THE BECKETT VOICE

IT’S CHRISTMAS!

If you’re a Grinch, this issue is not for you!

Enjoy Our Christmas Tale p. 15

But Also Discover the History of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre p. 6

thebeckettvoice@laposte.net November-December 2018 - Issue n°09

EDITORIAL

As the famous song goes It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas...and the high school halls have already been decorated. It is a magical time of year when we all hope for snow and dream of hot chocolate and ginger biscuits. It is the time of year when we all have our childlike side come out to enjoy the beauty of simple things. And can’t wait to open our presents. We let ourselves be marveled by the shiny decorations all around. This issue obviously focuses on Christmas but not only. You will learn about the rich history of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, but you will also be able to read about what will change with the new baccalaureate. There is a film review on Fantastic Beasts. We also celebrate the 32 years of the video game Zelda and you can learn more about an ill-known disease, vitiligo. Discover something striking I bet you didn’t know about Queen Elizabeth II. So, let yourself be surprised and once again...

Enjoy this issue,

Mrs Climecot, the English Teacher.Read About Christmas in Japan p. 11New! Paranormal Section p. 18Review of The Crimes of Grindelwald p. 25

PORTRAIT 2

The Portrayal of the Month: Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

About Her Majesty

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary is officially Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories. She’s also Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith since February 6, 1952 according to Encyclopedia Britannica. She was born on April 21st, 1926 in London, England.Elizabeth was the elder daughter of Prince Albert, duke of York, and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. As the child of King George V, the young Elizabeth had little prospect of acceding to the throne after her uncle, Edward VIII.

During World War II, she and her sister, Princess Margaret Rose, spent much of their time safely away from the London blitz and separated from their parents, living mostly at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, and Windsor Castle. Early in 1947 Princess Elizabeth went with the king and queen to South Africa. After her return there was an announcement of her betrothal to her distant cousin Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten of the Royal Navy, formerly Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. The wedding took place in Westminster Abbey on November 20th, 1947. The Queen worked in the U.K. army during World War II as a truck mechanic. Indeed, she joined a division of the women’s armed forces. Her father was reluctant to let her do it, but eventually relented. Once in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, The Queen learned how to change a wheel, deconstruct and rebuild engines, and drive ambulances and other vehicles.

Nail M.

According to hellomagazine in the summer of 1951, the health of King George VI deteriorated, and Princess Elizabeth represented him at the Trooping the Color (ceremony performed by regiments of British and commonwealth armies) and on various other state occasions. On October 7st, she and her husband set out on a highly successful tour of Canada and Washington, D.C. After Christmas in England she and the duke set out in January 1952 for a tour of Australia and New Zealand, but, in Sagana, Kenya, news reached them of the King’s death on February 6th, 1952. Elizabeth, now Queen, flew back to England at once. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Elizabeth II had to grieve the death of her father for the first three months of her reign. But in the summer, after she had moved from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace, she undertook the routine duties of the sovereign and carried out her first state opening of Parliament on November 4th, 1952. Her coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on June 2nd, 1953. According to LeFigaro, Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 92 years old last April, she has been The queen of England for 64 years!

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/04/21/queen-elizabeth-marks-92nd-birthday-with-pop-concert_a_23416967/

How She Became Queen

EDUCATION 3

New baccalaureate: What do we know?

This morning, as part of my research on the new baccalaureate, I had the opportunity to interviewour headmaster.This new test tends to be closer to Anglo-Saxon models, that is to say, with a choice more like a“menu" with options. So, students will no longer be reduced to closed fields: scientific, literary oreconomic for the general section. From now on, a student will be able to do physics and economics, forexample. As a result, they will not sacrifice one to the detriment of the other.

More concretely, what will this new baccalaureate be composed of?As I said before, for the general section, we will find a common curriculum with: French, injunior year. Then philosophy in senior year, history-geography, moral and civic education,sport, scientific education and two foreign languages. Those subjects will represent ateaching of 16 hours.The novelty lies in a choice of three specialties in 1ère, one of which will be tested that year,like with the French exam. There will only be two left for the Tle.The panel of these specialties is broad with subjects that hadn’t been taught until now:- Art- Biology-ecology- History-geography, geopolitics and political science- Humanity, literature and philosophy- Languages, literatures and foreign cultures- Literatures and languages and cultures of antiquity- Mathematics- Digital and computer science- Chemistry and Physics- Life and earth sciences- Economic and social sciences- Engineering Sciences

Each of these specialties will have an hourly volume of four hours in the 1ère and six in theTle.

So technically, a student should be able to choose art, physics-chemistry and politicalscience for example, something impossible before. Students were either scientists, literaryscholars, or economists. However, a mathematician can have the artistic fiber!

On the other hand, a combination of options will always exist. For example, students willhave to choose between "advanced mathematics" or a third language.

As far as the technological section is concerned, the idea is identical but the series systemhas not evolved: STMG, STI2D, ST2S,...

EDUCATION 4

This new baccalaureate will not be effective until 2021. But it is today that the reform is putinto place. Indeed, the students arriving this year in Seconde are the first concerned. Theschedule for the introduction of this new exam is starting in 2018 and will end in 2021, dateof the first new baccalaureate.

Here is the calendar from 2018 to 2021:

Each year, 54 hours will be dedicated to the guidance and accompaniment of students intheir orientation.

November 2018: Students begin to think about their project.January 2019: Students express their first intentions.February 2019: Second orientation week.Second-quarter class council: Students choose four to five specialized subjects.Third-quarter class council: The teaching staff validates the passage in the general ortechnological section. The families definitely choose the three specialty subjects for thegeneral section.

November 2019: First week of orientation.Second and third quarter: Common tests but during the year.February 2020: Second orientation week.Second-quarter class counseling: The student chooses two specialty courses for the finalyear, among the three followed during 1ère.Third quarter: Written exam of the specialty not pursued in Tle. Then, opportunity tochoose options.June 2020: Advanced French exams.

Finally, for the last year: November 2020: First week of orientation.February 2021: Second week of orientation.Second quarter: Common tests of continuous control.Upon return from the Easter holidays: Written exams of Tle in both specialty courses.End of June 2021: Written exam of philosophy and "Grand Oral".July 2021: Results!

The major concern raised by the teaching staff is that not all high schools will have theopportunity to offer all possible options to their students. This will lead, for some of them,to change high schools to be able to follow the desired teaching, or an abandonment of thisspecialty to remain in the high school of origin. Thus, rural high school students will bedisadvantaged by the geographical constraints of public transportation.

Thanks to the principal and the vice principal for their time!

L.V

HISTORY 5The History of Martinique

Martinique is an island located in the Caribbean. It is known for its nickname, “Isle of flowers”. And that island has many stories that people don’t talk about.

The story of the ArawaksThe Arawaks are the first inhabitants of Martinique. They are Amerindians.They lived in harmony with nature.We know that they ate Manioc and they lived off fishing and hunting, as it is explained on the website lamartiniqueautrement.They had a simple life but the arrival of the French created some trouble for them.

