Question: When we first see Alan Grant, he and his team are excavating old dinosaur bones. Given that this is a time when Dinosaurs roam freely on earth, why is he even bothering? He could learn far more from simply studying a live dinosaur than its bones. And secondly, given that dinosaurs are alive and free, who is gonna have the slightest interest in bones that are millions of years old. I considered this a goof, but I'm opened to any explanations.
KeyZOid
7th Jul 2022
Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
Answer: Agree with the other answer but would add that while to date about 1000 species of dinosaurs have been identified, it is believed there are at least 1,000 more types that existed and are still to be discovered and studied. Only a tiny fraction of the known species were cloned by In-Gen and Biosyn, and, as noted in the other answer, they are not genetically pure. Also, there is much to learn about dinosaurs' habitat, range, species evolution and decline, mating habits, health and diet, the existing climate at the time, and so on. That would be why paleontologists like Alan Grant continue digging.
Answer: The existing answers are good. In the movie, Alan Grant actually asked, "Why do we dig?" and answered his question, "Because paleontology is science [fossil animals and plants], and science is about the truth. And there is truth in these rocks." [00:20:52].
28th Aug 2022
General questions
When any movies are shown on television, why are non offensive lines dubbed with another line? Ex. In the movie *batteries not included, Carlos says to Frank, "You kill my head, man." When the movie appeared on TV, the line was changed to, You make me sick, man."
Answer: Agree with the other answer, but specifically to your example, phrases like, "You kill my head, man," while inoffensive regarding sex or profanity, could be considered problematic due to constant mass shootings and a concern about inciting violence. In other cases, some dialogue may be changed because it is now recognized as being socially and culturally offensive to women, disabled people, certain ethnic groups, and others.
Answer: It's often done so the movie can air on television and be presented to younger audiences. Ex. In the 1984 Ghostbusters film, Bill Murray says, "I'll sue your ass for wrongful prosecution," but the first time I saw it on TV (in the 80's) the line was now, "I'll sue your funny face for wrongful prosecution."
And to make the words more easily understood - "You kill my head, man" may have ambiguous meaning, but "You make me sick, man" is more straightforward.
Answer: To add the answers, generally movie studios provided edited films for TV airing. This not only includes dubbing lines that may be offensive, but deleting inappropriate scenes, editing for time, and formatting. Sometimes studios will add scenes if too many scenes were deleted to add time. The example you gave is from a 1987 film where standards are different from today. But the network or studio isn't going to re-release a newly edited version for today's audience. And it's unlikely the network would be able to play the original film without any edits.
18th May 2022
Doctor Strange (2016)
Question: When Strange is surgically removing the bullet from the patient's brain, why did he ask the one doctor to cover his wristwatch?
Answer: I took it to mean Dr. Strange could hear the watch ticking, and he wanted complete silence.
18th Jun 2022
The Brady Bunch (1969)
Question: Even though we know in the pilot that Mike was widowed, the show kept Carol's status a secret if she was widowed or divorced (though TV guides in the 70's labeled her as widowed). It seems obvious that widowed would be the answer since the girls never kept in touch with their father at all (or ever mentioned him). So the main question here is regardless if Carol was widowed or divorced, why were her 3 daughters' last names changed to Brady? Marriage would only change Carol's last name.
Answer: That the girls be adopted was for good reason - it would not be "proper" to have girls housed with boys (or a grown man) they were not related to, even if only by marriage. They may not be blood relatives after their adoption, but their statuses as step-sisters to the boys (or step-daughter to Mike, now their step-father) help clarify their roles and set appropriate boundaries (especially prohibited sexual behavior).
Answer: It's implied that Mike Brady adopted Carol's daughters, which would result in their last name being changed to Brady as well.
10th Jul 2022
Thinner (1996)
Question: How could Richie get the gypsy's dogs to eat the strychnine laced food? Shouldn't the dogs have been able to smell it?
Answer: I believe strychnine is odorless, so a dog would not be able to smell it. At the same time, it apparently has a bitter taste, which would question why a dog would ingest it - but some dogs tend to "swallow" or gulp food without chewing it, so may not notice the strychnine's bitter taste.
23rd Jun 2022
Predators (2010)
Question: Does the number of wrist-blades matter on a predator?
