Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales POPVinyl

The POPVinyl figures from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales look amazing! They should arrive in stores in time for the movie's theatrical release on May 26. The set includes three figures:

Captain Jack Sparrow

the Ghost of Will Turner

and Captain Salazar,

and two special versions: a gold Captain Jack Sparrow 

available exclusively from Hot Topic,

and a chase figure, a ghost version of Captain Salazar. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Review

I saw the new Pirates of the Caribbean last week, and I absolutely loved it. It was crazy and funny, and at times incredibly sad, but overall it was a fantastic addition to the series. Caution: There Be Spoilers Ahead. Ye Be Warned.

Part of the ship. Part of the crew.

The film begins shortly after the post credit scene from At World's End. Young Henry Turner has vowed to save his father from his terrible curse. Like father, like son, right? To do so, he decides to seek help from the notorious pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. Although Will tells Henry to let him go and stay far away from Sparrow, he's too much of a Turner to simply give in.

Like father, like son. Henry is definitely a Turner.

Flash forward ten years. Henry is now a sailor in the King's Navy, although his penchant for legends seems to cause him no end of trouble. When Capitan Salazar and his crew attack Henry's ship, they kill everyone aboard, save Henry, who is tasked with taking a message to Jack Sparrow. When we finally see Jack, he's a down on his luck, landlocked drunkard who seems to be a bit lost. The Black Pearl is still trapped in a bottle and most of his crew have deserted him. To add insult to injury, he's scheduled to be executed, alongside one Carina Smyth, an astronomer and horologist who has been accused of witchcraft. (I love the scene on the way to the execution when Jack discovers his Uncle Jack, played by Paul McCartney, is also in jail. Too hilarious!)

"How bad could it be?"

The execution scene itself is full of hilarity and hijinks. And the dialogue is just too funny. Guard - "How would you like to die, Pirate? Hanging, firing squad, or a new invention, the guillotine?" Jack - "Guillotine? Sounds French. I love the French. Did you know that they invented mayonnaise? How bad could it be, it's French, eh?"

Eventually, Henry, Carina, and Captain Jack with his broken down ship and ragtag crew set sail in search of Poseidon's Trident. They are guided by a map no man can read, but fortunately, Carina is a woman. Soon, it's a race to see who will reach the Trident first, Jack, Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants (including two very familiar British guards from the first three movies), Capitan Salazar and his ghost crew, or the British Royal Navy, who'd like to see them all destroyed.

I won't reveal any more, but if you liked the first three films, you should definitely see Dead Men Tell No Tales. It is supposed to be the final film in the series and it provides a good stopping point for all the different characters' stories. And while I did cry through much of the end, I can't wait to see it again. Oh, and make sure to stay for the post credit scene. It made me wonder if there are more tales to tell afterall.

The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook

I received an awesome new book in the mail the other day. It's called The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook: A Swashbuckler's Guide from Pirates of the Caribbean by Jason Heller. I must say, this book is absolutely hilarious and a must have for any fan of Pirates of the Caribbean and especially Captain Jack. With a brand new Pirates movie soon to be released in theaters around the world, Pirate mania is at an all time high.

The book begins with this disclaimer:
Ahoy, All Ye Would-Be Pirates, Take Heed: This book is a work of entertainment. The publisher and author hereby disclaim any liability from an injury that may result from the use, proper or improper, of the information contained in this book. We do not guarantee that this information is safe, complete, or wholly accurate, nor should it be considered a substitute for a reader's good judgement and common sense.

Then the fun begins. This book provides insights into the pirate lifestyle, covering everything from the basics of How to Sail a Ship, to more complex issues such as How to Fight Six Angry Men in a Tavern! (In true Captain Jack fashion, the books recommends that you 1. Deflect the blame, 2. Get out of the way, and 3. Don't stick around!) This book features several full color pictures both from previous Pirates of the Caribbean films, as well as a few new photos from On Stranger Tides. There are six chapters full of piratical skills and an appendix of Piratical Lingo.

Chapter One: Piracy 101 - This chapter covers the basics of what a pirate should know about being a pirate, including a section on how to dress the part.

Chapter Two: Maritime Skills - Useful skills such as how to fire a cannon, the many types of Jolly Rogers, and the names for the parts of a ship

Chapter Three: People Skills - From the expected section on how to recruit a crew, to the unexpected on invoking parlay and a list of pirate insults and their meanings.

