ICON TLV 2012 will have you on the edge of your seat, with films that take you to the edge of belief and leave you wondering, heart pounding, mind racing. Ghosts, werewolves, time travel, mind travel, robots – imagination and reality merge onscreen. Whether you’re looking for laughs, fantasy, thrills or chills, this eclectic selection of films has something to offer almost everyone, with even a deep thought or two thrown in for good measure.
I’ve already raved about Ruby Sparks, read more here, or just go see the movie!
Here are some more of my favorites, from my preview look at a few of the many films:
Directed by Nick Murphy The Awakening (UK 2011 English 107 min) stars the luminous Rebecca Hall (Vicky Christina Barcelona, The Prestige) as Florence Cathcart “an educated woman” (soon, perhaps to be a rare commodity on the local scene) in post WWI Britain. The intrepid ghost hunter is summoned to a boys school, to solve the mysterious sighting of a child ghost. Using the latest technology circa 1921, Florence intends to set things right through science and her razor sharp mind, yet events take one surprising eerie turn after another. All the delightful elements of the genre – slightly dilapidated stately home in a remote location, damaged men, plucky heroine, grim weather, dodgy gardener, and those beloved denizens of some of the best ghost stories – well groomed little boys with angelic faces and faultless accents.
“Somewhere in the valley there is a woman living in a basement who claims to be from the future, she’s actually amassing followers” – what and whom do we believe and why? Do we believe only what we can see? What can be measured? What we can prove? What we learn from a trusted source? What constitutes proof, and what constitutes a trusted source? Science? Faith? Or that which we call instinct? Brit Marling (fondly remembered from ICON TLV 2011 – Another Earth) explores the mechanisms of belief in Sound of My Voice, co-written with Zal Batmanglij who directed the film and will be a guest at ICON TLV 2012.
A journalist and his girlfriend go undercover to expose the woman (played by the tantalizing Brit Marling), joining the group and participating in their secret initiation processes. The distinction between pretense and truth blurs, enhanced by the documentary feel of this suspenseful film. A seductive and intelligent commentary on the desire to believe.
Yes, we do want to believe in time travel, superpowers and eternal life – such is the stuff that Sci-Fi/Fantasy festivals are made of….
*WANTED*Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.
The advertisement is a lot to live up to, and Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) – written by Derek Connolly and directed by Colin Trevorrow – delivers.
But that’s not all – there are many more movies that I (and you) have yet to see at ICON TLV 2012, to see the complete list of films, click here. Check out the ICON TLV YouTube channel for more trailers, ICON TLV website for info on all programs, ICON TLV facebook page for fun & updates, and pre-order tickets at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque 03-6060800.
