Answered general questions about movies, TV and more

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In terms of TV series, what exactly is a serial? Like old TV series including the 1943 Batman and the 1949 Batman and Robin TV serials. Both are 15 episodes. So what's the difference between a TV series and serial?

Quantom X

Chosen answer: Episodes of a series are more self-contained, and while they may have an over-arching continuity or arc, each episode is a fairly self-contained linear story (examples "Quantum Leap", "Doctor Who", "Star Trek"). In a serial, several parallel storylines flow from one episode to the next, such as in soap operas ("Days of Our Lives", "Neighbours", "EastEnders"). Also, in the UK/Commonwealth, the term series is often used to refer to US seasons (eg. "series 3 of Friends"), so serial may mean any kind of narrative TV series to distinguish it from a single season/series. Early serials were shown in theatres, sometimes in addition to films, but sometimes as the feature. When TV was introduced, the entertainment industry transferred this type of regular-viewer activity to TV, to keep the regular viewers interested in the new technology.

Sierra1

Don't know if this was a movie or a TV show, but it took place in the Victorian era I believe. It had two men who somehow discovered a way to move so fast, that the entire world seemed to be frozen in time. One of the men, a professor I think, explains to his friend that even though it looks like time stopped, the truth is that time is moving extremely slow. They walk onto a baseball field and the professors friend takes a baseball from mid-air and throws it, causing the ball to catch fire. Later on, they walk into a school and meet a man who also found away to move at high speed. Unfortunately, he had been trapped in his state for several years and explains to them that he can't find a way to get back to moving at normal speed.

Answer: You are referring to the TV Miniseries "The Infinite Worlds of HG Wells", made 2001. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280770/.

Looking for the title of a movie about a husband and wife that custom combine together - kind of a love story, and I remember there was a tornado they had to go through.

Answer: That sounds very much like the 1998 film, "Twister, " starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton.

raywest

I know why Green Screen and Blue Screen is used in movies, for computer special effects, especially for changing the background or environment around somebody. But what is the difference between blue screen and green screen other than obviously the color? what difference does it make which one they use and what are the purposes for either?

Quantom X

Chosen answer: There is not really a difference. The only time when one out benefits the other is when the wardrobe conflicts with either screen.

MasterOfAll

This was a black and white movie and there was a scene where the mother and daughter are being chased by a man and they hide in the garage. Similar to Cape Fear. It was so good!

Julie Williams Newton

Chosen answer: Cape Fear WAS a remake of a 1962 black & white film starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. Might it be the original? (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055824/).

Captain Defenestrator

I'm after the name of an 80s movie (I think) about a girl and a guy who come together in their dreams but what they are actually doing is astral projecting. They make love and travel to places together while asleep.

squeaky

Chosen answer: This may be "Dreams Come True" - it sounds a lot like it. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083853/.

Janey Leigh Smith

A film about an English nanny who brings 4 USA girls over to marry into the British aristocracy. Came from a book.

Poppy57

Chosen answer: Sounds like the mini series The Buccaneers.

I am looking for a movie in which a young girl is about to be killed by her own parents as they believe she is evil. She is rescued by a lady working for a helpline who takes her along with her. Gradually there are occurrences in the life of this lady which makes her realize that the child is actually evil. After several attempts, she succeeds in getting rid of the child.

Answer: This sounds a lot like Case 39. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_39.

I am looking for a movie about 5 girls who meet on the internet chatting about suicide, and meet at the beach for a weekend. The star of the movie is being molested by her step father who she kills, along with her friends and herself at the end. I saw it a few months ago on Netflix but cannot remember the name. It is a newer movie, probably no older than 2010.

Janey Leigh Smith

Chosen answer: It's called To Get Her. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1787828/.

Janey Leigh Smith

I remember seeing a TV Christmas movie (possibly Hallmark or Lifetime) from maybe the late 1990s or 2000s about a boy who visits an old man (possibly his uncle or grandfather) who lives in the woods. However, that's all I can remember about it. Thanks for any ideas you might have.

Loren Collins-Blakeslee

Chosen answer: It could be "Out of the Woods". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420818/.

