Question: If the "cold drink" vending machine was unplugged and the buttons were unresponsive, WHY did the saboteurs deliberately illuminate the front of the machine? Wouldn't this ATTRACT people to the machine, only to subsequently arouse curiosity when it failed to function (as it did with Mulder)? The more logical approach would be to disable the vending machine (including the illumination) and tape an "out of order" sign on it. People would then just ignore the machine, arousing no suspicion. The illuminated vending machine gimmick looks like an illogical contrivance to advance the plot.
Question: Why does the general really appoint Li Shang as the new captain?
Answer: For the reasons stated. He believes him to be a highly competent soldier and trainer. While this opinion is probably influenced by Li Shang being his son, it does prove to be correct, as Li Shang's training is what allows the small group to succeed in battling the Huns.
Question: At the end when the Russian vampire has his would-be victim in a choke-hold, she says something to him, and he says something in return, but neither lines are subtitled. What are they saying?
Chosen answer: I have taken the Russian subtitles and machine translated them, then edited for clarity. Here they are with and compared to the hard subs from the theatrical release of the movie. Russian version is in brackets. Here is the full conversation... MOSCOW Woman: (A good show. I'm glad we went.) Vampire: (It went well, I thought?) Woman: (Yes, keep up the good work.) Vampire: (I will try.) Woman: It's cold. Where are we going? (I'm so cold. Where are we going?) Vampire: It's a surprise. Woman: Surprise? (Surprise? Really?) Man: (Yes.) Woman: I like surprises. (You know, I like surprises.) Vampire: Then you'll like this - (Then you'll like it very much.) Vampire: (You have such sweet skin!) Woman: (Peter, what are you doing? You're hurting me!) Vampire: (You will live forever.) Woman: (Don't touch me!) Blade: (Hey, good evening.) Blade: Catch you at a bad time - Blade: - Comrade? Vampire then growls until blade draws his sword and it cuts to credits.
Question: What is the most likely explanation for what was in the case?
Answer: There's no way of knowing what was in the case. It is a plot device called a "MacGuffin," a term coined by director Alfred Hitchcock. It doesn't actually matter what the object is but is just something that drives the story. It can be any type of object or device such as a "secret formula," "enemy war plans," a "nuclear weapon," a "treasure map," and so on that the characters are either searching for or protecting. There was never any intention to reveal what it was. Its purpose is to motivate the characters' actions and tell the story. Most likely it was intended to be a McGuffin just to keep the audience guessing and thinking about the movie long after it ends.
Question: What time of year does this movie take place?
Answer: During Abby, Marcella and Cody's summer break. You can tell because Cody says he wishes to have a real adventure this summer.
Question: Why did Geno break Mark's nose at the end during the party?
Answer: Geno deliberately broke Mark's nose during the party after Mark made a snide remark. After the party, when Mark suggested a way to have John committed and still get their money, Geno had enough of Mark's ignorance and punched him in the nose again to add further insult to injury.
Question: In the scene where the main characters are talking about their peculiar behaviours i.e.- "Stokely, since when did you start liking boys" and "What, Delilah, you haven't gone without hairspray and contacts since birth". Can anyone please tell me what Delilah means when she says to Casey- "And Casey, since when did you become Sigourney Weaver?" I have never understood what it means but I think it might have some reference to the movie "Alien".
Answer: That's exactly right. Weaver fought aliens in all the "Alien" movies.
Question: When the Debutante examines herself in the mirror, why does she center on and support her breast just before doubling over in pain?
Answer: She was most likely giving herself a breast-self examination. Doing this would enable her to feel for lumps, distortion or swelling which if felt early would mean that she might have early stages of breast cancer and could get it checked immediately.
Her breast was sensitive and painful because she could sense that something wasn't right with her.
So the alien embryo inside of her body was giving her cancer?
No. It wasn't giving her cancer. She probably does a breast-self examination periodically to insure that there's nothing wrong with her breasts.
Plus, it wouldn't make any sense for an alien embryo to give her cancer since after giving birth to an alien hybrid she would immediately die.
