Question: Why does Lana at the end of the movie call Brandon "Teena"?
johnrosa
16th Mar 2010
Boys Don't Cry (1999)
16th Mar 2010
Boys Don't Cry (1999)
16th Mar 2010
Boys Don't Cry (1999)
29th Nov 2009
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Question: What does the "hurt locker" mean?
Answer: It's a term similar to "a world of hurt". It's both outside of you and within you. The outside definition is that a hurt locker is anywhere you go to find pain. In the film's case, war-torn Iraq is the hurt locker. Inside, your hurt locker is the place you bury your anguish.
20th Oct 2009
Mad Max 2 (1981)
Question: Where exactly are Humungous and his men getting their gas from? Given the amount of vehicles they have, it would take a fair amount of fuel to run them. But there is no explanation as to where they are getting it.
Answer: The answer could be referenced to the first movie "Mad Max." In that film it shows some members of the outlaw gang, though not necessarily the ones in "Road Warrior" stealing gas from a tanker by jumping onto the back of it and filling cans; apparently the driver of the tanker unaware. "Road Warrior" was a continuation of "Mad Max."
21st Mar 2009
Watchmen (2009)
Question: Ref. the switching of stilettos to flat soles during action sequences (as in Watchmen/Silk Spectre), is there really any way round this in practical terms? Even if the heels were to be put on as CGI, the actors' stance would have to be altered as well. Anybody got a way round this problem at the moment?
Answer: A good editor will catch shots that too clearly expose the flat heels. In this film, that simply didn't happen because they are woefully obvious throughout the jail fight scene. Another choice is to have the stunt woman wear high heels. This will limit her options during the action, but in this example, there was little shown in the fight that was very risky. Spectre threw a kick here and there, in slow-motion- no fast-moving sequence of multiple martial arts moves. The last option would be to CGI the fight- which is expensive and puts the stunt woman out of work.
8th Mar 2009
General questions
What does it mean when the credits in TV shows list someone as a "special" guest star? I have seen some shows do this whether or not that they are only appearing on one episode.
Answer: Often it's a matter of that star's higher status in the industry (like getting Brad Pitt to guest on ER) or getting a non-actor of similar prominence to appear (Barack Obama on The Hills). A guest star is just a temp, and can be an unknown or well-known actor of medium appeal. When it's a 'big deal', it's a "Special".
14th Sep 2008
Crimson Tide (1995)
Question: I know that this film was set in the 1990s but even then, was smoking permitted on US submarines? It would seem a bit odd given that the crew are relying on recycled oxygen.
Answer: In the most technical sense ("by the book") it is against policy. But then, the Marines do not allow tattoos and look how well that's enforced. It is up to the ship's Captain to enforce such regulations, and at sea, there's no one to penalize him if he chooses to let the crew smoke at certain times, given certain conditions.
13th Sep 2008
General questions
Does anyone know the name of the Abbott & Costello movie that had the "Who's on First?" routine? Thanks.
Answer: Per Wikipedia: "The routine was featured in the team's 1940 film debut, "One Night in the Tropics". The duo reprised the bit in their 1945 film "The Naughty Nineties", and it is that version which is considered their finest recorded rendition. They also performed the routine numerous times on radio and television (notably in the Abbott and Costello Show episode "The Actor's Home")."
13th Aug 2008
The Dark Knight (2008)
9th Aug 2008
The Dark Knight (2008)
Question: When the Joker's body is brought to Gambol, Joker awakens and pushes away two approaching thugs. Are these the same two thugs being held at gunpoint on the ground by the Joker's henchmen? Also, what does the Joker do to Gambol? Gambol falls from Joker's grip as if he's dead, but the Joker's knife was held to Gambol's cheek, not his throat? I have no doubt that the PG-13 rating opens this to interpretation.
Answer: Gambol is clearly killed, likely having had his throat cut while the camera was on the others in the room. Had we seen the actual cut, the film would have been stuck with an 'R' rating. As for the two thugs, it's a bit vague - I thought it looked like the Joker stabbed them, meaning the two on the ground are two others, but everything happens a bit too fast to be sure.
3rd Aug 2008
The Dark Knight (2008)
1st Aug 2008
The Dark Knight (2008)
Question: Near the end of the film, we are shown what is presumably a memorial service to a deceased Harvey Dent. Yet, I read on IMDB a few days back that Aaron Eckhart, the actor who plays Dent, has signed up for a sequel. My question is this: since Eckhart IS coming back, does that mean the memorial service, and the smashing of the Batsignal were mere speculation on Gordon's part, or is he brought back to life somehow, despite Nolan's insistence on a "realistic" take on Batman?
Answer: There's no way to know as the next film isn't written yet. While Dent's demise could have been faked, it's also possible he'll be back only in flashbacks, or that the rumour of him signing up for a sequel is wrong. The answer is not knowable at this time.
10th Jul 2008
Hancock (2008)
Question: I'm not sure if I was seeing things but during the fight between Hancock and Mary, when it goes all windy and stormy, at one point it cuts to some people who are screaming and running away. I thought I saw a figure that appears to be made out of rocks or similar material and about 10 foot tall, it wasn't our hero or heroine as they were not in that scene so what on earth was it?
Answer: I saw it, too, and wondered. He's a street performer in L.A. that just happened to be around during filming. See: http://io9.com/5023487/hancock-giant-robot-mystery-++-solved.
19th Jul 2008
The Dark Knight (2008)
22nd Jun 2008
South Park (1997)
Question: Across the whole show, how come whenever Cartman uses the word authority, he says it as if it was spelled authoritAY?
Answer: He's doing a mock impression of a southern USA sheriff.
23rd Jun 2008
I Am Legend (2007)
Question: This pertains to the special 2-disk dvd that has the alternate ending. In the alternate ending, Neville and Anna are driving on a bridge in his SUV. Didn't all the bridges get destroyed 3 years ago? Seems like a mistake to me.
Answer: Since the scene was deleted from the film, it can't be considered a mistake. It's an extra feature on the DVD, not part of the film itself.
15th Jun 2008
Cloverfield (2008)
Question: I've been wondering this for a while. Was T.J. Miller operating the camera for the whole movie?
Chosen answer: No. The DVD features show he isn't most of the time. Pro camera men did his camera work, and they would have Hud's clothes on to show his feet and pants when the camera pointed down. Miller is an actor, not trained in how to get the most from the camera, so pros did that. Ironically, he couldn't be trusted to make the camera work look amateurish enough!
13th Jun 2008
The Gumball Rally (1976)
Question: I don't understand what the women in the Porsche were on about. What's so significant about lights at 32 miles per hour?
Answer: They are moving thru city streets where the traffic lights are setup to sequentially change so that a vehicle traveling at 32mph will get a green light all the way through the area, never having to stop.
21st May 2008
Juno (2007)
Question: Why did it appear that Juno and Mark Loring were sweet on each other? What's the deal with that?
Answer: His wife was over-bearing- a control freak. She wouldn't let him have interests or hobbies that didn't fit her view of a proper, professional life and home. Juno reminded him of his time before marriage, when he could be fun, weird, artistic- whatever he wanted to be and do was possible. Naturally, Juno's free spirit appealed to him and he was drawn to her.
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Answer: Brandon's birth name is Teena Tenae Brandon. When Teena decided to become a man, he reversed his first and last name to become Brandon Teena. Lana may have continued to call him Teena as a form of "I know the real you" familiarity "pet name".
johnrosa