Question: Once Doc learned about Tannen shooting him in the back over $80, he says, "Now I wish I'd paid him". Why didn't he try to pay him after learning this?
raywest
2nd Dec 2023
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
2nd Dec 2023
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
Question: When Seamus is telling Marty that he'll take him to the train station the next day and give him a new hat, it shows Maggie doing the 'Sign of the Cross'. Was she unhappy with Seamus helping out a "stranger"?
Answer: She was blessing Marty because, by wearing one of those hats, it was basically a giant "kill me" sign for Mad Dog. When Mad Dog first enters the saloon, he mistakes Marty for Seamus based on Marty's "dog-ugly hat".
Answer: It's not about Marty. Maggie is angry because Seamus constantly buys hats, which she considers wasteful and frivolous when they have so little money. Religious people will make the sign of the cross when they feel they need "forgiveness" for thinking angry or unkind thoughts or asking God to help them control their temper.
25th Nov 2023
Signs (2002)
Question: How come Ray Reddy wasn't charged for killing Graham's wife? Since it was an accident, he most likely would've got sentenced for manslaughter. If so, wouldn't he have been sitting in a jail cell during the movie's storyline events?
Answer: According to a Google search and a few law websites, it actually appears that legitimately falling asleep at the wheel could potentially help someone avoid vehicular manslaughter charges. It would depend on if them falling asleep was the result of them behaving negligently. For example, if you took medicine that makes you drowsy or stayed up for 24 hours straight, you would likely get manslaughter charges, since you were behaving negligently. However, if it was legitimately just a freak accident (ex. You were more tired from a day at work than you realised and passed out at the wheel), you have a decent chance of avoiding manslaughter charges. (Or at least avoid a guilty verdict or harsh sentence if it went to court.)
Answer: Agree with the other answers, but would add that the accident was only six months earlier. The investigation, charges, a trial, etc. may be ongoing. Reddy could be awaiting sentencing or was sentenced to probation, community service, counseling, credit for time served, a suspended sentence, or restitution. Reddy could be out on bail or on his own recognizance while awaiting sentencing. It's unlikely he would be considered a flight risk.
Answer: It's never addressed in the film, so it's safe to say it's simply a plot contrivance. In the real world, he definitely would have been charged; the film chooses to ignore this for the sake of the story it wants to tell.
Who's to say he wasn't charged? Guilty people get off all the time, and if the judge thought it was just a case of an upstanding citizen making a freak mistake, he could have gotten probation and a suspended sentence.
You're right, I hadn't considered that, or the other answer, when I posted.
22nd Nov 2023
General questions
I know companies pay a lot of money to advertise during events such as the Superbowl, but what about "regular" TV? Did they choose to have their ads run during particular shows? I am mostly thinking of broadcast TV, before streaming was popular.
Answer: Companies typically pay to run their ads during times when their target audience will be watching TV, such as toy companies running ads during Saturday morning cartoons, and in particular, a popular company like McDonald's would run their Happy Meal commercials during that time as well.
Answer: To add to the other fine answer, TV advertising costs are determined by how many viewers watch a particular program. TV networks set advertising rates based on different programs' ratings. Those with the highest viewership are the most expensive to advertise on. TV ratings were (and still are) determined by the Nielsen Media Research Company, who measure who and how many people watch each TV show. Companies naturally want to advertise their products and services when the largest number of viewers are watching and also to their target market.
22nd Nov 2023
Frasier (1993)
Question: What was the point of Mel being written as having a son? He is barely mentioned.
Answer: It fleshes out her character as being previously married, divorced, and having a child – typical for someone her age. It gave her a backstory.
Niles sees the photo of the adult son and guesses that Mel was young when her son was born. One of her employees scoffs at the comment. The joke is that Mel is probably older than Niles thinks and may have had cosmetic surgery, being in the business herself. Maris was also a few years older than Niles, so it's another way in which Mel is similar to Maris. Frasier later says that she is "Maris all over again".
22nd Nov 2023
General questions
Before the mid-2000s or so, people used to joke about bribing the cable guy to hook up the premium channels (movies, adult channels, etc). Was that always just a misconception? Today's technology prevents the installer from doing it without the cable company knowing.
22nd Nov 2023
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Question: Is this true that Klaus Kinski was considered to play Toht?