Chapter Four: Acquiring Booty - Topics include how to acquire treasure as well as how to hide it so that you may keep it.

Chapter Five: Cheating Death - My favorites from this chapter include How to Survive Being Marooned and The Fine Art of Being Somewhere Else!

Chapter Six: Mysteries of the Deep - This last chapter involves dealing with sea monsters, mermaids, curses and Davy Jones.

Appendix: Piratical Lingo - Learn the meaning of common pirate words as well as some that seem more exotic, such as salmagundi: "A makeshift British "recipe" popular among pirates: meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, roots, nuts, leaves, flowers, oils, vinegars, sauces - just throw in what you've got."

In all, this is a fantastic book full of wonderful illustrations and great ideas for living the pirate lifestyle. Hopefully, with the help of the Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook, you can avoid Jack's mistakes and learn to be a highly successful pirate, perhaps, even the most famous pirate in the Caribbean!

I was provided with a copy of this book by Quirk Books for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

Quote of the Week

Will Turner: You want me to find this?

Jack Sparrow: No. You want you to find this, because the finding of this finds you incapacitorially finding and or locating in your discovering the detecting of a way to save your dolly belle, ol' what's-her-face. Savvy?

Will Turner: This is going to save Elizabeth?

Jack Sparrow: How much do you know about Davy Jones?

Will Turner: Not much.

Jack Sparrow: Yeah, it's going to save Elizabeth.

- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest 

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow

Disney

When I was at Disney World last month, I noticed that they had started to paint what looked like Cap'n Jack Sparrow's map onto the side of the building that used to house the Narnia Experience in Hollywood Studios. I had heard rumors that this was going to be a new immersive experience through the four Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Yesterday, the Disney blog confirmed that this is so. According to their description, the new walk-through attraction, which will open December 6th (popular day, huh), will take guests on a journey into a lost grotto where a skull will test them to see if they are worthy of sailing with Captain Jack Sparrow. Along the way, they must" face the perils of a pirates life" as they explore scenes from the film.

As a Pirates of the Caribbean fan, I think the idea sounds great. I would love to be able to step into the movies, and I know Bean would too. I can't wait to try out this fun new attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Trailer and Poster

Disney

Captain Jack Sparrow is back for one final swashbuckling adventure. And he's just as irreverent and lecherous as always.

Here's the official synopsis from Disney: 

Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow in the all-new “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.” The rip-roaring adventure finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil's Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea—notably Jack. Jack's only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced. 

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” also stars Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Golshifteh Farahani as the sea-witch Shansa, Stephen Graham as Scrum, David Wenham as Scarfield and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales arrives in theaters May 26, 2017.

POTC 4 Posters

All images: Disney

Disney recently released four new teaser posters for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The posters feature Captain Jack Sparrow, Hector Barbossa, Blackbeard, and Angelica. I can't wait for the new film to come out and am very excited by this first look at the new characters. And so begins the search for the famed Fountain of Youth.

It looks like Jack is up to his usual shenanigans. He's in trouble with the law, battling other pirates, on the run from everyone (including zombies), telling lies with every breath and just generally being Captain Jack. Will he reach the Fountain first?

Angelica is a new character. She has a mysterious past, she may or may not the daughter of the notorious Blackbeard, and at some point, she was in a relationship with Captain Jack Sparrow. She wants, more than anything, to save Blackbeard's soul, and she'll go to any lengths to do so.

Barbossa, it seems has not fared well in recent years. He's lost a leg and turned privateer, a legal pirate for the crown, answering to the King of England. He's once again joined forces with Captain Jack, likely against his better judgement, in the race for the Fountain of Youth.

Perhaps the most infamous of all pirates, Blackbeard was the most feared pirate to sail the seas. His ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, is crewed by zombies and covered in the bones of his victims. Blackbeard fears his prophesied death, so he seeks the fountain as his only hope of escape.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales on Blu-ray

Disney

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is available on Blu-ray and DVD today. I saw the film in the theater, and I absolutely loved it. It was crazy and funny, and at times incredibly sad, but overall it was a fantastic addition to the series. Caution: There Be Spoilers Ahead. Ye Be Warned.

