Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

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Question: What was the purpose of visiting Vesper's boyfriend at the end of the movie? Was he involved? Because I don't remember anyone saying anything about that in the movie.

Answer: He's an operative of the Quantum organisation that Bond is up against who specialises in seducing women who can then be manipulated into helping their cause - in Vesper's case by pretending to be kidnapped to force her to cooperate. When Bond catches up with him, he's in the process of seducing another woman, no doubt to involve her in some scheme or other. Bond tells her the truth and she leaves, leaving Bond to deal with the Quantum agent.

Tailkinker

Question: I read in an interview that one of the traps could kill the actor and that paramedics had to be on the side of the set during filming. Does anyone know which trap this was?

Ssiscool

Chosen answer: I believe this was the water trap, in which the actor was actually placed into a glass box filled with water for dangerous amounts of time. Often the shots had to be done all at once because of the set up, and I believe paramedics were present in case of potential drowning.

Craig Thompson

Answer: It was the water cube trap, that Peter Strahm/Scott Patterson was in. He learnt how to hold his breath underwater, and when he couldn't hold his breath any longer, they opened the cube, allowing the water to spill out and Patterson to regain his breath.

Brian Does Hollywood (2) - S3-E2

Question: I saw this episode on one of the channels where it is syndicated. The part at the beginning (during the action films parody), where Meg tells Lois that Peter isn't going to come out of the coma, was taken out. Does anyone know why?

Answer: Usually syndicated shows run a few seconds shorter than the originals, so they cut out things to make them fit.

pross79

Question: V was incarcerated in a concentration camp for homosexuals, and has an obvious affection for Evy, as demonstrated by V's reaction when she leaves - breaking of the mirror with the mask. V also speaks with a voice which would pass but seems soft for a male. This was probably deliberately left ambiguous, but still - is V male or female?

Answer: Other "undesirables" were kept in the concentration camp as well: Jews, blacks, political dissenters, etc. V is biologically male, since he's referred to as "The Man in Room Five," but what he was in the camp for is unknown.

Captain Defenestrator

Question: Is there any logical explanation for the lavish costumes used by the characters in the Shumacher films? For example, Poison Ivy always wears lavish outfits (ludicrous tights and heels and multi-thousand-dollar-looking outfits and robes); or Two-Face from "Forever" and his split suits). I know it is for the style, but is there any realistic explanation as to how this could happen?

Answer: You answered your own question. "Realistic". This is a movie trying to look like a comic book. Comic outfits are drawn on, no seams, no underwear/bras, etc. So live action costumes are just going to look odd.

Grumpy Scot

Question: If dates in the Star Wars universe are based on when events took place in relation to the Battle of Yavin, what date system was used up to and during the battle?

Answer: The Galactic Standard Calendar has been used consistently in the Star Wars universe for thousands of years and is, from its alternate name of the Coruscant Standard Calendar, probably based on the Coruscanti year length. Each new regime that has ruled the Star Wars galaxy has tended to reset the clock, as it were, so the Empire tended to count years from when Palpatine declared himself Emperor in 19BBY, during the events of Episode III. The Old Republic started their count thousands of years earlier, when it was founded. When the Empire fell to make way for the New Republic, they chose to start their calendar from the year of the Battle of Yavin, the year when they struck their first huge blow against the Empire.

Tailkinker

Question: In the scene where Bartleby and Loki are in the Mooby HQ, Bartleby whispers the boss's secret into his ear, then Loki says, "And you're his father. You sick f*ck!" Does anybody know what the secret actually is?

Answer: The logical assumption is that he is molesting his son.

pross79

Answer: The joke is that Reeves is a "wooden" actor.

Grumpy Scot

Question: Why does Daphney still have Scooby snacks in her handbag when she hasn't needed Scooby and Shaggy to do anything for several years and she doesn't eat them herself?

Answer: It's just to show that Daphne and the rest of the gang have never really moved on from the rest. Daphne keeps the Scooby snacks to remind her of Scooby.

Brad

Question: Throughout the film, you see the water fountain in the middle of the town. How is that effect of the water done? Is it shot in real time?

Answer: No, it's stop-motion just like almost everything else. The water appears to change levels because they used different pieces that could pop in and out of the well part of the fountain to make it look like ripples and movement. The DVD commentary with the director explains much of how all the scenes were shot.

Show generally

Question: Of the main cast, do any of the actresses claim to be same-sex orientated in real life? Which ones? I've Googled this, and only found speculations rather than actual answers.

Answer: I read Diva magazine which is a British lesbian magazine - Leisha Hailey and Daniela Sea have both given interviews and have stated without question that they are lesbians. Despite much lesbian disappointment Katherine Moennig will not confirm her sexuality, stating it is personal and not an issue. Although it was once stated by an american publiction Jennifer Beals 'outed her', once published this was denyed by Jennifer stating they had twisted her words. Jennifer Beals has been married twice, Laurel Holloway according to her official website is married, but has stated in many interview since the L Word began that she is bisexual. Mia Krishner is most confusing of all, various interviews she has claimed different things - bisexuality, heterosexuality and bicuriousity...but notably takes lesbian/bisexual/transgender roles. Pam Grier, Rachel Shelly and Erin Daniels have categorically stated they are heterosexual. Janina Gavanker has never made any comment about her sexuality, although all speculations made on Google are that she is straight. Information on Rose Rollins is sparse and wholly speculation. I can add though that Shane's stalker in season one called Lacey is played by Tammy Lyn Micheals, who according to both parties' official websites has been 'married' to Melissa Etheridge since 2003, they also have children.

