Third part of the adventures of the professors with the top hat, still on DS

Graphics
For a DS game, that is a console limited by its portable capacity, it is beautiful. Still that “ligne clair” style for the game, and cartoon for the cinematographic scenes.


Grade: 9 / 10

Music
I am not really fond of it. They wrote music in the right style, but… tiring. And the break for each enigma, and the sounds at each find, it is horrible.
Grade: 6 / 10

Gameplay
Simple and fluid. The manipulation that were one of the strength of the two first Layton were kept, there is still a possilibity to make a “draft” for enigmas. The moves should be done a bit more easily (like done either with the icon or with a button), but for the rest, everything is very well.
Grade: 9 / 10

Length / Sidequests
With 168 enigmas and minigames and coins to discover, no length problem, even if the plot is fluid enough to go forward quickly. Oh, and the mini games are side quests, and 100 solved enigmas (I think) are enough to finish the game.
Grade: 8.5 / 10

Story / characters
I must admit a weakness for Gentlemen, steampunk, time travel and detectives, so this game is right in my style. Add some paradoxes and humour, and it is really perfect.
Grade: 9 / 10

In the end…
Again, a must buy. And if you have to choose one of the three, take this one.
Final grade: 8.3 / 10

Images source:
Official site http://www.professorlaytonds.com/

Stories of magicians, sealed rooms, mysteries… and humour!

Infos
A BBC series that fits both in Comedy and Detective styles, where you can surprisingly find actors like Colin Baker, Peter Davison, Bill Bailey, Anthony Head, and so on.
Written by: David Renwick
Director: Marcus Mortimer

Cast
Alan Davies: Jonathan Creek
Caroline Quentin: Maddy Magellan
Anthony Head (1 episode), then Stuart Milligan: Adam Klaus

Summary

Madeline Magellan, investigation journalist, is called by a burglar who affirms that the thieving and murder accusation on him is wrong. She quickly realises that in fact, the police has the wrong culprit, but cannot understand how the person she suspects, the victim’s wife, could come out of her office unnoticed. During her inquiry, she meety Jonathan Creek and decides to ask for his help as an expert of impossible things…

Jonathan Creek is an inventor of many magic acts for several “famous” artists, the man behind all the mad tricks but is not interested (and even refuses) to be on the stage. Timid and uneasy in love and romance, he is a genius. He is often wearing a Trench-Coat, and has long curly hair. Maddy is brilliant but unappreciated by editors. She always manages to get in places were a good investigation is needed, and has a slightly shady reputation… Adam Klaus is Jonathan’s “boss”, a magician comfortable on stage and anywhere he can make conquests (love ones, naturally).

My advice
Loaded at the same time with British humour, life stories and a very good detective story with intricate plots, Jonathan Creek is often broadcast as a repeat on the BBC Entertainment (after several showings on BBC channels and on France 4). The series ends after the fourth season, because of a drop in the audience at the main actress change, but a new Christmas Special could be watched in 2008 and an Easter Special is programmed for April 2010.

Various
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/jonathancreek/ [EN]
http://www.jonathancreek.net/ [EN]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118363/ [EN]

(Images source: BBC)

I know, I know, one more detective series. What do you expect? I am a fan, after all.

Infos
Detective stories for the BBC, adapted from books, unfortunately there are only 8 stories (of two episodes each)
Written by: John Hawksworth, Jill Hyem, Elaine Morgan, Jeremy Paul, Alan Plater, Brian Thompson, from the stories by Margery Allingham
Directors: Martyn Friend, Robert Chetwyn, Ken Hannam, Christopher Hodson, Michael Owen Morris, Robert Tronson, Ronald Wilson

Cast (recuring characters)
Peter Davison: Albert Campion
Brian Glover: Magersfontein Lugg
Andrew Burt: DI / DCI Oates

Summary
Albert Campion (pseudonym) is a British detective of wealthy background, taking care of any investigation concerning his friends or not directly interesting the police force, though with very good contacts with this one and particularly with his friend Oates. Helped by his butler Lugg, a former gangster, Campion however does not look dangerous at all: thin, glasses, dressed very cleanly and smart, he seems to be a simpleton. And yet, he shows very quickly but discreetly impressive capacities of deduction, is athletic, and can defend himself.