Disney

Dead Men Tell No Tales starts where At World's End left off, with the love story between Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. Their young son, Henry, is determined to break his father's curse, with help, of course, from Captain Jack Sparrow, whether anyone likes it or not.

While seeking Jack, a grown-up Henry meets Capitan Salazar, who wants revenge on Jack, and Carina Smyth, an astronomer accused of witchcraft, who is about to be executed alongside Jack. On the way to the execution scene, keep an eye out for Uncle Jack, a cameo by Paul McCartney, who is hilarious.

Disney

Eventually, everyone's journeys collide as they all seek Poseidon's Trident. It's a race to see who will find it first: Henry and Carina with Jack and his ragtag crew, Barbossa and his crew of miscreants, Capitan Salazar and his ghosts, or the British Royal Navy.

I won't reveal any more, but if you liked the first three films, you should definitely see Dead Men Tell No Tales. It is supposed to be the final film in the series and it provides a good stopping point for all the different characters' stories. And while I did cry through much of the end, I can't wait to see it again. Oh, and make sure to watch for the post credit scene. It made me wonder if there are more tales to tell afterall.

Disney

The Blu-ray has a treasure chest full of Special Features:

• Dead Men Tell More Tales: The Making of a New Adventure - take a behind the scenes look at the making of the film with  a collection of stories that can be viewed individually or together
• A Return to the Sea - hear how Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg developed this new chapter and brought it to the screen
• Telling Tales: A Sit-down with Brenton & Kaya - meet Brenton Thwaites and Lays Scodelario, the newest members of the Pirates franchise
• The Matador & The Bull: Secrets of Salazar & The Silent Mary - Javier Bardem speaks about his character and his foreboding ship 
• First Mate Confidential - go on-set with Kevin McNally, the long suffering Mr. Gibbs, Captain Jack's first mate
• Deconstructing the Ghost Sharks - a glimpse into the depths to see how these monsters were created and brought to life 
• Wings Over the Caribbean - Captain Jack and Sir Paul McCartney 
• An Enduring Legacy - One last look at the impact of Pirates of the Caribbean; the ride, the movies, and beyond
• Bloopers of the Caribbean 
• Jerry Bruckheimer Photo Diary
• Deleted Scenes 

Iron Man Lego

I don't know if you know this about me, but I am absolutely, totally, ridiculously addicted to Lego. I have loved them since I was a little girl. And like potato chips, I find that it's hard to just have one. I can never get enough!

It all started simply enough with a Lego Duplo farm. I then moved on to more complex toys, a Lego castle. In my early days, I just liked to assemble and disassemble them. When I got a little older, it became all about collecting and displaying my Legos. I have several Lego collections. I love the Star Wars Legos because they combine two of my favorite things. I have several sets, including Ewoks, Chewbacca in an AT-ST, and a few spaceships, like Darth Vader's Tie Fighter and Anakin's Podracer. Then there were the Harry Potter Legos. I got a bit carried away with these and nearly ended up with the whole of Hogwarts! I even took them to college with me and displayed them on top of my 5 foot long TV cabinet. It was a little crazy. More recently, I've started collecting the Pirates of the Caribbean Legos. I love Pirates of the Caribbean, so I just keep buying them. I like to buy the small sets when they first come out, but wait to buy the big ones. I have gotten some fantastic deals when mass market retailers clearance out their Legos!

For Christmas, I received a huge box of basic Legos for building anything. Then, I picked up two new Lord of the Rings and Hobbit sets. I have Bilbo and Gollum in Gollum's cave from the Hobbit and Frodo and Gandalf in the cart filled with fireworks from Lord of the Rings. I recently saw a new set with two Mirkwood elves, including Legolas, and two dwarves, Fili and Kili, that I may have to buy soon. It also has a big ugly spider, similar to the Aragog in the Dark Forest Lego from Harry Potter. But this one has better eyes! In addition to regular Lego sets, I also have Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean hard cases for my Nintendo DSi. I especially love the styluses with the Jack Sparrow or Obi Wan Kenobi minifigures on top. (Jack Sparrow is my favorite!) And the mystery minifigures are hilarious, too. I keep looking for a Medusa, but I haven't found one yet.