When Christopher Columbus discovers the Isles, he visits Martinique in 1502. But when the French arrive on the isle they decide they will colonize it.They decide to start the colonization with Africans who were deported on that Island. The colonization has a huge impact on Martinique.The population is impacted by that violence, but the colonization creates mixed people.Many Africans are deported by ship but one ship sank in Anse Caffard. As a result they built a monument with some statues representing the immigration of slaves and their ship that sank, that was baptized Cap 110.And to remember slavery they also built The Village Of The Slaves.With those monuments which I visited, I was able to understand the life of the slaves at that time, and their living conditions.And during the visit of the rum factories and living quarters where many slaves worked and lived in, they explained how they worked the sugar cane.

http://photo.martinique.free.fr/photo-martinique/histoire-martinique.php

The Real Talk.

In 1902, the mount Pelée, a volcano, erupted and destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre.The isle of Martinique is not an isle of flowers, but an isle of history. The wealth of Martinique is its culture and its people, who were deeply shaped by their history.https://www.petitfute.com/v62179-les-trois-ilets-97229/c1173-visites-

points-d-interet/c976-archeologie-artisanat-science-et-technique/c979-histoire-locale-culture/79932-la-savane-des-esclaves.html

HISTORY 6La Ferté-sous-Jouarre

World capital of the millstone, La Ferté-sous-Jouarre was known worldwide in the XIXth century because of the exceptional durability of its stone. Today, we mostly find fertoise stones in Europe ,but we also find this stone in South America, New Zealand,...

La Ferté-sous-Jouarre from the Middle-Ages to the Reform

During the IXth century La Ferté-sous-Jouarre was a fortress, built on an island in the middle of the river, where the local peasants and religious people lived. Anculfus, a Franc warlord, gave it the name “FIRMITAS ANCULFI” and built a fortified city on this island of the Marne, between the hamlets of Saint Martin and Condetz. Again and again, over the centuries the appellation of our city was modified. After “Firmitas Anculfi”, it became “Ferté-Ausculphe”, then “La Ferté-Ancoul”, La Ferté-sur-Marne and La Ferté-sur-Morin. In 1797 the city counsel, under the presidency of mayor Régnard from Îsle, decided of its final name —“La Ferté-sous-Jouarre”— because of its position, dominated by the abbey of Jouarre and the designation of Ferté meaning “fortified castle”. It successively belonged to the dukes of La Force, to the prince of Condé then to La Rochefoucauld’s family. In the XIth century the greatest part of the city was on the left shore of the Marne and shaped the parish Saint-Étienne-de-Condé. The part on the right shore was the parish of Saint-Nicolas, where the original chapel of the castle was at the beginning of the XIIth century. There was at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre an “hôtel-dieu”—an “hôtel-dieu” being an old hospital administered by the Church that received orphans, people in need and pilgrims— dedicated to Saint Léonard and a leprosarium that was located outside the city.

Until the middle of the XVIth century, the history of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, does not present any notable interest. Louis of Bourbon, first prince of Condé, lord of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, created “La maison de Condé” —La maison de Condé is a junior branch of the Capetian house of Bourbon. Converted to Calvinism, La Ferté-sous-Jouarre became an important center of the Reform. At that time, the protestants were very numerous and the city picked sides for the prince of Condé, who was their lord. In April 1563, a synod—in Christianity, the synod is a meeting, a deliberative assembly, which designates different realities in the main branches of Christianity—was taken in the city. It reunited 45 ministers of the reformed religion from Champagne, Brie, Picardie, Vexin and Île-de-France.

In 1590, the city was taken by the duke of Mayence’s catholic troops. Then at the end of the same year the royalists and leaguers—who were part of the League during the wars of religion—alternately besieged and took over the place. Ensued exactions, slaughter, fires until the surrender of the duke of Mayence. La Ferté-sous-Jouarre became protestant again after a ransom of 400 crowns was paid to the captain who was commanding the leaguers’ troops. Thirty years later, it was again a Protestant lord, Marshal of La Force, who governed La Ferté and Protestantism, tolerated by the Edict of Nantes, developed there more than ever. The city then knew a long calm period. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes resulted in massive exodus of protestant families.On June 24, 1791, returning from Varennes, Louis XVI and his family were received at lunch by Mr. Regnard de l'Ile, mayor of the city, in his superb house that had recently been built.

La Ferté-sous-Jouarre in the Heart of Protestantism

HISTORY 7

La Ferté-sous-Jouarre during the Empire

After the battle of Saint-Dizier, during the campaign of France, the French army retired and came through La Ferté-sous-Jouarre on February 8, 1814. The 30,000 Russians arrived the next day. They left the city on the 12th for Montmirail where they underwent a defeat. On February 15, Napoleon was in La Ferté-sous-Jouarre with 20,000 men in his personal guard and 4,000 prisoners. On the 16th, 50,000 French came through La Ferté-sous-Jouarre. Then the town was calm until February 28, when the Russians and Prussians from Château-Thierry invaded La Ferté again and set up camp between La Barre and Ussy. On March 2nd, the Emperor arrived at the height of Venteuil and slept at Jouarre. From that date until the abdication of Napoleon, new enemy troops continuously came and went and part of the city was plundered. During the War of 1870—Franco-Prussian war—, a large part of the German armies, moving towards Paris, went through La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, coming from Chalons and Metz, and the city was militarily occupied.

La Ferté-sous-Jouarre received for the First World War la Croix de Guerre, on August 14, 1921, by Mr. Cugol, Under-Secretary of State for the freed regions, accompanied by the quotation: "Occupied since the beginning of the war, La Ferté-sous-Jouarre saw its population badly molested by the Germans. La Ferté-sous-Jouarre was the object, in 1914 and in 1918, of violent bombings which destroyed many of its houses. Despite its bereavements, La Ferté-sous-Jouarre gave a good example of self-control and endurance. " The first civilian victims of gun bombing, at the beginning of World War I, were found on this part of Seine-et-Marne. Finally, we must pay a tribute, alongside the French army, to the valour of the Moroccan hunters who were admirable. Their contribution, in terms of losses, was heavy but often decisive on the ground. The gratitude we owe them must be commensurate with the sacrifice of those young men uprooted from their homelands who came to die in the quagmires—Hollow place full of mud—of the Somme, Marne, Verdun.

The Battle of the Marne united in the same pains and the same dramas, the French, the British, the Moroccans and the Germans. This battle caused nearly 25,000 deaths in five days. Thus the British memorial of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre which counts 3,888 names.

Bridge destroyed by the English at La-Ferté-sous-jouarre to slow the advance of the German

La Ferté-sous-Jouarre during the First World War

HISTORY 8

La Ferté-sous-Jouarre during the fighting of 1940

The fighting of 1940 spared our city. The city, however, provided the Resistance with several indisputable heroes: Pierre Marx (1923-1943), Michel Fauvet (1920-1944), Captain Léon Lahitte (1888-1944), Colonel François Glaize (1882-1945), Dr. Joseph Brau (1891-1975) and Camille Thioux (1920-1994), who illustrated what patriotism could be when you did not want to resign. On August 27, 1944 US soldiers, supported by F.F.I—French Forces of the Interior—locals, liberated La Ferté-sous-Jouarre without any serious trouble.

