Garlonuss

26th Sep 2023

Superman Returns (2006)

Question: During the yacht rescue, Superman is stepping on the door and getting a grip to fly. How is he flying/lifting if he has technically landed?

Answer: Superman doesn't fly through blasters on his feet. He simply levitates. In this instance, however, he also happens to be holding onto the object that he has his feet on (the boat), which means that as he moves up, the boat he has his feet on is moving up at the same rate.

Garlonuss

The Die is Cast (2) - S3-E21

Question: Two questions: 1. When Odo is being tortured, he tells Garak that he wants to return to the Great Link. Did Odo really want to return or did he just say that to get the torture to stop? 2. If Odo did want to return, why? Considering the atrocities the Founders committed, wouldn't he want nothing to do with them?

Answer: Part of the answer is found in "The Search: Part II" (season 3 episode 2). The female changeling told Odo that "the urge to return home was implanted in your genetic makeup. So he hardly has a choice in that. But being a sentient, thinking being, he recognizes the atrocities that his people are behind and he can't condone their actions. So it's a matter of his conscious mind warring with his instinctual gestalt. But on a more general level, we all instinctually wish to be among people who are like us. No matter how much he may like and love those around him and feel that emotion returned, there are numerous aspects of his life and existence that absolutely nobody on DS9 can empathize with or understand. And that's not even to address the pure joy and acceptance that is brought by the Great Link.

Garlonuss

Question: How could Ethan really trust Luther to hold on to the NOC list, as Stickell was a disavowed agent himself?

Ethan Hunt

Answer: Frankly, in working with him over the prior few days he just got to know him well enough to make that judgement. That and he could hear Luther react audibly over the earpiece when he saw what it was that they were downloading. He was surprised and had clear fear in his voice. Yes he could have been putting on an act, but this is where getting to know him over the prior days comes into play. As a secret agent himself, frequently sent under cover and surrounded by hostile or unknown players, he would have to become a good judge of character to identify threats and allies.

Garlonuss

Question: Why were Henry's coat sleeves ripped off after he demanded that the ship go in another direction?

Answer: They're marking him as treasonous. He's countermanding the lawful orders of his commanders, which can be seen as the start of mutiny. And when he's confronted in the hospital (0:25:44), Scarfield says "Your sleeves have been ripped. The mark of treason."

Garlonuss

23rd Mar 2022

Knives Out (2019)

Question: Why do we see belisha beacons (striped black and white poles topped with orange light to show pedestrian crossings in UK) during the car chase? Are they seen on USA streets?

Answer: Those were just lamps that had a yellowish globe. The poles aren't black and white striped, they're solid black. They have a sign attached to them, probably a no parking sign, though that may make it look like a white stripe.

Bishop73

Answer: I don't see what you've described. Timestamp? But since the movie was all filmed in Massachusetts, I'd say that everything you see is either typical for the area or was added by the filmmakers intentionally.

Garlonuss

Question: How could Shredder survive that fall long enough to touch some of the ooze to heal himself?

Rob245

Answer: This is where comic book logic meets real-life physics. He was wearing a giant metallic, robotically augmented suit of armor. The idea is that this protected him enough to survive long enough. They do similar fuzzy physics with Iron Man from time to time. In real life, the reason fighter jets can't fly faster than they do is that they're carrying a living blood-filled water-balloon inside that they can't risk bursting. The fact is that sudden acceleration/deceleration could easily liquify a human's brain and dislodge internal organs. But comic book logic determines that if we can avoid the obvious immediate damage of impact, the human will survive. We see it with Superman catching someone mere feet from the ground, and they survive rather than showing them as being impaled by two arms jutting straight up, or sliced in three if the arms are held horizontally. All they have to do is suggest that he remained alive, though possibly hanging from a thread, until he's able to touch the ooze.

Garlonuss

Question: There's something I was wondering about Galvatron. Joshua Joyce said he modelled Galvantron after Optimus Prime. If that's true then why did he end up looking like Megatron?

