lionhead

30th Apr 2021

Blade: Trinity (2004)

Question: Hannibal tricks three, "DNA-modified" dogs to chase him, dodging the dog's attack to send them crashing through the building's high-rise window. The result is the three dogs falling to their death on the street below (you hear terrified screams as the dogs make impact). Why did the dogs die though? Wouldn't a vampire, however infected or changed, survive a fall from a great height?

Answer: Vampires may be very resistant to a lot of trauma, but they aren't indestructible. If they fall from such a height the entire body will just explode and though they could theoretically regenerate (very far fetched) if their head is still attached, the dogs would be dead not much later anyway.

lionhead

Question: When they're trying to escape the locker, Jack starts running on the deck of the ship whilst pretending to see something. Why didn't he just say "We need to roll the ship over, lets run from side to side to make it rock" instead of just leaving everybody guessing?

Answer: Well first of all it's comedy, but perhaps he felt like it was too hard to explain to some crew (who are not all that intelligent) so he just thinks up something that gets them to go along with it and get the desired result faster.

lionhead

Answer: To be fair, Jack is already a very strange, eccentric person - doing something like that rather than just explaining it is something he would do just by virtue of his character. He's also gone a bit nuts being stuck in the locker, and is a little weirder than normal throughout the film. And I also agree with the other answer - doing that might just be an easy way to get the crew to go along with him.

TedStixon

Question: If John is so concerned about how the Terminator kill humans, why he didn't add "don't kill anyone" to its directives before sending it back in time?

Dangar

Answer: Because only young John Connor is concerned about that, not the future John Connor that sent the terminator back. Future John Connor wants the terminator to do everything it can to protect his younger self.

lionhead

Answer: Older John Connor lives in a universe where most of humanity is dead but the survivors are all united against Skynet. He likely knew that humans in the past might even side against the Terminator, so he did not reprogram it not to kill, as saving his past self is priority. The T-1000 was also a human infiltrator so the T-800 had to get ready to kill something that looked human. Also, according to side canon the T-800 was sent back immediately after the T-1000 was sent as Tech Com finally defeated Skynet, so there might not have been time to fully reprogram the T-800 beyond its mission.

22nd Jul 2010

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Question: Can someone please tell me why Stark brought strawberries when he visits Pepper in her office? He knows that she is allergic to them and we know that he likes/loves her, but it was a spiteful and mean thing to do. Not to mention insensitive. If he did that just to get the model, couldn't he had done it differently? The whole idea just doesn't make sense to me.

Answer: He wanted to do something nice for her, but since he is a pretty self-absorbed, shallow multi-billionaire, he forgot about her allergy. He remembered that there was SOMETHING about her and strawberries, but misremembered and thought it meant she really liked them. He makes a simple human mistake, not out of meanness or spite, but because he honestly does not remember.

Twotall

Answer: I've only watched this movie once but I think he got the strawberries from the man on the side of the road, and he just didn't want them. The man did just place them on the seat of Tony's car.

He stopped on the side of the road to get the strawberries. The man didn't throw them into his car as he drove by.

lionhead

Answer: It's not a cloaking shield. It's a defensive barrier. There would be no need to have a cloaking shield within the city because anybody that's inside the city would seemingly already know that Wakanda is hidden.

Phaneron

The cloak is to hide the city. If Cap flew in and only saw trees...what is the Black Order looking at and talking to?

DetectiveGadget85

The cloaking shield is what hides the city from overhead view, so aircraft that fly over can't see that there's an advanced city hiding within what is believed to be a third-world country. The barrier around the palace is to prevent enemies from attacking. That's why the "space dogs" are being torn apart when they try to go through the shield. When it becomes apparent that they can get through the shield when they attempt to do so in large numbers, Black Panther orders a section of the shield to be opened in order to bottleneck the forces in so that they can't surround the palace and penetrate the shield from a side that's not as well guarded.

Phaneron

This wasn't an overhead view. They were flying low and in a straight line into trees that on the other side hid buildings that were the same height. They weren't looking down.