The millstone industry

The reputation of the millstone of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre extends throughout France and abroad, especially for the milling of cereals. Indeed, its hardness and its spongy appearance allow it to keep its roughness longer and thus grind the grain without introducing stone powder into the flour. The activity around the millstone contributed to the development of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre. By the end of the 17th century, the "merchant-operators", former independent workers who had become notables, built beautiful houses close to their workshops. The arrival of the railroad in Seine-et-Marne in 1849 extended the activity of millstone manufacturers on both banks of the Marne and opened larger export territories. Trade went as far as the United States, where 5130 mills were delivered in 1901.In 2000, Mouette Barboff, ethnologist at the House of Human Sciences and president of the association "Europe, civilization of pain" asked the city of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre to organize an international seminar on millstone. The presence of scientists, representatives of the milling world, of tourism actors from France, Europe and the rest of the world reveals the importance and richness of this industrial heritage. At the end of the seminar, scientists gave the city the title of "millstone capital of the world".

The Twinning between La Ferté-sous-Jouarre with Stuttgart

La Ferté-sous-Jouarre is twinned with the German city of Zuffenhausen, Baden-Württemberg.The beginnings date back to 1963, but the Twinning Committee was formally established in 1976. In 1960, a delegation of the section of veteran prisoners of war of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre was present in Munich—Bavière—at the Congress of the International Confederation of former prisoners of war. During this Congress, friendships were formed between the Fertois representatives and the former German prisoners of war from Zuffenhausen, a suburb of Stuttgart.

ROMAIN

Blazon of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Blazon of Stuttgart

HEALTH 9Vitiligo

At the beginning, Vitiligo is a condition of the skin characterized by the appearance of white spotson the feet, hands, face, lips or any other part of the body. These spots are caused by a"depigmentation", that is the disappearance of melanocytes, the cells responsible for the color of theskin. This disease affects 0.5% of the world's population. There is no predominance of sex or ethnicorigin. The manifestation and development of the disease can occur at any age. Vitiligo isconsidered a benign disease that generates major psychological and social problems in people whosuffer from it. Moreover, this disease is not contagious. Only a very small percentage of thoseaffected generate spontaneous re-pigmentation. When this happens, they are children in themajority of cases. In fact, a 23 year old woman has agreed to talk about it and explain her illness andhow she managed to cope.

First of all, according to Santécheznous.com and Wikipedia, science ignores what causes the vitiligo disease. It is thought to be an autoimmune disease, but we do not have enough evidence yet. We also found a link with the genetic factor, because one in five people affected by this disease has a loved one who suffers from it as well. The most accepted hypothesis is that loss of pigmentation occurs because melanocytes develop self-destructive processes. We also know that there are other related factors such as sun burns and emotional stress.

The main manifestation of vitiligo is white spots on the skin. They appear mainly in the most sun-exposed areas. They also appear on mucous membranes and areas of friction. I interviewed Marie, a young woman suffering from this disease, who agreed to tell us more about this disease. She got vitiligo when she was 8 years old. Her parents and herself noticed some spots that appeared on her skin and went to a dermatologist. Marie says: "I had a bad experience, arriving at a dermatologist. Before even explaining anything he said to me word for word: “it will never leave, you will have to live with it.” I left the room and I never came back home." Unfortunately, the amount of stains and their extent usually increases with time. However, there are big differences from one person to another, but what is certain is that the disease is more noticeable in people with dark skin. In the case of Marie, she has clear skin. https://fr.dreamstime.com/illustration-

stock-vitiligo-image60537245

Vitililetsgo.e-monsite.com

HEALTH 10

Moreover, patients who have lighter skin only see the spots when they blush. Although the scalp is not affected by vitiligo, it's common to see patients having white hair earlier. Be that as it may, this disease is considered to be benign because it does not cause serious damage to the body.But the biggest problem is not the disease itself, it's more the aesthetics and the psychological side that affect patients. Marie testified that her illness has made her a lot more self-conscious. Her parents have tried to find solutions for Marie to feel better about herself and her life. But, it's not easy because people's looks are very painful: "Yes I was teased but I think the most difficult is to accept the look from others. I remember my grandparents having invited my mom, my sister and I to Aqualibi. A young girl was staring at my knees and even if I looked back she was stuck on my spot. My mother got upset. I haven't put a foot in a public pool since ... But with age I realize that this girl was just asking questions, I think we really need to know this disease so that people do not look at us like extraterrestrials. "

Doctors do a complete exam to give a diagnosis and to find a solution for patients touched by this disease, like Marie. This includes a detailed inspection of the spots to check if they match the disease. Moreover, you are also asked questions about your family history and your general condition. In case there is any doubt or suspicion that the symptoms may correspond to another pathology, the doctor will order other tests such as a skin biopsy, a blood test or an eye check-up. Nowadays, a lot of research is in progress on Vitiligo. They primarily focus on three fronts. The first one is to determine the impact of stress and trauma on the disease. The second is to establish the influence of genetics on the appearance of Vitiligo. Finally, studies are being developed on laboratory rats to develop new treatments. Nevertheless, Marie tried different creams as well as homemade solutions based on essential oils that her mother and a pharmacist had concocted. The Protopic cream is showing some results at the moment, which is encouraging. But in any case, she must live with this difference.Finally, for Marie this disease is a source of inspiration because as a dancer, she had to use a few tricks to hide her stains. Amused, Marie confides: "We often dance in short sleeve tunics, shorts, ... and I always had to find tricks to hide them with stockings, tunics with long sleeves, makeup, ... I told everyone that I was not hot but I was actually all red and I would die of heat. " Marie is a source of courage. Now she lives her life as a student and dancer while talking to people around her, to see the look of people soften on her spots so that they can admire her difference and her talent. But, another source of inspiration is a famous woman who has had this disease since the age of four. When this young Canadian was still in school, the children thought that her illness was contagious. She is 24 years old and is one of the greatest sources of inspiration for other patients. She is a model for Desigual and is one of the models of Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2018. Winnie Harlow is this woman (picture on the left).

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie_Harlow#/media/File:Winnie_Harlow_Cannes_2018.jpg

Monica.

OTAKU’S CORNER 11CHRISTMAS IS COMING... IN JAPAN!

How do Japanese people celebrate Christmas? Is it like French or American people or do they have their own way to celebrate this wonderful celebration? This is the question we will answer this month! Let’s discover Christmas in Japan but also an animation movie this amazing land made about it!

How Japanese People Celebrate ItAccording to francejapon.fr and kanpai.fr, initially this event was an opportunity for lovers to share presents and to declare their feelings for each other. Over time, it became an event to give gifts to the kids, but not necessarily to the other members of the family. Near the age of 14, kids stop receiving gifts and it’s time to give!Because Japan loves good food, the cuisine is also important. In absence of turkey, Japanese people eat chicken especially from KFC, because in 1970, KFC was the only one to offer turkey and chicken.Given that it is a celebration between friends, Japanese people can also go to restaurants or share a pizza together because it’s more convivial.For dessert, they share an indispensable element which is the Christmas Cake.

