Sony’s latest line of Bravia XR TVs are due to get a couple of new features soon which the company argues makes them perfect for the PlayStation 5. With Sony the maker of both the TVs and game consoles in question, it stands to reason that the two product lines might play nicer with each other than when paired with products from different brands. However, the new features being touted are somewhat similar to existing technologies that can be found elsewhere.
Released in late 2020, Sony’s PlayStation 5 has proven difficult to get hold of so far. Earlier this year, the company unveiled its latest 4K and 8K Bravia XR TV lineup, including the Z9J, A90J, A80J, X95J and X90J models. As to be expected with new Sony TVs, these models do come packed with a variety of next-generation improvements, upgrades and features, some of which make them perfect for gaming.
The company’s latest Bravia XR TVs are set to gain two new features in the opening months of 2022. The first is ‘Auto HDR Tone Mapping’ which Sony describes as the ability for the PS5 to automatically recognize the TV and set the optimal HDR setting. The second is ‘Auto Genre Picture Mode’ which is designed to ensure the TV detects when a game is being played and automatically switches the settings to Game Mode for a more optimal gaming experience. The opposite is also true as well, with the TV automatically switching to Standard Mode when watching a movie. Sony says the new Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode features will arrive via software updates before the end of January 2022, and will need to be applied on both the TV and the PS5.
Sony is positioning these features as ‘perfect for PlayStation 5’ and they will no doubt help to make sure the experience is optimized for the content being displayed on the screen. However, that’s not necessarily to say that owners of other TVs won’t be able to benefit in a similar way. For example, the description of Auto Genre Picture Mode sounds a lot like the more general Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Similar to Auto Genre Picture Mode, ALLM uses a signal sent over HDMI to tell a connected device that a game is being played. In other words, it too will help to make an automatic switch to Game Mode and help to reduce latency and so on. Likewise, HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGiG) is also a form of dynamic tone mapping which looks to adjust the HDR settings to better suit the content and devices involved, making it very similar to Auto HDR Tone Mapping.
Of course, this doesn’t mean Sony’s new TVs are not perfect for PS5 owners, as these technologies are perfect for gaming in general. Not to mention, HGiG and ALLM are only alternate solutions if the TV connected to the game console also supports them. What Sony is essentially saying here, is that its new Bravia XR TVs do support versions of ALLM and HGiG and that, in itself, makes them perfect for PlayStation 5.
Sony’s latest line of Bravia XR TVs are due to get a couple of new features soon which the company argues makes them perfect for the PlayStation 5. With Sony the maker of both the TVs and game consoles in question, it stands to reason that the two product lines might play nicer with each other than when paired with products from different brands. However, the new features being touted are somewhat similar to existing technologies that can be found elsewhere.
Released in late 2020, Sony’s PlayStation 5 has proven difficult to get hold of so far. Earlier this year, the company unveiled its latest 4K and 8K Bravia XR TV lineup, including the Z9J, A90J, A80J, X95J and X90J models. As to be expected with new Sony TVs, these models do come packed with a variety of next-generation improvements, upgrades and features, some of which make them perfect for gaming.
The company’s latest Bravia XR TVs are set to gain two new features in the opening months of 2022. The first is ‘Auto HDR Tone Mapping’ which Sony describes as the ability for the PS5 to automatically recognize the TV and set the optimal HDR setting. The second is ‘Auto Genre Picture Mode’ which is designed to ensure the TV detects when a game is being played and automatically switches the settings to Game Mode for a more optimal gaming experience. The opposite is also true as well, with the TV automatically switching to Standard Mode when watching a movie. Sony says the new Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode features will arrive via software updates before the end of January 2022, and will need to be applied on both the TV and the PS5.