DetectiveGadget85

Irrelevant. The simple fact of the matter is the Wakandans build that shield, and they can do anything they want with it. Perhaps the cloaking part is discarded to boost the shield's defensive capabilities.

lionhead

That's an illogical answer: they can do what they want. Perhaps? Where is that in the movie? These are guesses not answers.

DetectiveGadget85

Are you saying they don't have full control over their own shield that they designed and can manipulate very specifically, as seen in the movie?

lionhead

"Perhaps the cloaking part is discarded to boost the shield's defensive capabilities." - where is that in the movie? This website would not exist if every response was "they can do whatever they want".

DetectiveGadget85

It is when we are talking about future technology in advanced civilizations. This entry is also a question, not a mistake. There is a simple explanation for it, so that is the answer.

lionhead

This is a theory not an explanation. An explanation would be backed up by facts from the movie.

DetectiveGadget85

There isn't an in-film "explanation", but that's a distinction without a difference. If in a movie we see someone in one place and then several scenes later we're shown them somewhere else, there isn't an "explanation" for how they've got there, but there might be plenty of perfectly reasonable theories about how - drove themselves, got a ride, took the bus, etc. This is a wholly fictional technology and the "facts from the movie" are that people can talk through it, just like they can choose to open specific narrow sections. So we take at face value that it's possible, because there's no in-film reason to assume it isn't possible.

Question: When Indy's father is shown in flashbacks at the beginning of the film, why is his face never shown?

Answer: Most likely because they wanted his voice but not a different actor. So he is supposed to look younger and back in those days making an actor look younger was harder, cruder and more expensive.

lionhead

22nd Mar 2021

300 (2006)

Question: How accurate is this film in relation to the actual Battle of Thermopylae?

Answer: It's based on Frank Miller's comic 300, rather than Herodotus' recounting of the actual battle. Almost nothing is accurate beyond Leonidas leading 300 Spartans to the Hot Gates and fending off Persians until Ephilates (not a hunchback) exposes the goat path. Xerxes is certainly not a tall Latino man, the Persians never used elephants, rhinos and explosives or mutants and Leonidas' former co-king actually sided with the Persians after getting kicked out of Sparta. In addition, 1000 Thespians also stood beside the Spartans and also died besides them. The Persians also did not have an 'inside man' in the Spartan government nor did they pay off the Ephors to tell Leonidas not to march; in reality it was a religious festival so the army had to stay home. Gorgo was also an accomplished wrestler and charioteer and would not have been raped so easily, especially by a politician.

Answer: Remember that even in the film, it's not really treated as a true story. It's Dilios telling a propaganda tale meant to boost the spirits of his fellow Greek warriors at Plataea.

LorgSkyegon

Answer: According to the director it is 90 percent accurate. But in reality there are many things going on in this movie that are totally fantastical. One of the biggest problems are the costumes, diplomacy and tactical situation of the actual battle (the 300 did not in fact stand alone). Also, the movie includes elephants, which the Persians did not use in that battle, and certainly not rhinoceros. Also, Xerxes' portayal is completely fictional.

lionhead

22nd Mar 2021

Highlander (1992)

Show generally

Question: In all the Highlander movies and in this show, was there any reason given why immortals can't fight each other on holy ground?

Answer: Not directly. But there is a penalty involved. In Highlander 3 the fighting on holy ground resulted in the destruction of one of the weapons. In End Game several immortals are murdered whilst on holy ground but no repercussions were ever revealed, so it's possible it is specifically about the fighting. Nobody knows what happens when an immortal is killed in a duel on holy ground but it's safe to assume the penalty will be severe because all immortals respect this rule, even the most evil ones (except that one moment in Highlander 3).

lionhead

16th Mar 2021

Highlander (1986)

Question: How is the "no fighting on holy ground" rule enforced? I really can't see a guy like the Kurgan, who seems to have no sense of honor to speak of, following the rule willfully, unless there was some severe punishment for breaking the rule.

