MovieChat Forums > The Final Winter (2007) Discussion > Paramount Shirts

Paramount Shirts

posted 17 years ago by vonhangman
15 replies | jump to latest

On the "comments" page, a poster named "Russell" from "Australia" found the film "absolutely terrible". He is, of course, entitled to his opinion. Personally I thought it was an excellent movie, and one which is almost certain to be become a cult favorite. There is no accounting for taste. However, "Russell" says:

This is Paramount's FIRST Australian film! Thats great news that a huge American studio wants to take an active interest in the flagging Australian film industry, however, why oh why did they choose this horrible mess out of all the decent scripts floating around just begging to be made into a movie??!!

...

What was the most funniest part about this drama was that the team itself was called "Paramount Shirts" (an incredibly BAD take on an in-house joke) - I thought that was absolutely ridiculous!!!!

In fact, the team was the Newtown Rugby League Football Club, more commonly known as either the Newtown Jets or, for old time fans, as the Newtown Bluebaggers.

In the early 1980s, at the time the film was set, the club's major sponsor was Paramount Shirts. The football jumpers worn in the movie are replica jumpers of those worn by Jets' players during that era.

If "Russell" can get something as simple as this so wrong, I am highly dubious about the other "facts" he purports to be retailing as some kind of privileged industry insider.

He also tends to overuse exclamation marks!!!!!

[–] russ_billabong 17 years ago

OK vonhangman! I never said I was some Sports Journalist watching a movie and completing a sporting history test whilst watching the film. That was never the point I was getting across! I really can't see how any of this is even relevant with the film actually being any good?? Also after looking at your 'purport' responses on the Jennifer Love Hewitt posts - I really can't see how people should take YOU seriously! I am in the industry and I get invited to all the preview screenings by the distributors and also get free double passes to any film any sessions any cinema. So I see alot of movies and I found this one to be partically bad and obviously it got my attention enough to say in my opinion how bad it was and that it cost the industry and especially Paramount Studios alot of time and money. I said in my first post that it will only be in the cinemas a max of 2wks and it only lasted simply that!!! Your attack is purely through angst that someone doesn't clearly agree with you!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope that was enough exclamation marks ...

CHEERS,
RUSS

[–] vonhangman 17 years ago

You made a foolish error which I corrected. I now gather from reading some of the other threads here that you made a series of foolish errors. The conclusion to be drawn is clear. You are a fool.

[–] russ_billabong 17 years ago

Coming from a HUGE Jennifer Love Hewitt fan your accountability of taste is well below even the most average of movie-goers! I would compare you to a pre-teen female whos obsessed with teen romance movies like Bratz & She's All That ... going by your posts ...
Where are the other 'foolish' series of errors I apparantly have made (in your opinion)??

the conclusion to be drawn is that your a dickhead! :)

CHEERS,
RUSS

[–] vonhangman 17 years ago

If you had read them in context, which I strongly doubt you bothered to do, you would have found my contributions to the Jennifer Love Hewitt board witty and insightful.

The foolish error I pointed out your belief that Paramount Shirts is the name of a sporting franchise.

The other foolish error you made was getting the name of an important actor in the movie (Raelee Hill) completely wrong.

Dude, you are entitled to your opinion about the merits of this or any other film, but, a word to the wise, check your facts or you will wind up looking like an imbecile.

[–] onamission 17 years ago

I initially PM'ed similar comments to Russ but I see they've been addressed here. If you're the industry member you say you are Russ, not only have you failed to do any research to background yourself on the film you saw (to not know the above regarding the team shirts indicates you went to see a movie with sport as a major driver for the story having never watched any sport before at all) but you've rubbished an independent filmmaker who with no formal qualifications or short-film experience has funded, written and completed a major feature from scratch at a time when Australia can hardly afford to discourage fresh ideas and talent from emerging. That in itself is not the behaviour of someone who cares about the Australian film industry. Someone whose livelihood lay in the industry might acknowledge the considerable praise the film has received from many critics of standing while making the point of not agreeing personally. You've certainly never directed or written if you think that box office longevity is the sole measure of a film's worth. Where are all these 'worthy' scripts you say are more deserving of Paramount's attention? How many debut independent Australian films made on an independent budget of the last five years can you name that have lasted more than four weeks total in cinemas? I've seen plenty of films too Russ, and you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but you have no business rubbishing actors, writers or directors out of hand as you have no standing to support it.