Sony is positioning these features as ‘perfect for PlayStation 5’ and they will no doubt help to make sure the experience is optimized for the content being displayed on the screen. However, that’s not necessarily to say that owners of other TVs won’t be able to benefit in a similar way. For example, the description of Auto Genre Picture Mode sounds a lot like the more general Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Similar to Auto Genre Picture Mode, ALLM uses a signal sent over HDMI to tell a connected device that a game is being played. In other words, it too will help to make an automatic switch to Game Mode and help to reduce latency and so on. Likewise, HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGiG) is also a form of dynamic tone mapping which looks to adjust the HDR settings to better suit the content and devices involved, making it very similar to Auto HDR Tone Mapping.
Of course, this doesn’t mean Sony’s new TVs are not perfect for PS5 owners, as these technologies are perfect for gaming in general. Not to mention, HGiG and ALLM are only alternate solutions if the TV connected to the game console also supports them. What Sony is essentially saying here, is that its new Bravia XR TVs do support versions of ALLM and HGiG and that, in itself, makes them perfect for PlayStation 5.
What We Do In The Shadows’ Nadja of Antipaxos (Natasia Demetriou) is bound to ascend to the Supreme Council of vampires. A 500-year-old vampire of Romani descent, Nadja had a very disadvantaged life as a human. But in What We Do In The Shadows season 3, Nadja – along with her roommates Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), and Colin (Mark Proksch) – are promoted to become the leaders of the local Vampiric Council.
In the final episode of What We Do In The Shadows season 2, the group is summoned by the Vampiric Council to be executed for killing Baron Afanas (Doug Jones). However, Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) breaks out his masters and kills the council members in the process. While this makes the vampires fear retaliation from the other elders, the Supreme Council instead recognizes the massacre as a sign of strength. And as a result, Nadja’s group was promoted into the new leaders of the local Vampiric Council.
While Laszlo and Colin are uninterested in their new leadership roles, Nadja and Nandor bicker over who gets to sit on the council’s throne, much to the chagrin of the Floating Woman, also known as the vampire council Guide (Kristen Schaal). Guillermo convinces Nadja and Nandor to let him sit on the throne to keep up appearances that the council is united by a single figure. However, this is only a temporary solution to the building tensions between Nadja and Nandor. And the evidence suggests that not only will Nadja take the local Vampiric Council throne; she will also eventually ascend the ranks to become a member of the Supreme Council.
Before the four vampires ascended to become the leaders of the local Vampiric Council, it was Nandor who primarily dealt with council matters. Nandor is the de facto leader who answers emails and deals with the vampire bureaucracy. However, it is Nadja who clearly has the most natural leadership ability. Even when the energy vampire Colin Robinson, along with Laszlo and Nandor, are adamant about their opinions on vampire matters, they often end up following Nadja’s lead, as her decisions are often congruent with the traditional dominating perspective that is expected of elder vampires. For instance, it was Nadja’s violently vocal objections to Baron Afanas’ orders that eventually led them to follow with the plan to kill him, which would’ve likely still happened had Guillermo not accidentally finished the job.
Nadja was also right about Laszlo’s witch-skin hat being cursed, and the entire group would’ve avoided all the trouble with Simon the Devious (Nick Kroll) had Laszlo heeded her advice about ditching the hat. Moreover, when Nadja and Nandor are called by the Guide to perform their duties of judging erring vampires for the council, Nadja is much more decisive than Nandor, whose bureaucratic tendencies tend to get in the way of decision making. And although Guillermo’s vampire-killing abilities give him the highest kill count in What We Do In The Shadows, the show’s most brutal vocal insults undoubtedly belong to Nadja. This strong penchant for insults will come in handy when she ascends to become a Supreme Council member, as it will allow her to dominate vampires that are much more assertive than her roommates and the remaining vampires of New York.
As the group’s recent promotion shows, the Supreme Council respects brutality. There’s no question that Nadja is the most brutal and dangerous vampire in the main cast. When it comes to brutality, her roommates pale in comparison. For instance, Laszlo only kills out of necessity, like when he murdered the owner of a Pennsylvania bar in order to take it over and assume the role of beloved human bartender Jackie Daytona. Meanwhile, the energy vampire Colin has never killed anyone, although the fate of his victims may be worse than death. As for Nandor, who was a mass-murdering military and political leader based on Vlad the Impaler, he has actually shown a disdain for violence. Instead, it is always Guillermo who does all the killing for Nandor. However, Guillermo, who will likely never become a vampire, is not a real contender for the throne.
