Question: How exactly did they make John Leguizamo look so short? Was he just sitting on some seat concealed inside the fat suit?
lionhead
8th Aug 2021
Spawn (1997)
6th Aug 2021
Toy Story (1995)
2nd Aug 2021
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Question: Why would Dumbledore hire Lockhart to be a professor at Hogwarts? Dumbledore knows how incompetent Lockhart is and that the DADA is cursed.
Answer: This is better explained in the book. Dumbledore, and also the other Hogwarts' staff, always doubted the narcissistic Lockhart's credentials and abilities, but no-one else would accept the job, knowing it was cursed and no instructor lasted more than a year. At the time, Dumbledore was pressed to hire a new teacher before the school year started, and Lockhart was the only option and better than nothing.
Answer: On paper, Lockheart is far from incompetent. Look at all his books. It appears he has exceptional experience of the Dark Arts and creatures such as Hag's Banshee's etc. So as far as Dumbledore knows he's the best position of the job. With regards to the job being cursed, it's been cursed for 13 years with no teacher lasting more than a year. He still needs a teacher. And all the teachers get more and more qualified as time goes on. Consider the fact that he hires ex-auror, Moody.
In the novels, Lockheart has admitted to Harry and Ron that he's a fraud. His backstory goes that all of his "accomplishments" were told to him by other wizards that actually achieved them and after he learned the whole story, he used Obliviate on them to make them forget what they did and claimed them as his own. Even the spell that he claims would work on pixies failed.
In the movie he tells them too. Nobody knew that though, not even Dumbledore when he hired him. Although some do start getting suspicious, like Snape.
Dumbledore was aware of Lockhart being a fraud as two of the wizards that had their memories erased were friends of his and was able to correctly guess that Lockhart was responsible.
I wouldn't consider Dolores Umbridge, who succeeded (the fake) Mad Eye Moody, as an improvement. She was mediocre in addition to being corrupt. The real Mad Eye, never taught, so it's unknown how well he would have done. Barty Crouch, Jr. (the fake Moody) was a dark wizard, making him an effective instructor. Lupin was an excellent teacher, as was Snape, though he didn't last a full year.
30th Oct 2017
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: Why doesn't Gandalf want Pippin to touch the crystal ball, whatever it's called? Does it give Sauron the ability to read minds?
Answer: In a word, yes. The palantÃr (as it is called) forms a mental link between itself and others like it, and a strong mind (such as Sauron) can manipulate weaker ones (as he did with Saruman and Denethor).
19th Jul 2021
V for Vendetta (2005)
Question: V has shipped and delivered mass quantities of his outfit to just about every citizen in London. How did he manage to ship and deliver those packages when everyone is out looking for him?
Answer: They received the costumes in the mail, it was been easy for him it gets it shipped, especially the people who supported his cause. He never had any help imprisoning Evey. He played all the characters. That's why you never saw their faces.
15th Jul 2021
Alien (1979)
Question: How did the company know about the Alien in the first place? Presumably no-one had been there before and the signal they picked up didn't indicate the presence of an Alien lifeform.
Answer: It was never fully explained. "The Company" had a standing directive that any signal detected which indicated alien life was to be investigated and specimens collected and returned. Failure to comply would result in the crew forfeiting their profit shares. The company apparently had previously detected the crashed alien astronaut's warning signal from LV-46 and wanted to search for alien lifeforms without specifically knowing what would be found.
Actually in the movie it is indicated that the company definitely knew about the xenomorphs, given Ash's directive. It is not explained how in this movie but it is in the movies "Prometheus" and "Alien: covenant." The standing directive about investigating signals was just an excuse to use an expendable crew to procure a specimen.
25th Jun 2021
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Question: How did the big, black vampire die? I know that he melted after Harvey Keitel ran him through with the shotgun, but I didn't see anything used that would actually "kill" a vampire. There was no holy water, crosses, etc. used on him.
Answer: Well Keitel turned the shotgun into a cross. So he touched the cross and melted.
25th Jun 2021
General questions
On movie and TV sets, what position is typically the "boss" - who has the final authority on decisions or changes?
Answer: That would be the director. Although technically the boss of the director is the producer (who pays the bills) but they are hardly on set.
15th Nov 2014
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Question: What is supposed to happen if you say Voldemort's name? Harry says it throughout the series many times, and nothing happens to him. Why do Arthur Weasley (in this movie) and other people always tell him to stop?
Answer: Actually, nothing happens to anyone who says it. The idea is that Voldemort was so evil that nearly everyone feared saying his name aloud, referring to him only as "You-Know-Who" or "The Dark Lord." Only Harry and Dumbledore freely spoke his name aloud, having no fear of it. However, in HP and the Deathly Hallows, Voldemort, knowing this about Harry, places a jinx on his own name, and anyone saying it will immediately reveal their location. Hermione happened to say "Voldemort" out loud right after she, Harry, and Ron escaped the attack at the wedding and were in the coffee shop. Two Death Eaters appear immediately after she says it, and almost capture the trio.