[–] russ_billabong 17 years ago

I don't need to do any history research for any previews I get invited to see and nor does the distributors reccomend it nor do any of my collegues at any of the previews so far. I am not a qualified film critic - I am not writing an article for a magazine or newspaper - i find it highly irrevant to be knowlagable in regards to sporting events or any history at all when watching a film in order for me to make my OWN opinion on it without everyone having their two bobs on what I said about "The final Winter"! I can definately 'rubbish' any actor or direction I see in poor films or any film for that matter as does every other movie-goer. I find it rediculous to even suggest that I need 'standing to support' my personal opinions! Would you ask the same very thing to anyone else watching a film, whether it be "Final Winter" or not?! I never said that a film is only as good as what the box office makes for itself! There are plenty of great films that never make the mark at the box office, thus leading to a dissapointing result. I just thought in this case that it made sense to me that this quality of a film performed horribly as it was something no ones was interested in seeing (obviously - box office takings). The worthy scripts are the ones we do not hear about as they are never flmed! "Lantana" & "Japanese Story" & "Kenny" & "Jindabyne" are just some of the independent Australian films that have lasted at least 4 weeks!!! Obviously there is a market for Australian films - if there is a decent script in the first place and subject matter and a cast(whether known or not) that interest people - then they will go and see it!! I have alot of respect for the Australian Film Industry - especially when they get it right [most of the time].

I'd like to see your creditations in order to accuse me of having 'no standing' as I am sure you are just acting angst towards me because I clearly didn't like this film. Im sure there are plenty of others that agree with me as this has only averaged a score of 6 of 10 stars with 17% of all votes giving it less than 5 stars!!

RUSS

[–] vonhangman 17 years ago

I can't believe you want to return here to get slapped around some more. If you get stuff WRONG and I mean completely and unambiguously wrong, such as the name of an important actress in the movie, mate, you just aren't on a good wicket.

i find it highly irrevant to be knowlagable in regards to sporting events or any history at all when watching a film in order for me to make my OWN opinion on it without everyone having their two bobs on what I said about "The final Winter"!

I think it is relevance, or the lack of it, rather than reverence or irreverence is the concept for which you were searching. And, well, you do need to be at least a little bit knowlagable to get the most out of the films you watch. All filmmakers expect you to bring some basic facts into the cinema with you, so that you can catch allusions, get jokes, and understand plot points; and just about everyone who knows anything about professional sport wouldn't be flummoxed by seeing a sponsor's logo on a club uniform.

The point here, however, is not whether or not you are knowlagable about sport. The point is that you decided your ignorance of the facts ought to be no obstacle to your slamming the filmmakers.

In this situation, is it of significance that you have a modest command of the relevant information? Dude, yes, it is!!!!!!!

[–] Newton820 16 years ago

hahahaha, he thinks the team is called paramount shirts. You cant buy that *beep*

"I'm Brian and so's my wife!"

[–] asset55 16 years ago

In all seriousness Russbillabong, you are coming across as somebody who should know something about film. Now this film, The Final Winter, was set in a time and about a sport that you really need to know something about to understand. You clearly lack the knowledge about this era of sport, you are entitled to an opinion, but it is clearly an uninformed opinion.

How the movie performed at the box office is generally not a good gauge of the film itself, your comments are really a little comical!

Go and educate yourself a little first…

[–] asset55 16 years ago

Agreed, Russbillabong is entitled to an opinion, but I would take it with a grain of salt after reading the holes in his post!

[–] Paullyboy5 16 years ago

I still can't believe this fool has such a limited knowledge of the movie he was apparently watching that he thought they were called "Paramount Shirts". haha, oh it's just too easy to laugh at some people.

[–] bigmuzz 16 years ago

who cares how it did at the box office, its a niche film it was never gonna do big money...

its just good to see a decent film about rugby league, we dont get many, if any at all.

and to think the name of the team is Paramount Shirts suggests mild retardation, not a limited knowledge of the movie/sport

[–] toxic_slick 16 years ago

in the industry means selling people tickets and popcorn right?

[–] brettbrett 16 years ago

I don't think that "RUSS" really understands the film. It is definately a uniquely Australian movie that I think will pretty much appeal only to Aussies. It does have a universal theme that we can all relate to in someway but its niche is definately in the Australian industry. Everything about the movie was very realistic to the era and the way of life it is portraying.

As for "working in the cinema industry"???? Seriously mate - no one gives a *beep* Don't big note yourself and try to make out that your opionion is so much more important because you're "in the industry". You probably work at the popcorn counter or the door or something. Wanker.

[–] foxboy666 16 years ago

Popcorn counter or on the door is a bit too high up the chain for this bloke.

Clearly his grasp of plot points and even the English language would suggest he is yet to graduate from toilet cleaning and picking gum out from under the seats.

Who cares what it made at the box office, or how long it was in cinemas for.

I just finished watching this movie and it is one of the best I've seen in a very long time.