Answer: They were using the remains of Megatron as a template, and didn't realise that his programming had taken over the project and influencing the look of the final project.

Garlonuss

Question: It's revealed that the ooze came from TGRI but, what were they planning on originally doing with it before they decided to dispose of it?

Answer: If you pay attention to the professor's explanation (starting at 0:55:55) he says "An unknown mixture of discarded chemicals was accidentally exposed to a series of radiated waves and the resulting ooze was found to have remarkable but dangerous mutanagenic properties... on our way to bury them a near collision caused us to lose one of the canisters down a sewer 15 years ago." Basically, "we had an accident and the results were dangerous and unpredictable, so we immediately went to dispose of it all." So there actually were no plans for what to do with it at all.

Garlonuss

14th Sep 2021

The Goonies (1985)

Answer: It's a little dark, but if you pay attention in the last shot when the phone gets disconnected, it looks like a fishing rod reel.

Garlonuss

15th Sep 2021

Knives Out (2019)

Question: How come Ransom did not realise that Marta had not given Harlan the morphine when he went back to the study room to switch the evidence?

Answer: She didn't drain either of the vials so unless he actually measured how much of each liquid there was to start with, he was unlikely to notice that the amounts weren't quite what would have expected. He knew enough to know that the switch could lead to a death, but he's not anal enough to note every tiny aspect of the situation to verify that nothing's gone wrong.

Garlonuss

8th Jan 2020

It Chapter Two (2019)

Question: Why does Stanley kill himself? I understand in the film it is because he considered himself too weak and wanted to give his friends the best chance. However, why didn't he just stay where he was was and not return? Pennywise can't reach that far so could not influence him. Stanley could have come up with any plan, even faking his death.

Answer: It's a bit involved, but the fact is that he was never that stable with the idea to begin with. He had forgotten all the horrors of his childhood (either due to the influence of Maturin the turtle [from the book] or Pennywise it makes little difference) and when it all started to come back to him, he panicked. And frankly, he had no way of knowing whether Pennywise could get him where he was or not. He didn't know enough to know one way or the other. But he knew that where Pennywise was concerned it would never be over simply. Pennywise would have tormented and tortured them like he did when they were kids, and when faced with that prospect he decided that ending it now, especially in his panicked state, was preferable to the idea of torture.

Garlonuss

28th Dec 2018

Alien (1979)

Question: Why did the last three remaining crew members split up? Surely it would have made better sense to stay together as up until that time the alien had only attacked people when they were alone.

Answer: They felt like they didn't have enough time. Parker and Lambert stayed together to get coolant while Ripley was to prepare the shuttle and set the auto-destruct. They wanted to escape as soon as possible. Staying together would have, in their minds, lengthened the time they were on the ship with the alien.

BaconIsMyBFF

I would add to that the fact that Lambert and Parker were actually killed while still together. By splitting up, the alien could only attack one person or group at a time. This actually increased the chances for Ripley.

Garlonuss

Answer: Fair point but I don't think that the Alien would have attacked three people because when it moved in to kill Lambert it didn't know that Parker was behind it.

You're basing that on what you know about the alien from watching the films. The characters at this point have no real idea how the alien would behave. For all they know, it could start reproducing asexually and there could be six more of them on the ship.

BaconIsMyBFF

Don't understand what you mean, sorry.

You are saying that you believe the alien wouldn't attack three people together. That's because you've probably seen the films and have a pretty good understanding of the creature's biology and behavior. The characters in the film have no idea how it behaves or how it will behave the longer it stays alive. The biology of the alien is so different from anything they've seen and they want to get away from it as soon as they possibly can.

BaconIsMyBFF

29th Oct 2018

Ready Player One (2018)

Question: How did IOI figure out how to get the first key? I doubt Wade or his friends sent them an email telling them how to do it.

