Question: Why did Alex have to wait until Valentine's Day 2008 to meet Kate? Even assuming for the sake of argument that the "time-traveling" letters stopped after Alex avoided the bus accident on "his" Valentine's Day 2006, Alex certainly knew how to find Kate at that time - and vice versa. The two-year gap where Kate had not known about Alex had closed by that time, and each knew about the other.
Answer: Kate asked him to wait, and come in 2008, so that's what he did. Likely they could have found each other before then, but it might not have even occurred to either of them.
They started communicating after he died in 2006 (her time) on his way to see her, but 2004 his time, neither of them knew he had died by this time so there was no way they could have met, my question is how did he know to go and meet her the first time if they hadn't started communicating yet?
They had been communicating for 2 years at that point - his time. Hence why he was going to meet her and got killed in the process.
Question: When B-rabbit, Future, Cheddar Bomb and Sol George park in some kind of parking structure and join in on a freestyle circle, right after B-rabbit finishes his freestyle, Sol George breaks into a song and sings, "Now I'm the dashiki smoking that ling lingy, 10 freaky girls inside the chin chingy, girl when you see me ya better believe me..." Is that a real song or did they just freestyle that?
Answer: They were just freestyling, that is not a real song.
Question: At the end of the movie, the Voice is credited as Himself. Who was really responsible for doing the voice that sent Ray on his journey?
Answer: It was actually his own voice (Kevin Costner) that sent him on the journey. At the end of the movie there's even the part where Ray is recalling the voices he heard and turned to Shoeless Joe Jackson and says, "It was you". At which point Joe Jackson turns around and says, "No Ray. It was you".
Question: How did they make Kirk Douglas have a peg leg? How was he able to walk that way?
Answer: This movie predates the more advanced CGI that would be used these days. In older films, actors portraying an amputee would have their leg (or arm) bent back and strapped to their body. A prosthetic peg leg would be attacked to the lower appendage. The actors were also filmed from strategic vantage points so the bent part of the limb didn't show. When Douglas is seen driving a wagon, the seat was probably constructed so that his lower leg fit into a hidden compartment and the peg leg was attached on top to be visible. Douglas also wore rather baggy pants, and that would help conceal his bent leg.
Question: During the song "When you Believe" a little girl says a bunch of stuff in Hebrew. What is she saying, and what is the translation for it?
Answer: "Ashira ladonai ki gaoh gaah, Ashira ladonai ki gaoh gaah, Michamocha baelim adonai, Mikamocha nedarba kodesh, Nachitah v'chas d'cha am zu gaalta, Nachitah v'chas d'cha am zu gaalta, Ashira, ashira, ashira..." "I will sing to the lord, for He has triumphed gloriously, I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously, Who is like you, O Lord, among the Celestial? Who is like you, majestic in Holiness? In your love You lead the people You redeemed, I will sing, I will sing, I will sing..."
Question: In Angier's final performance Borden watches Angier's duplicate drown in the tank. Does the other Angier still reappear for the audience, and take a bow? They never explain this in the film. If he does take the bow, Borden would never have been accused of murder. If he doesn't take the bow, how does the duplicate know not to do so? The duplicate would have no idea that Borden was below stage.
Answer: Angier always wants to take revenge on Borden as he is the reason behind the death of his wife. He knows that Borden is in the crowd the two times, first time, Olivia suggests Borden to watch the new "Transported Man" trick of Angier, where Borden finds out the trap door in the bottom of the machine, second time, Borden wants to know how Angier flies that distance with in seconds through the trap door. As expected by the Angier in the final play, Borden reaches the back stage where actual Angier is drowning (it is as always actual Angier drowns and the replica of Angier appears at some distance in every performance). So, as per the plan the replica hides to create an impression that Borden intentionally murders Angier. Note: the replica of Angier has the same ability and sense like actual Angier.
It's never stated whether the "real" Angier drowns or takes the bow, but it's implied that it doesn't matter - as the clone is a perfect copy, they are both "Angier." Angier at one point says, referring to toll the trick has taken on him, that each time he did it, even he himself didn't know whether he would be the man in the box or the prestige. Similarly, when Angier asked Tesla which hat of all the duplicates was his, Tesla replied "They are all your hat."
