Question: Is there ANY reason the smaller "lifeboat" ship (think they call it the Narcissus) Ripley evacuates into at the end, couldn't have been used as a lander to travel down to the planet in the beginning too (simply leave the Nostromo in orbit, with or without skeleton crew)? It seems, actually is, much less likely to be damaged in the initial landing, and, for that matter, much easier to take off afterwards (being much less massive). It also would have provided one more layer of quarantine containment for the people who stayed in the lander (who may or not be all the other four, in fact one would probably be just fine (Ripley manages the Narcissus just fine at the end), and it would have been a lot faster for the singleton to simply put on their own spacesuit if/when trouble is encountered, and in so doing, preserve their own personal uncontaminated space). The three explorers and the lander guard could simply see to trouble in Narcissus' sickbay-laboratory, without tainting the three back in the mothership, give Kane first response while taking him up to the main lab on the ship, while giving the orbit people warning to put on their suits/have some form of mobile quarantine ready for him.
dizzyd
5th May 2017
Alien (1979)
Chosen answer: The small "lifeboat" ship was not equipped for the entire crew's long-term survival. As they are in deep space, there is no where close for them to land. They would just be adrift in space, as it takes years to travel from one destination to another. To survive long voyages, the crew needs to be in hibernation. The small ship would be a last resort in the hope that any survivors would be found before they died of starvation and/or lack of oxygen.
6th Apr 2017
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Question: Why do they call the aliens Mimics when we never see them actually mimic anything?
Chosen answer: First it should be noted that this film is based on the Japanese novel "All You Need is Kill" by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, which is where the term "mimics" comes from and could be something lost in translation (they adapted to alien planet environments by mimicking the biology of the planet's life, not necessarily making themselves look like a certain species). However, in the film itself it, was said the aliens "mimic our every action", militarily speaking. This is of course because the aliens were resetting the timeline when an alpha died and knew what the military would do, but to the military (and news reporters) it looked like they were just copying our fighting style.
3rd Apr 2017
Lexx (1997)
Question: How in blazes do 790 and the other robot heads, when they are attached to cyborg bodies, eat, drink and breathe for their biological bodies? I never see anything like either a functional nose/air intake or functional jaw and mouth (for food intake, as opposed to speech) for these things. I never see any such bio-interface on the bottom of 790's head when he is held upside-down etc... Also, what is the power source for 790's kind's actual robot head, since we never see him plug into an outlet, fuel up etc.
3rd Apr 2017
Lexx (1997)
Question: Why do the robot heads get attached to human bodies?? Doesn't make sense when you consider how much more advanced they could make robot bodies for such. Also, why not put human brains in robot bodies? We know they have that ability.
Answer: From what I'm seeing, the answer seems simple. The robotic heads allow the control of the body they need. However, no mater how advanced you make a robot's body, it will never quite be as flexible and versatile in it's movements and actions as a flesh and blood human body can be in most cases. And if they do put the effort into creating a robotic body with the capabilities they need, and be durable enough to last... it would cost a lot of money. The Cluster has a large influx of constant prisoners that they use for feeding the Lexx and other needs, so human bodies are easy to come by and in vast quantities. Them simply producing robotic heads with the ability to interface with the human nervous system and placing them on the decapitated bodies of expendable prisoners is a hell of a lot more cost effective and easier to do with the technology they have. It's just a cheaper, more effective option for them to have thousands fo 790 Units in production and use without the cost of manufacturing a fully functional and durable robotic body for them.
24th Jan 2017
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Question: Were they able to get ANY character from Hannah-Barbara? I am fully aware of the "discovery" logic of toons existing in that world before their official "premiere", so it seems possible. Was there a licensing difficulty?
Chosen answer: Likely, after all the negotiation in getting Disney and Warner Brothers toons into the same film (characters from both studios were required to have the same amount of screen time and the same number of lines, etc.) the producers decided not to push their luck and try to incorporate Hanna-Barbera as well. Also, Hanna-Barbera won't exist for 20 years until after the time of the film. Yogi Bear is a cub right now, and Fred Flintstone is washing dishes in a Hollywood Diner, so maybe we just didn't see them.
30th Nov 2016
Alien 3 (1992)
Question: In the infirmary, when the Alien gets close to Ripley, and then (we realise why later in the movie) pulls back and leaves her, because she is carrying the queen chestburster, why doesn't the Alien hold her, take her with him, into the vent system and cocoon her like we see the others do to all those other humans in Aliens? It seems to be remiss of the creature to let her run around, as opposed to guarding her, especially since it seems to be a "guard."
Answer: Well at the time I'm sure it was just to keep the story moving but as far as the lore, this alien is a different breed (A Runner). They are meant more for acquiring food for the hive were as the drones (from Alien and Aliens) create the hive and the cocoon to hold incapacitated people. The drones can also be used for defending the queen/hive, scouting or gathering hosts for the facehuggers.
Chosen answer: 2 Reasons; 1. The entire rest of the prison was trying to find it and kill it. The Alien is fast and strong but if spent most of its time hovering around Ripley, it would be outmatched and killed. 2. The Alien probably knew that Ripley was an ally of the prisoners. They weren't trying to hurt her, so she didn't need guarding.
