Russians lift Censor

Over in Russia, there has been a controversy going on: the TV station 2X2 has been airing cartoons such as The Simpsons and South Park, and this has infuriated the religious groups of Russia.  The station was threatened with losing its frequency, but has now earned a second chance.  They are being asked, however, to review the content of their shows.

This of course brings to light the question of censorship, who should be responsible for it, and so on.  It might sound kind of cold, but if Russia wants to censor or The Simpsons, I don't care.  It's not their art, it is art that was created over here in America, and as long as people here can appreciate it (and I'm sure people there do as well), then I say if they feel censorship is necessary, they can.  The only reason I feel this is because I don't feel like it is my right to interfere with that country's way of censorship.

Now if the U.S. tried to ban these shows, I of course would get outraged, which I guess could reflect how lazy I can be that something has to come to my doorstep in order for me to actually take action (isn't that how it is for us all, though?).  Anyways, a show like South Park isn't doing its job right if it isn't being banned from countries and riling up religious sects: that's the point of the show.  So the fact that Russia did attempt to ban this show and others just means that the shows won.

Man on Wire

I recently went to the Landmark Century Theater to view a quite remarkable documentary by the name of Man on Wire.  Directed by James Marsh, the doc tells the story of Philippe Petit, a French wire walker who dreams of rigging a wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center in the 1970s, and walking across.

What is remarkable about the documentary is that it recreates Petit's attempt to rig the wire, something he and his crew figured wouldn't be allowed.  They sneak in using various methods, including disguising as World Trade Center workers.  The reenactments at first seem a little cheesy, but are so well integrated into the story that soon you just except that this is real footage.  What helps is the incorporation of home video footage of Petit crossing wires at home, and his various stunts crossing the bell towers of Notre Dame, and the Sydney bridge.

But what the movie and the director achieve is a thrilling story that basically sets out to inspire you to want to go out and achieve the impossible.  Petit does cross the World Trade Center (eight times no less), and even the policemen who come up to arrest him are awestruck.  This is a film that celebrates the average human's dream to achieve the unattainable, and encourages audiences to dream the impossible.

Toronto International Film Festival

Peter Howell of the Toronto Star wrote of how the Toronto Film Festival lacked any of the zing that it has usually held for the past few years.  All the movies that came into the festival already had awards from previous festivals, and not one of the world premieres seemed to make a big impact there.  Howell felt that there was a certain lack of energy at this year's TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival).

But what is the nature of film festivals?  Mainly it is critics and spectators spending hundreds of dollars on passes and running from place to place to see as many films as possible.  Toronto has also been viewed for many years as the launching pad for many films that will be up for Oscar contention this year.  But last year, and apparently this year as well, there were no films that stood up above the rest, that people were sure would be the next Best Picture, or the next Best Actor or Actress awards.

Toronto was criticized for being too elitist, and maybe it is.  Toronto, with Venice, Cannes, and Sundance, is one of the biggest film festivals in the world, and eventually it will elevate to that status over time.  But the festival is mainly being criticized for being to greedy, even though they apparently dispersed thousands of more tickets this year.  Howell thinks that maybe it's time for Toronto to turn the clock back and get some big world premieres in, rather then having other festivals take big films, to restore TIFF's thunder.

My Reviewing the Arts Blog

My name is Jordan Towles, and this is the blog site I will be using to post all my blogs.