I've gotten Bean hooked on Lego too, much to my sister's chagrin. She loves to play with my sets, her Duplo Cars sets, and the new girlie sets called Lego Friends. She was really excited to be able to create a minifigure that looks like her and has recently started collecting the pets and their houses. She enjoys watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and was very excited to discover that they make a Lego version. She bought a set with her favorite turtle, Michelangelo, holding a pizza. And we love to play the Lego games. We always play them by Lego's rules the first time and then make up our own rules, usually to make it more difficult. And the Heroica games are a lot of fun, especially because you can link them all together to make one gigantic game.


Saturday, I came across a new Lego collection and I was immediately hooked. I found Avengers Lego! Squee!! I decided I could only buy one set for now (after all, eventually, you run out of display space!) I chose a set from Iron Man 3. The set includes Iron Man Tony Stark and the Mandarin. The Tony Stark minifigure is so cute! His faceplate even opens, just like Iron Man's! I haven't had a chance to see the movie yet, but the Legos are awesome! Another set includes Captain America in his motorcycle battling aliens from Avengers. There's also a set with the Avenger's jet, Thor, Black Widow, Iron Man, an alien, and even Loki. The Hulk's Helicarrier Breakout set is hilarious because the Hulk minifigure is so much larger than the others, as it should be. You can also get a set with Tony Stark's Malibu mansion and Pepper Potts wearing the Iron Man suit. I guess I'll be saving my pennies to buy these new sets. And so my love affair with Lego continues...

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Clips

Disney

There have been several great TV Spots for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Only Captain Jack would find pants an unnecessary intricacy.

Captain Salazar is so creepy when he's calling for Jack Sparrow.

"I'm not one to complain, but this baskets full of heads." Captain Jack does enjoy his gallows humor.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales arrives in theaters on May 26.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Trailer 4 and Poster

Disney

Disney has released another Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales trailer. The voice over by Salazar says, "Pirates had infected the seas for generations, so I vowed to eliminate them all. Jack Sparrow cursed me. I will have my revenge." The new poster from Germany features this face off between Jack and Salazar. It's seems Captain Jack has gotten himself into trouble again, and, according to the trailer, somehow lost his pants.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales arrives in theaters on May 26.

Pirates of the Caribbean Vinylmation

Disney

I've become a real fan of Disney's Vinylmation figures recently. Honestly, unlike my ridiculous pin collection, I only have one vinylmation so far, but I can see where they would be fun to trade and collect. On July 1, 2011, Disney released a Pirates of the Caribbean collection of vinylmation. There are 11 regular vinylmations and one mystery one. Everyone had hoped the the mystery character would be "We wants the Redhead!" from the ride, but apparently it isn't. Well, whoever the mystery character is, I want the Jack Sparrow in a barrel vinylmation. I love Jack and this vinylmation is too funny!

Pirates Fans First

I received an email from Disney a few weeks ago. They asked me to take a survey to see if I was a true Pirates fan. The survey was fairly involved, but fun. Today, I got another email saying that I had been chosen as one of a select group of Pirate fans who will be kept up to date on the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow as well as receiving a bit of plunder to show my allegiance. When I accepted and went to the new site, they offered me a Captain Jack poster, free! My sister thinks it's crazy, but I was super excited. The poster was from Disney Movie Rewards. I love the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, so this is the perfect Fan Club for me. I'll share the news whenever I receive updates. So keep a weather eye open!

Disney Infinity

Disney

Have you played Disney's new Infinity game? We got it for Christmas, and have only played a few times, but it's a lot of fun. I love how you can play as so many characters. We've spent some time in the Lone Ranger level and really enjoyed it. I will have to spend some time really learning how it all works, but for now, I'm just having fun learning about each of the characters.

There are several different characters available currently, with many more that should be released over the next several months. You can play as:

• Pirates of the Caribbean - Captain Jack Sparrow, Barbossa, or Davy Jones
• Cars - Lightning McQueen, Mater, Francesco Bernouli, and Holley Shiftwell
• Wreck-It Ralph - Ralph or Vanellope
• Incredibles - Mr. Incredible, Mrs. Incredible, Violet, Dash, and Syndrome
• Monsters University - Mike, Sulley
• Toy Story - Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and Woody
• Princesses - Anna and Elsa from Frozen, Rapunzel from Tangled
• The Lone Ranger - Tonto or the Lone Ranger
• Nightmare Before Christmas - Jack Skellington 
• Sorcerer Mickey

On April 1, 2014, they will release the set I'm most looking forward to: Phineas Flynn-Fletcher and Agent P from Phineas and Ferb. We are total Phineas and Ferb fans, so we can't wait to see what crazy things they can get up to. Here's a quick look to pique your interest.

