The best film and TV of 2013 (that you didn’t see)

Last year, The Stand gave you the low down on the best films and TV shows you missed out on. This year our lovely team have dedicated the past few months to visiting the cinema and watching our screens to find the most underrated and under-appreciated debuts of 2013. Is there a better way to spend your ridiculously long inter-semester break than sitting in front of a screen for hours on end?

Frances Ha

Critically acclaimed Girls has brought an underground genre in to the public consciousness: mumblecore. Mumblecore films typically feature graduates in their mid 20s who complain about how hard their life is, whilst living off their parents because they have yet to make any money from whichever arts based career they aspire to join (dancing, photography, blogging etc). If you take Girls and remove all the annoying features of the main character, you get Frances Ha. Frances (Greta Gerwig) isn’t as selfish and delusional as your average mumblecore women. She’s just lost as she watches everyone around her succeed, while her life falters. For anyone facing the big bad world of mortgages and job hunting it’s comforting to see that things will probably turn out ok, even if you have to take a detour along the way.

Bates Motel

I didn’t think a prequel to Hitchcock’s Psycho would ever work as a TV show. Norman Bates, the ultimate mummy’s boy, is hardly a sympathetic character. This show takes him back to his teens, before the cross dressing and shower stabbing, and provides insight in to the history of Norman’s creepy relationship with his mother Norma (yes, Norma and Norman). Essentially, it’s a Freudian wet dream. The  10 episode season is short enough that it never runs out of steam, leaving you with an edge of your seat cliffhanger at the end of every episode. It’s dark, it’s gripping, and it’s a necessity for any film fans.

The Great Hip Hop Hoax

The most light hearted entry on the list is this documentary about Dundonian musicians Silibil n’ Brains. After finding little success rapping with their Scottish accents, they jokingly adopt American accents. Before they know it, they have a record deal and a support slot for D12 (blast from the past, huh?) after tricking the biggest names in the industry in to believing they’re Californian skaters. The film explores issues of identity and the consequences of fame for two normal lads in a completely abnormal situation. The story really has to be seen to be believed.

Utopia

This is the best TV show I’ve seen in years. The plot can’t really be described without some epic spoilers. It kicks off with a graphic novel and leads to conspiracy theories, drugs and government cover ups. Despite the heavy subject matter, Utopia never loses its typically British brand of dark humour. It also happens to be beautiful to watch. The colour scheme and landscapes are worth the watch alone. The show has already been commissioned for a second series, so you’ll have to catch up quick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ci8t2NeErc

Image courtesy of joytv.gr