Question: In the director's cut (which seems to be the most widely available version these days), what's the deal with all the backflips in the opening fight? The editing is very awkward. Fasil goes from running, to doing backflips, then back to running, then back to doing backflips several times, seemingly between shots, during a short section of the fight. Is it just bad editing? Or is the movie trying to suggest that it's a different person doing the flips? Or... what? It's so confusingly edited.
lionhead
2nd Jun 2022
Highlander (1986)
Answer: I always felt the idea was given he was trying to move very rapidly whilst also being silent. In a garage with those shoes on your footsteps are very loud. Perhaps he was trying to confuse MacLeod as to where he was.
I'm not asking why he's doing backflips. I'm asking why the editing is so confusing, since he goes from doing backflips, to running somewhere completely else, then back to backflips at the first location between edits. (Look up the clip "The Highlander (1986) 1080p : Underground parking Fight Scene. Epic!" on YouTube and pay attention around 4:20.) He also loses his sword whenever we see him doing backflips, even though he's carrying it when he's running. The editing makes absolutely no sense.
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.
16th May 2022
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Question: This question is for all the novels. How are all the schools in the wizarding world kept hidden from the muggle world? Surely if a plane were to fly over Hogwarts, people would be shocked at seeing people flying around on broomsticks and using magic.
Answer: International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy is in charge of hiding the general wizarding community from the Muggle world. As for many of the wizarding schools such as Hogwarts, their use of multiple Concealment Charms provide the necessary protection to creatively conceal them from Muggle view.
Also, Muggles usually don't "want" to see magic. Most of them are too convinced that magic is not real. A Muggle might see the occasional wizard/witch fly high above them on a broom, and assume they imagined it.
Answer: There are special spells at work to hide the schools and other places from muggles. In Deathly Hallows for example you can see Hermione cast a few when they are in the woods. An example is "Repello Muggletum", which is a barrier that causes Muggles who hit it to forget they were there and turn around.
7th May 2022
General questions
As of this writing, there are 28 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Is this the record for the most films in a franchise taking place in the same continuity, and if so, at what point did it become the record? I know there are over 30 Godzilla films, but I haven't seen any of them, and I can't easily find a definitive answer on how many of them are in the same continuity.
Answer: According to wikipedia Godzilla is the longest running live-action movie franchise with 36 films since 1954, but not in the same continuity. They rebooted several times. But, there are several Japanese and Chinese movie franchises that have between 40 and 60 movies, one even 123. Many are for kids (power rangers style, not counting anime) and their continuity is doubtful at best. There is also a western series called "The Durango Kid" that had 64 movies and the western series "The Three Mesquiteers" with 51. I'm sure India's Bollywood has a couple as well.
1st May 2022
Christine (1983)
Question: I have two questions. 1) If Christine can fix herself, why was she in such a state when Arnie first bought her? 2) Did Arnie do all the repairs on Christine or did Christine fix herself bit by bit to give the illusion that Arnie was doing it?
Answer: She is influenced by the person owning her. It's love. The love was gone when Arnie bought her, since her last owner died. But Arnie was in love with her and Christine fell in love with him overtime because of his dedication to fixing her. Because of the love for each other, the magic that powers Christine becomes more powerful, until she is eventually able to fix herself. During his time fixing her, she eventually takes over the repairs, but at first he was the one doing the fixing. It's possible her state contributed to her fixing herself, so the more she is repaired, the more she is able to do herself as well.
8th Apr 2022
Constantine (2005)
Question: When Angela is looking up information on Constantine, it shows a picture of him being arrested. What did Constantine do to get arrested?
Answer: Constantine constantly does things that are out of line or break the law. It could be as simple as somebody calling the cops on him for doing an exorcism. Take your pick really.
8th Apr 2022
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Question: What did Anakin's torpedoes hit that caused the droid control ship to explode?
Answer: It was the main reactor of the ship, according to wookieepedia.
I have a problem with that because realistically would destroying a reactor be enough to cause whatever it powers to explode?