Answer: She could feel discomfort in her breast as she moved her hands down to her stomach.
Question: Why wasn't Amanda's face shown in the flashbacks of her first day at the school?
Answer: The filmakers decided to forego showing Amanda's face early on to give her grand entrance at the party more impact.
Question: At the end of the movie, at one point, Francis loses the stick bug. While looking for him, he says, "I'm right here, the only stick with eyeballs!" or something like that. Can he actually be found on the screen or, for comedic purposes, was it impossible to find him?
Answer: For comedic purposes, it's impossible to find him.
Question: When Simon and Joe are ordered by the police chief to do either community service at Reverend Russell's retreat or face prison, they take the community service option. But eventually, Reverend Russell orders Simon not to come on the retreat. So, why wasn't Simon arrested?
Answer: I think they let Simon go because he was sick at the time.
Answer: He acted up during the Christmas pageant so the reverend decided that as a punishment he would not be allowed to go on the retreat.
Question: I don't know anything about identical twins, so this is why I'm asking this question: how likely is it that Louis and Phillipe would have the exact same speech pattern?
Answer: There would be both genetic similarities and individual differences, and their vocabularies would have developed differently by education and experience. However, Phillipe was heavily tutored before the switch took place, and as "king" he would be able to distance himself (physically, mentally, and emotionally) as much as needed from members of his court until he perfected his role, along with the continued help from those in on the deception. Also, the audience and readers of the novel are expected to employ a certain "suspension of disbelief" in order to allow the story to be told.
Question: In what state is the reservation in the film supposed to be set in? The boy who speaks constantly (can't remember his name) speaks with a Minnesota accent, but I never heard references to Minnesota in the film. Can someone help please help me with this?
Answer: Smoke Signals was shot on site at the Coeur d'Alene Reservation in Idaho. The actor who plays young Thomas Builds-the-Fire (the one in braids and glasses) is from Canada.
Question: At the very end of the scene in which Walter and the Dude are spreading Donnie's ashes at the coast, a dark and unidentifiable figure appears for a few seconds in the upper right screen, apparently hiking a trail along the cliff. Was this an accidental walk-on by an actual hiker, or was it written into the script? With all the star-power in this film, I thought every bit of background action was supposed to be meticulously crafted.
Chosen answer: There's no way of knowing. If the hiker was that far away, it could have been someone who happened to stray into the scene by accident. The filmmakers may or may not have noticed, but if they did, may have felt it added to the realism. I did this myself during the filming of a street scene for the TV show, "Northern Exposure." Filming was underway before I realised I was in the midst of it. I just kept walking like I was supposed to be there.
Question: When they get chased by the other kids Charlie asks Jack (the living snowman) to turn them to ice to which Jack replies he "doesn't even got pickets". Was this some sort of joke? Could someone enlighten me?
Answer: He says "I don't even have pockets." He's just saying he doesn't have the power to zap them into ice.
Question: What does Buster mean that he'll be put in a foster home with people who don't love him? What's gonna happen to him if he lives with them?
Answer: He was just saying it pessimistically. Although, depending on which reports you read, 1 in 3 children are abused by their foster parents. In addition, many children in the system also get placed into several different homes during their childhood (since fostering children is not the same as adopting them), leaving the children to feel unloved by their foster parents.
Question: When Remer is showing Squeak around the house, they walk into a bedroom. Squeak sits on a pull-out bed, and Remer says 'That's Jenkin's Bed'.Who is he referring to?
Answer: Jenkins is their dog, the one that attacks him earlier in the film when he walks into the back yard.
And also attacks him seconds after this conversation.
Chosen answer: If they had put an "Out of Order" sign, or left it unilluminated, someone in charge might try to have it fixed or replaced, or could have checked to see if it's plugged in, etc. By leaving it illuminated, it doesn't look out of place and simply not taking money wouldn't arouse too much suspicion. In my own life, when I've come across a seemingly working vending machine that won't take my money or dispense drinks (but gives my money back), I just find another one instead of calling someone or reporting it. But yes, it is very convenient to the plot that Mulder just happens to try and use this particular machine.