How Santa Claus Came to Japan According to wikipedia.org and francejapon.fr, in Japan, Christmas is a modern tradition, which only has existed since the 20th century and which is still ever-expanding. According to what we know, the first Christmas would have been celebrated in 1904 when a famous market Meidi-ya in Tokyo presented a Christmas tree in its store front. Christmas is a religious event in the occidental world, it’s the birth of Christ. But for the Japanese it’s more the myth of “Santa Claus” which is celebrated. And because not many Japanese are Christians, it’s more a commercial event that the Japanese celebrate between friends or as a couple, and not really with family because it’s for the New Year that the Japanese get together with their families. Because it is a new tradition, December 25th is not during the holidays, and kids have school that day. However, December 23rd is a public Holiday because it’s the Emperor’s Birthday.

Today, in big cities like Tokyo, we can find a lot of decorations, big fir trees, lights and enthusiasm! Decorations are similar to other countries like France or America. There are also Christmas Markets and Christmas songs.

Taken from : francejapon.fr

Taken from : whv.fr

OTAKU’S CORNER 12An Animation Movie You Should Watch!

Tokyo Godfathers is a Japanese animation movie produced by Satoshi Kon which came out on November 8th 2003 in Japan and on December 7th 2004 in France. It’s a dramatic comedy.

A Christmas evening in Tokyo, three homeless people, Gin, an alcoholic and completely ruined man, Hana a transgender woman who dreams to be a mother and Miyuki and runaway teenager, find a baby in the middle of the trash. These three characters, who are opposed in every way, decide to find the baby’s mother together. It’s the beginning of an amazing adventure for them and they will be confronted with their respective past.

Taken from : pinterest.fr

AlloCiné 3,9/5

Nautiljon 9/10

IMDb 7,9/10

The three protagonists are really endearing and this movie manages to address serious topics like their past with a lot of humor. Everything is there, a beautiful soundtrack, an irreproachable animation, a splendid chara-design (the character’s design, what the characters look like) and an extraordinary and touching story.

According to wikipedia.org this movie received the Mainichi award of the best animation movie by the Japanese Newspaper Mainichi in 2003.

Other examples of movies which received the Mainichi award of the best animation movie:

●Majo no takkyūbin (Kiki la petite sorcière) ●Mononoke Hime (Princesse Mononoké) ● Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi / Spirited Away (Le voyage de Chihiro) ● Ōkami kodomo no Ame to Yuki (Les enfants loups Ame et Yuki) ● Kimi no na wa (Your Name)

Merii Kurisumasu Mina-san!Merry Christmas everyone, we hope you

will be spoiled! L.M x2

CHRISTMAS ATMOSPHERE 13

Hello everybody! We're coming to help you prepare a perfect Christmas day and night. Thanks to us you'll be sure to have an idea of how to celebrate this day.

First you have to put music to be in the mood of Santa, so you can listen to the old Christmas songs or you can listen to the new ones with celebrities like Snoop Dog or Justin Bieber or better yet Mariah Carey.

Secondly, by you must cook something for Santa, so put a glass of milk out and make some cookies with bits of chocolate, he loves that! Then you have to prepare the meal, and we have some ideas for you. A turkey with potatoes for the main dish sounds great. For your starter, you can do foie gras or shrimp or better yet oysters if you like sea food. If you don't, you can make a goat cheese salad. And for dessert, you should bake a chocolate or fruit Christmas log by yourself but you know what? Chocolate is better, trust us! And for the final touch, you can offer your guests a hot chocolate or tea or if you like coffee. 

Source:happychristmasday2016.com

Source:pixshark.com

Source:goodhousekeeping.co.uk

CHRISTMAS ATMOSPHERE 14

If you have children, you may have to buy them some gifts for their good behavior throughout the year. So go to the supermarket to buy them some pollypockets or some little cars or modeling clay and board games, it could be fun to play with them! 

Source:theodysseyonline.com

Source:familymagicbox.com

And finally, your outfit ! Your clothes and the decorations have to be red, green or white like Santa's colours. If you want, wear a dress and for your children let them be in pyjamas, they have to be comfortable. It's a sweet night waiting…The decorations must be gorgeous! Big lights, a Christmas tree, a fireplace, garlands or light strings and a lot of lit reindeers in the garden with a little Santa that lays on the top of the chimney. And a crown of holly for the magic of Christmas.

Source:sassymamahk.com

By Santa’s elves

Source:raisetherisk.wordpresse.com

FICTION OF THE MONTH 15CHRISTMAS TIME

“Edward? It’s your turn”, the teacher said, “please tell us the most beautiful moment you livedduring your childhood.”

It was more like an order than a request for Edward who had always been shy. Indeed, he neverreally talked to any of his classmates so talking to the whole class? Sharing a personal memory?Well he would rather run away. But he had to. Sadly.

“What's my most beautiful memory?”

“Edward? The class is waiting.”

After another moment of silence, Edward started his story.

“I-I think my most beautiful memory is when I did Christmas with my whole family when I waslittle.”

Indeed, that night was the best he had experienced. It was the year when his father's family hadreunited for Christmas at his grand-parents’ house. His brother, his parents and he all went andjoined his aunts, uncles, cousins, grand-parents and his great-grand-father around seven o'clock.

The house was really shiny with all the little lights that were everywhere around the courtyard.There was a little Santa Claus standing next to the door, its right arm leading calmly to theentrance while he was singing a Christmas song.

“Whoa…” the little boy said. “Mommy! Look! It's Santa!”

“Yes sweetie! And if you keep being nice he will send you a lot of presents!”

Little Edward started laughing while he followed his mother into the house. It was a really bighouse. Inside there was a huge room that was separated in two parts. In the first part, next to thekitchen, there was the largest table Edward had ever seen in his little life. He knew that all of hisfamily could fit there without any problem. In the second part of the room, there were a lot ofcushions, a TV, a fireplace and a big green and shiny thing. The Christmas tree was lightning upthe place, the magic of Christmas was all around it.

“Edward! Ohhhh my dear child, how are you?” asked a female voice coming from behind.

“Granny!”

Edward let go of his mother's hand to jump into his grand mother's arms. The old woman had abig smile on her face and welcomed him with a hug full of love.

“Hey! That’s my big man over here! How are ya' big boy?”

“Uncle Eric! I'm fine! A big man is never sad!”

“That's right buddy!”

FICTION OF THE MONTH 16 “Can I have a hug too?”

His aunt V was standing right next to him and his uncle Eric. Her name was Vero but she hadalways been called aunt V by her nephews and nieces. Edward ran to her and gave her the samehug he had given his grand-mother. Once he had say hello to his uncle Cedric and his auntie Flo,Edward started looking around the house, searching for his cousins, his grand-father and great-grand-father.

“Papy? Great-Papy? Mai? Camille? Where are you? Girls, I already saw everyone, even yourbrother and sister! Stop hiding!”

“EDWARD!”

Two little girls, the same age as Edward, were running to him, followed by two old men, one witha crutch, the other one running too. Mai and Camille were not sisters and neither was he theirbrother but it was as if the three kids were siblings. They loved each other so much it was reallyhard to separate them. On top of it, they all lived far away from each other. That was certainlywhy Christmas was this much of a magical moment. Because it was one of the rare moments hisfamily was reunited.