Moreover, while Guillermo’s kill count is unrivaled, the most brutal kill still belongs to Nadja, when she tore out the heart of a vampire who refused to pay council dues, essentially putting a stop to a fledgling vampire rebellion with one move. Nadja also accidentally kills Nandor’s werewolf love interest, Gail (Aida Turturro), when she kicks a ball that hits her right in the head, which happened during the Twilight parody episode, in which the vampires played kickball with the werewolves. While Nadja has only killed humans for blood during previous seasons, What We Do In The Shadows season 3 seems to be exploring her knack for decisive violence, which will garner the favor of the Supreme Council.
Despite Nandor’s past of laying waste to countless lives over several centuries, he is mostly unwilling to do any actual violence and often focuses on the bureaucratic aspects of leadership. This is why Nandor will most likely step aside for the much more decisive Nadja to take the Vampiric Council throne. With Nadja as the leader, Nandor can do what he does best and let his familiar and bodyguard, vampire hunter Guillermo, do all the dirty and violent work for the council. Moreover, Nadja had already shown how easily she could manipulate Nandor when she made him take the blame for the Sire’s escape, which was really her fault. This incident will also no doubt factor into the debate on who deserves the throne more. Meanwhile, the recently resurrected Baron Afanas, who is already vampire royalty, is unlikely to threaten Nadja’s ascension. As for the Floating Woman, aka the Guide, she likely sees Nadja as a decisive leader – someone whom she can serve with loyalty.
On the other hand, these are the paths that would make the most sense for the show’s main characters. And if there’s anything certain about What We Do In The Shadows’ main characters, it is that they are highly unpredictable. Although Nadja’s ascent to the Vampiric Throne and the Supreme Council of Vampires makes sense, it might be funnier for Nandor, Laszlo, or even Colin to get the promotion and interact with more powerful and dominating vampires. For now, it remains to be seen whether or not What We Do In The Shadows is ready to make such a huge and uncharacteristically sensible leap for the show.
Google will no longer allow advertisers, publishers, and YouTube creators to monetize content that denies the existence of climate change. The company detailed the changes in a support document on Thursday.
“Today, we’re announcing a new monetization policy for Google advertisers, publishers and YouTube creators that will prohibit ads for, and monetization of, content that contradicts well-established scientific consensus around the existence and causes of climate change,” the Google Ads team said in the document. “This includes content referring to climate change as a hoax or a scam, claims denying that long-term trends show the global climate is warming, and claims denying that greenhouse gas emissions or human activity contribute to...
long-term trends show the global climate is warming, and claims denying that greenhouse gas emissions or human activity contribute to climate change.”
Google says it will use a mix of automated tools and human reviews to enforce the policy. “When evaluating content against this new policy, we’ll look carefully at the context in which claims are made, differentiating between content that states a false claim as fact, versus content that reports on or discusses that claim,” Google said. Ads will still be allowed on climate topics like public debates on climate policy, research, and more, according to Google
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, whose high-profile antitrust lawsuit against Apple is now under appeal, is today calling out the iPhone maker for giving itself access to an advertising slot its competitors don’t have: the iPhone’s Settings screen. Some iOS 15 users noticed Apple is now advertising its own services at the top of their Settings, just below their Apple ID. The services being suggested are personalized to the device owner, based on which ones they already subscribe to, it appears.
For example, those without an Apple Music subscription may see an ad offering a free six-month trial. However, current Apple Music subscribers may instead see a prompt to add on a service they don’t yet have, like AppleCare coverage for their devices.
Sweeney suggests this sort of first-party advertising is an anticompetitive risk for Apple, as some of the services it’s pushing here are those that directly compete with third-party apps published on its App Store. But those third-party apps can’t gain access to the iPhone’s Settings screen, of course — they can only bid for ad slots within the App Store itself.