My advice
A detective series set around 1930, with two excellent actors perfect in their roles for the main characters, what else could one ask for ? Stories are nice though sometime a little bit far fetched, eight 100 minutes investigations, British humour on top of that.

Various
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pn4w2 [EN]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094430/ [EN]
http://www.margeryallingham.org.uk/ [EN]

(Images source: BBC)

I had written a presentation of this series for children, but it disappeared, so here is a new post.

Infos
A spanish series for Zinkia Entertainment, quickly bought by the british and translated (well, at least the narrator and the children voices) for broadcast on cITV
Created by: David Cantolla, Luis Gallego, Guillermo García Carsi
Written by: Guillermo García Carsí, Andy Yerkes, Ken Scarborough

Cast
Narrator: Stephen Fry
Pocoyo: Alex Kearns

Summary
Pocoyo is a 4 years old kid, all clothed in blue, and accompagnied by his friends Pato the duck, Elly the elephant, Sleepy Bird, and Loula the dog. Some visitors, like the Ball Orchestra, Octopus (Fred), or Butterfly. He lives many amusing adventures, narrated by Stephen Fry, with much joy and humour, from the building of a block tower to dance or to the problems of sneezing.

My advice
Honestly, a great series, recommended to all, children and grown ups. Fun situations, a very clean narration in a perfect British English, no stupid assumption that your kid will answer correctly, light and cute “drawing”, this is one of my favourite picks for children (so, for Matt’, naturally). I would suggest buying the DVDs if you can afford them, 13 episodes on each is already a lot.

Various
http://www.pocoyo.com [EN/FR]
http://www.youtube.com/pocoyo [EN]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0487849/ [EN]

(Images source: official site)

When my brain registred the word Nephilim, I thought it would be a TV adaptation of Sébastien Pennes or Fabien Clavel’s books. It is not even that.

Fernanda Andrade: Vilma Rodriguez, nephilim et petite amie d’Aaron
Paul Wesley: Aaron Corbett, le Nephilim héros de l’histoire
Hal Ozsan: Azazel
Rick Worthy: Camael, ancien chef des Puissances
Darren Scott: Gabriel/Gabe le chien (voix)
Tom Skerritt: Ezekiel/Zeke, un ange déchu, ami d’Aaron
Alex Ferris: Stevie Corbett
Chelah Horsdal: Lori Corbett, parents adoptifs d’Aaron
Elizabeth Lackey: Verchiel, ange chassant les Nephilim et les anges déchus
Will Yun Lee: Mazarin, chef des Puissances

Infos
A mini series in three parts for ABC Family, that did not have much succes. Broadcasted in 2006, it was already removed from the webside… and is impossible to find in DVD. It is the NRJ2′s french dubbing that allowed me to see it by luck.
Created and written by: Tim Huddleston et Sara B. Cooper, d’après une nouvelle de Thomas E. Sniegoski
Directors: Mikael Salomon, Kevin Kerslake
Cast
Bryan Cranston: Lucifer (sic)
Fernanda Andrade: Vilma Rodriguez, Nephilim and crush of Aaron
Paul Wesley: Aaron Corbett, the Nephilim, hero of this story
Hal Ozsan: Azazel
Rick Worthy: Camael, former chief of the Powers
Darren Scott: Gabriel/Gabe the dog (voice)
Tom Skerritt: Ezekiel/Zeke, fallen angel, Aaron’s friend
Alex Ferris: Stevie Corbett
Chelah Horsdal: Lori Corbett, Aaron’s foster parents
Elizabeth Lackey: Verchiel, angel hunting Nephilim and fallen angels
Will Yun Lee: Mazarin, chief of the Powers

Summary
On his eightenth birthday, Aaron discovers that he has strange powers (he can talk to animals, for example), and since he was adopted, does know nothing about them. He learns he is a Nephilim, the child of a human and an angel. He befriends a fallen angel, Zeke, and brings his college crush in the adventure, Vilma, who is a Nephilim too. Unluckily, the Powers (under orders of God) are roaming the earth to eliminate fallen angels and Nephilims. Aaron learns he could be the Nephilim of the prophecy, who could save them all.