The rest of the evening went by so fast that Edward did not have a complete memory of it.Midnight was ringing. Outside, everyone could hear the bells ringing. Santa Claus was coming.

Time went by and the children could not hide their excitement any longer. They kept asking forSanta Claus and his presents. Fainting to be angry, his grand-father sent Edward to the garage, tobring the dessert to the big table. Edward was scared of this garage, it was so dark in there duringthe night… He was afraid a monster could hide and attack him. But he couldn't tell this to theothers, uncle Eric was right, he was a big man!

So Edward started making his way to the garage. Once he opened the door, he held a scream.

The light was turned on, and the entire place―and it was a big space―was full of presents. Therewere big and little ones, letters and giant packages. Every present had a different color and aname written on it with a beautiful writing. The little boy couldn't resist anymore and ran to hisfamily.

“Santa Claus came! Santa Claus came! The garage is full of presents!”

Everyone stopped talking. There was a minute of silence when the adults smiled mysteriously andthen all the children started screaming in happiness. The whole family went to the garage to seethe big pile of presents. Great-Grand-Pappy started talking:

“I think Santa Claus made a mistake. The presents are supposed to be under the tree right? Weneed to place them there! Everyone please, in line, we will pass the presents to each others andCamille will make a stack for each person. After that, we will open them.”

Their elder then smiled with the extreme kindness and patience he had and everyone started tofollow his directions.

FICTION OF THE MONTH 17The loud laughters, the smiles on everyone’s faces, the stars in the children's eyes, every littledetail was making this moment so unique and beautiful that Edward couldn't help but pray forthis to happen everyday.

He wanted to be with his cousins, his uncles and aunts, his grand-parents and great-grand-pappy,his parents and brother. He wanted to feel like the happiest person on earth everyday, like now.

Soon enough, with the help of everyone, all the presents were stacked in the middle of theChristmas tree room. Waiting no longer, each of them sat in front of their pile and startedopening their presents.

Edward couldn't remember well how many presents he had gotten that night, neither could hetell what they were. All he could think of was that he had felt like the luckiest and happiest boyalive. All around him was all of his family, and he couldn't ask for more.

Edward could remember well that particular winter of his childhood, that one who startedwithout snow, the one when he had lived his happiest moment. There was also a detail Edwardremembered well. A detail he had been the only one to notice, it seems. On that night, in that coldwinter, he had seen snow falling for the first time.

On that night only, through the window, Edward had seen the snowflakes falling from the shinysky.

“… and that’s how it ends, he concluded.”

The class stayed silent and his teacher smiled at him. It was good remembering how great thetimes were with his family for Christmas.

JH & JD.

SUPERNATURAL 18Halloween is over, but let yourself be tempted by other horror stories...

Cursed Dolls

Annabelle

Everybody knows the story of this doll thanks to the movies The Conjuring and Annabelle. But the real story of this doll, originally named Ann Raggedy, isn’t really known.

In 1970, in England, Donna is a nurse and lives in an apartment with her friend, Angie. One day, Donna’s mother gives her an old doll, Ann Raggedy. Basically, Ann Raggedy is a doll which appeared in books for children—Ann Raggedy Stories—created by Johnny Gruelle. With the success of these books, a lot of dolls were created.Donna’s mother found the doll in a garage sale. After getting this doll, Donna leaves it in her bedroom.Many days after, Donna and Angie think that the doll moves alone because its position seems different. For example, its harms and its legs are bent or crossed. One or two weeks later, Donna decides to leave the doll sitting each morning, its legs and harms straight, but each evening, Donna finds Ann Raggedy with her legs and harms crossed. It’s strange, isn’t it? Again after several days, the doll seems to be able to move alone because Donna and Angie find her in the living room whereas Donna had put her in her bedroom. Sometimes, the nurse finds Ann Raggedy standing on her legs. Also, the girls decide to talk about it to Lou, Angie’s boyfriend. And after having seen Ann Raggedy, Lou declares that something really bad possesses her. Does Somebody or Something—like a demon—possess the doll? Donna and Angie can’t believe it, for them, the reason is totally scientific. However, the girls are beginning to find many papers where it’s written “Help us”, “Help Lou”. Lou doesn’t have any problems and he thinks that the doll is trying to communicate with Donna and Angie. But the nurses don’t believe it. After that, Donna decides to contact a medium. And the medium says: “A little child named Annabelle Higgings was seven years old when she died. Annabelle’s spirit was playing in the apartment block

and when she saw you, she wanted to play with you. That’s why she began to move the doll, to draw your attention to be loved.” Of course… Donna and Angie are OK for Annabelle to stay with them, in the doll. So they call the doll Annabelle, and they are happy to help a child. But one night, Lou is attacked by the doll and for him, it’s not a dream. Another night, Lou is again attacked but it’s not the doll: Something scratches him in front of Angie. Donna and Angie decide to see a clergyman, Father Hegan. The man promises them to talk to Father Cook, his superior. Father Cook (who wasn’t totally convinced) then calls Ed and Lorraine Warren—the most famous couple of paranormal investigators.

Taken from exemplore.com/paranormal

After having listened to the story, Ed declares that Annabelle doesn’t exist, the child’s spirit doesn’t possess the doll, because it’s impossible. However, it’s a demon, an inhuman spirit, who plays with Donna, Angie and Lou. The demon wants to possess somebody and then, kill. Donna is afraid, like Angie, because she just wanted to help Annabelle. Lou was sure that the doll was—and is—controlled by a demon to take the soul of one of them. Shortly after, Ed asks Father Cook to practice an exorcism in the apartment and a benediction for Donna, Angie and Lou. The clergyman is not convinced that the demon is real, but Ed tells him: “The demon is real, and these spirits are specific.

SUPERNATURAL 19All the phenomena that happened in the apartment are part of step one; the Infestation. The inhuman spirit moved the doll in order to trick Donna and Angie. He wanted them to believe in the existence of Annabelle, he played with their emotions, and with the medium (who was tricked as well), so that he could have the permission to stay with them. Because a demon needs to have the authorization to possess somebody. Moreover, Lorraine discerned an inhuman presence, and she is an excellent clairvoyant, and she was never fooled about that. But, if you want, we can provoke the demon with religion.” Father Cooke is convinced, Ed and Lorraine can help Donna and Angie. Because Ed can’t practice an exorcism, Father Cooke does it. After having blessed the apartment, he also blesses Donna, Angie, Lou and even Ed and Lorraine. Donna, afraid and shocked, asks Lorraine to take the doll with them. Lorraine accepts, but Father Cooke is worried because he’s not sure that the exorcism is a complete success. He asks for Ed to be careful on the road and not to take the highway.Indeed, on the road, Ed has some problems with his car, and Lorraine feels a negative presence because of the doll, Ann Raggedy, sitting in the back seat.