Answer: A couple weeks ago, I ran into a YouTube video about wrist blades and, although this may not fully answer your question, I remember that the twin blades could be expanded outward to enable the predator to capture prey between the blades without actually harming the prey (for whatever reason). Twin blades were considered "typical." I suspected that the higher number of blades, the more experienced the predator was, but the video pointed out that "Super Predators" prefer a single longer blade.
30th May 2022
The Terminator (1984)
Question: What number does Sarah Connor have on her door/apartment?
Answer: When Kyle looked in the telephone book for her address, it was 309. The Terminator also found Sarah J. Connor listed as 309 Calder. When she comes out of her apartment, 225 is on the door.
21st Mar 2022
Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Question: At Daisy's apartment, when Lisa asked if there was a bathtub upstairs, why did Daisy lie and say no?
Answer: Daisy didn't particularly like or trust Lisa, plus hesitated to let Lisa enter her apartment. (Lisa apologized at the door for "being a bitch.") When Daisy came downstairs from getting blankets and pillows for Lisa and Susanna to sleep in the living room, Lisa was already snooping around the kitchen (looking in the refrigerator and cupboards) and was "making herself at home" by planning on making pancakes. After Daisy told Lisa where the bathroom was, Lisa didn't even need to use it. Daisy told them that she'd come downstairs in the morning when she was ready. Daisy was basically telling Lisa and Susanna that the upstairs was "off-limits" to them. Lisa and Susanna were uninvited "guests" and already invading her personal space - for them to go upstairs into her bedroom or personal bathroom would pose an even greater threat to her privacy and sense of security. Besides, even family members within the same household don't like getting into a dirty bathtub after someone else used it.
21st Mar 2022
Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Question: I don't understand Georgina's fondness for the "Wizard of Oz" series. Was it somehow connected to her being a pathological liar?
Answer: I think it does play a part. She prefers the fantasy worlds to real life. Look when real life happens, or they hear about something... She looks so distraught and unable to really cope. Telling lies lets her create her own reality that she CAN deal with and be happy in with a sense of control.
Answer: I got the impression that she was presented as a "bookworm" (or bibliophile). When Susanna first entered her room, Georgina was reading "The Patchwork of Oz" and had four other books on her bed, plus a notebook with a pen (apparently to take notes for comparison/contrast purposes and/or remember passages). Soon after their introduction, Georgina returned to reading (and ignored her new roommate, for a while). Georgina probably found comfort in reading what might have been her favorite books and reading may have been a way to deal with loneliness, fear, distress, etc. in such an institution. Whether she was obsessed with or fixated on "The Wizard of Oz" series is questionable; having favorite books is not necessarily pathological! But, no, I don't think it was related to pathological lying.
4th May 2019
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Question: When Kevin was Lost In New York, why didn't he ever just talk to a police officer or go to a hospital so he could get back safe?
Answer: He told his mom he would go on his own vacation without any of them the night before they flew out, and since he had his dad's credit card, he saw this as an opportunity to have fun without any of them.
Answer: Kevin may have developed a negative impression of and attitude toward the police from his encounter with Harry the previous Christmas when he was "home alone." Harry impersonated a police office in Kevin's home town. Kevin may have questioned police trustworthiness, or lack thereof, in NYC. Besides, Kevin knew his family was still on a plane destined to France or, once they reached their destination, they were too far away (i.e, not readily available) to collect him.
30th Oct 2018
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Question: Why are they all so shocked that Kevin called Frank a cheapskate? He is. He also just practically admitted that he's not paying for this trip?
Answer: Not only was it disrespectful toward his uncle, when a kid Kevin's age says something like that, it is often attributed to overhearing and repeating what adults said. The implication is that Frank would now know what his adult relatives thought of him. They are shocked partly because they are embarrassed and feel guilty.
6th Sep 2021
Stillwater (2021)
Question: How come Allison wasn't compensated for losing five years of her life for a murder she did not commit?
