Answered questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

These are questions relating to specific titles. General questions for movies and TV shows are here. Members get e-mailed when any of their questions are answered.

Question: Because the film has gun violence, some mild cursing, and a bit of drug use, should it have a PG-13 rating instead of PG?

Answer: There was a lot of complaints over the PG rating and many people felt the smoking should have made the MPAA give Rango a PG-13, or even an R, rating. The gun violence seen was not deemed intense, most likely since it was animated animals. Profanity is allowed in PG movies if they do not use "sexually-derived" expletives. It seemed the MPAA decided the film was not glorying smoking. The MPAA seems to allow tobacco use in a PG film if the film's setting is one where smoking for adults is the "norm", such as films set in the 50's where it was common for adults to constantly smoke, even at work (for example the film "Hidden Figures" was rated PG despite smoking being seen). Since the animals seen smoking in Rango are considered to be adults (it would be different if it were teenagers or children seen smoking) and smoking was common in the old west, it was granted a PG rating, although I was unable to find anything were the MPAA defended the PG rating status. (And while Rango is set in modern day, it's an homage to an old western were the animals in the town are living as if it's still the old west).

Bishop73

Question: In real life, can you really get away with anything if you have diplomatic immunity?

MikeH

Answer: In short, diplomatic immunity would prevent a host country (such as the United States) from charging a diplomatic agent or diplomatic staff member with any crime (if they've been granted immunity). However, the agent's home country may waive immunity if the crime is deemed serious enough or the home country can prosecute the agent themselves. However, the host country can still expel a person with diplomatic immunity from the country and ban them from returning. And while diplomatically immuned people have committed serious crimes in the past, diplomats are usually seasoned and respected civil servants in their countries and can damage their careers if they cause any embarrassment while visiting a host county and tend to comply with local laws and customs out of respect.

Bishop73

The host country can also ask the Diplomat to leave, and the Diplomat's country may also recall them. Https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2018-DipConImm_v5_Web.pdf.

Question: At Thunder Road, how old is the woman that starts the race? She looks about 50.

Answer: I believe you are asking about Cha Cha, who was played by Annette Charles. Annette was 30 (or about to turn 30 if her scene was shot before her birthday in March). It could have just been the make-up she was wearing that made her look older. And if it seems weird to use someone that old to play a high school girl, Olivia Newton-John was also 29 at the time of filming.

Question: Why is it necessary for Commodus to order the deaths of Maximus and his wife and son? Why and how is Maximus a threat?

Answer: After Commodus murdered his father, he demanded Maximus' loyalty, which the latter refused. This I think made Commodus realise Maximus was aware of his late father's wish. So he decided to get rid of the threat by ordering for Maximus execution including his family.

Answer: Emperor Marcus Aurelius told his son, Commodus, that Maximus would be his successor and the next Emperor instead of his son. This angered Commodus and he killed his father before the Emperor could name his successor. Commodus then ordered for Maximus to be executed, partly out of hatred and fear that Maximus may have already been told that Marcus was going to name him as his successor. Out of jealousy, hatred, and anger, Commodus also ordered Maximus' wife and son to be killed. In real life, Marcus granted Commodus the rank of Imperator and made him co-Emperor before his death and there was never a question who the successor would be, plus General Maximus is a completely made up character and never existed in real life. So this hatred of Maximus and fear of not being Emperor was made up just for the movie, so it's hard to say exactly what threat Maximus may have been if left alive.

Bishop73

Killer Queen - S10-E16

Question: "Now we just need the 50 bucks. Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have named that star for Mort. Ugh! Just give me the money." I didn't understand that joke - can someone please explain it to me?

HEK_98

Answer: There are companies in real life that will let you name stars after someone as a gift (although the star name won't go on any official government registry). You pay a company (in Peter's case for $50) for this privilege and they'll send that you information where the star is located. Mort is then looking at the star named after him. But it's as useless of a gift as you can imagine since it doesn't really mean anything and you can't do anything with it and Mort knows Peter spent money to do it. Mort would rather have had Peter just give him $50 cash as a gift. One could say it's a joke about the stereotype that Jews love money, but in this case a lot of people would rather have money over a useless gift.

Bishop73

Foreign Affairs - S9-E17

Question: At the end of the episode we can hear a truck reversing with a signal beeping and drill whirring, gear grinding - what was going on with Joe and Bonnie?

HEK_98

Answer: It's just a joke about what an ordeal it is to move Joe around when he's not in his wheelchair.

Bishop73

Answer: It's an exaggeration of using electric sex toys because Joe can't have regular intercourse because he's numb from the waist down.

Answer: Joe and Bonnie are getting intimate here I believe. It's showing what an ordeal it is for Joe to have sex, since paraplegics basically can't.

Question: What song is sung at the Oscorp festival?

Answer: My Nutmeg Phantasy by Macy Gray.

Bishop73

Question: During the barrel water scene, Bomba is catapulted through the air and fights a bunch of orcs, he discards his barrel because it is all smashed up. Where did the extra barrel he jumps into come from? We never see extra empty barrels following the dwarves.

Tony

Answer: When they are all getting into their barrels from Bilbos plan an extra barrel can be seen in the bottom right screen but Bilbo did not see it possibly because he just didn't notice.

Question: What does Thomas mean by "There are some children who are pillars of flame that burn everything they touch and there are some children who are just pillars of ash that fall apart when you touch them. Me and Victor, we were children born of flame and ash."

Answer: He's basically saying that Victor is strong and standoffish and he is weak and sensitive.

Greg Dwyer

Question: Aside from the fact that 32 survivors were rescued, how many were there before the storm and how many died by the end of the movie?

Answer: 64.

Answer: The Pendleton had a crew of 41. 9 were lost during the rescue.