Not sure why you have a problem with that notion. It's a common sci-fi convention/trope that destroying the main reactor of a ship usually causes a chain-reaction that destroys the entire vessel. That's also what destroyed both Death Stars in the original trilogy. (Luke fires a missile into the reactor through an exhaust port/Lando and the others fly into the core and destroy the main reactor.) This is not a documentary... it can operate by nebulous sci-fi rules. Not to mention, none of these things actually exist, so who's to say destroying the main reactor WOULDN'T destroy the ship?
It destroyed the main reactor of the droid control ship itself, not what it powers. Anakin was inside the ship and blew it up from the inside.
If you go by official books put out you see lots of ships in Star Wars are powered by a gas type fuel source. Taking out a reactor could cause that fuel to explode as well. As you see in the movie it not one big boom but a lot of little ones at 1st. But once that fire gets to the main tanks it's all over.
26th Mar 2022
Liar Liar (1997)
23rd Mar 2022
Anaconda (1997)
21st Mar 2022
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Question: When Caparzo hands Melish the knife, why did he get upset?
Answer: The situation from before, an intense firefight, got to him, the stress and anxiety taking over for a moment. It's likely this is his first moment of rest and reflection since landing on the beach. Plus, it's a Hitler Youth knife, revealing they just killed a bunch of minors.
15th Mar 2022
National Treasure (2004)
Question: Wasn't there an "original" scene (edited out in favor of the existing scene) where everyone is below the church, and Ian is leaving Ben, Abigail, Riley, and Patrick behind to go to Boston, and Ian not only threatens to shoot Riley if he speaks again, but he also does shoot Ben's dad Patrick? I can recall that scene - shot in the upper front shoulder area, and he collapses, etc. I don't recall what happens to Patrick after that, since they find the treasure room after that. Do you recall?
Answer: Perhaps you are confusing it with Indiana Jones' father being shot at the end of Last Crusade?
Answer: I saw it in the theater twice and that scene did not happen.
Answer: I've seen that movie a dozen times. I don't believe that scene exists.
Answer: After reading your question, I had a vague flashback about the scene as you described it, maybe from when I saw the theatrical version. I searched, but I can't find any online reference to it, but I think you are right and the film may have since been re-edited. I hope someone else can verify this.
6th May 2020
Jumanji (1995)
Question: What were the papers the gun salesman told Van Pelt he would have to fill out?
Answer: It's Form 4473, the federal form that is sent to the ATF for an NICS background check.
I get it. The form is used to make sure you have no criminal history.
Form 4473 is used to determine if one is eligible to purchase a firearm. Speaking of which, would Van Pelt be eligible to purchase a firearm?
No, since he is probably not even a US citizen. And if he is, not from that century.
If you don't fill out the form the you can't buy a gun.
23rd Feb 2022
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Question: In the book and the movie, why did Sirius wait many years before escaping Azkaban? If I remember the book correctly, he did it by changing into his dog form and walking past the Dementors, who navigate by emotions. I know he had seen Ron holding Scabbers/disguised Peter in the newspaper article, but could he not have turned into his dog form and walked out years ago? Even without knowing where Peter was?
Answer: To add to the other fine answer that I agree with, Sirius' mental state negatively affected his desire and/or ability to escape. He languished in prison as a broken man, knowing that everyone believed him guilty and that no-one would help him if he did escape. Others would have killed him. It was a while before Sirius realised the Dementors couldn't detect his dog form. It also wasn't until he'd lost a significant amount of weight from being half-starved that he could slip through the bars as a dog, though, realistically, it wouldn't have taken 12 years to become that thin.
Answer: And do what? He had no goal, no way of avenging his wrongful imprisonment. He knew the dementors and every auror would be chasing him if he escaped, he had nowhere to go, no plan. Without any leads he would just be recaptured (and killed most likely). Seeing Wormtail in the papers however, gave him a reason to escape.
18th Feb 2022
Aliens (1986)
Question: 1) If a commanding officer orders you to do something but what they ask you makes no logical sense should you still do it? I'm of course referring to Apone ordering his people to get rid of their ammo. And what are the repercussions for NOT obeying the order? 2) Why wouldn't they check for aliens coming on the ceiling? Wouldn't the ceiling ducts show up on the blueprints they looked over earlier?