Once they arrive home, Ed puts the doll on a chair, on his own desk. The paranormal phenomena are discrete—compared to before. For example, the doll is in levitation. But day after day, the doll starts moving alone from room to room.One evening, Father Jason Banford—a catholic exorcist—comes to see Ed. Ed tells him the story of Ann Raggedy, and suddenly, Father Banford takes the doll and screams at her:“ You are just a doll, you can’t hurt anyone now!” but Ed is worried because of the action of Father Jason Banford. His doubts are real when at night he receives a call from Father Jason Banford. The clergyman explains that on the road he had an accident and he has miraculously survived. Another day, Ed is talking at his desk with a policeman about a case, and he decides to leave the man alone (with Ann Raggedy) to go see Lorraine who needs help. The policeman is allowed to touch anything, but a few minutes later, he is running to join Ed and Lorraine, pale, saying “the doll is alive! The doll!”

Taken from www.allociné.fr

For Ed and Lorraine Warren, the doll is too dangerous to be left in plain view, so the couple seals her in a box. We can read, on a notice “Warning positively don’t open!” and this box is placed in a room (The “Occult Museum”) where the Warrens stock many objects that were used for rituals. We can also see this room in The Conjuring. Lorraine refuses to look at the doll in her eyes.

For the movies, James Wan, Chad and Carey Hayes have worked with the real Lorraine Warren—Ed Warren being dead—to make the films more realistic. As a result, Vera Farmiga, Lorraine Warren’s interpret, was able to get a lot of advice from Lorraine Warren.Concerning the movie Annabelle or Annabelle: Creation, the story is more romanticized than reality, especially the second movie which tells Annabelle’s origins.In the movies, the doll is really frightening, even if I think that the real doll, Ann Raggedy, is also scary...

SUPERNATURAL 20

Chucky inspired by RobertDo you know the doll called Chucky? Yes, the doll that wants to kill everybody. Well, this doll is inspired by a true doll named Robert.Robert is a unique doll created and given to a child in 1901. The child received this doll by an African servant who worked for the family and who had already done black magic. It was said that the servant wanted revenge on the family’s ill-treatment.The child loved his doll so much, he gave him his own name, Robert. After that, the child asked to be called by his middle name, Eugene.It was only after a while that the parents worried about seeing their child talking to Robert too often, while answering for the doll with a more serious voice. However, the voice sounded like an adult and seemed to come out of the doll.

Since he got Robert, Eugene had nightmares. One evening, after a big racket, the parents discovered their son’s bedroom ravaged and Eugene snuggled in a corner."It’s not me, it’s Robert!" Eugene said repeatedly.Robert was sitting in the chair and looking at Eugene. The neighbors also said that they had seen the doll change places by itself while the house was empty. They also said that sometimes, Robert would sit on the edge of the window, staring at them and blinking. The parents put Robert in the attic. Successive owners who lived in this house declared with fright that the doll was maleficent and that it tried to kill them.

Today, Robert is in a glass cage at East Martello Museum, in Florida.The letters that you can see behind Robert are apology letters written by people who mocked Robert and were haunted.

C&M’s

GAMING 21Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda

This February, on the 21st of 2019, the series The Legend of Zelda will celebrate its 32 years.

The Beginning

First, let me tell you what is The Legend of Zelda. “TLOZ” -the diminutive of The Legend of Zelda-, is a series of video games developed by Nintendo and produced by Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma, both Japanese persons, in 1986. On February 21st, 1986, the first Zelda game comes out on NES console, a Nintendo Entertainment System. In this game, and in other Zelda games, we control “Link”, the hero of the game who must save Princess Zelda who has fallen into evil clutches. This adventure takes place in the kingdom“Hyrule”. Yes, we can think that the goal is the same as in Mario but here in TLOZ it’s different. In TLOZ, which is a RPG—role playing game— your character progresses at the same time as the game progresses and evolves, you are in an open-world, where you can move where you want to go. In this RPG, and that’s why it’s different from Mario, you must go in some towns to move on to the main quest. You can have some side quests to unlock items or weapons which can be necessary for the rest of the adventure. It’s different too because you are a hero and you need to kill monsters thanks to your sword, your shield but sometimes, with other weapons like a bow. Zelda is a game where everyone can develop its creativity and imagination to solve some riddles, find the method to kill a boss—the strongest monster of the level, there is one for each level—etc. Basically, this is the story of TLOZ.

Main Characters and their Names

The names of the characters weren’t chosen at random.-Princess Zelda: Indeed, her name wasn’t chosen at random and it’s a true name. In reality, Miyamoto named Princess Zelda in honor of Zelda Fitzgerald, a famous beautiful woman married to a writer. Princess Zelda is the pillar of the game. And we know that you will wonder “Why call the game “Zelda” if he’s called Link?” The answer is just that, Zelda the real princess, —spoiler alert—is the reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia and she is a legend because she is, with three other goddesses, the one who brought life to the kingdom. It’s a legend. So, without Zelda, there couldn’t be a Zelda game. If you don’t understand who these goddesses are and what their roles were, read the part about the “Triforce”, you will better understand.-Link or “The hero of Hyrule”: Miyamoto chose this name because he wanted this name to create a link. The book Hyrule Historia by Aonuma talks about it and says that the role of Link is to connect energies which are scattered around the world and create links beyond time. And of course, Link makes a link between good and evil. In the game, Link is the hero who must travel in many towns and fight monsters to find the princess. He wears green clothes because it is the outfit of the hero of the legend. Now, you have no excuse to get Link and Zelda mixed up!-Ganondorf: Who can explain the goal of a game without mentioning the name of the Devil? The name of the devil is Ganondorf, weird name. His goal is to invade the kingdom and kidnap the princess because she has something which can enable him to conquer the kingdom more easily and destroy the Good. In the kingdom he’s a human but he can also transform into a horrible creature. When this happens we can call it Calamity Ganon.

GAMING 22

Triforce

We know that it is a lot of information to take in but it’s not finished yet. All the fans can tell you, we can’t close the explanation about the global story if we don’t mention that. The Triforce is one of the central elements, and it explains why the game is like this. What is it? We need to go back to the past, before time began and life existed. Three golden goddesses descended in the Hyrule land. One of these goddesses symbolizes power, another wisdom and the last, courage. These goddesses created the world with a red earth, gave the spirit of law to every living being, poured wisdom onto the earth and finally produced all life forms. When their creation and labor were finished, these three goddesses departed from the heavens. Their departure made an element made up of three golden detachable appear: triangles the Triforce. The Triforce is the essence of the world and based on the only vestige of their power. At this moment, the goddess Hylia comes on earth to protect the Triforce and does her best so that the Triforce won’t fall into the wrong hands.Unfortunately, one day, the Triforce was separated into three fragments. One fragment with power arrived in the Devil’s hands, another fragment with wisdom arrived in the Princess’s hands and the last fragment with courage went into the Hero’s hands, Link. After this event, Ganondorf, the Devil, seeks to recover all the fragments of the Triforce. That’s why he kidnapped the Princess, he knows that with two fragments he can find the last fragment more easily. Then, he will be able to govern Hyrule with darkness.

You can’t say that Princess Zelda is useless or weak like Princess Peach in Mario. There is a difference between being kidnapped, doing nothing, and just waiting to be saved, or, being kidnapped and doing your best like Zelda to protect the kingdom, and keep the Triforce of wisdom. Princess Zelda fights against the devil while waiting for the arrival of the hero. The princess is strong and not weak. That’s why she’s the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia.