Answer: The new DNA evidence may have been enough to cast DOUBT on her guilt, result in the court revision, and result in her release, but I don't think anyone else (at least not in the movie) was found guilty of the murder. That is, doubt of her guilt is not in itself proof of her innocence. In fact, Allison played at least an indirect role in the murder by giving the man her gold "Stillwater" necklace and promising him money if he would "get rid" of her roommate. Allison told her dad she didn't want the man to kill her roommate, but her use of the words "get rid of" her roommate doesn't exactly make her innocent. Allison seemed to accept her indirect (at minimum) role and was relieved to be released. In general, provided the courts followed proper procedures in acquiring a conviction, the courts are not liable for so-called "wrongful convictions." Even when the burden of proof is "beyond a REASONABLE doubt", there's always the possibility of SOME doubt. This may not answer everything.
30th Nov 2016
American History X (1998)
Question: The family's front door swings out rather than in. I know in places such as Florida, this is due to the hurricane weather so the door does not get blown in. However, in this movie, the family resides in California. We don't have front doors that swing outwards because we do not have hurricanes. Was this a mistake or was there a reason for the door to swing out?
Answer: Just because it's uncommon or even rare for an outer door to swing outwards, doesn't make it a mistake or even special.
Answer: It was probably (or close to being) a "revealing mistake" - how something was done for movie "convenience" or effect. It is much easier, faster, and dramatic if someone can run out of the house and immediately attack someone compared to having to take time to "open the door" (inward, like it is usually done).
6th Jun 2017
Midnight Special (2016)
Question: In the very last scene, we see Michael Shannon in shackles (presumably in a federal prison) with electroencephalographic sensors attached to his forehead and scalp, oddly gazing at the sunrise as two prison guards flank him. In the very last shot of the film, a closeup of his face, we see his eyes faintly glow for a split-second as he smiles a very slight smile. Question: Is the film implying that Alton is in otherworldly contact with his father, or that his father absorbed some of Alton's otherworldly power; or is it implying that, being the boy's biological father, he was the source of Alton's power? In any event, this may never be revealed, because the film barely made back one-third of its $18 million production budget, making the probability of a sequel highly unlikely.
Answer: I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I got the impression that he was communicating with Alton like he had done when Alton ran from the truck. I also thought his smile was perhaps in reaction to what Alton told him and/or the two were making fun of (mocking) the use of electrodes because they knew the electrodes would not have any effect on him.
P.S. Plenty of lousy movies have had sequels, so it is possible there could be a "Midnight Special 2".
Not necessarily holding my breath.
A sequel doesn't seem likely. Hope you weren't holding your breath waiting for an answer to your question.
26th Oct 2021
Saw III (2006)
Question: Is there an actual drug that could cause someone's heart rate to slow down and muscles to relax for several hours, to the point where they can remain completely still?
Answer: The drugs that anaesthesiologists use for people undergoing surgery (such as IV drugs and inhaled gases) relax muscles to the point that the patient can't move and becomes unconscious. But with monitored sedation (as opposed to general anaesthesia), there can be varying° of drowsiness perhaps with the ability to talk. If you've heard of "anesthesia awareness", this may be a condition close to what you are asking about. Not enough general anesthesia is administered (the amount needed was misjudged or deliberately lowered because of a dangerous situation but hoped to be enough) and the patient becomes aware during surgery but cannot move. General anesthesia typically uses nitrous oxide and variations of ether. Barbiturates/ sedatives/ tranquilizers - even enough alcohol - in varying amounts over time can keep a person largely immobile. (I'm not mentioning any specific drugs).
22nd Nov 2021
Pitch Black (2000)
Question: If the ringed planet is only in a position to block off the suns once every 22 years, how come it rises over the horizon and into the sky in what appears to be only a few minutes?
Answer: If the points you make in your question are true, my best GUESS is that the "ringed planet" is not on the same orbit. I'm basing this on what (little) I know about Mars (and astronomy) - its orbit around the sun is not within the Earth's orbit, but approximately every two years, the orbits of Mars and Earth become very close.
9th Nov 2021
Problem Child (1990)
Question: What was in the red backpack that John Ritter was going to give Michael Richards as ransom for Jr, since he didn't have the 100 grand that he promised him?
18th Nov 2021
Jurassic Park III (2001)
Question: Dr Grant makes an SOS call to Ellie via the Sat phone. I think I have the sequence correct: There was such a delay in her getting to the phone that they got disconnected. She then dials 3 digits on the phone and then hears Dr Grants cryptic cry for help. She calls him back. Did she dial *69 to reconnect with him, which I don't think you can do with a Sat phone, or dial a code that immediately connected them? Anybody know about Sat phones or have any clues or answers to this scene?