Writes Sweeney: “New from the guys who banned Fortnite: settings-screen ads for their own music service, which come before the actual settings, and which aren’t available to other advertisers like Spotify or Sound Cloud.”
New from the guys who banned Fortnite: settings-screen ads for their own music service, which come before the actual settings, and which aren’t available to other advertisers like Spotify or Sound Cloud. “It’s all about the customers!” https://t.co/p9FNpXT1Rx
Sweeney had been retweeting another post by Mobile Dev Memo analyst Eric Seufert, who himself was sharing an image credited to Glassfy co-founder Francesco Zucchetta.
Zucchetta tells TechCrunch he spotted the ad on an iPhone 8 he owned which was running iOS 15. But others have seen the ads on newer devices, as well. And some respondents noted they were receiving Apple’s promotions as push notifications, too.
The issue here is tricky because the promotion isn’t always a situation where Apple is disadvantaging a rival to its own benefit.
For example, on an iPhone 13 Pro Max we have which is running iOS 15.1, the prompt was used to inform us we still had a certain number of days left to add AppleCare+ coverage. (We already have most of Apple’s other subscriptions.). But in this case, there aren’t third-party apps offering a direct competitor to AppleCare, in the same way that Spotify directly competes with Apple Music. Instead, warranty companies like Asurion partner with mobile carriers like AT&T and Verizon to sell their iPhone insurance plans, instead of selling direct to consumers through the App Store.
Some might even argue that a reminder to add warranty coverage is a useful feature, not an unwanted intrusion.
While Sweeney’s tweet has raised awareness of the first-party promotions in Settings, they are not new.
Apple has often used the iPhone’s Settings screen to market its services to its customers in much of the same way as it’s doing now.
Last year, for example, it was spotted running promotions for Apple Arcade,
Epic Games didn’t have any further comments on Sweeney’s tweet, including whether or not the company would be using this latest bit of information in its upcoming appeal. Apple has been asked for comment but has not responded.
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Marvel's What If...? season 1 finale.
The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) explicitly turned down Iron Man (Mike Wingert) as a potential member of the Guardians of the Multiverse in Marvel's What If...? finale, why? Marvel Studios' first animated series wrapped up with a culmination of everything that transpired in its first season. Forced to intervene after Ultron (Ross Marquand) with all six Infinity Stones threatened the multiverse, the Watcher forged a partnership with Doctor Strange Supreme (Benedict Cumberbatch), and together, they hatched a plan on how to neutralize the unhinged villain.
That's where the idea of the Guardians of the Multiverse came from. Soon after, the Watcher scoured the multiverse to assemble his dream team. Heroes from previous episodes were recruited to the mission including Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), T'Challa's Star-Lord (Chadwick Boseman), King Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), Party Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a variant of Gamora (Cynthia McWilliams), and Doctor Strange Supreme. Meanwhile, Black Widow (Lake Bell) from Ultron's universe eventually joined the group. Each one of them has previously appeared in What If...? except for Gamora, who was with Iron Man in Nidavellir when the Watcher found her.
Not much is known regarding the pair's relationship as their episode has been bumped to What If...? season 2. Aside from their solo story, their brief interaction with the Watcher also posed some questions, particularly about the entity's decision to reject Iron Man as a potential member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. As the creator of Ultron, bringing in Tony could've helped them in finding a way to defeat the villain. But, that's not exactly how it was meant to be. The Watcher said that the mission required "the perfect combination of skills and experience that alone will triumph." This means that he needed a very specific group of people; it wasn't just about individual capabilities. As great as Iron Man is, he could be a risky team member. Due to his strong personality, he might clash with others which would distract them from their goal and the Watcher couldn't risk that.