For 1) No, not yet they weren't trying to kill it, at this point in the movie noone believed her except possibly a deranged convict (lotssa help he'd be in any case) 2) That one is a little harder to dispel, but nevertheless, the alien would probably want to drag her, hide her, somewhere in the depths of the complex, just to be safe, and certainly to be present and available as a guard when the chestburster actually hatches.
8th Jul 2016
Game of Thrones (2011)
Question: Is there any place in the books, movies, or directly from George R.R. Martin to say why the Game of Thrones world has such unpredictable seasons? Magical, Scientific, Alchemical (ie in-between).
Chosen answer: Well Magic does come to mind. The White Walkers bring with them the winter. Because of this, the seasons are very unpredictable. "Winter Is Coming" refers to this.
29th Jun 2016
Finding Dory (2016)
Question: Is it ever explained why Dory has her memory problems? Why she has such an incredibly bad memory, even for one of her species? Head injury, exposure to a chemical, genetic?
Chosen answer: In the absence of a neuropsychological work-up, we have only Dory's word for it: "I have short term memory loss...It runs in my family...at least, I think it does." So, Dory believes it to be genetic. At least, I think she does.
Answer: Because she has short term memory loss.
22nd Mar 2016
Breaking Bad (2008)
Question: Just how does Walt intend to explain the presence of all that meth money, even posthumously? Just how does he think his heirs will react to that, how is he going to launder it? How does he think his wife and kids will explain it? If they knowingly inherit and use such money, they could face charges of accessory after the fact. Is this ever addressed in the show?
Chosen answer: I'm not sure how far you are into the show but he does eventually come up with a way to launder it (wont spoil it for you but rest assured, when he gets a lawyer the show gets much better!) and in the final season he also comes up with a way to give his children his money without the cops or the DA knowing it came from him.
15th Oct 2015
Pacific Rim (2013)
Question: Is it ever established why the Kaiju attack cities? Why they perceive a challenge, a threat, a resource worth taking there specifically? If they are a decent biochemical match to Earth life, and are hungry, why don't they attack schools of fish, or fishing/whaling vessels, if nothing else, they should attack the cannery row? If they are after a non-living resource, like minerals, why don't they root through the seabed or attack mines?
Chosen answer: Because they are scouts for an invasion of Earth from another dimension. They are testing our response to their arrival and military capabilities and the best way to attract military attention is to attack population centers.
24th Mar 2015
Burn Notice (2007)
Question: How do Jesse and Sam intend to continue as P.Is, when their faces were broadcast over the state news? Undercover/stealth work is torpedoed by that.
11th Feb 2015
The White Mountains
Question: In the later chapters, the main characters are being pursued by Tripods, mind controlling alien machines. My question is, if the Tripods can turn humans into 1600's puppets, complete with foxhunts, why don't they make some of said mind-controlled humans help with the pursuit?
4th Feb 2015
Romeo and Juliet (2013)
2nd Feb 2015
Burn Notice (2007)
Question: Where is the bathroom in Michael's loft? I have seen every season, every angle, and I never see anything resembling it?
Chosen answer: It might not actually have one, in which case, he'd have to go down into the club and use theirs. As for showering, going to his mother's house or a gym membership would take care of that.
22nd Oct 2014
Romeo and Juliet (2013)
Question: Where specifically was this filmed? What historic district?
Chosen answer: The movie was filmed in several cities: Subiaco, Mantua, Caprarola, Lazio, Rome, and Verona.
18th Mar 2012
Terra Nova (2011)
Question: Is there any reason they have to go to that particular time to start their colony? Why not say 64 million years ago? Since it's after the dinosaurs, but before the evolution of sabertooths and mammoths? It'd be a lot safer.
Chosen answer: Because that's where the rift led. They don't have a time-travel machine, capable of taking them wherever they please - all they have is a hole in time leading to one single time period.
27th Aug 2011
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Question: Did they give John Lithgow's character Alzheimer's disease in remembrance of Charlton Heston?
Chosen answer: No they most certainly did not. That wouldn't remotely be considered a particularly respectful homage! They picked Alzheimers because it's specifically a brain condition, which can then be explored in the movie as a plausible way of explaining the intelligence raising properties of the drug used.
11th Jul 2011
Horrible Bosses (2011)
Question: Is the scotch trick Kevin Spacey played on Jason Bateman a nod to "Hopfrog" by Edgar Allen Poe? To those of you who are wondering, Hopfrog is a deformed dwarf Jester who is forced to amuse a tyrant by being forced to drink wine because "it excited the poor cripple to madness, and madness is no comfortable feeling." Hopfrog avenges himself that very night, but I was just wondering.
Chosen answer: I doubt that was a conscious decision - while it's certainly an interesting parallel, getting someone drunk to laugh at them is a common enough scheme.
21st May 2011
Aeon Flux (2005)
Question: Is the cloning their explanation for why, in the series, Aeon Flux died in every episode? If not, I'd say she's Kenny McCormick's descendant.
Chosen answer: Although the scenario does happen in the episode "A Last Time for Everything", this is not the case. The creators intentionally left the series without a direct continuity as a satire of the action genre.
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Answer: It's not apparent whether the shuttle is capable of landing at all, much less launch itself back into space afterward even if it could.
TonyPH