My advice
Honestly, I was expecting better than that. I thought it was constantly oscillating between teenager movies and bad action series. Even the humour is not very good. I think the book’s plot(s) (based on the summaries) was used as a pretext (nice costumes, special effects and landscapes…) and not as a base for the story. Watch Sarah Jane Adventures if you want a good series with mysterious things…

DiversVarious
Fiche IMDB [EN]
Books [EN]

(Images source: http://www.malcolminthemiddle.co.uk/2007/07/25/bryan-cranston-hal-as-lucifer-in-fallen/)

BBC4 broadcasts Wallander, a detective series, in its original swedish version, with subtitles.

Infos
A series made in Sweden and in Swedish, subtitled for the BBC and broadcasted in parallel with the new series (with Kenneth Brannagh). It seems that Paris Première did offer an original version with French subtitles.
Created by Henning Mankell, Petra Revenue
Written from the detective stories of Henning Mankell
Director: Stephan Apelgren

Cast
Krister Henriksson: Kurt Wallander, the chief inspector around whom all the series revolves, who had alcohol problems amongst other things (see picture above)
Johanna Sällström: Linda Wallander, Wallander’s daughter, policewoman (see picture above)
Mats Bergman: Nyberg, Forensic Technician, often a bit strange
Stina Ekblad: Karin Linder, the pathologist
Fredrik Gunnarsson: Svartman, one of the inspectors under Wallander’s orders
Ola Rapace: Stefan Lindman, one of the inspectors
Douglas Johansson: Martinsson, one of the inspectors
Marianne Mörck: Ebba, receptionist/phone hostess of the police station
Göran Aronsson: Grönqvist

Summary
Ystad, small coastal city of the south Sweden, has a police station were the main (though not commanding) officer is Wallander, a very good policeman who had / has problems (alcohol, relationship with his daughter, …). In the first episode, Wallander is looking for a sadistic killer while his daughter Linda integrates the same police station he works in. In the second episode, a strange hostage-taker explodes a bomb with esoteric symbols. And in the third episode, murders happen during a military parade, and Wallander suspects three missing conscripts to have something to do with the crimes (the country is neutral, though member of the EU, and still has an army).

My advice
Interesting scenarios, even if sometimes a bit “deja vu”, conveying rather well the atmosphere of Sweden and its mechanisms Wallander’s character is extremely well played, the tortured side, the incapacity to have anything like a normal relationship with his daughter, and so on. It is contemporary police stories with rhythm and punch. It is even better than the Branagh version.

DiversVarious
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00g2zsj (BBC4) [EN]
http://www.inspector-wallander.org/ [EN]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UweELQNzeic [SU]
http://www.visitsweden.com/suede/Destinations/Le-sud-de-la-Suede/Culture/Ystad–Kurt-Wallander/ [FR]

(Images source: BBC / inspector-wallander.org)

She is the writer on whose novels the whole True Blood TV Series by HBO is based

Sookie Stackhouse Novels or Southern Vampire Mysteries (Dead Until Dark – Living Dead in Dallas – Club Dead – Dead to the World – Dead as a Doornail – Definitely Dead – All Together Dead – From Dead to Worse – Dead and Gone – Dead in the Familly – …) Sookie Stackhouse is 26 and is waitress in a local bar in Bon Temps. She has a brother, Jason, and lives with her grandmother Adele. Everything would be fine if the summary was finished here, but alas Sookie is a telepath, and must make efforts not to “hear” the customer’s thoughts, and she is single. Vampires are humans victim of an illness that can feed on artifical blood, such as the blood sold in every place where you find beverages (including the bar where Sookie works) and she falls in love with a vampire who came as a customer, Bill Compton. When several young women are killed, apparently by vampires, Sookie has to lead her own inquiry, especially since Bill and Jason are successively under supsicion from the police. But the vampire’s world is very dangerous, even if Bill does his best to protect her.

My advice
It is a bit of Romance (think Harlequin), a lot of fantasy (think vampires / surnatural but contemporary), a lot of detective work (think detective novel), and a pinch of humour. Though it is more for adults (there is a bit of sex and violent or crude scenes), it is neither gory or X rate. Easy to read, I liked it. My problem lies with the series, when I watched the beginning of True Blood. Yes, I can see how some characters (Sookie especially) were used, some situations / plots, but the writer of the series deliberately turned it into a “sex violence blood and a bit of action” thing. I find that it is a pity that he did so, and I must admit (but perhaps because I read first and watched only later) I can not appreciate this series at all.

