The Arts team continue their new section in which they come up with a theme and then list our film/music/TV/literary preferences according to that particular theme. This week, we delve into the somewhat pretentious grey zone of what is over and underrated (Coldplay fans, we’re sorry, but look away now).
OVER
Ioana: Inception
Never have I seen a more blatant renouncement of substance in favour of spectacle, but this is that special case where spectacle is skilfully dis- guised as substance. Needless to say, I fell asleep halfway through the film, perhaps to dream of a dream within a dream.
Lottie: The latest Belle and Sebastian album
Belle and Sebastian have been somewhat brave in incorporating disco into their new album, ‘Girls in Peacetime Want To Dance’. Despite their best efforts, this sounds drab and over commercialised, perhaps only highlighting the band’s inflexibil- ity. A modern day Orange Juice they evidently fail to be.
Tom: Breaking Bad
There, I said it.
UNDER
Lottie: Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace
True to its plot about a failed budget horror programme, the Richard Ayoade directed comedy Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace has been confined to obscurity. Fortunately for us all the show can still be found to haunt the likes of 4oD, where its genius can be re-lived. For fans of The Mighty Boosh (it has cameos from both Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding at the beginning of their careers).
Victoria: Revenge Wears Prada
(Yes, it’s a sequel to what you’re thinking of!) was hard to put down but very much under the radar it seemed.
Tom: The Poetry of W.S. Graham
As experimental as his more renowned modernist peers yet still so human.
DILEMMA
Victoria: Broad City
Treads the line between being both very carefully.