22nd Nov 2023
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
30th Oct 2023
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Question: A question that has been nagging me for so long: When the trio is chased by the Snatchers, why don't they just disapparate?
Answer: Anti-apparition spells are a thing. It's very possible one snatcher cast it, though we don't see it.
Answer: Apparition is not an easy spell to use. Wizards are only allowed to apparate at age 17 and are given lessons from that age. Ron definitely has never apparated before, only Harry and Hermione. It's highly unlikely they would have been able to take Ron along with apparition (side-along apparition) in the stressful situation without danger. If you do it wrongly, you get what is called "splinching," meaning parts of your body won't arrive at the destination. Ron already has injuries because of that. So, in short, it's too dangerous for them to try to apparate out of the situation.
Ron took the Apparating class at Hogwarts with Harry and Hermione. He failed his first license exam only because an overly-strict Ministry tester noticed he splinched some eyebrow hairs. Ron most certainly became practiced at it while hunting the Deathly Hallows. A hasty exit can be dangerous, however, as when Hermione hastily apparated herself, Harry, and Ron to escape the Ministry of Magic and is how Ron got his shoulder splinched.
Answer: I've wondered the same thing. There's no explanation, but it could be argued they were just panicked when the Snatchers took them by surprise. For all their abilities, they are still kids and occasionally lack critical thinking and failed to have a fallback plan for such an event or if they somehow became separated. Of course, it serves the plot as the story needs for them to be transported to Malfoy Manor. You should submit this as a plot hole.
I think even adults can panic in scary situations and not think of something that seems like an obvious solution. I've read online "tips" for getting away from muggers/robbers, but when I was actually shot by one, none of those came to mind.
In one of the books, Mr. Weasley says that many adult wizards don't apparate. It needs to be precise and it feels uncomfortable. Some would rather use a Portkey or fly on a broomstick.
21st Oct 2023
Jaws (1975)
Question: Does anyone know what Quint caught with his fishing line? Quint is adamant it's a shark, whereas Hooper, who's a shark expert, doesn't believe it is. Quint managed to reel it in somewhat, and given that Bruce was able to pull the entire Orca later on, I'd say there's no way Quint would be strong enough to reel Bruce in, so that kinda rules him out. So what on Earth was it that they actually caught?
Answer: It was Bruce. Quint doesn't reel him in as such, rather just reels in some of the line that was slacking. Bruce even pulls the line with sufficient force to frighten Quint, making him exclaim "Jesus Christ...!" The piano wire had been cleanly bitten through, and as Quint points out no small fish could do that. Further, the soundtrack kicks in when the line is tugged. Spielberg specifically stated he only ever used music to indicate the presence of the shark, hence no music during the earlier fake shark scare.
Answer: It was never revealed in the film exactly what it was. It's possible that it was another shark or some large game fish that broke the line. Mostly it's a plot device to foreshadow the coming encounter with "Bruce," and it creates suspense and tension. It also highlights the growing conflict between Quint and Hooper as to who knows more (college educated vs blue-collar smarts).
21st Oct 2023
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
18th Oct 2023
Under Siege (1992)
Question: What exactly did Ryback mean when he told Private Nash that they "brainwashed him at Boot Camp"? I never understood that line all these years.
Answer: Boot camp teaches you to obey. As long as the person talking to you has a higher rank, you're supposed to say "yes, sir or yes, ma'am." You do what you're told when you're told. You don't question it. That's why he goes along with putting Ryback in the freezer instead of the brig. That's why he believes it when he's told that the gunfire is party poppers. That's why Ryback says he's been brainwashed. Because he can't or won't think for himself.
19th Oct 2023
The Simpsons (1989)
Homer's Triple Bypass - S4-E11
Question: Bart and Lisa say they don't feel highs and lows because their generation watches MTV. Can someone explain more?
Answer: I think Lisa and Bart are actually referring to Generation X and early Millennials. People of these ages are also known as "the MTV Generation." They dealt with the political, social, and economic issues that were happening in the '80s and '90s. Many were also "latchkey kids" who had to be independent from an early age. They are known for being apathetic or even cynical, after growing up the way they did.
Answer: They probably mean that MTV has little to do with real life, and viewers became numbed and emotionally detached from reality by watching the contrived idealized images almost non-stop. It prevents them developing empathetic feelings toward others in their lives.