In relation to that, Tony joining the Guardians of the Multiverse could also mean that he would want to be involved in coming up with their plan of action. However, it's worth noting that by the time the Watcher recruited his picks, he and Doctor Strange Supreme had already settled on what they wanted to do. They only needed capable people to actually execute it. While some official members of the Guardians of the Multiverse were skeptical of their mission initially, everyone eventually boarded the scheme with very little to no qualms. Of course, there's a possibility that Iron Man could've come up with a more efficient way to defeat Ultron; after all, he created the corrupted robot. But the Watcher was pressed with time; they didn't have the wiggle room to re-assess and change their strategy while the villain move from one reality to another.
Admittedly, many are bummed not to learn more about this latest version of Iron Man, especially since the animated series has made a habit of killing variants of the character — at least in season 1. But there's more to his story than just a brief conversation with the Watcher. As previously mentioned, his and Gamora's episode will be released in What If...? season 2 instead.
Marvel's What If...? returns with season 2 on Disney+.
There is a small and easily missed detail included in Atreus’ God of War Ragnarök character design that hearkens back to 2018's God of War game. God of War Ragnarok has been one of the most anticipated titles for the new generation of gaming ever since it was first announced. After over a year of waiting, fans finally got treated to a new gameplay trailer for the upcoming sequel at Sony’s PlayStation Showcase in September, where the game’s official name of Ragnarok was confirmed.
This latest trailer for God of War Ragnarok certainly did not disappoint. Fans were presented with an impressive amount of gameplay footage as the trailer followed Kratos and his son Atreus traversing the snowy and enemy riddled vistas in search of Tyr, the Norse god of War. Along with the series’ heroes, other notable characters are also making a return in Ragnarok, such as Freya and Mimir. But, along with these God of War characters, there are other, more subtle details from the 2018 game that also appeared in the Ragnarok trailer.
One such detail was spotted by God of War fan BT_BlackThunder on Twitter. Using a cropped screenshot from the recent God of War Ragnarok trailer, BT_BlackThunder pointed out the small etchings that are marked into Atreus’ quiver. They appear to show two stick figures, equating to Kratos and Atreus, making their way to the mountain top from the first game. These etchings are an embellishment on the markings that were originally found on Atreus’ quiver in 2018's God of War.
This attention to detail within the character designs for God of War Ragnarok shows just how much work has been going into the game’s development. Little touches such as these quiver markings add an extra level of immersion for players; As Atreus has grown up between the games, so too have his possessions.
Along with his enhanced quiver etchings, Atreus is additionally sporting a new outfit in God of War Ragnarok, and a much broader frame. He is also shown to be keen to partake in battle – something that Kratos is eager to discourage. However, the revelation in God of War that Atreus is indeed Loki, the Norse god of mischief, has fueled Atreus’ thirst for answers. And it is more than likely that this newfound desire within Atreus will play a key part in Ragnarok’s narrative when the game releases next year.
God of War Ragnarök will be coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 in 2022.
There is a small and easily missed detail included in Atreus’ God of War Ragnarök character design that hearkens back to 2018's God of War game. God of War Ragnarok has been one of the most anticipated titles for the new generation of gaming ever since it was first announced. After over a year of waiting, fans finally got treated to a new gameplay trailer for the upcoming sequel at Sony’s PlayStation Showcase in September, where the game’s official name of Ragnarok was confirmed.
This latest trailer for God of War Ragnarok certainly did not disappoint. Fans were presented with an impressive amount of gameplay footage as the trailer followed Kratos and his son Atreus traversing the snowy and enemy riddled vistas in search of Tyr, the Norse god of War. Along with the series’ heroes, other notable characters are also making a return in Ragnarok, such as Freya and Mimir. But, along with these God of War characters, there are other, more subtle details from the 2018 game that also appeared in the Ragnarok trailer.
One such detail was spotted by God of War fan BT_BlackThunder on Twitter. Using a cropped screenshot from the recent God of War Ragnarok trailer, BT_BlackThunder pointed out the small etchings that are marked into Atreus’ quiver. They appear to show two stick figures, equating to Kratos and Atreus, making their way to the mountain top from the first game. These etchings are an embellishment on the markings that were originally found on Atreus’ quiver in 2018's God of War.
