 for beta-reading reading! I hope you're not sick of me 🤞🏼
Summary: When Jack recruits Smith to help him find the lost relics of Cortez, their mission doesn't go as planned when they run into terrors and joys from their past, ultimately witnessing the resurrection of the Dutchman...and her beloved Captain.
TW: Some language, pirate violence
Arriving in Tortuga mere hours later, Smith told her crew to go ahead while she stayed behind.
When she was sure her crew was out of earshot she screamed "CALYPSO!" to the heavens, rage evident in her voice.
"I told you not to speak him name."
Swiftly turning to face her, Smith growled, "What the hell did you do?"
"I do not'ing."
"Then how the hell is he back?!"
Hearing footsteps behind her, Calypso turned to see Jack standing behind her, the anger in his eyes matching Smith's.
"Jack." The Goddess greeted sweetly.
Jack said nothing, merely sneering at her.
Looking between them nervously, Calypso sighed. "Deh Davy Jones you saw in deh maelstrom was not deh Davy Jones dat fought wit deh East India Trading Company."
Smith and Jack's brows furrowed.
"It was him Shade."
"Shade?" Jack asked.
"A version of a person from another's memories." Smith answered. Looking at Calypso, she added, "But they're just myths. Stories that parents tell to their children. How the hell would one come into the real world?"
"Dehr are many stories, all of which are true." Calypso answered. "After you destroy deh Trident of Poseidon, Will Turner call to me, tell me to destroy deh Dutchman once he return to him family."
"How does that cause someone's Shade to appear?" Jack asked.
"The Dutchman." Smith breathed. Looking to Jack, she added, "Most Shades are bound to an object. My mother told me the story of a solider who had won many battles with a sword made of pure gold. When he died, his comrads attempted to melt the sword into a medal to give to his wife. As the blacksmith put it in the furnace, he was killed. It's said that as he died, the only thing he uttered was the dead soldier's name. Later, the comrads who gave the sword to the blacksmith told the Governor that the person who killed the blacksmith was their friend, using the sword of gold."
Jack shivered.
"When you attempted to destroy the Dutchman 9 years ago, that must've been what brought Jones back."
Calypso nodded.
"So how do we get rid of him this time?" Jack asked.
Smith shrugged. "My mother never told me that part of the story."
Shouting arose from the city as a group was being pushed towards the dock, Scrum and Mullroy at the front.
"Guess that's our sign to leave." Smith sighed, shaking her head.
"Captain!" Scrum called from the Crow's Nest.
"Aye?"
"We're aproachin' the island!" He smiled.
Looking out towards the bow, Smith smiled at the faint twinkles of the rubies in the light of the rising sun.
Jack smiled as he looked over at Smith as she stood at the helm of the Revenge, her posture straighter, an air of hope surrounding her as the island became closer.
"Where is he?" Smith asked, pacing the island for what felt like the 100th time. "She said he'd be here."
"I believe the word she used was repayment." Jack corrected.
"Oh, don't try that with me!" She shot back. "If it wasn't Hector we're here for then why would she send us here?"
As she turned to look out at the sea, something appeared in her mind's eye. A great chasm stretched across the sea, the Pearl on one side and the Silent Mary on the other, the Pearl's anchor dangling into the divide.
"Captain Sparrow, my effects." She said, taking off her coat and shoving it into his hands along with her pistol, sword, and hat.
Before he could question why, she dove into the sea.
"I'll never understand her." He said offhandedly to Scrum, causing Gibbs to give him a confused look.
Smith felt as if her lungs were on fire as she pushed herself to swim as deep as she could, the images of Hector being swallowed by the sea not deterring her.
Scrum watched as Jack started to shift his weight constantly from foot to foot.
"You alrigh', Cap'n?" He questioned, narrowing his eyes.
Throwing Smith's things to the ground, he began to take off his own effects, adding them to the pile at his feet.
"She's been down there too long." He said simply.
Just as he was about to jump in, Smith burst through the surface of the water, gasping for air, Hector's limp body in her arms.
"DUTCHMAN!" Someone from the Pearl screamed as the bright flash of cannon fire erupted from the other side of the ship.
As the mast of the Pearl fell, Jack, Scrum, and Gibbs jumped into the sea, Gibbs and Scrum taking Hector's weight while Jack grabbed Smith.
Standing on the deck of the Revenge, the crew watched in horror as the Pearl sank to the depths.
"Wouldn't be an adventure without loosing the Pearl, eh?" Jack joked sadly, attempting to distract himself from the lose of his beloved ship as he left the crowd.
Looking to Scrum and Gibbs, Smith instructed them to place Hector on the bed in the Captain’s cabin while she followed Jack.
Placing a hand on his shoulder, she gave it a small squeeze.
"She was a fine ship." Smith offered, to which Jack nodded.
"Aye." He sighed.
"We'll get her back." Smith promised. "We've done it before."
Jack looked at her, a deep sadness in his eyes as he nodded.
Wrapping her arms around him, Smith held Jack close as they mourned the Pearl.
"Captain!" Came Scrum's voice.
Smith removed herself from Jack's hold.
"He's awake."
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