This episode aired Dec 1992, and given that it took 6-9 months to produce an episode, the writing took place early or mid 1992. MTV's first reality show, "The Real World", didn't air until May 1992. "Road Rules", MTV's 2nd reality TV show didn't air until 1995.
But that's all equally applicable to watching endless music videos, shortening attention spans. The fear is/was that constant "input" like that would slightly numb people to the real world, with exciting music/images being the only thing that generates an emotional response, in comparison to the more "boring" real world.
19th Oct 2023
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
Question: Why would Martin risk putting Laura in danger by sailing for the first time (which backfires on him anyway), especially at night, when he knows full well (believes) that she can't swim? He could have had her practice a few times to make sure she was comfortable and ready, then it would be easier to convince her to come along.
Answer: Considering Martin's controlling, sadistic nature, his driving motive most likely was to further torment Laura by forcing her into something he knows she fears. Though he was not intending to deliberately put her in danger by the unexpected storm, he had no concern about her emotional comfort and security. Also, I don't believe it was the first time Laura went sailing. As I recall, Martin said he tried to get her out on the water at least once a year.
18th Oct 2023
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)
Question: When Stacy is giving a speech at her bat mitzvah, she tells Andy Goldfarb that he's basic and not nice to people. What does she mean he's "basic"? And what parts of the film prove that he's not nice?
Answer: He was very mean to Stacy by cheating on her with the popular girl, by calling her out on the ledge, and by making Lydia and Stacy drift apart.
Answer: She's saying that even though he may be good-looking and popular, there is really nothing special or notable about him. His bad behavior was his meanness in driving a wedge between Stacy and Lydia, threatening their friendship.
Well, she told Andy that she destroyed her friendship with Lydia because of him. So, what other evidence is there in the film that he isn't nice?
18th Oct 2023
The A-Team (1983)
Question: How could Baracus have been in Vietnam, as flying is the only way to get there and he hates it?
Answer: It was actually hinted early in the show's run that he wasn't afraid to fly until he was in Vietnam. Something that happened there made him afraid of flying. They revisited that again in the 2010 film, where it was Murdoc's insane flying of a helicopter that scared him.
That was my first thought - unless it's explicitly stated he's been afraid of flying all his life, it makes perfect sense that it was a fear triggered by a wartime experience.
Answer: Vietnam is accessible by sea. Also, just because someone hates flying doesn't mean they can't just "suck it up" and do it, if it's important enough. If he was in the military, then he would not have a choice. His fear may have grown over the years. His A-Team members often sedated him and would even knock him out to get him on a plane.
18th Oct 2023
Double Jeopardy (1999)
Question: How did Nick get off the boat? Did he swim 3+ miles across open sea in the middle of the night, or did Angie pick him up?
Answer: They were sailing on Puget Sound, not the open sea. This is a relatively narrow inlet that cuts into Washington state from the Pacific Ocean. Land is on either side and there're many islands. However, it's unlikely Nick just swam ashore as the water's year-round temperature is too cold for any long-term survival. Most people die from hypothermia within 30 minutes. It's possible Angie had a small boat and picked him up, but I'd guess that Nick hid a small, self-inflatable raft on the boat and paddled ashore. He likely positioned the sailboat close to land before staging his disappearance.
18th Oct 2023
The Core (2003)
Question: The scientists decided to launch their ship into the Marianas Trench. What is the advantage of launching there?
16th Oct 2023
Frasier (1993)
Frasier Gotta Have It - S5-E19
Question: What does Martin mean when he says Caitlin is a flake?
9th Oct 2023
The One (2001)
Question: Whatever happened to the "evil" TK? The one that used the mice bomb to help Gabriel Yulaw escape. Was she arrested or did she escape?
Answer: Just looked it up, the character's name is Massie Walsh, apparently. But yeah, she's basically the "evil TK" version. Anyways, I was trying to ask what happened to her.
Wrong, T.K. I'm talking about the OTHER one. I don't know what her name is, but the one who put a bomb in the mouse to help Yulaw escape early in the movie. The scene in the multiverse area.
Since we never see her again, there's the possibility that she managed to escape during the confusion. Especially since she was wearing a disguise.
Answer: Doc's answer was sarcastic and said in jest. He had no intention of paying Tannen because he did not owe him anything. He knows that Tannen will probably kill him, even if he is paid.
raywest ★