Sites:
Official: http://www.charlaineharris.com/ [EN]
Interview with C. Harris http://www.sfsite.com/05a/ch175.htm [EN]
IMDB page for True Blood http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844441/ [EN]

I am in a time where I want to read both mysteries and fantasy. So if I can do it in one book, it is even better !

Dresden Files (Storm Front – Fool Moon – Grave Peril – Summer Knight – Death Masks – Blood Rites – Dead Beat – Proven Guilty – White Night – Small Favor – Turn Coat – Changes – …) Harry Dresden is a Private Investigator and… a magician. They are not mutually exclusive, even the oposite, because in Chicago nowadays there are ghosts, werewolves, vampires, demons, fairies, and so on. He is a consultant for the police, as well as leading his own inquiries. His business card reads as follow:

Harry Dresden – Wizard
Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations.
Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates.
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or
Other Entertainment.

Unfortunately for him, Harry is a magician who respects the rules of the White Counscil, but also has a tendancy to get into trouble. So much that he is almost executed by the White Council, and later placed under a Damocles Sword though he killed someone only in self-defence.

Sites:
Official: http://www.jim-butcher.com/ [EN]
IMDB for the Dresden Files TV Series http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486657/
Publisher in French http://www.bragelonne.fr/auteurs.php?id_auteur=75 [FR]
Dresden Files RPG: http://www.dresdenfilesrpg.com/ [EN]

France 3 broadcasts a rather nice detective series, Murdoch Mysteries, from Citytv.

Infos
A serie already in its second season, from and for Citytv (Canada).
Created by Scott Garvie, Noel Hedges, Cal Coons and Christina Jennings
Written from the detective stories of Maureen Jennings

Cast (in the order of the image above)
Thomas Craig: Inspector Brackenried, Murdoch’s boss, the typical choleric Irish migrant
Yannick Bisson: Inspector William Murdoch*
Hélène Joy: Julia Ogden, the female forensic dr
Jonny Harris: George Crabtree, the constable helping inspector Murdoch in his enquiries

* remember that at the time Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, headed by her majesty Victoria of England (if I am correct in my time evaluation), and so judiciary, police and other systems are copied on England…

Summary
Murdoch is a Catholic policeman in a protestant Toronto. Always well dressed, polite language, using a bicycle to move, he uses for his enquiries rather modern methods (digital prints, bullets comparison, …). The investigations give a good idea of Toronto life before 1900.

My advice
Nice scenarios, including allusions to events of that time (a visit from A.C. Doyle), original characters (Crabtree is a better policeman than he looks like), advanced methods (he even makes a metal detector for Dr. Joy for when she tries to locate bullets in bodies), etc… without causing headaches or psychotic fits. I really like it.

Various
Site officiel: http://www.murdochmysteries.com/

Bon le scénario est supportable mais rien d’innovant somme toute

J’ai aimé
Les personnages clichés, le séminaire cliché

J’ai pas aimé
Le tout repose uniquement sur des clichés bateaux. En fait on dirait que le contenu d’un épisode de caméra café (environ 5 minutes) à été étalé dans un film de 90 minutes, du coup, vous pouvez imaginer le peu de gags qu’on y trouve. Vraiment dommage.
Le pire, c’est la fin de l’histoire qui n’apporte vraiment rien.

Personnellement, ce n’est pas un film que je conseil, mais bon, ce n’est que mon avis.

Mary Lester (les bruines de Lanester – les diamants de l’Archiduc – la mort au bord de l’étang – marée blanche – …) Mary Lester est Lieutenant de Police, et les romans de Jean Failler sont, en plus d’être de bonnes histoires policières, l’occasion unique de (re)découvrir la Bretagne autrement. Avec des descriptions des paysages, mais aussi des caractères, des métiers, etc., si vous aimez les romans policiers et la Bretagne, c’est à ne pas manquer…

Site
http://www.marylester.com/ Site officiel
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Failler La page wikipédia, avec les lieux d’enquête en correspondance avec le titre…
http://marylester.free.fr/ site non officiel

Cela fait un petit moment que je voulais vous parler de cette vaudevillesque série génialissime. C’est mon homme qui, aprés avoir vu à peine un épisode et demi il y a deux ou trois mois, en tombant dessus par hasard en zappant, s’est décidé à s’acheter il y a deux semaines, sur un coup de tête (comme toujours ) les trois saisons disponibles en français en DVD. Et franchement, il ne pouvait pas mieux faire !!! Scrubs est grandiose !

