Question: Why would the Sorting Hat want to put Harry into Slytherin? Although Harry has a few traits of a Slytherin, he doesn't have the other traits such as pride, ambition and self-preservation.
raywest
9th Aug 2022
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
Answer: I TOTALLY agree with lionhead's excellent answer, but dispute the assertions in the question that Harry lacked ambition, pride, or a sense of self-preservation. He would not otherwise have survived Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Apart from Voldemort's soul shard embedded within him, Harry was also naturally resourceful, determined, clever, achievement-oriented, and had a "certain disregard for rules." These were Slytherin traits which many exploited for Dark purposes, though not all Slytherins were evil.
11th Aug 2022
Ultimate Spider-Man (2012)
Question: Was this series cancelled or simply ended?
Answer: According to Internet sources, Ultimate Spider-Man was cancelled after three seasons to make room for the new series, Marvel's Spider-Man.
11th Aug 2022
The Shadow (1994)
Question: Why did Lamont have to physically alter his face when he became The Shadow?
Answer: In the comics he was a tall, thin man with a large hook nose, sort of like "Sherlock Holmes." When the movie was cast, they thought of altering Alec Baldwin's face for the role, but decided that all those prosthetics would make him unrecognizable, so it was decided he would morph into the original character, when using his "Shadow" power. The same thing was decided when Warren Beatty was cast as "Dick Tracy."
Answer: Unlike most comic book superheroes, the Shadow character evolved from a series of pulp novels, and later a radio program, starting in the 1930s. The Shadow's true identity was initially unknown, and he had multiple aliases and many alter egos. Only later was he permanently known as rich playboy Lamont Cranston. As the Shadow, he used different disguises when combating villains. While in Asia, Lamont learned how to read minds and use hypnosis to cloud peoples' vision. The movie reflected his ability to alter his appearance when transforming into the crime-fighting Shadow.
5th Aug 2022
Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Question: Didn't the Snowflake virus also infect other life besides humanity, such as animals and plants?
31st Jul 2022
The Ropers (1979)
Question: In the pilot episode, Helen says to Stanley that he's now going to have to get a job (assuming to afford living in this pricey townhome), but throughout the entire two-season series, Stanley is shown never getting a job and sits around at home all the time. How did they never run out of money?
Answer: Assuming they made enough income from rentals fees, Helen may have wanted Stanley to find a job solely to get him out of the house and out of her hair. Many women dislike having their husbands home all the time, and, if they're retired, encourage them to find some work or activity outside of the house.
That's possible, though a bit doubtful since they lived in their old apartment building (the Three's Company one) for 14 years. That was 14 years of Stanley being at home without Helen wanting him to get a job "away from home."
She also isn't shown telling him to get a job for any reason after the pilot episode. Rather than continually nagging him, Helen apparently accepted that he wasn't going to get one. Also, it's a TV show. Writers continually change character dynamics, plot lines, running gags, etc. as the show progresses, which can create either deliberate or unintentional inconsistencies. It was probably something the writers saw no reason to pursue.
Answer: He owned the entire apartment complex in "Three's Company." Even the sales prices back in the 1970's were in the millions.
But if that's the case, why would Helen tell Stanley he'd have to get a job when they first moved to their new place? Even Stanley gave a worried look when he was questioned that. If they had all money, that scene would not have taken place and Helen never would have brought that up.
1st Aug 2022
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Question: Why did Diana destroy the mall's security cameras, and why did she want the little girl to stay quiet?
Answer: At this point in time, her gig as a superhero is not public knowledge, and she wants it to stay that way.
How would that accomplish anything considering there were many people in the mall who saw what happened?
As the other answer indicated, Diana/Wonder Woman wasn't yet known publicly as a super-hero. A video recording is different from eye-witness accounts of what people actually saw or believe they saw. Memories are faulty, they fade, and everyone sees and remembers things differently. Regarding the child, I interpreted it as Diana just motioning in a friendly way for the rather precocious girl to stay put, behave, and quietly wait for her mother.
In my opinion, it wouldn't, and it's just another example of the shoddy writing in this film.
Answer: This was long before the age of superheroes, when everything was normal and meta-humans were just theories in a lab. It was her appearances which stated it all. Remember the tagline, "The Dawn of Justice Begins with Her."
31st Jul 2022
The Missouri Breaks (1976)
Question: The Missouri Breaks starred Jack Nicholson (as Tom Logan, a rustler) and Marlon Brando (as Robert E Lee Clayton, a "regulator" tasked with eliminating him). Yet they never appear together. Brando is absent from over half the scenes featuring Nicholson, and vice-versa. When they do meet, there is a close up of Nicholson speaking to Brando, followed by a close up of Brando replying to Nicholson, and so on. Why do Nicholson and Brando never appear on screen together?