Answer: What the punishment is isn't shown in this movie, but since even the Kurgan follows it, it must be high. In Highlander 3 we see that fighting on holy ground at least destroys the weapons they are fighting with (although only Macleod's for some reason), it's possible the ultimate penalty is given when an immortal kills another immortal on holy ground. A good guess is the penalty is death.

lionhead

Answer: The "No Fighting on Holy Ground" is considered a sacred rule. Like being quiet in church, a funeral or any religious service. If any immortal would break this rule he was not be honorable and not subject to any of the other rules. Like fighting one on one and using hired thugs to capture an immortal holding him down to take his head.

16th Mar 2021

It (1990)

Question: How did Eddie survive his first encounter with Pennywise when he was in the school shower room?

Answer: Pennywise likes to build up the fear of his victims before killing them. He allowed Eddie to escape.

lionhead

Question: Why didn't Harry simply refuse to take part in the Tri-Wizard tournament? Even though his name came out of the goblet, he could have said no.

Answer: No, he had to participate because the goblet of fire forced him into a "magical contract." The goblet itself is probably partially sentient and would punish anyone who didn't participate after being selected by the goblet. How this works exactly is never explained, but the tournament judges were pretty clear that he had no choice but to participate.

lionhead

What would have happened to Harry if he broke the contract?

Broken magical contracts usually resulted in death; a good deterrent for not breaking them. Keep in mind, however, Harry (in the book at least), like many students, very much wanted to compete in the tournament despite the danger, but initially couldn't because he was underage. He still wanted to compete, despite knowing the selection process was rigged.

raywest

It's never explained.

lartaker1975

Question: Why did the Dementors attack Dudley?

Answer: Dementors are blind and can only sense a human by feeling their emotions. They were sent to attack Harry but couldn't tell the difference between him and Dudley so both were attacked. They don't care about collateral damage and are all too eager to suck up someone's emotions or soul.

lionhead

4th Mar 2021

Thirteen Ghosts (2001)

Question: Why did it say "I'm sorry" on the bathroom floor?

Answer: It's the angry princess' suicide note.

lionhead

Answer: Because she is not the mother-type. She is a very emotionally detached person. She probably got children for the prospect of them being successful and interesting to her work. Not because she likes raising them or take care of them.

lionhead

Question: Did Cullen really kill the people he was accused of murdering?

Answer: Yes. Kevin realises this when he finds out the secretary is lying about sleeping with her boss. He even considers dropping the case, knowing he was defending a murderer.

lionhead

2nd Mar 2021

Total Recall (1990)

Question: Dr. Lull says that she will do as Mr. Mclane says and "cover up any memory (Quaid) has of us or Rekall." However, when Dr. Edgemar comes in Quaid's hotel room on Mars, Edgemar reminds him that his experiences on Mars have been exactly what Quaid requested in his secret agent fantasy at Rekall, to which Quaid agrees. So obviously his memory of Rekall wasn't "covered up"?

Rollie55

Answer: Dr Lull was told to cover up any memory he has of them or Rekall. She replies "I'll do what I can it's pretty messy in there." She may not have done a good job. Later Cohaagen told Richter that Quaid couldn't remember anything and Richter said "that's now, in an hour he could have total recall."

Answer: He said, "Erase his memory of ever coming to Rekall," not the idea of going there, and the doctor said she'll do what she can to erase his memory, but it's pretty messy in there.

No he doesn't say that. He said "cover up any memory he has of us or Rekall." But they didn't, because he knows what Edgemar is talking about when he tells him the "demure and sleazy" woman is exactly what Quaid requested at Rekall.

Rollie55

Maybe they tried their best, but didn't succeed. Quite possible if his mind was already that messy.

lionhead

Well at first the movie implies that they did erase his memory of Rekall, because when Harry told him he went to Rekall he had no idea that he had been there. But later in the movie he remembers that he chose "demure and sleazy" when Edgemar is talking to him. So it's an internal contradiction and plot hole.