Answer: Voldemort can find whoever says his name. That's why people don't say his name - purely for the sake of their life.
That is only true after the death eaters take over the ministry.
Question: When Smeagol first sees the ring, its power drives him insane almost instantly, leading him to kill his own friend and not feel any guilt afterwards. Later it changes him physically as well, turning him into the shrivelled up creature Gollum. When Bilbo Baggins however acquires the ring it doesn't cause him to go insane or commit murder, even after he's had it for some 60 years. Frodo Baggins also holds onto the ring for a good amount of time without ever losing his mind to it. Why the difference?
Answer: The Ring's power affects everyone, but not the same way or at the same pace. We really don't know much about Smeagol or what he was like before he found the Ring, so his personality/character may have been more immediately susceptible to its influence. We do know Bilbo and Frodo are, in general, kindhearted and innocent, so they "hold out" longer before succumbing to the Ring...they both DO lose their minds to it at certain points, albeit briefly (Bilbo transforms into a monster in front of Frodo, and Frodo, spoiler alert, later claims the Ring as his own in Mt. Doom).
Answer: Smeagol was greedy for the fish that Daegol his cousin caught which had the ring in its belly. The Ring influenced him to kill Daegol and run from his home into the caves. He was the guardian of the ring for almost 600 years, so he is quite crazy when Bilbo meets him, with even the Ring warning Gollum not to touch it. Bilbo on the other hand was wholly ignorant of the Ring's influence and kept it in his pocket and only using it to hide from his relatives. Bilbo, being a bit wealthy and a Hobbit didn't have greed in him so the Ring had very little to work with. Frodo, being raised by Bilbo was the same, being more interested in smoking, food and other Hobbit activities. He was chosen by Elrond to bear the ring because it had no real effect on him or his people, given their innocence and lack of desire for power. The Ring kept Bilbo alive for over 130 years with no issues. Frodo is only overcome at the forge in Mt Doom, as Sauron's power is literally everywhere in that place.
Most of this is completely made up.
2nd Jun 2021
Bruce Almighty (2003)
Question: After losing his temper on TV, Bruce is being thrown out of the building because he was fired. Why, later in the movie, would Bruce be allowed back in since he no longer works for the news studio?
Answer: They most likely called him and invited him back in to get the scoop. Before another network gets him.
28th May 2021
Bruce Almighty (2003)
Question: Aside from it being a funny scene, is there any reason why the people at the news station would keep the feed on Bruce during his tirade at Niagara Falls instead of switching back to the studio?
Answer: I think they are all just stunned about what they are seeing, and perhaps a little curious.
24th May 2021
Equilibrium (2002)
Question: Why would they need to authenticate the Mona Lisa painting at the beginning? Wouldn't a replica yield the same punishment for whomever is in possession of it?
Answer: They need to know they got the real one because that is the one that is so revered and protected. Not a replica.
Answer: I'm not sure who "they" refers to, so I'm giving a general answer. They need to ascertain the monetary value of the painting in order to know how to proceed. Obviously, an authentic painting (perhaps worth millions of dollars) has a much greater value (selling price) than a fake painting (which could be produced at a small fraction of the cost plus would not hold the same cultural or historical significance). The "punishment" (sentence) that could be imposed may vary with jurisdiction, type of sentencing system, monetary value, and the offender's prior criminal record (if any). Although it may be possible somewhere for the replica to carry the same punishment that is attached to the authentic painting, the extreme difference in value between the two paintings is likely to separate them into different classifications or grades of the offense (felony/misdemeanor or grand/ petit larceny). In general, the grand theft of an authentic painting worth millions carries a heavier sentence.
The plot of this film is that all emotions have been outlawed, as are anything that can stir up emotions (art, literature, music, etc.) Anyone that violates this law is put to death. So someone that has a replica of the Mona Lisa would be executed just the same as someone that has the real thing. Monetary value doesn't factor into the equation, because the police force in the film incinerates all contraband.
Thanks for explaining why my general answer does not apply and is thereby "dead wrong." I know I saw "Equilibrium" but I didn't remember anything about it; it obviously didn't have a lasting impression on me. I should have at least looked it up before giving a general answer. Now I am wondering what the specific answer is... Good question.
22nd May 2021
Batman Begins (2005)
Question: When training Bruce, why did Ducard say that the deaths of Bruce's parents was actually Thomas' fault? If anyone's to blame it was Joe Chill.
Answer: First, he follows it up by saying it's because Bruce's father failed to act against Joe (to try to stop him), implying that his father was weak and a coward. But overall Ducard's stance was crime cannot be tolerated. "Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding." The League had tried to destroy Gotham before with economics, but men like Thomas Wayne tried to help the poor and he was killed by the same people he tried to help. In Ducard's mind, had Thomas Wayne not tried to help the poor and criminals, he wouldn't have been shot.