Answer: No, he does not appear to take a bow. The set-up is as follows: Angier invites the audience on stage to observe the machine, but in reality it is so he can watch for Borden trying to work out the trick. When he sees Borden in the audience, he also knows Borden will not learn anything from the stage, and will go backstage. He then clones himself, and the clone is created with the exact knowledge he had at the time of the cloning, including Borden's presence and the trap the original Angier had set. So the "new" Angier hides away the best he can, letting Borden be framed for the murder of the "original" Angier. Had he appeared, not only would it ruin his plan of framing Borden, but it would also reveal how he had done his trick, and he would not allow any of those to happen, no matter what.
Question: Can anyone please explain to me the deal about Nigel not getting a job in Paris? He thought he got promoted then Miranda picked someone else or something and he says something like 'when the time is right, she'll pay me back'. I've seen this film loads of times but I've never fully understood what happened. Thanks.
Chosen answer: Miranda was going to be replaced by Jaqueline and forced to retire. Miranda worked a deal to give Nigel's new job to Jaqueline instead. Since Jaqueline now has a job she wants, there is no one eager or qualified to replace Miranda. Miranda keeps her job. Nigel doesn't get a new job and must remain with Miranda. Miranda gets what she wants, Jaqueline gets what she wants, Nigel gets screwed, but maintains the (most likely futile) hope that Miranda will pay him back by some other means in due course.
Answer: Nigel was going to be James Holt's partner But Miranda made it so Jacqueline got or instead so Miranda could remain Editor in Chief at Runway.
Question: I never really understood what the motive was when Clyde murdered his cellmate. Why did he do it? What did this act have to do with the plot of this movie?
Answer: To make sure he was placed in solitary confinement. The warehouse that he owned and operated out of that was next to the prison also had a tunnel connected to every cell in the solitary wing. Clyde needed to be in one of the solitary cells so he could leave the prison whenever he needed to unnoticed, which also served to make it look like he had an accomplice on the outside.
When Nick is talking to a spook later in the movie, he is quoted as telling Nick: "That cell-mate that he killed, you think that was random? No. That's a pawn being moved off the board. Anyone who had anything to do with that case, he's gonna be coming after you." Just as all deaths played roles in Clydes game, as the audience we are led to believe this inmate played a role, but were never given any resolution as to what significance it was. Not a big deal in grand scheme of things, but unexplained.
I don't know if you just didn't read the answer thoroughly or if you didn't pay close attention to the movie, but Clyde killing his cellmate was far from being unexplained. He can't leave the prison if he's in a regular cell with the general population, so he kills the cellmate in order to get placed in the solitary wing, because every solitary cell is connected to the tunnel in his warehouse that is next to the prison, which allows him to leave whenever he needs to.
Question: What is the purpose or the story behind the little stuffed dog that appears in so many scenes? It's on the table when the guys are playing poker, it appears in the bowling scene too.
Answer: Presumably it's a favorite mascot of the group. There's likely no backstory per se, it's just something the filmmakers did to add to sense that these people have been together for a very long time.
Question: At the end of the movie, Martin stabs Tavington in the stomach, and then in the throat. How does he know Tavington is really dead this time? Earlier in the film, Tavington pretended to be dead twice after Martin's sons shot him.
Answer: Guns were less powerful during Revolutionary times and the wounds were more survivable. Deep and ripping knife stabs to areas like the abdomen and the neck area are more likely to be fatal. Tavington may not die instantly, but he would probably bleed out and/or bleed internally fairly quickly.
Would being stabbed in the stomach, and in the throat have been enough to kill a person as tough as Tavington?
Absolutely. A deep stab to the stomach/intestinal area would be very deadly even today. Being stabbed directly in the throat would kill someone very fast due to a lack of air and inhaling blood into the lungs.
Question: Would the labels on the Budweiser bottles be the same in the older era during the beginning of the movie, as it is in the latter part of the movie (1994)?
Answer: The color and design of the label hasn't changed in decades, although the script on it has changed some over time. They all look almost identical from a distance.
Question: Can anyone who speaks Japanese tell me what Jim says to the guard who's beating up the doctor? He says a few lines, then bows. The guard seems embarrassed and walks away.
Chosen answer: The first time, Jim says "Nanika no machigai desu. Bokutachi wa minna tomodachi desu yone. Senso no sei desu." This roughly translates to "There has been some sort of mistake. We are all friends aren't we? It is the war's fault." The second time, Jim only says "Nanika no machigai desu. Bokutachi wa minna..." and then gets pushed aside. "There has been a mistake, we are all...". I hope that helps.