Rollie55

Them failing to permanently erase the memory but only temporary is not a plot hole. Doesn't even help the plot along. It's not important at all.

lionhead

It is indeed a plot hole and contradiction in the script.

Rollie55

27th Feb 2021

Hulk (2003)

Question: Why does Hulk agree to give David his power near the end of the movie?

Answer: Because he knew it would overwhelm him.

lionhead

Well to be honest, I have no clue why David wanted the Hulk power so badly instead of being satisfied with the being he's become at the end of the movie. The guy can turn into anything he wants.

Because he always wanted more. He is a greedy character. Even though he was that powerful, he felt Hulk was more powerful than him, and he wanted that power.

lionhead

24th Feb 2021

The Avengers (2012)

Question: I've noticed a few times in the film they mention "Phase 2." For example, when Fury is talking to the council they bring it up and Fury says "Phase 2 isn't ready." Given that the MCU was broken up into phases, with this being the last film in Phase One (with Iron Man 3 released a year later as the first film in Phase Two), was this an inside joke or nod about the MCU phases, or just coincidence and I'm reading too much into it?

Bishop73

Answer: Phase 2 in the movie refers to the plan executed in Captain America: Winter Soldier, Project Insight which is their next phase for total security of Earth (along with Stark's Ultron program). It is coincidental that it is the same term used for the MCU itself.

lionhead

23rd Feb 2021

The Mummy Returns (2001)

Question: It was stated that Anubis took the Scorpion King's soul until he would be needed again. But, is there any explanation as to why he turned into the giant scorpion mutant that showed up towards the end?

Answer: He made a deal with Anubis to defeat his enemies in exchange for his soul. After Anubis fulfilled his end of the bargain he claimed the Scorpion King as his slave and transformed him into the scorpion hybrid, taking away his humanity.

lionhead

Question: Just before Doc shows his plan with the DeLorean and the train Marty checks the walkie-talkies and Doc confirms it that they work. How are they able to get the walkie-talkies to work in 1885? I'm thinking Doc invented something so Doc and Marty can communicate with each other with them.

Answer: Doc from 1955 told Marty "just in case, fresh batteries for your Walkie-Talkies."

Kevin l Habershaw

Answer: Given Doc's scientific ability (and some suspension of disbelief) it would be easy enough to rig up a makeshift battery that would last long enough. Or indeed they've just got lucky and the walkie-talkies' batteries still have enough life in them. They're not mobile phones, they don't need masts or any infrastructure, they just connect directly to each other.

Jon Sandys

Like you said, walkie-talkies work independently of any infrastructure, which is what I think the question was more about. However, the battery was invented way before 1885 with the first lead acid rechargeable battery being invented in 1859 with pasted electrode batteries being invented in the 1880's. So it's less about Doc rigging up a battery and just using what's already available or charging the batteries it came with (if we are assuming the batteries ran out of power).

Bishop73

The best batteries they had in those days were crude, wet batteries made out of earthenware and filled with sulphuric acid. They were cumbersome, dangerous and didn't have a lot of voltage or low current. Hardly suitable for a walkie-talkie that needs at least 9 volts. But I suppose it's possible Doc had some charged self-made batteries sitting at home to keep them going.

lionhead

Definitely not "crude", certainly not as advanced as today, but the lead acid battery is the same technology a lot of batteries use today. They even had electric vehicles prior to 1885. My point was Doc didn't have to invent technology that didn't exist (as opposed to what some say he would have to do to get an 80's camcorder to play on a 50's TV). They had rechargeable batteries back then so it wouldn't be a stretch that Doc could recharge the batteries he had.

Bishop73

Answer: 1955 Doc got him some new batteries ("Just in case, fresh batteries for your walkie talkie. Oh what about that floating device?") They only used them on the train so the batteries would still be charged. In regards to how they work, they don't rely on phone masts, satellites, WiFi etc as they send radio waves to each other and not to any sort of base station.

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