Show generally

Question: Doesn't it seem like the Wraith have been scaled down over the course of the season? In the beginning, they were beings with superhuman strength and speed who could heal bullet wounds (The Defiant One) and create illusions. Now they are only slightly faster/stronger than humans, and Ronon beats them on a regular basis, as does Sheppard. Doesn't it seem a bit too convenient?

Answer: Not necessarily. Atlantis has had several captured Wraith to study and they have been fighting them for years. They've clearly learned Wraith vulnerabilities. Sheppard also carries a much more powerful .45 instead of the 9mm M9 after the first season. Ronon never had much trouble beating a Wraith and he and Teyla have both been training Sheppard. Wraith darts create the illusions, not the Wraith themselves. And finally, the Wraith are slowly starving as they were awakened far too early and are correspondingly less powerful.

Grumpy Scot

Answer: It was very obvious that they nerfed the Wraith a lot during the course of the show. No question about that. Probably it had to do with the access to food was limited thanks to the Replicators, and also because they needed to give the humans a chance to beat them. But in universe it is explained that Wraith who feed at slow intervals are not that strong. And it makes sense when you think about the Wraith and how they survive.

Question: When Denzil and his new wife are traveling home from their wedding, they are stopped by the crooked SIU cops. When they get home, Denzil goes straight upstairs, gets the fur coat his wife bought him and throws it on the fire. Why did he do this? The look on his face suggests he is angry at his wife, but I can't figure out why.

Answer: The expensive and flashy fur coat (150,000 dollars) makes him extremely noticeable to police. Before the fight, he has been under the radar, but believes the gaudy clothes have given him away as a person with too much money, which gets the police to investigate him.

Answer: The other person who answered is correct but I want to add a little bit more detail. Earlier in the film, Frank chides his cousin at the club for wearing a flashy suit because he said it brings him too much attention. Frank's lapse in judgment in wearing the very expensive mink fur coat out in public as well as shaking hands with Muhammad Ali in front of everybody is ironic because his behavior contradicts what he told his cousin earlier. He is upset because he is now being forced to pay even more bribes, and he's probably upset with himself for not heeding his own advice on staying low key.

Answer: He's weary of the world from his journey and giving up the ring, so he never seeks love in The Shire, instead going into The West with the Elves.

Captain Defenestrator

That Wrestling Show - S1-E15

Question: When the gang, Red and Bob are at the WWF match, I've heard that the Hardys, Ken Shamrock and Ernie Ladd, are shown. Where are they?

Answer: Most of the wrestling in the ring is done by the Hardys, Ken Shamrock at one point stares down Red and Ernie Ladd can be seen in the locker room as Rocky Johnson's manager when the Formans go hunting for an autograph.

Question: If characters such as Luke and Obi-Wan are human, how come they are in a galaxy far, far away?

Answer: Well, it's also a "long time ago", so it doesn't rule out the possibility that the human inhabitants of Earth travelled here from there. Could also be a simple case of parallel evolution and the filmmakers refer to the species as "human" for convenience, in the same way that the standard Star Wars language is represented as present-day English, despite the fact that it obviously wouldn't be.

Tailkinker

Answer: Why shouldn't humans be there? Maybe a god/gods created humans on multiple planets. Maybe humans have evolved and developed on multiple planets, multiple times. In the Battlestar Galactica series, it's established that "all of this has happened before" - the human race advances to a certain point, then they create the Cylons that destroy nearly all of them. The survivors find a place to start over and produce new generations, who will create Cylons again someday. You could imagine something similar about the Star Wars universe, or imagine any other explanation.

Answer: We don't know they're "human" as we understand it anyway, despite the use of the word which may be a translation, as mentioned already (their alphabet isn't Roman, for a start). Like The Doctor or any number of humanoid races in sci-fi who resemble us externally but aren't homo sapiens.

Question: When Joker says, "Is it you, John Wayne?" I don't really understand this joke. Unless he's just trying to be random, but then isn't he worried he might be in trouble?

Answer: The quote was "Is that you John Wayne? Is this me?" Its a quote directly from the book the movie was based on. In the book Cowboy says it rather than Joker, mocking Hartman for barking out orders like John Wayne in many of his movies. After saying "Is this me?" Cowboy takes off his Stetson and fans his face, play acting a less masculine character that might also be found in a John Wayne movie. In the FMJ scene they of course weren't wearing Stetsons (full brimmed ranger hats) so it's a little off.

Answer: I always thought from the way Joker says it in the movie, that he is making a joke about the Gunny sounding like John Wayne ("Is that you John Wayne?"). But he says this joke mimicking the voice of John Wayne, which leads him to comically add "Is this me?" He is basically making a joke and then laughing at his joke by adding on to it.

Question: What is the whole deal with the black guy who sleeps all the time? And Sydney was sneaking in changing the time on the clock. I can't quite get the gist of that. Please help and thanks in advance.

Answer: When Sydney arrives at the Vortex, she is told that Embele is a Nigerian transfer student, who is still jet lagged despite the fact that he has been in the U.S. for about three years already. She decides to take matters into her own hands to help him. Every single day she adjusts the time on his alarm clock, so each day he is a bit closer to the actual local time. Then after about a month or two, his body has slowly adjusted to the proper time, which allows him to function normally, instead of sleeping all the time.

Super Grover

Question: When Kate and Chris are in the tunnel (in 1357), Kate tells one of the monks to go tell Arnaut. When did Kate know of the existence of Arnaut, as they had yet to meet?

Answer: Kate is an archaeologist who,d been studying the castle's history for quite a while. She knows the protagonists and who's in charge.

Sereenie

Question: Who is the band on the big screen during Mardi Gras and what is the song? It's the goth music video which Dracula describes as "brilliant."

Answer: "Heads Explode" by Monster Magnet.

OneHappyHusky

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