Answer: He was trying to get Bruce angry, so he can learn to control it and use it whilst fighting.
22nd May 2021
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Question: In the final fight scene, why were the Avengers trying to get the gauntlet to the van? What were they planning to do with it?
Answer: The van had a quantum tunnel which they could use to get the gauntlet away from Thanos forever. It was a last ditch effort to prevent Thanos from obtaining it.
20th May 2021
Joker (2019)
Question: When the ambulance rams the police car Arthur's in was this accidental or intentional? If intentional how'd the guy driving it know Arthur would be in it?
Answer: I think they intentionally rammed a police car, not because Joker was in it but simply because it was a police car.
Answer: I think the guy stole the ambulance and intentionally rammed the police car because they were rioting against the police.
9th May 2021
Deepwater Horizon (2016)
Question: What happens right before the well blows up? Like almost like a premonition of what is about to happen?
Answer: I'm afraid you are going to have to be more specific. Several things happen before the well blows, several things that happen at once and are crucial to the well blowing out.
9th May 2021
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Question: Is it really possible that the guards left Andy's cell completely unchecked after his deal with Norton? I mean, no all round inspections, structural maintenance or even repainting - anything that would have revealed his escape plan at once - for 20 straight years?
Answer: The prison is known to be corrupt and thus maintenance would be at a bare minimum. Prison guards rarely actually go into the cells unless there is concrete information of a smuggled item etc. Andy was well liked by most of the inmates so no-one would really snitch on him. He was also working for Norton so his cell had a lot of things a prison cell should not have - books, the poster, the rock collection, a table etc. Red narrates that Andy worked for so long to escape, working in small increments, chipping away bit by bit and dumping the dirt outside. Guards, managers etc would change over 20 years and nothing happened that would warrant a renovation.
Answer: Well they probably did do inspections, but of the common things like the mattress and toilet. They don't check behind the poster, I think most try their best to ignore it. None of the guards expected he was making a hole behind it, since that's not possible, in their eyes. I hardly doubt they paint (or plaster) a cell that's occupied by an inmate. And the construction work is so expensive and time-consuming, they don't do structural maintenance unless it's really necessary (meaning when something falls off).
7th May 2021
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Question: Is the kitchen ghost woman the mother of gunshot boy?
Answer: Highly unlikely. The ghosts are there because they have unfinished business regarding their deaths. The woman you see is raging about having a lousy husband, she was probably abused and possibly killed by him. That has nothing to do with the boy that shot himself.
She killed herself. Remember, she shows her slit writs and says 'Look what you made me do!'
6th May 2021
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Question: How did Quicksilver manage to get the arcade game, the table tennis and what looks like a sound system in the basement? They are very heavy and even with his speed would be impossible to move.
Answer: There could be a basement door, so he wouldn't need the stairs, and with a hand truck, even the heavier objects would be easy to move.
He's able to move several people out of the Mansion when it is destroyed, so perhaps his powers allow him to move things that big quickly. He can also push a cart or trolley at speed, remember.
Answer: He doesn't have to steal the actual heavy items, he can steal money and buy the heavy items and have them delivered. His mother is a single parent so it wouldn't be very difficult for him to arrange delivery of items while she is working. Mom also appears to be completely aware of Peter's crimes and doesn't really seem all that concerned.
And his mother wouldn't have found that suspicious? Or the movers? He's a teenager.
His mother seemingly already knows that he steals stuff. It's her house after all. She thinks the heroes are the police when they first show up to talk to him, and she visits him in the basement in the next film, and would have seen all the stuff he has down there. As for the movers, I used to work for a moving company, and not once did we ever ask a customer where they acquired something we were moving. They would be there to do a job.
That totally doesn't make any sense. The idea is that he stole these items. Would he call a moving company to steal an arcade game out of an arcade hall? How does he get the arcade game in the first place? Does he leave it on the curb of the arcade hall (or shop) so they can pick it up and drop it off at his house?
He most likely stole money and legit bought all those things. He likely helps his mother with the bills and stuff, so she doesn't ask him how he does it. Pietro is not known to be some master criminal with bad character, so he likely doesn't steal from ordinary people. The way he broke Magneto out of the prison, it seems he knows his way around a vault.
How he gets the arcade game is another question entirely. Maybe he stole it from a gas station or a restaurant that was near an apartment complex, but was still far from his home, and arranged to have it picked up at the apartment complex, so it would look like he lived there and was moving it to a new place. Alternatively, he could have had friends help him load it onto a truck.
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Chosen answer: He is squatting the entire time in every scene. The suit probably helped in ways to balance himself whilst squatting, so he could hold on much longer than normally.
lionhead