There was a movie about two women who become best friends and talk about everything in their lives. One day, the conversation goes to their husbands and how much they get annoyed by them. They then state how much they would like to kill them. One of the women says that if she kills her friend's husband, then her friend must kill hers. The other woman says it's a deal, but, only meant it as a joke. The other woman then actually kills her friend's husband and now demands that she follow up on her "promise." I believe this was a Lifetime movie.

Answer: The movie is called "Double Cross". It originally aired in 2006.

Bradlab

I am trying to remember a movie where a poor boy marries a rich girl, gets into her father's business and then becomes unhappy and murders her. He might have tried to hire a hit man and it went badly so he kills her himself. He almost gets away with it but is caught by making some stupid mistake.

Answer: Sounds a lot like Match Point, except for the ending.

There was a movie I believe that was set sometime in the mid to late 80's. A man and a woman are going on a cross-country trip. While traveling down a highway, they come across a young boy and his sister who are selling what they claim are real dinosaur eggs. The couple aren't interested and begin to drive off before stopping and deciding to take the kids with them.

Answer: I am pretty sure this is "Help Wanted: Kids". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091194/.

Looking for a movie where a man is paid by his landscaper to marry his sister. The man is American and the landscaper and his family are Spanish.

Answer: I think it is called Loco Love.

Which movie had a scene where a guy was waxing a car with a buffer and he slid all the way down the side of the car with it?

Answer: It sounds like Steve Martin's movie "The Jerk".

If I remember correctly, there was a movie with Jay Underwood who portrayed a man stalking a woman. The movie has him saving the life of a little boy, and the woman thanks him by offering him a free breakfast. He eventually starts to stalk her and even takes pictures of her walls so he can put them on his walls. He also believes that the woman is in love with him.

Answer: It's the 1994 film "Stalked." Maryam d'Abo plays the woman he becomes obsessed with.

raywest

Looking for a TV show/movie/short series, either staring Tyne Daly or Stockard Channing, about some girls in a boarding school, growing up together, one getting pregnant, one marrying a Saudi prince or something. Lots of backstabbing and drama.

keisha

Chosen answer: Sounds like Lace. A young actress gathers some women together, who all went to the same boarding school, and asks "Which one of you bitches is my mother." Brooke Adams is in it, as well as Phoebe Cates.

Jodi Hendon

I remember seeing the preview for a movie I wanted to watch but missed it, and have never seen or heard of it since. It was a TV movie in the 90's (around 1996 I think) about a guy who is obsessed with a girl and he ends up putting her in the trunk of his car, I think they were dating and she broke up with him and he went all "psycho". It had a well known TV actress in it but I can't remember who at first - I thought it was Shannon Doherty but I can't find anything. I know it's not much info but please help!

StephGary

Chosen answer: Sounds like "Fear" - it had Alyssa Milano and Reese Witherspoon in it.

Janey Leigh Smith

I'm looking for the name of a movie about a businessman who had a mistress with a child and a family that didn't know about them. He died unexpectedly. Probably a made for TV movie from the 1980s. I was watching it late one night and missed the ending. always wondered how it ended. Thank you.

Answer: This could be "Double Standard," about a prominent judge who had a wife and family, but kept a mistress and 7 kids in another city. Robert Foxworth played the judge, Pamela Bellwood played his wife, and Michele Green played the mistress. The mistress got pregnant while she was a teen, and for a while the judge and his wife raised that baby, but then he gave her back to the mistress, telling his wife that the adoption was challenged. The wife found out when the girl she'd raised showed up at her door. The truth came out when one of the kids was hurt somehow. I think it's based on a true story.

Jodi Hendon

I am looking for a movie that was on TV. Took place out in the woods and it was covered in snow. A woman could not have kids and found a little girl out in the snow. Later in the show you find out the child was made from snow. The woman made her clothes. Please help me find the name of the movie. Thanks.

Karen Cockrell

Chosen answer: This sounds like the Russian folk tale "Snegurochka". There were two films made in Russia adapting the story: an animated one in 1952 and a live action film in 1969.

Sierra1

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