Answer: At this point, Brando used cue cards for his dialogue and liked to improvise lines. Nicholson found this difficult and distracting because Brando continually shifted his gaze to the cue card behind the cameraman and went off script. Although Nicholson said Brando was exceedingly cooperative and "gentle as a lamb" on the set, the two actors took an instant dislike to one another. Each actor was filmed separately while reciting their lines.
27th Jul 2022
El Mariachi (1992)
Question: Is it true that, out of all actors who appeared in this movie, only Carlos Gallardo had experience in acting before starring in this film?
28th Jul 2022
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978)
Question: This 1978 comedy take on the Hound Of The Baskervilles featured a stellar cast of British comedy icons: Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Spike Milligan, Kenneth Williams and Terry Thomas. Yet it was not remotely funny and was a box office bomb. Biographies of cast members say the film was a low point of their careers, their acting lacks conviction, as if they know it isn't funny. So, why did they keep making this film, since, even when it was half completed, everybody knew it would be a total flop?
Answer: The actors would have no control over whether a film should continue production, particularly just because they didn't like how it was progressing. They were under contract and paid to act in a movie, regardless of the quality and would be sued if they quit. Movies are financed by studios and investors who expect a monetary return on their investment. Even if the film's quality was considered poor, producers would base their decisions on making a profit or at least recouping the costs. Halting production would be an extreme last resort.
Thank you for your informative and interesting points. I read a biography of Peter Cook which said that when the film studio executives saw the finished film they realised it just was not funny or entertaining. There was reluctance to give it a cinema release, as it was thought it would not even recoup distribution costs. It was eventually given a limited release and it bombed. I saw the film once on television, even though I am a fan of many members of the cast, I was wholly unimpressed. I think most of the cast, too, were embarrassed by the film.
27th Jul 2022
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)
Question: Why didn't Rowan Atkinson reprise his role as Zazu in this movie? Since he voiced Zazu in the first film, why didn't he voice him in this one?
14th Feb 2022
WarGames (1983)
Question: In the opening sequence, the younger silo guy is about to shoot his partner for not turning his key as ordered. What would be the point of this? If they have to turn the keys simultaneously then how would killing the other guy help? You'd just have a dead guy with nobody to turn the other key.
Answer: But if he doesn't turn the key, they can't launch anyway. So threatening his life results in either a) his death, and nothing's different from him refusing to turn the key, or b) him giving in and turning his key.
Answer: The younger one threatening to shoot knows that if he kills the other guy, he cannot launch the missiles alone. He is betting that by threatening to shoot his partner, he will force him into complying with the order in order to save his own life. It's a situation where the older guy may or may not comply, but at least there's a chance.
Answer: The reason the missile launch crew is armed is to stop one from going rogue and trying to launch without permission. The scene where he threatens to shoot the other one for refusing to launch is dramatic, but totally untrue.
Answer: The opening sequence was a test and I think only the older guy didn't know it was a test. The younger guy actually knew it was a test and was there to threaten him with death as part of the test. Later we find out that 22% of missile commanders failed to launch. So the fact that the younger guy calls the other one "sir", makes it seem (to me) that the older guy was the missile commander and was the only one actually being tested. So when they kept saying "these men", I think they're referring to the commanders being tested and not the pair of men we saw.
19th Jul 2022
The Great Escape (1963)
Question: What village is McQueen in after stealing the motorcycle? He is stopped by a Nazi solder, but sped away when unable to answer in German. Would this have been located in the village of Eisenberg?
19th Jul 2022
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
Question: What's the idea behind the name 'Nils Debruuk'? It's stated he's Norwegian, but 'Debruuk' doesn't sound Norwegian at all, more like someone from the Netherlands?
Answer: Nils Debruuk could be Norwegian by nationality, rather than by race if his parents, Grandparents, etc. immigrated to Norway. He may also be part Norwegian on his maternal side if his mother had a child by someone from another country. It is also possible his mother was full-blooded Norwegian and his father was half and had a non-Norwegian father. There's a number of possibilities. I did an Internet search on the name. In that form, I didn't find anything as a surname. There is De Bruuk, which is an area in the Netherlands.
19th Jul 2022
The Orville (2017)
Question: Now that season 3 is out, has there been any updates about why Alara was written off, or why Halston Sage left the show, near the beginning of season 2? In 2019, she seemed to indicated her leaving wasn't her choice and it was what was best for the show. But, the fact that they replaced her character with another female Xelayan makes it seem like they weren't really making any changes. And with a 4th season unlikely, are there any rumors Sage will return in season 3?
Answer: No official reason has been given. Halston Sage has only stated in an interview that leaving the show was not her choice. It is considered that her possible return is "open ended", and while there has been no official announcement, she did make a reappearance at the end of Season 2.