Question: In the foursome dinner scene, Cathy checks under the table and sees something about Sarah's feet that heightens her suspicion about the affair. What does Cathy see? The camera seems to focus on Sarah's painted toenails, but I don't understand why that would arouse suspicion.
Question: How did Quentin find others in the last scene? he was left unconscious and he had no way to figure out where others went after that (considering his lack of knowledge in mathematics) so how could he possibly make his way to the bridge room?
Answer: It's established that sound travels throughout the structure reasonably well. Also, they didn't travel relatively far, even with the rooms shifting.
Actually, considering the distance that they travelled and the injuries he sustained, Quentin would have had extreme difficulty catching up. It looks like the 3 travelled upwards at least 12 cubes, meaning Quentin would have had to climb up each one with the chance that any of the rooms could be trapped fast enough to catch up to them with enough strength left over to kill Leaven.
Adrenaline is an extremely driving force, so I'd still consider it entirely possible it happened that way.
Question: Is there some reason that we are considently seeing planes fly over her house? Is that supposed to symbolize something?
Answer: Jess' house is supposed to be on the main flight path of Heathrow airport. Her mum and dad work there.
Answer: I doubt it; it's probably because the film is set in the Borough of Hounslow, which is in the flight paths of many London airports, including Heathrow.
Question: In the scene where Solara hijacks the car, why does the man who had Eli's sword in him stop her from starting the car, take out the blade, and get out from the car and kneel on the ground? Was he trying to say something to Solara or the leader?
Answer: Most likely, Redridge is giving Solara a chance to escape Carnegie's regime. At this point, he knows he's dying, but perhaps still wants the best for her. Remember, he had a crush on her the whole movie (blocking her while she was getting Eli's canteen filled, bargaining with Carnegie for her before chasing after them, even asking Eli nicely to give up the book after the gunfight in the house). I think it may also have been used as a self-redemption moment for one of the bad guys.
Question: Can anyone translate what Adam and his dad are saying when Adam is a teenager and they are in the classroom?
Answer: Adam: Tempus fugit (Latin) = Time flies. Dad: Que les bons temps roulent! (French) = How good times roll! Adam: Geradeaus, dann links (German) = Straightforward, then left. Dad: Sorgen Sie bitte dafür, dass die [das] Gepäck sorgfältig behandelt werden [wird] (German) = Please make sure that this luggage will be treated carefully. Adam: Haben Sie etwas Nettes in Leder? (German) = Do you have something nice in leather?
Question: How did Soze end up in the police station after he escaped the boat in the first place? If he had vanished after the bombing, he wouldn't have to make up the stories and he wouldn't have been identified by Kujan.
Answer: Kint/Soze ended up in the police station because he simply didn't get away in time.
Answer: Soze ended up back under arrest and for some questioning as 'Verbal Kint'. He never really vanished, he's just playing two parts/people. He really vanishes off the scene by the end of the movie after he tricks Kujan.
With the exception of what's known to have happened on the dock, the entire story is a lie told by Verbal Kint to Agent Kujon. Kujon realises this after Kint leaves the office but not in time to catch up. The entire movie is about a habitual liar making up a story about what happened on the dock. He may be Keyser Soze or an alter-ego variant but even Keysers rep is subject to question as it was told by the same liar. Verbal himself said about Keaton, "He was a grounded guy, a cop. If you think the husband did it then you're right." He was telling on himself as sociopaths will do when they think they're smarter than everyone around them.
Question: I read that Evan Rachel Wood's character, Tracy, is supposed to be Nikki Reed at the age when she was having the experiences that Tracy went through. Was the character Evie based on a girl that Nikki knew in real life?
Answer: Evie was based off several people in Nikki Reed's life.
Answer: The movie is not about them trying to find ways to meet. They are not trying that hard to meet and the time distance is a metaphor. I think the movie misses the tension that she is trepidatious about meeting and he is trying to respect that. He gets killed the first time for trying to force it! This shows when the stack of letters is piling away. She is worried he is a coward who will not be able to handle real romance. This is shown in his retreat to build mass produced houses and has something to do with his mom/dad. She's the doctor, he's the architect: she saves people for a living and is hung up about her own father's death. It's only when it's life or death that she gets over it and he also figures himself out and stops trying to fix everything.