Answer: 1) Of course they are supposed to obey orders. Superiors don't usually completely explain the full reason why they give a specific order, it takes too long. That's why soldiers are trained to obey orders, no questions asked. You can see what happens when soldiers don't obey orders, because they had a good reason to tell them not to fire their guns, and they got lucky they didn't hit anything that could compromise the reactor. Insubordination is a serious offense. But since these are fictional space marines we can't really know what the repercussions would be. 2) The aliens didn't come through any ducts. They were hiding in the walls, which had a similar structure and colour as their bodies (logical since they made it). The marines didn't know the aliens would be so stealthy and smart to hide in the walls. They were there for search and rescue and weren't ready to face the aliens, since they hardly knew anything about them.
I think the second part of the question is referring to the scene where Hicks checks in the drop ceiling and finds aliens there. The poster is asking how come the drop ceiling doesn't show up on the blueprints.
18th Feb 2022
Volcano (1997)
Question: How could Stan and the train driver still be alive in such extreme heat and with lava just underneath them? Shouldn't it destroy their lungs? Shouldn't they get incinerated by the extreme heat of magma?
Answer: Yes, the chances of surviving those circumstances is completely impossible. Not just the heat, but also toxic fumes which will incapacitate you very quickly. At one point the soles of his shoes were melting, at that point you would have been dead. It's a heroic scene, but not very believable.
18th Feb 2022
Jurassic Park (1993)
Question: Why was Dr. Grant so dismissive of Tim when they first met? I can understand Grant being annoyed with the bratty kid at the dig site but Tim showed a genuine interest in dinosaurs and even mentioned he'd read Grant's book.
Answer: Dr. Grant doesn't like kids. Any kids.
That was an issue between him and Ellie Sattler, who wanted to have a family, while he did not. She eventually married someone else and had kids.
Answer: Grant just has a low opinion of kids in general. He probably thinks Tim is too young to really understand or appreciate the research that Grant has dedicated most of his life to. Also, Tim can come across as a little "too much" at times; he talks really fast and barely gives Grant a chance to get a word in edgewise.
Totally agree. It's interesting because in the book, he was the exact opposite. It was said from the beginning that he loved kids. I guess it was a better plot device to flip it for the movie.
16th Feb 2022
The Craft (1996)
Question: Correct me if I am wrong, but when Sarah first goes to the magical supply shop, it seems to me that the other girls had been there before. And the shop owner tells Sarah "You are not like your friends" when she does not steal anything. So why does the shopkeeper not call the police or ban them? Or perhaps punish them with magic, but there is the rule about receiving what you send out.
Answer: She feels they will learn their lesson eventually, or probably has felt the consequences coming. Such people don't believe in police justice. Nor does she count the money value of the items.
16th Feb 2022
American History X (1998)
Question: Why did Little Henry kill Danny? Was it a revenge for something?
Answer: It was because he got "punked" by Danny the previous day. He lost face and he took revenge by shooting him.
Answer: He was probably told to kill him to be allowed in a gang. For the gang it was a racist motive. They hate us so we hate them. Provoke us enough and we kill you. It would send out a clear message to the white supremacists.
13th Jan 2022
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Question: Minor question, when Trinity and the Keymaker steal the bike, there's a shot of the driver and in the back of his cab is a picture of what looks like a model. Who is she? It seems someone from the art department or set decorator put thought into putting up the picture in the first place, so it seems there might be some significance or inside reference. But it's also seen so briefly I could believe it's just random too.
Answer: Personally I think it's not meant to be significant in any way. A lot of truck drivers have pictures of models in their cabin I'd expect, just added for the stereotype. I don't know who the model is though. BTW, this is a scene from Matrix Reloaded.
4th Jan 2022
Ocean's Twelve (2004)
Question: What could Isabel Lahiri say to Matsui during the interrogation? Why he was so "upset" suddenly?
Answer: We have no idea, nor are we meant to. It's a joke.
It is a joke :) and it's good :) but what could it be? What could she say to his ear :) I'm asking just for curiosity and for mind exercise :).
She is good at her job and knows Matsui enough to have something on him that would make him talk and drop the act. Something personal.
Any answer would be pure speculation. My guess is that it was something personal, as he appears to start crying.
If I had to make my absolute best guess, I'd say it had something to do with that niece of his.
Answer: The Director, Russell Mulcahy, started his career making music videos. He was known for using fast cuts and tracking shots.