Bishop73

Question: Toward the end of the movie, when David walks into Linus' office and asks him if Miss McCardle has to be there. Doesn't Linus address her as Miss McCarthy?

Answer: I've seen this movie numerous times over the years. Linus always addresses his secretary as "Miss McCardle."

raywest

Linus does call her Mrs. McCarthy about 11 minutes before the end of the movie. I checked several times. It's true. It's a mistake.

Show generally

Question: In one of the episodes, Richie, while in basic training, tells Fonz how he put his friends and his platoon on report causing both his platoon and Fonz to be angry at him. Why would they react in a way? Richie's platoon was being insubordinate from the start and Fonz wasn't even in the army.

Answer: Whether he was right or wrong, the Fonz's belief is that you don't tell on your friends, even if they've broken rules or misbehaved. The platoon wrongly thought Richie would cover for them, no matter what they did. Richie felt differently, believing that it was his responsibility to be honest and report any wrongdoing rather than cover it up to protect his peers.

raywest

Question: Why does Kylo Ren want to finish what Vader started? Why couldn't he just leave things the way they were? Why would he turn to the dark side just to finish what Vader started?

Answer: We don't know the reasoning behind Kylo Ren's motives just yet, but that will likely be gradually answered as the story unfolds in the upcoming sequels. Knowing too much about Kylo's backstory and his underlying motive early on would ruin the plot and eliminate any suspense leading up to the reveal.

raywest

Question: What was Conker's reason for killing the baby dinosaur? The little guy did nothing to him.

Answer: The baby dino was just a sacrifice to the Dino god statue and had to be killed. Although in the game Conker seems to know the slab will kill the baby dino but didn't know he was sacrificing him for a reason. And the player only performs the sacrifice because of the in-game clues given about what to do, but no explanation seems to be given why Conker apparently kills him without knowing why.

Bishop73

Answer: Darth Vader has a special chamber in which parts of the suit can be removed for comfort. When he is not in the chamber he must wear it at all times in order to survive.

Answer: Darth Vader does have his own personal chamber made to assist him with the equipment /suit he wears as well as, I'm sure, for resting/meditation purposes. Also keep in mind that Jedi/Sith, especially those trained to use the force (particularly those having mastered it), don't need the same sleep requirements regular folks need. They can "sleep" sitting straight up, on top of much harder elements and they can even "draw" energy from the force to help them stay awake. The expanded universe, via the books, gives more examples of Jedi/Sith sleeping or measures they take.

Question: Why did Bob have the snakes? Is it linked to the snakes that scared Alex as a child or is it just a coincidence? If they are supposed to protect the evidence in the crates, they wouldn't be in plain sight.

ricardoglez22

Chosen answer: In the film it is just a coincidence. However, the snakes tie into the rest of the religious and mythological imagery present in the film.

BaconIsMyBFF

Question: How did mother Gothel know the flower song?

Answer: Presumably she is the one who made up the song in the first place.

BaconIsMyBFF

Answer: She's a descendant of Zhan Tiri and has been studying the sundrop and moonstone her whole life so she most likely found the healing incantation part of the Demanitus Scroll and learned it from that.

Answer: Logan and Jean have a history- Logan specifically loves Jean and expressed his affections towards her in the past, and Jean feels some love towards him but can't act on it because of her relationship with Scott. As Rogue and Logan are also very close, it seems to be subtly implied that she might be a hint jealous of Logan's affections to Jean. Also, Rogue might feel a tab-bit awkward by their conversation given the circumstances.

Answer: Jean and Logan's romantic affection for one another is a poorly kept secret between the two and is awkward to witness for their friends.

BaconIsMyBFF

Question: The movie says that the senator who helped the colonel cannot be charged because the crime was committed outside the United States. Is that realistic? If not then why?

Answer: This is not realistic. The Senator would be charged with conspiracy regardless of where the actual crime took place. Simply being overseas does not give an American citizen immunity.

BaconIsMyBFF

Not even being in a nation without an extradition treaty gives an American citizen immunity?

No, they'd still be charged, but the logistics become harder. Regardless, that's a legal question best suited for another site, not one about movies.

Jon Sandys

I'm sorry. I was just asking if the idea that senator cannot be charged for his crimes because the crime was committed outside the United States is realistic. I'm not trying to be rude or offensive. If I am I apologize.

Not rude or offensive, it's just that this is a topic with endless articles available elsewhere on the internet, and I try not to let things get *too* off topic around here, otherwise some entries would have pages and pages of unrelated back and forth debates, cluttering up the site somewhat.

Jon Sandys

Thank you for understanding. I really appreciate it.

I wouldn't know where to look for that says committing in a nation without an extradition treaty doesn't an American citizen immunity.

Question: In the movie they state the colonel cannot be charged because the crime was committed outside of the United States. All active members of the US military like the colonel are subject to the uniformed military code of justice no matter where the crime was committed, so how did the colonel prevent the military justice system from being able to charge him?

Answer: You are completely correct. This is a clear mistake, the colonel could (and would) most certainly be charged for his crimes.

BaconIsMyBFF

Though unlike the movie, it's not up the attorney to decide if a military member gets charged, it's up to the judge advocate general.

Actually it's not a mistake. The colonel is not a member on active duty in the service. He's ex military. He's the one running the contractor group that carries out the senator's dirty deeds.

Answer: Receiving retirement pay and being in the IRR confers jurisdiction, even over retired military personnel.

Answer: "The colonel" was not active duty military, BUT as a retiree he is still subject to the UCMJ.

How are retirees subject to the UCMJ?

They're not, generally. Some service members who've served for more than 20 years but less than 30 are or were subject to the UCMJ. There was a recent legal opinion overruling this though. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/08/09/new-bombshell-legal-opinion-says-military-retirees-cant-be-court-martialed.html.

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