32 years of history

The series will be 32 years old in February, so we have prepared a list with the most important pieces of information on the series, with the help of the Redbull website.

- In 1986, the first Zelda was released on NES: The Legend of Zelda. This game in 2D—two dimensions—is the first that started the global phenomenon. It already revolutionized the video game with its back up system included into the cartridge.- A year later, the second opus of the series came out. In 1987, Zelda II : The Adventure Of Link came out on SNES—Super Nintendo Entertainment System—and had an enormous commercial success.- The first Zelda on portable game console, the Game Boy, came out in 1993 with also a new opus: Link’s Awakening.- Sometime later, the first Zelda in 3D—three dimensions—came out on the Nintendo 64. In 1988, The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time came out. It’s a revolution for the history of video games and for the history of TLOZ. A lot of fans of the series could say you that their favorite Zelda is this one, because it’s story line where we learn more about the creation of the Triforce and the world of Hyrule, the new open-world in 3D, the songs… and mainly because they lived this revolution. The success was undeniable, and in just 2 months, the game sold more than 6 million copies.

GAMING 23- The Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask. This game is most likely the creepiest Zelda game released in the year 2000. But this game was a real success on Nintendo 64 too. In the game, we play with Link in an apocalyptic atmosphere, with only 3 days—in the game—to finish the main quest, and with strange dead masks.- The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess, is one of the best and one of the best selling Zelda games. In 2006, this game came out on Game Cube, then it came out on Wii, and finally on Wii U. It was an amazing success for this game which sold 8 million copies. The new atmosphere where Link can be transformed into a wolf with a new dark open world attracted the public.- Now we present a new Zelda which came out in 2011. This Zelda is either hated by the gamers or loved by them. It’s The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword. However, the remote of the Wii console called “wiimote” was a revolution. Indeed, with this remote we could reproduce the movements of the sword in the game. For the 25th anniversary, we could find a CD of the main music of Zelda in the game box. The music of this series is very popular thanks to its variety and its emotions.- For the last big point, we couldn’t forget Zelda, that came out on March 3rd 2017 with the Switch console: The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild. This game is an enormous success We interviewed one fan in our high school, this is what she said: “TLOZ Botw, diminutive of Breath of the Wild, is a big success and without any doubt, one of the best Zeldas ever created! It’s an awesome game with a breathtaking and huge open-world! Link wakes up with amnesia after a long sleep and he’s guided by a voice, Zelda, who said that he’s the last hope to save Hyrule, the kingdom. This game is clearly amazing and there’s an infinity of things to do in this game. We’re not bored, or at least, we don’t have the time to be *laugh*. There are a lot of side quests and landscapes to discover. Graphically the game is just mind-blowing. This game was presented at the E3 2011 and then improved for the E3 2013 (E3 is one of the largest video games exhibitions in the world in the USA) for a release scheduled at the end of the year 2013. However the developers decided to extend the time to create a masterpiece like Botw! And honestly, it was worth the wait of another 4 years!” This game received the prize of “game of the year” at the Game Awards 2017. Actually the game has sold more than 10 million copies.

Bonus

→ The series of 19 games has some bonuses that we can find everywhere in the world. Indeed, some books about the story of the game came out. There are a lot of mangas about each Zelda, but also, three big books about the history of the series, how the drawings were made, and an encyclopedia.

→ Fans and Nintendo also create cosplays representing their favorite characters in the series. They also created even simple clothes with a Triforce on a shirt, Zelda jewelry but also, daily objects like cups, thermos or lamps…

→ A cartoon about The Legend of Zelda was created in 1990. → The Zelda Pride Day is an event on October 16th when fans

draw a Triforce on their hand. → In our high school, 33 out of 40 people said that they

would play a Zelda one day. And you, do you want to test a Zelda right now?

Lou&Lo.

Taken from : https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/671106781944878712/

THE GEEK CORNER 24

The comics in the cinemaMarvel and DC comics are celebrating their 80th birthday soon! But today they are known for their appearance in films and series! Learn more about their stories.

According to Allociné, 66 years ago we could watch the first series broadcasted on several local channels. They were episodes that lasted four minutes and several characters such as Namors, Iron Man, Hulk or Captain America appeared. The concept was very simple, images were taken from comics and movements and sound were added. DC took the concept over one year later. The stories were exactly those of the comics and this was a big ad for the sales of comics. At 6 year old, the children loved these series! It was 44 years ago, in 1974, that Captain America first appeared as a main character on the screen. It was a serial. It was broadcasted every week and it was very popular. It was the first live series with real actors. It was a real revolution and the public loved it!

1980 the rush of series! In 1980, there were a lot of Marvel and DC series such as Hulk, Wonder Woman and Batman. These series were followed by many people and it was very popular. The most famous series were Incredible Hulk with Lou Ferrigno, Wonder Woman with Lynda Carter or Superman with Christopher Reeve.

1990-2000 the rush of popular filmsIn 1990, there were a lot of super-hero movies but they were not hugely successful. According to www.marvel-wiki, 1990 will see more than ten Batman movies and more than six Superman movies! In 2000, we can see less known heroes such as Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Elektra, Punisher and Blade appear, but it’s a failure. The revolution will be Spider-Man in 2002 with a big budget. Everybody loved this movie and it will even have a trilogy! Other films will see the audience conquered like X-men in 2000 or Fantastic Four in 2005. In 2002, Spider-Man will be bought by Sony and X-men by the Fox.

The MCU:But today, the MCU (Marvel Cinematographic Universe) is celebrating their 10th birthday with 5 billion dollars in the box-office since 2008! The studios were bought by Disney and many characters have appeared since 2008. Today, the Marvel studio just finished a third phase with the popular Avengers Infinity Wars. This movie is considered as a masterpiece in the cinema industry. It gathers all the characters of the Marvel studio in one movie with a brutal defeat of the heroes in front of the big boss Thanos! Today, the MCU is very popular in the world, thanks to the fans of comics. The competition is very hard for the other studios like Sony and The Fox to face the MCU!

The comics eater

CINEMANIA 25The Crimes of Grindelwald, Fantastic Beasts 2

On November 14 was the official release of The Crimes of Grindelwald, the second opus of theFantastic Beasts franchise, written by J.K. Rowling herself. I was lucky enough to go to the world

premiere on November 8 at the movie theater of Torcy, and then again at the premiere onNovember 13, in English, at Meaux. I will give a review of this movie.

The CharactersIf you’ve been a big fan of Harry Potter, you must have been on the lookout when the first Fantastic Beasts movie came out, to find this typical atmosphere again. The first movie was disappointing in some ways since none of the characters really had a direct link to the characters we already knew. All that changed in the 2nd movie since we could discover a young Albus Dumbledore with secrets and the ancestor of the famous Lestrange family. They probably intensified the link between the two franchises because the hardcore fans I talked to were all disappointed by the first movie.

