11/24/13

Movie Magic

It's no secret that Karl is a movie buff way beyond the usual addictive effect flickering screens have on kids? He's really into the whole thing from story to filmmaking process (have I bragged about the day yet, when I explained Aristotelian drama structure to him and he used it to correctly break down "Finding Nemo" into three acts for me the next day?). So every time we go to a movie house he is seriously in seventh heaven. Last week we watched "Das kleine Gespenst" And since he turned six he got to watch his first fantasy movie for olde kids (Luc Besson's "Arthur and the Invisibles"), which had the desired effect:

The greatest discovery of all was the Lego stop-motion app though that turns any iPhone into a mini-filmstudio. So the first half of today was spent in production of "The Arrival of Darth Vader", a 90 second sic-fi thriller. Karl was director, screenwriter, production designer and casting director. Henri was assistant director and myself was DP, editor and sound designer. Just to fill you in on the plot: Darth Vader arrives at the Jedi temple, has a laser sword fight with Yoda and Obi Wan. When he defeats them both Luke Skywalker arrives. While Skywalker subdues Vader a bunch of shady characters assembles in the Jedi library and despite being followed by a Jedi they manage to chase away Yoda, Obi Wan and the Jedi gang with a barrage from their laser guns. Thus Vader goes free and the movie ends with a cliffhanger:

Nothing beats the magic of movies. Well, maybe the assembling of a new Lego kit courtesy of a late birthday package from godmom Maria from Frankfurt.

Or spending an afternoon with your brother at a museum which has one of those new kiddie guides, that send you on a scavenger hunt filled with activities like quizzes, drawing assignments and stories. Good one at the new exhibition about Pompeii. Took a lot of explaining to convince Henri that we are not in danger of being buried by molten lava from a volcano.

11/17/13

Birthday Party Pt. 2

So we got the party started (last weekend that is). There were even Star Wars muffins.

Karl made it a theme party that moved through the whole house following stations of the space travels of his imaginary scifi action hero Galaxy.

We had a pretty good mix of arts & crafts and total mayhem sports action.

Lots of mingling of course as well.

Parental units were turned into Xtreme sports gear.

The host was attacked by a bunch of wild jungle animals.

There were sack races.

And everybody got to make their own spaceship to take home with the loot of the day. We heard people wanna come back. Well - anytime! Who doesn't want to hang out with a group of such angelic little sweeties.

11/11/13

Birthday Party (Pt 1)

Six! Big day in the life of Karl, because he now can see movies that are restricted for children under six (surprisingly rough fare tends to slip through the cracks of that ratings agency in charge of protecting our children, like our friend Gaby's film about the life of Paganini features lots of graphic sex with prostitutes, dive bar brawls and drug consumption, nevertheless it got a "for 6 and olde rating".... aaah, we're turning into Tipper Gore! Well, as Professor Jonathan Haidt in his great work about morals and politics writes - the two life events that turn you the most conservative are founding a company and founding a family.

The two day birthday party was all wholesome and decent though. Karl got a Lego set of his favorite space ship, which was a big hit....

...some books he really wanted. And of course a full day of Lego assemblage.

I have utmost respect and admiration for all Lego engineers. Those machines are true marvels of engineering imagination.

We made it just in time for grandpa's late afternoon arrival.

Which was followed by a dinner party in a state of bone-weary exhaustion. Which was gone the next morning, because Sunday afternoon was the big kiddie party, eagerly awaited by both brothers who got to sample the buffet beforehand. To be continued.......

11/9/13

Six

Happy birthday my big boy!