Answer: I think you are right that *69 does not work on a SAT phone, but I can't offer anything else. You may have pointed out a plot hole.
We see Ellie immediately start dialling numbers. We don't know she stopped at 3, but she was likely calling her husband or whatever connections she had in order to send the military after the group. Calling him back would've been a waste of time.
26th Nov 2021
Titanic (1997)
Question: Pardon me for asking a "what if" question, but this confuses me: what did Rose intend to do *before* the ship sunk? She had changed her mind about Jack, choosing him instead of Cal. However, she and her mother needed the security from Cal. They were in debt. Jack was poor. If Rose married Jack, Cal and his family would be offended by the broken engagement. They would not help Rose's mother. Would Rose just marry Jack and abandon her financially-burdened mother in New York?
Answer: Rose was strong-minded and determined but was thinking "in the moment" and had no real plan or idea about what to do if she'd left with Jack, had he survived. It's unknown if they would have stayed together and married. Rose had only told Jack she was going with him. At some point she might reconnect with her mother. Cal Hoxley probably would be so humiliated by Rose deserting him for a penniless artist, that he would have hushed it up and invented some story about the broken engagement. He likely had already paid off the DeWitt Bukater debts to clean-up any lingering complications or embarrassments before marrying Rose. He probably would also have made some minimal financial arrangement for Ruth, not from compassion but for appearances sake. As we saw, Rose faired quite well on her own once she did escape Cal and her mother.
Answer: Due to historical times, the "love birds" may have lucked out (had they survived). They would not have known WWI would start in 1914 (two years after the Titanic sank), but they would have hoped that their financial situation improved. Women were needed in the labor force.
Answer: That was her plan, assuming she would have been able to follow through with it. This would have left her mother high and dry, but that didn't seem to be a very big concern for her. However, in reality, between Cal, Lovejoy, and Ruth, Rose would find it very hard to even see Jack, much less marry him, if the Titanic had made it to New York in one piece. Women had very few legal rights in 1912, so once the marriage was performed, Cal could pretty much keep her imprisoned, for all intents and purposes, and Jack could do nothing about it, even if he wasn't a penniless vagrant...which he was.
Your last statement about Cal pretty much being able to keep Rose imprisoned has no factual basis. Women still had many legal rights, and while some states had more liberal divorce laws, by 1915, 1 in 7 marriages ended in divorce. By the 1920's, it had risen to 15%. Not to mention that in 1917, New York had given women full suffrage.
"Imprisonment" might be too strong of a word to use, but cultural norms at the time (such as those regarding marriage, the role of the wife/ homemaker, and divorce - taboo) didn't give women much freedom. Divorce statistics are notoriously inaccurate and, depending on the method used to calculate the number, percent, or rate, different figures are derived. Instead of 15%, the RATE of divorce (per 1000 PEOPLE) was 1.7 in the 1920s. Women's suffrage is hardly an indication of freedom, rights, or equality. [Just think how "effective" the 14th Amendment (1868) was in granting equal legal and civil rights.].
Regardless of any restrictions on "married" women, Rose was not yet wed to Cal. They were only engaged, and he had no legal right to impose anything on her at that point. If Rose wanted to walk off the ship with Jack, there was nothing Cal or her mother could legally do to stop her. If they tried to interfere, Rose could have the ship's officers or the White Star Line's personnel intervene.
28th May 2009
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
Question: In one of the flashbacks, after Kristy put the magnets on Michele's back, why did she eat Romy's hamburger? This just struck me as odd since the "popular girls" in movies are usually portrayed as dieting often, and they usually don't eat the junk food that the non-popular characters eat.
Answer: She ate it because she's a bitch and wanted to hurt Romy. She didn't take it to eat for food.
Answer: It was a way of her showing Romy that being popular (in high school) comes with "power" over the less popular students and ability to do what she wants without fear of retribution. Conversely, in order to try to be liked by a popular student, a less popular student will yield to the popular student and/or give (let her have) anything she wants, including her lunch. [It doesn't always work this way.].
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Answer: The live dinosaurs are genetically tweaked recreations, they're not the "pure" dinosaurs of the past, which would still be of great interest. Plus just like any other archaeology or historical study, there's always more to be learned about the past, and a great many people are interested in what the past has to teach us.