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Couch Pumpkin - September 2006

Jamie's Kitchen

September 28th 2006 23:14
I'm not sure how I feel about this show yet. I watch it though. So that's a good thing for the ratings I guess...

My husband made the point "It's not that big a deal, anyone could learn to be a chef". But in some ways isn't that the point? Most people who have had decent education and have at least a smidgen of dedication can learn a trade. The difference is that these students in Jamie's Kitchen are seriously disadvantaged - a large proportion seeming to have learning difficulties. It's about taking the youth that most people would just assume are dead beats who will never end up as anything and nurturing them into becoming something - maybe even fine chefs. The amount of support and understanding these kids are getting is unheard of in any ordinary TAFE cooking class. The fact that they were chosen for their baggage, drug addictions or lack of education is an amazing thing. They get second chances, third chances, fourth chances and special one on one time if they need it.


I think the notion is good, and I hope that even after the show ends, they continue to only hire people who need that break. It is more timely and costly I am sure do it that way, but what is the point otherwise? I'm sure with all the publicity from the show and Jamie Oliver appearances etc they will make a good profit. I had heard two weeks ago that the Fifteen restaurant in melbourne already had a waiting list of 8000! So I really hope and pray that they continue to do good for the people who need good in their life.

Something I noticed though, was that a majority of the peopple are 'westerners'. Statistically in a country where many 'minorities' are forced to work cash in hand below minumum wage it suprises me that, in Melbourne at least, it would only be white kids who are disadvantaged enough and dedicated enough to recieve a spot. I wonder why it's ended up like that? Perhaps a TV show is not appealing to he ethnic minorities? I don't know. I live in an area where there is alot of bad stuff going on. Just the other day there was a man punching his woman in the street while she held a baby in her arms. Every night until 11 I see 6 year old kids standing on the corner smoking and talking about the sex they got last night. I have glazed eyes come up and ask me if I have any meth to sell... And I tell you, they are not all white in my area. Infact it seems the westerners are the minorities in my area. So I say, c'mon Jamie, come to Redfern, help some of these kids out caus ethey really need it.
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RENT - the movie

September 27th 2006 23:51
So I threw caution to the wind the other night when my hubby and I were at Blockbuster and I said "honey, why don't you just chose". Luckily we didn't end up with a bag full of action videos (he must be feeling a bit sensitive) and instead one of the DVDs he picked up was RENT. I was excited. I had wanted to see this one for a while - I'm a sucker for movies that have music, dancing, singing and black men. Even better if it has all of them!

Also I had heard that the gorgeous Rosario Dawson couldn't sing before she began voice training specifically for this project. I was curious to see how she did - and she was amazing. Such a beautiful timbre to her voice. Is it true really that she couldn't sing? Is it really her voice? Does anyone have the inside goss on it?


All in all I didn't really enjoy the movie although it was saturated with gooey lovely stuff, cute choreography, music and good-looking people. It was just a bit, weird really. It was like they didn't take enough time to convert the Broadway hit to the big screen because it was like watching a play, but without all the cool things about a play, like intimacy, like allowing them to be way over the top, like the really clever ways that they use props and the stage... This was no Chicago that's for sure...

Inexcusably there were many singing parts where you could barely hear the main singer, nor understand what they were saying. As a movie goes into post production and can be re dubbed and perfected audio wise, I am irritated by the lack of good sound.

The editing was bizarre too. The scene when the money hungry Benny (Taye Diggs) comes to their apartment is confusing. One second he is talking to them about rent and the next scene is Mimi (Rosario Dawson) getting dumped by her man for no apparent reason. Mimi mutters something about Benny being two years ago, so I assume it's a previous relationship that is causing tension? Who’s to know though? And then follows a montage of Mimi quitting drugs, crying on Benny's shoulder, buying drugs, fighting with the new man... Are these scenes from the future or the past? It's almost enough to make me take drugs - maybe then I'd understand it. In the deleted scenes feature there is an extension of the Benny in the apartment scene, which sheds more light on the situation. Otherwise it doesn’t make sense!

Surprisingly my hubby loved it.... Maybe it's a dude's film... Porn, action and RENT.
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