The StoryWe follow the evolution of Credence Barebone, the orphan we had left being seemingly destroyed because he was an Obscurus. He becomes the main story because during the whole movie we are trying to find out his real identity. He is helped by the future Nagini, who is not yet a full time snake. We learn more about Newt Scamander’s youth and love life and most of all we travel in different countries: The US, France, Great Britain. Indeed, the starting point is the escape of Gellert Grindelwald. It’s supposed to be the main plot as we can see in the title but I felt more interested in Credence’s quest for his family and identity, but maybe that’s just me!

My OpinionI thought this movie was way better than the first. Not one second to be bored and the visuals and special effects were a success. I love the subject of heredity and searching for one’s identity so Credence’s quest really resonated with me. If I had one comment, go watch it in English, there’s no comparison! First, you get the various accents but also you get the full meaning of all the scenes. One scene in particular at the French Ministry of Magic doesn’t make any sense in the French version...Anyways I’m always partial to original versions ;)The actors were spectacular and so good that Jude Law and Johnny Depp made us forget their fame. I have to admit that seeing Jude Law listed as Dumbledore had me worried before I saw the movie but personally I think it ended up being a good choice. The actress playing Leta Lestrange has us under her spell from the very beginning and her complexity is touching.

IncoherencesSPOILER ALERT!The only incoherence that really struck me and couldn’t be better explained than “J.K. Rowling does what she wants” by David Yates, the director, is when we can see Professor McGonagall appear in a flashback. It doesn’t make sense because she shouldn’t even be born. Other than that, I feel like every incoherence pointed out by critics can be explained in some way or another.

Mrs. Climecot.

https://lockedinmagazine.com/fantastic-beasts-the-crimes-of-grindelwald/

CINEMANIA 26The Dark Knight Trilogy

The Dark Knight trilogy is a cinematographic trilogy based on the Batman character from the DC comics produced by Warner Bros. The entire trilogy was written, directed and produced by Christopher Nolan. The three films have met with tremendous critical and commercial success.

We are in 2005, when Batman Begins is released in the cinema. Nobody imagined at the time that this film, which was only a vulgar Reboot of Tim Burton's Batman saga released in the 90s, would become the most epic trilogy of the 2000s. The Dark Knight released in 2008 is the second opus and the final opus is The Dark Knight Rises, released in 2012. https://www.sostudenti.it/vita-universitaria/buzz/le-saghe-cinematografiche-

con-piu-guadagni-nella-storia/batman-movies-saghe-cinematografiche/

What Makes The Dark Knight Trilogy so Epic and so Special?

As reported by the Silence Motor Action blog, the Nolan trilogy is none other than the showcase of the current world, mirroring the moral and political problems of the United States. But the trilogy is above all a reflection of America bruised by September 11th. Here, Batman wears a simple and realistic costume, he is more represented as a detective than really like a superhero. Nolan is thus impregnated with the DC universe but is turned towards the real world, and towards America. His three films are led by a single question: how to fight the amoral when we are moral? Here we can see the resonance with the question of the American response to September 11 and the political choice that followed. Nolan elevates the morality and reflection of superhero films, sometimes even touching metaphysics.

In the trilogy, Batman is confronted with terrifying and fascinating enemies several times. The acting game is breathtaking, like the famous example of Heath Ledger interpreting the Joker. To fully absorb the character, the actor isolated himself for six weeks in a hotel room to work on his reptilian gestures. Ledger totally invested himself in this role, he did not just interpret the Joker, he became the Joker, so much so that he died. But it is not the only example. The actor Tom Hardy interpreting Bane also invested himself by taking 30 pounds, to perfectly interpret his terrifying character. And then we also have Liam Neeson performing on the screen Ra's Al Ghul, delivering a remarkable performance.

To sum up, the Dark Knight trilogy is a realistic trilogy, close to our current world, raising questions

about our actions, staging three important words that are Fear, Chaos and Pain. Those three words are

the themes covered in the three films.

Benji

HOROSCOPE 27Astrological Sign for December

You’re a Sagittarius if you were born between November 22nd and December 21st.

Sagittarius are a symbol of focus and spirituality.

Your ruling planet is Jupiter.

The sign of Sagittarius is a fire sign.

Your associated stone is garnet. (grenat)

Sagittarius are compatible with Scorpios, Virgos and Libras.

In the celebrity sphere, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Brad Pitt and Vanessa Hudgens are Sagittarius.

www.astrologyhub.com/wp-content/uploads/sagittarius-810x810.png

Personality traits

You're naturally cheerful, resourceful and optimistic. You often feel the urge to go towards others and people usually like you because you're easily warm and extrovert. Your positive mind enables you to make the most out of any situation. You're honest and can't stand hypocrisy, therefore you always rightfully say what's on your mind. You're a person of integrity and you know what you want and what you need in life. You put passion in everything that you do because you always need to feel truly alive. Besides, you remain thoughtful to everyone you care about and anyone that asks for your help.You have a great sense of duty and in spite of your natural independence, you respect your hierarchy. Your ability to work is impressive and you willingly take risks. Your ambition drives you to take initiatives in order to give your life further meaning. In love, you're also passionate and you trust your instinct. You're frank and spontaneous in every relationship you have. However, because of this eagerness and this impulsiveness of yours, you can be difficult to live with. Therefore, your partner needs to be particularly patient to bear with you. Despite that, you know how to make yourself indispensable. Your fear of commitment often drives you to run away from the one you love, that is why trust is vital to your relationships.You have a beautiful energy that gets you to fulfill your goals. You often seem to run out of time, don't forget to take time for yourself too.

L.B.

HOROSCOPE 28Astrological Sign for January

You’re a Capricorn if you were born between December 22nd and January 20th.

Capricorns are a symbol of pragmatism and precision.

Your ruling planet is Saturn.

The sign of Capricorn is an earth sign.

Your associated stone is onyx.

Capricorns are compatible with Scorpios, Taurus and Virgos.

In the celebrity sphere, Bradley Cooper, Kate Middleton, Lewis Hamilton and Michelle Obama are Capricorns.

http://www.astrologyhub.com/wp-content/uploads/capricorn-810x810.png

Personality traits

Calmed, reserved and wary by nature, it's hard for you to give yourself over to others. You need to feel completely at ease to show what you are made of. You often protect yourself behind an armor and it can make you appear as a very cold person to people that don't know you. Your lack of spontaneity comes from your strong consideration towards rules and conventions. Even though you're very independent, you also hide an hypersensitivity that only people close to you will have the chance to discover. Methodical and organized, you're truly invested in everything that you do. You always work with rigor and you're not used to do anything without lengthily thinking about it first. Your love life is far from obvious and you're often a prey to doubts. Your fear of suffering and being disappointed drives you to restrain your feelings and your emotions, therefore you don't fall in love easily. You're naturally demanding which causes you to choose very carefully the person with whom you might spend your life with. Your maturity and your sense of responsibility get you to take charge of everything, which is great for you because you love being in control. Reliable and honest, you're reassuring when you're in a relationship. Even though you can be clumsy with the way you express your feelings, you're generous, thoughtful and you give excellent advice. You have a strong personality and you can handle basically anything. Wise and patient, you always know how to take a step back.

L.B.