This attention to detail within the character designs for God of War Ragnarok shows just how much work has been going into the game’s development. Little touches such as these quiver markings add an extra level of immersion for players; As Atreus has grown up between the games, so too have his possessions.
Along with his enhanced quiver etchings, Atreus is additionally sporting a new outfit in God of War Ragnarok, and a much broader frame. He is also shown to be keen to partake in battle – something that Kratos is eager to discourage. However, the revelation in God of War that Atreus is indeed Loki, the Norse god of mischief, has fueled Atreus’ thirst for answers. And it is more than likely that this newfound desire within Atreus will play a key part in Ragnarok’s narrative when the game releases next year.
God of War Ragnarök will be coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 in 2022.
Aye, Mateys! Time to sail the seven seas and search for adventure with these classic pirate movies. The life of a pirate is a life of freedom, danger, and debauchery that make for perfect entertainment. Pirate films are fun and exciting adventure movies that provide a little bit of everything.
There are usually great fight scenes, ship battles, and even some romance. Audiences can have a great time with these movies, and most critics can't deny their joy at getting the chance to become invested in the world of pirates.
Updated October 7th, 2021 by Rose Graceling-Moore - Pirates continue to be a source of fascination for audiences, with recent offerings including Netflix's mini-series The Lost Pirate Kingdom (which managed an impressive 100% on Rotten Tomatoes itself). The Pirates of the Caribbean pirate movie franchise also continues to grow, with reports of a female-fronted installment in the works. In the meantime, these classics, twists, and new favorites are enough to keep any pirate happy!
15 Muppet Treasure Island - 73%
Muppet Treasure Island is a retelling of the classic novel, but with The Muppets. The Muppets fit very well in this movie, with Kermit the Frog as the captain and Gonzo as a member of the crew. However, the star of this movie is Tim Curry as Long John Silver, who is clearly having the time of his life portraying a pirate alongside Muppet characters.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this film is the creative and memorable musical numbers that are guaranteed to get stuck in fans' heads. It's got a lot of humor, heart, and family-friendly pirate entertainment. While many pirate films are certainly not appropriate for younger viewers, this is a sanitized version of piracy that anyone can enjoy.
14 The Goonies - 76%
The Goonies is the definition of a good time. It follows a group of curious kids who search for lost pirate treasure after stumbling upon a treasure map. Along the way, they face dangerous foes and obstacles that they will have to get through in order to find the treasure, in a classic treasure hunt.
The Goonies has lots of pirate moments, including a treasure room on a ship that was owned by a character named One-Eyed Willy. Critics really enjoyed this family adventure and it is considered a classic movie from the '80s. It's hard to watch this movie and not be sucked into the adventure.
13 Peter Pan (2003) - 77%
When it comes to movies that tell the tale of Peter Pan, most people think of the Disney animated classic and Hook. However, many overlooked this 2003 version of the classic story, yet it is considered to be one of the better versions by critics who found it to be a faithful adaptation that still manages to be a great fantasy story.
Captain Hook is a legendary pirate character who is on a mission to get his revenge on Peter. Here, he is played by Jason Isaacs, who always loves to play the villainous characters. This version of Peter Pan may have forgotten about, but it deserves more attention.
12 Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl - 79%
While it is not the highest-rated film on this list, Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the most famous pirate films. Based on the popular attraction at Disney Parks around the world, Pirates of the Caribbean is incredibly enjoyable. It has an amazing swordfight, a cool story with a unique mythology, and a world enraptured by its swashbuckling atmosphere.
Jack Sparrow is the most iconic pirate character ever put to film, helmed by a great performance from Johnny Depp. However, Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa also competes for the best cinema pirate. It's one of the biggest franchises ever and people love revisiting these characters. Also, Hans Zimmer's incredible score is the theme music for anything pirate-related, forever. Surprisingly, though, the rest of the franchise doesn't do so well on the aggregate site, with many of the films managing a 'rotten' rating.