Pirates of the Caribbean Mickey Ears

All images: Disney

I just found the coolest Mickey ears: a Limited Edition set of Pirates of the Caribbean Mickey ears with three special pins, all packaged in an awesome hat box. The set is a little bit pricey at $69.95, but still amazing. The box features images from the map stolen from Sao Feng and used by Jack Sparrow in both At World's End and On Stranger Tides. The ears also feature images from the map as well as the figurehead from the Queen Anne's Revenge on one ear and the ship itself on the other.

The two pins on the hat are the skull and crossed swords logo of Pirates of the Caribbean and a Blackbeard bearded skull and crossed bones with flaming ends.

The final pin is hinged and looks like Jack's compass. This hat arrived in Disney parks in May, so I'm sure they've sold out, but it would be an incredible addition to any pirates collection.

What to Expect When Disney World Reopens

When Disney World reopens the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11 and EPCOT and Hollywood Studios on July 15, things will look a little different. From reservations to get into the parks on a specific day, to no Fast Passes, to guests and Cast Members wearing masks, it will definitely be a new experience.

Before you go, make sure to book a reservation through Disney's Park Pass System. Reservations can be made beginning June 22 for resort guests, June 26 for Annual Passholders, and June 28 for existing ticket holders. All guests must have a Park Pass and ticket to enter the Parks and can only select one park per day, no park hopping. All guests may be subject to a touchless temperature check and must wear a mask to enter the Parks.

Once you enter the Parks, most attractions will be available including:

• Magic Kingdom - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean
• Animal Kingdom - Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, and Avatar Flight of Passage
• EPCOT - Spaceship Earth (the refurbishment has been delayed), Soarin' Around the World, Frozen Ever After, and Test Track 
• Hollywood Studios - Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

There will be characters in the Parks, although Meet and Greets have been suspended for the time being. Some characters can be seen in surprise parades while others might pop up in unexpected locations. Here are a few ways the characters will appear:

• Magic Kingdom - cavalcades down the parade route, perhaps a captive Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean queue (I've seen Cap'n Jack in the queue before and it's hilarious!)
• Animal Kingdom - characters sailing the waterways 
• EPCOT - processions along the World Showcase promenade, Queen Anna and Elsa may cross your path in the World Showcase
• Hollywood Studios - motorcades on Hollywood Boulevard, Resistance members may be hiding from the First Order in Black Spire Outpost

Several music groups will also be returning, such as Mariachi Cobre and JAMMitors at EPCOT and the Main Street Philharmonic at Magic Kingdom.

While it will be different, I can't wait to return to Walt Disney World this summer!

Disney Infinity

Disney

Have you seen the ads for the new Disney Infinity game? It's kind of like Skylanders, which my family loves. You have characters, such as Captain Jack Sparrow, Sulley from Monsters Inc, and Mr Incredible, that you place on a base and they appear within the game. You can play in their worlds, or create your own. It looks awesome! Disney Infinity is available on several platforms: Wii, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Playstation 3, and XBox 360. It is currently available for pre-order from the Disney Store for $74.99 and comes with Jack, Sulley, and Mr Incredible.

Additional characters are also available. Single characters are $12.99 and multi-character packs are also available. Currently, they are offering Mater, Francesco Bernoulli, Lightning & Holley, Syndrome, Violet, Dash, Mrs Incredible, Mike Wazowski, Randall Boggs, Davy Jones, Barbossa. There's also a sidekick pack with Barbossa, Mrs Incredible, and Mike Wazowski and a villains pack with Syndrome, Randall, and Davy Jones. I can't wait to see more! Be sure to check out the videos on the Disney Store website.

Quote of the Week

Disney

This is either madness, or brilliance. 
- Will Turner

It’s remarkable how often those two traits coincide. - Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

A Pirate's Life

🎶Yo Ho Yo Ho 🎶

🎶 A Pirate's Life For Me! 🎶

Photo of the Week

This mischievous kitty has claimed my Pirates of the Caribbean blanket for her own. Apparently I'm not the only one who loves Captain Jack Sparrow and Will Turner.