Answer: They all witnessed Percival and his friends do the race backwards, they just copied the act. Eventually everyone knew how to do it.

lionhead

Answer: Actually, they never got the first key. They even talked about that they didn't need to since Parzival found it. If they did start getting the keys, they would appear on the leader boards also. So only the High Five found it.

Quantom X

Actually they did need to get the key. The second key can only be acquired by someone who has received the first, and the same thing with the third key. Also, the High Five is simply referring to the first five to actually make it onto the leader-board. The simple fact is that once the secret was discovered, it was only a matter of time before it was general knowledge for everyone to do.

Garlonuss

22nd Nov 2018

A Quiet Place (2018)

Question: Where does all the power for monitors and lights come from? I assume power is down, a diesel aggregate would be too loud and hydropower too weak. Solar cells?

Answer: While it's never directly addressed, one can see solar panels on the roof of the farm buildings at several points in the film.

There could also be wind generators (not seen).

raywest

While in theory there could be wind generators, I find this unlikely since they tend to make noise. The creatures would have attacked them pretty quickly.

Garlonuss

8th Dec 2018

Toy Story (1995)

Question: Why do the toys not want people to know they're alive?

Answer: Because they are supposed to play out the part of a toy, that's their purpose. They want to be there for a child as a toy.

lionhead

Ok, but what are they afraid might happen if people knew they were alive?

I don't really know how you want to look at this but if you look at it realistically I think it's quite obvious what they are afraid of. If it became publicly know that every toy ever made, including all teddy bears, remotely controlled cars and even etch-a-sketches are sentient, then you could probably expect a reaction comparable to that of Sid. Fear and panic.

lionhead

Also, wouldn't toys risk being experimented on, imprisoned, or destroyed if they revealed to humans that they were alive?

Exactly what happened to Sid. He found out and freaked out.

Answer: They're not necessarily afraid, it's just part of being a toy. Woody even mentions "breaking rules" when they move in front of Sid. They may just accept that it's something they're not supposed to do.

But they did reveal themselves to animals like Scud and Buster though.

Trainman

How are dogs going to tell anyone? Besides, they don't care since they are animals.

Answer: I think it's safe to assume that, unless a toy makes a conscious decision to reveal their true nature, they automatically default to inanimate toy mode. Otherwise, Buzz would have easily revealed himself within the first hour after Andy got him. With that in mind, since it's apparently something they have to work to do, I would propose that it's not that they have a reason not to want anyone to know their true nature, but that they have to have a real reason to reveal it in order to do so, like Woody had to save Buzz.

Garlonuss

But Buzz could just as easily make the conscious decision to move whilst Andy was there, he thought he was the real Buzz lightyear after all, and not a toy. Then again, in the plot it's kinda stupid Buzz doesn't think he's a toy even though Andy plays with him. But if Woody can move whilst a human is in the room, then any toy can do that. Therefore, it's a decision not to do so. Buzz most likely got asked by the other toys to play the part and he obliged since he needed them till his ship was fixed, but still.

lionhead

I said it appears they have to make a conscious decision to reveal their nature. Buzz not knowing his true nature makes that kind of impossible for him so he reverts to toy mode when Andy's around. Probably without even being aware of it.

Garlonuss

That's a possibility. But then the question arises how the other toys became self-aware and why they are self-aware in the first place. It appears this is the first time they meet a toy that doesn't know he's a toy. On one side you have toys that are aware they are a toy and want to play by its rules and on the other hand you havee toys that don't believe they are one but magically never reveal their sentience.

lionhead

Who said this was the first time this has happened? For all we know, Woody could've thought he was a real cowboy before realizing he's a toy. We just don't see his or any of the other toys' backstories.