11 The Pirates Of Penzance - 81%
The Pirates of Penzance is a romantic musical comedy from 1983. Based on the Broadway play, the film appears as though it straight from Broadway. as the sets are very obvious and the musical atmosphere is in every frame of this movie. It does have a lot of entertaining pirate moments, but the musical numbers are also clever, catchy, and fit in with the world of pirates.
It still manages to be a pirate adventure while also being a great musical. The action may not be as exciting as other pirate movies, but there is still a lot that critics love about this goofy, pirate musical.
10 Peter Pan (1953) - 81%
Disney's Peter Pan is an animated classic that makes viewers wish they could stay kids forever. While there are moments in Peter Pan that have aged incredibly poorly, there is still a lot to love here. The animation is colorful, bright, and beautiful throughout. Peter Pan also has wonderful songs that will make any fan want to fly to the second star to the right.
Captain Hook is one of Disney's best villains, and it's just as easy to love his goofy sidekick, Mr. Smee. Hook and his pirate crew turn this animated fantasy into an imaginative pirate tale.
9 Blackbeard's Ghost - 82%
Blackbeard's Ghost is another pirate adventure from Disney in 1968. This movie is about a track coach who has a supernatural encounter with the ghost of the infamous pirate, Blackbeard. This sounds like a bizarre concept, but critics really enjoyed the movie and found it to be solid family entertainment that delivers some laughs and is immensely creative.
It's an intriguing concept, as it mixes modern day with the world of pirates. It turns out that these two worlds meld much better than expected.
8 The Black Swan - 83%
This pirate flick is an absolute classic, from 1942 - and an Academy Award winner (for Best Cinematography). The plot revolves around Henry Morgan, rogue pirates, the Jamaican governor, and a beautiful daughter... all the classic ingredients for a swashbuckler.
While elements of the film may appear outdated today, it's a pirate movie that still deserves the rating it has, not least because it is simply an excellent straightforward adventure movie. This isn't a film that will appeal to those wanting twists and turns, or historical accuracy, but anyone who wants swordfights and romance will be thrilled.
7 The Pirates: Band Of Misfits - 86%
The Pirates: Band of Misfits is a 2012 stop-motion animated film about a band of pirate scoundrels. This movie has a tremendous voice cast, including Hugh Jackman, Salma Hayek, Brendan Gleeson, and Martin Freeman.
The animation is also impressive, especially since stop-motion is a difficult form of animation that takes a lot of time to complete. However, the effort was worth it here, as critics appear to love this movie. While it is a goofy film, critics praised the movie for having a lot of smart and clever humor mixed with a wonderful cast and beautiful animation.
6 The Sea Hawk - 93%
The true classic from 1940 stars Errol Flynn as Geoffrey Thorpe, Queen Elizabeth's man on the high seas. Focusing on the conflict between Queen Elizabeth and the Spanish (and her famous 'sea dogs' of the time period), there are plenty of swordfights to be found here - enough that the film was nominated for four Oscars.
Spies, pirates, adventure, battle and more is set against a stunning soundtrack, and although the film is in black and white (and many aspects of it may be considered outdated today) it remains a classic... and a film to prove just how long pirates have been popular on the big screen.
5 Captain Phillips - 93%
Unlike most pirate movies, Captain Phillips isn't a romanticized look at piracy or set in the Golden Age of Piracy, either. Instead, this modern-day movie looks at piracy as it still exists, a violent and frightening part of shipping and sailing. Based on a real-life story, the film centers on a merchant vessel taken hostage by pirates in 2009.
This is not the film for anyone seeking family-friendly swashbuckling adventures, but for those looking for an action film with real depth and intensity. The film was nominated for six Oscars.
4 Swallows And Amazons - 94%
This recent 'pirate' film is an incredibly wholesome look at children playing at pirates and sailors in the Lake District, in the 1930s. Based on the novel of the same name, it is a sweet adventure about a simpler time... while also being a surprising adventure, when the children band together to take down a real-life criminal. There may be no swordfights, but there are some incredible action scenes involving a float plane which more than make up for it.