19th Jul 2022
The Crow (1994)
Question: We all know Brandon Lee was shot and ultimately died of his injuries. The death was recorded and has ultimately been destroyed. But does anyone know what scene it is where the accident happened? I've read that it was the scene where he jumps on the table and is shot off before popping up, and I've read that it was a scene with just Funboy shooting him with a revolver. There have also been articles where it's described as an "unknown scene"
Answer: To add, there are other websites besides Wikipedia, that also confirm that Brandon's death occurred while filming the scene of Shelly's rape.
Answer: This is from Wikipedia: On March 31, 1993, at EUE Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, North Carolina, Lee was filming a scene where his character, Eric, is shot after witnessing the beating and rape of his fiancée. Actor Michael Massee Funboy fires a .44 Magnum Smith and Wesson Model 629 revolver at Lee as he walks into the room.
As we are all aware, Wikipedia isn't the best for credibility. Is there any other source for this information? As like I said originally, I've read articles where it's the scene where he falls off the table, and others where it's just "an unknown scene".
That Wikipedia entry is cited with a source to an official news article, so it's totally legit. I've never seen an article where it says it was the scene where he fell off a table. I've only ever heard it mentioned as the scene where he finds Shelly being beaten and raped. But here are some other articles about the incident: https://ew.com/article/1993/04/16/brief-life-and-unnecessary-death-brandon-lee/ and https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-04-01-mn-17681-story.html.
19th Jul 2022
Friends (1994)
Question: I read that Ross was originally supposed to stay married to Emily, but the actress did not want to live in the USA at that time. Why not re-cast the role, since she isn't one of the main six?
Answer: Emily was slated to appear in more episodes, but it wasn't intended that she and Ross would remain married. Emily was written out sooner than originally planned because actress Helen Baxendale (Emily) was pregnant. In her last appearances, to hide her pregnancy, she is shown in a close-up from the shoulders up or is sitting in bed and covered by a blanket while talking to Ross on the phone. As she was not supposed to have a long run on the show, it would have been impractical to cast a new actress for such a short period.
17th Jul 2022
Casino (1995)
Question: Can somebody explain this skim business to me? Cause it sounds like they're stealing from their own casinos - what's the point?
14th Jul 2022
Cast Away (2000)
Question: Why did Chuck stand up and then spend ages looking at the part of the toilet that had washed up?
Answer: By that time, Chuck had been on the island for four years and was becoming somewhat mentally unstable. When he first sees the toilet wall section washed up against the rocks, he approaches defensively, spear in hand, as if it's something dangerous. He seems to snap back to reality and gradually surmises it is not only benign, but potentially useful. His mind then begins working out he can adapt it as a sail to escape the island.
Answer: He couldn't believe it, of all the things to wash ashore it was a toilet. So far everything else he found could be used in a certain way, but a toilet. I didn't see the movie at the theaters but I bet the audiences were roaring with laughter.
I saw it in the theater and no-one laughed...it wasn't funny. Chuck is seeing the first man-made object he's seen in years, and he's stunned...and maybe he's getting the idea of using it as a sail.
14th Jul 2022
Secret Window (2004)
Question: How did the pages of the magazine go missing? It did not seem like he switched to Shooter in between.
Answer: Mort removed the pages without realizing it. He believed Shooter had somehow got hold of the package, opened it, and tore out the pages before he picked it up at the post office. It wasn't shown on-camera that it was Mort who did that, as that would have spoiled the "big reveal" at the end of the movie. The audience is seeing it from Mort's perspective.
14th Jul 2022
Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972)
Question: Why did Klaus Kinski try to kill one of the crewmen with a sword prop?
Answer: Kinski suffered from mental illness for most of his life. He was given to bouts of unprovoked outbursts and violence. He was eventually diagnosed with psychopathy (antisocial personality disorder). On movie sets, he was notorious for being physically and verbally abusive to the crew, who generally hated him. The sword incident was just one of many. On the production of this film, director Werner Herzog carried a gun on him in the event he had to protect himself or others. It was only because Herzog was a long-time friend that he hired Kinski for acting jobs. Kinski was flat-out crazy. He was eventually unable to get any work as an actor.
Agreed. I forget what film set it was but Kinski also once fired a rifle at a bunch of crew members and blew a guy's finger off. He was unstable.
It was also Aguirre, The Wrath Of God. Kinski was irritated by the noises from a hut where cast and crew were playing cards and, out of anger, repeatedly fired a Winchester rifle into it. One of the bullets took the tip of an unknown extra's finger off.
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Answer: Spoiler alert: Harry has a piece of Voldemort's soul in himself which entered through the scar. The sorting hat was aware of that soul part when going through Harry's mind and Voldemort is typical Slytherin material, so the sorting hat put that into his consideration.
lionhead