You can tell by Woody's surprise, that it takes so long to realise Buzz actually thinks he is really a space ranger. Again, all the other toys know they are toys and worry about toy things.

lionhead

Yet Buzz could also believe he's on a secret mission from Star Command, hence why he freezes. He didn't even believe he was a real toy at this point. Not a plot hole and not confusing. Also, toys can somehow "sense" when people are nearby and only move if either A), there's no people around or B), nobody's looking. Notice how all the toys go back to "toy form" any time this happens? They're very careful, not stupid.

Also a possibility, sure. Just to be clear; I'm not against the idea and thought process behind the plot. It's just a animated movie for kids. I just like to argue.

lionhead

Answer: I questioned this to myself; even at Pizza Planet, before Buzz learns he's a toy, he gets picked up by Sid in the claw machine and turns back into an inanimate object which means by some sort of unconscious decision he becomes a toy again.

Question: I've read all 4 books in the series of The Wizard of Oz. But I'm confused on the shadow puppet. A character? Or a story telling method?

SueW

Chosen answer: First off, there's fourteen Oz books written by Baum (the last two published posthumously). And secondly, what shadow puppet are you referring to?

Garlonuss

Question: If Bella is a "shield" and vampire powers can't affect her how did Jasper use his mood/mind control on her? It was Bella's birthday and they were at the school. Alice was inviting her to a party. After Bella says yes, she said "Jasper, no fair with the mind control thing."

Answer: Vampire abilities can't affect her mind. It's explained in the book that what Jasper does is physical. He loosens tense muscles and stimulates production of the appropriate hormones and helps the subject physically relax, thus stimulating a sympathetic mood change in his subjects.

Garlonuss

Question: Why does Bourne's beige pullover have holes in the upper part of the back? He was not shot wearing it but what seemed to be a swimsuit.

AnthonyA

Chosen answer: He got old clothes from the people on the boat. They were simply a little tattered.

Garlonuss

Answer: I think that may be a continuity thing due to a script revision. The holes in the sweater appear to be intentionally shown. Would be an odd coincidence if the sweater just happened to have them there.

Dusibello

Nope. Just a coincidence. Even in the book, he was given old clothes on the ship.

21st Nov 2013

The Office (2005)

A Benihana Christmas - S3-E10

Question: Is there a specific reason that the two girls from the restaurant are played by different actors when they get to the office? I couldn't imagine it has anything to do with the idea of Asian people looking similar out-of-universe, so I know there must be something else.

Knever

Chosen answer: Why couldn't that be the reason? As you can see, throughout the rest of the episode, one of the running jokes is that Michael can't figure out which girl is which anyway. That's not the writers saying that all Asians look alike. They're saying that they simply look alike to Michael. Because for all his profession that he is open-minded and forward-thinking, it's clear throughout the run of the show that he's actually not quite as forward-thinking as he thinks he is.

Garlonuss

Additionally, the fact is that, due to scheduling issues, they were unable to get the same actresses as they used for the earlier scene. If I remember correctly, they mention this in the commentary for that episode. It just also happened to become another level of the joke that they were already planning on making later on.

Garlonuss

Question: In the movie, the team of snatchers were able to smell Hermione's perfume through the protective spells that she put up. This may seem silly, but why did she have perfume on? It seems quite careless on her part and there was absolutely no reason for her to have it on for their mission, so why the perfume?

Answer: They aren't exactly staying in 4-star hotels and showering every day. Camping is dirty, and with that comes certain odors. And that can get unpleasant in close quarters. It's likely the perfume was her way of countering that. In that instance, sure, her perfume may have been a tip off, but it's not unreasonable to assume that that doesn't come up all that much.

Garlonuss

Answer: Hermione may have wanted to smell as fresh as possible while living in such cramped quarters with Harry and Ron, but the only reason she is shown wearing perfume is because it is a plot device. It shows how the protective charms around the camp work and that they are not completely full-proof as loud sounds, smells, etc. can penetrate them. It was also to build suspense by having Hermione face-to-face with a snatcher who can smell her presence but not see her. One bad move on her part, and the Trio could have been exposed.

raywest

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