Treasure maps, imagination, and the power of friendship take center stage in this sweet pirate film appropriate for all ages.
3 The Princess Bride - 97%
The Princess Bride is an iconic film, filled with memorable moments and quotes that stand the test of time. The characters are equally as memorable, from Buttercup and Westley to Fezzik and Inigo Montoya. Directed by Rob Reiner, The Princess Bride is a hilarious film that blends together action, comedy, and romance.
It's a great fantasy adventure that critics and audiences loved when it first came out and still love today. It is more of a fantasy film than a pirate film, but there are some great swordfights that make for some swashbuckling entertainment. Watching The Princess Bride without a smile is inconceivable.
2 The Crimson Pirate - 100%
With a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, The Crimson Pirate is a near-perfect pirate movie (for its time, of course). Made in 1952, the film stars Burt Lancaster as the pirate Captain Vallo, a classic swashbuckler who falls in love with a beautiful woman, and must save her from an odious marriage.
This may be something of a predictable film, as it fulfils so many of the tropes of classic Hollywood movies, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable.
1 Treasure Island - 100%
Disney is the king of pirate-themed entertainment. Treasure Island is a classic pirate tale about Jim Hawkins who encounters Long John Silver on a journey to recover lost pirate treasure. This adaptation of the classic novel is much more faithful to the novel than Muppet Treasure Island and critics praised it for bringing the novel to life.
It has a lot of great pirate action but still manages to capture the family fun that Disney is so well-known for. Disney did give Treasure Island a sci-fi spin with the animated Treasure Planet, but this version from 1950 is the most beloved by critics.
The upcoming Hellraiser reboot has cast actress Jamie Clayton as lead villain Pinhead. This new film will be the 11th in the long-running Hellraiser film franchise, which began with the original film in 1987. The new film is being directed by The Night House's David Bruckner, and will be released on Hulu in 2022. Producer David S. Goyer promises that this new Hellraiser will be "terrifying and amazing."
The series' central villain is Pinhead, the leader of the Cenobites, which are extradimensional beings of pain and pleasure. Pinhead was originally played by English actor Doug Bradley, who reprised the role in the first seven sequels. He was replaced by Stephan Smith Collins in 2011's Hellraiser: Revelations and Paul T. Taylor in 2018's Hellraiser: Judgment.
Per THR, Hellraiser, which was filming in Serbia, has officially wrapped production and announced its cast. Leading the film as Pinhead is Jamie Clayton, an actress who is best known for starring in the Netflix series Sense8. This will mark the first time that Pinhead has been played by a woman, as well as the first time a trans actress has led a major horror franchise. Also appearing are Odessa A’zion (Grand Army), Brandon Flynn (13 Reasons Why), Goran Visnjic (The Boys), Drew Starkey (Scream: The TV Series), Adam Faison (Everything’s Gonna Be Okay), Aoife Hinds (Normal People), and Hiam Abbass (Succession) in as-yet-unspecified roles. Check out Jamie Clayton's tweet announcing the casting below:
This will be Jamie Clayton's third film after appearing on TV series for several years (she has previously appeared in The Snowman and Chain of Death). On Sense8, which was co-created by the Wachowski sisters, she made a name for herself as the intrepid hacker and political activist Nomi Marks. After Sense8, Clayton also appeared on Designated Survivor, Roswell, New Mexico, and The L Word: Generation Q.
In addition to Jamie Clayton's casting making history in and of itself, it also shows that the producers are engaging with the long LGBTQ+ history of Hellraiser. The original film was directed by Clive Barker adapting his own novella "The Hellbound Heart." Barker is a gay man whose work is constantly in conversation with LGBTQ+ themes and the idea of The Other, and Jamie Clayton's casting rings true to the nature of his inimitable universe. Although he was not involved with the film when she was originally cast, Clive Barker has since been brought on as a producer, giving his ultimate seal of approval to the project.
