Nick N.

1st Mar 2005

The Matrix (1999)

Question: How do the hovercraft work? I know the glowing pads contribute to the hovering ability, but is that based on any real technology? And why don't the sentinels have the hover-pads?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: The hover pads work by electro-magnetic repulsion much like the mag-lev trains we have today only much more so. They would not leave a trace of propellant to be followed/tracked/traced nor would they be especially hotter than ambient temperature like jet engines etc. The sentinals do not care if they are tracked, but it is not clear if they use a more advanced form of this technology or something else. Remember that the Zion people have to start over from scratch every so often while the machine culture is constantly advancing so the humans' technology would not necessarily be as advanced.

Myridon

28th Feb 2005

The Matrix (1999)

Question: Is it ever explained how Morpheus knows that Neo is the one initially? In the beginning all we know is that they are looking for each other, what happened before then?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: It's never explained. From what we do know, it's clear that Morpheus and his group have been observing Neo for some time, as they presumably do with potential new recruits. While Neo was too old to be a recruit, it seems likely that Morpheus saw something during that time that convinced him that Neo was the One, leading him to break the rules regarding age and extract Neo from the Matrix anyway. It's also possible that the Oracle gave him some relevant information when she told him that he would find the One - not a name and address, obviously, but something that Morpheus ultimately recognised in Neo.

Tailkinker

3rd Feb 2005

General questions

It seems that most TV show and movie characters use Mac computers, at least a far higher ration than I see in real life. Is there a reason that Apples are so prominent on TV and movies?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: Apple pays a sum of money to have their products shown on screen - because of their obvious logos and often unusual designs they stand out more than most PC brands.

Andreas[DK]

Continuity mistake: When Roy is squeezing Eddie's head against the tree with the leather strap, he is turning the rings counter-clockwise in the first two shots, but then clockwise in last shot. (00:44:20)

Nick N.

Trivia: An alternate ending to the film on the DVD Director's cut has Evan going back to when he was in the womb and killing himself by squeezing the umbilical cord to save his friends from events he may cause.

Nick N.

1st Jul 2004

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Question: I read that in the comics there is a reason that Doc Ock's arms want to rebuild the fusion so desperately. This is not dealt with in the movie, can anyone tell me what the reason was?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: It was only mentioned once, and it was when he first showed them to the audience. He stated that they were built for the soul purpose of creating fussion, so that is all they wanted to do.

15th Jun 2004

Peter Pan (2003)

Chosen answer: It's a stage tradition. Mr. Darling and Captain Hook are ALWAYS played by the same actor.

Grumpy Scot

27th Apr 2004

Mystic River (2003)

Chosen answer: 'Vampires' 1998, directed by John Carpenter.

ChiChi

Question: Where did Sam get the potatoes for the "coney stew"? Not having enough food is a big issues for the hobbits yet it seems he has more than enough ingredients to make a stew with the rabbits that Gollum brings to him. And, if he just dug up the potatoes, why is running out of lembas bread such a tragedy?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: Sam didn't "get" them anywhere at all. He says, "What we need now is a few good taters," implying that he wishes he had some - but he doesn't.

Phil C.

9th Feb 2004

Two Brothers (2004)

Question: What is the song that plays from the middle to the end of the trailer?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: That music is taken from Dragonheart composed by Randy Edelman.

hannisen

12th Jan 2004

Minority Report (2002)

Question: Why all the build up of John having sent the Russian eye-surgeon guy to jail, suggesting that he will hurt John; only to have him successfully complete the operation, and take care of John afterwards?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: It's what's known as a McGuffin; a plot element that seems to be important when introduced, but serves no purpose other than to intrigue/distract the audience. The term was popularised by Alfred Hitchcock.

J I Cohen

That's not *quite* what a MacGuffin is. A MacGuffin not only seems important, it *is* important; in fact, one of its two diagnostic characteristics is that a MacGuffin is something around which the entire plot revolves. The other property fundamental to what makes something a MacGuffin is the fact that the origin, purpose, function, and, in some cases, even identity of the object is left either vague or completely undefined. The briefcase in Pulp Fiction is a classic example (although there *is* a compelling argument that the object in the briefcase is in fact a specific artifact).

Well, according to the doctor when the operation is beginning, the doctor reveals that in prison, he spent all of his time in the library, including books on medicine and technology. As a result, he found his "true calling", and is thankful to John for helping him see that.

2nd Jan 2004

Big Fish (2003)

Continuity mistake: When the Korean soldiers do their kung-fu bit they end in a pose shoulder-to-shoulder, but the next shot shows them at least a foot or two apart. (01:10:55)

Nick N.

2nd Jan 2004

Big Fish (2003)

Continuity mistake: When Edward is walking through the forest and the trees grab him the key he is wearing falls off his neck, but in the next couple shots you can still see it hanging on his neck.

Nick N.

Question: Why is Agent Smith able to fly at the end of this film? He must've picked it up sometime between the Burly Brawl and the Super Brawl, but I have no idea how.

Nick N.

Chosen answer: Agent Smith is on a hyper-advanced learning curve because of all the personalities he has been integrating. Flying is certainly not the only advance - he's developed control over the weather, has superfast healing, and probably has limited precognition after his encounter with the Oracle.

Rooster of Doom

28th Dec 2003

Memento (2000)

Question: What/who is Leonard listening to through the wall (with the empty glass), or is it meant to be ambigious?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: He was paranoid, so he was listening to hear if they were cops.

Josh Appelbaum

Question: In the beginning of the film Galadriel says that Bilbo's finding of the ring was something that "the ring did not intend." Later in the film Gandalf tells Frodo that Bilbo was meant to find the ring. I have not read the books, but both statements can't be true. So what's the real story with Bilbo and the ring?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: One does not contradict the other. The ring didn't intend to be found by Bilbo, but Bilbo WAS meant to find it, by forces other than the ring. Gandalf explains this by telling Frodo that not only evil forces are at work in the world.

Zaphod Beeblebrox

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