Résumé :
John Dorian, alias “JD” est un jeune mdecin récemment diplômé en médecine générale. Avec son ami d’enfance le chirurgien Chris Turk, il fait son internat au Sacré-Coeur (Sacred Heart) où il rencontre la névrotique docteur Elliott Reid et la pétillante infirmière Carla Espinosa. JD trouve rapidement un mentor en la personne du docteur Cox, cynique et de perpétuelle mauvaise humeur. Tout ce petit monde est dirigé par le mielleux et tyrannique docteur Kelso, le sardonique directeur du Sacré-Coeur.

Genre : Comédie, Médical (22 minutes par épisode)
La série, crée par Bill Lawrence (Spin City) est un peu un mélange entre Ally McBeal (dans le même genre, chaque épisode est en fait un voyage dans le cerveau légérement psychotique du héros, John Dorian, la mise en image des pensées du personnage qui a tendance à voir le monde de façon très curieuse) et un genre de parodie d’Urgences.

Mais en même temps, ça n’a rien à voir !
Scrubs c’est tout simplement Scrubs. Un non-sens permanent.

Il faut voir pour comprendre et après un seul épisode vous serez accros pour de bon. Tout ce qu’il faut pour faire une série : un équilibre idéal entre les épisodes, un rythme effréné, un humour complètement décalé et grinçant, des personnages vraiment attachants et tous plus barges et névrosés les uns que les autres… et encore, et encore, et encore… Ca va très vite, c’est totalement délirant et vraiment innovant. Tournée en décors réels et sans rires enregistrés, la série évoque également des sujets plus sérieux comme le rapport à la mort et à la maladie, les relations médecin-patient, ou les difficultés à réussir de front sa carriére et sa vie privée.

Bref, une série parfaite à découvrir absolument !

Les personnages :

J.D. (Zach Braff) : jeune homme fantasque à l’imagination débordante, il sert de narrateur principal (la voix off du personnage structure chaque épisode), le spectateur est amené à le suivre jusque dans ses fantasmes les plus fous.

Turk (Donald Faison) : jeune chirurgien et grand enfant de l’âme. Ce dernier est aussi le meilleur ami et colocataire de J.D. avec qui il entretient une complicité presque fraternelle.

Eliott (Sarah Chalke) : est une jeune femme ultra complexée et névrosée accumulant les maladresses aussi bien physiques que relationnelles. Elle entretient avec JD une relation ambigüe oscillant constamment entre amour et amitié.

Carla (Judy Reyes) : bienveillante infirmière et petite- amie de Turk, elle ne peut s’empécher de se méler des affaires des autres. Bien qu’ayant elle aussi son petit grain de folie, Carla n’en demeure pas moins la plus censée du groupe.

Perry Cox (John C.McGinley) : médecin chef et “mentor” de J.D. qui le craint autant qu’il le respecte. Cynique, râleur, colérique et terreur des jeunes internes, Perry Cox, a fait du sarcasme son arme de prédilection et prouve, si besoin est, quil est le roi de la casse. Cependant sous ses dehors menaçants, le docteur Cox cache un être profondément humain, baissant occasionnellement son masque de narcissisme.

le Dr Kelso (Ken Jenkins) : méprisant, sexiste, odieux et profondément misanthrope, médecin chef de l’hôpital et véritable bête noire de tous les employés. Se révélant au fur et à mesure plus bougon que véritablement méchant, Kelso fait partie de cette catégorie de personnages qu’on adore détester.

L’homme de l’entretient (Neil Flynn) : homme sans nom qui prend un malin plaisir gâcher toutes les journées de J.D. son souffre douleur officiel.

Ted (Sam Lloyd) : l’avocat hypocondriaque et sous-fifre de Kelso .

Todd (Robert Maschio) : chirurgien obsédé sexuel qui s’obstine à draguer tout ce qui bouge malgré ses incessantes gamelles.

Jordan (Christa Miller Lawrence ) : ex -femme et alter ego féminin du docteur Cox qui n’hésite pas à user de tous les moyens pour arriver à ses fins.