Answered questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

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Question: Was Moulin Rouge the only musical to purely use pre-existing songs, or have there been others?

Answer: Come What May was an original film composition, albeit for Romeo + Juliet, but it ended up not being used until Moulin Rouge! So, depending on how you want to look at that technicality, there could be an argument made that Moulin Rouge! did not use only "pre-existing songs." However, there have been other such musicals; Mamma Mia! being an example. Interesting to note that they both have exclamation marks as part of their titles.

Phixius

Answer: Knights Tale being another.

Answer: Musicals that use pre-existing songs, or unreleased songs (i.e. songs written before the musical was written), are often called "jukebox musicals" and there's a long list of them going back to the 40's. Jukebox musicals also included musicals centering around an artist or band's album (sometimes these are referred to as "rock operas" and included "Tommy" by The Who and "The Wall" by Pink Floyd.

Bishop73

Answer: Also Rock of Ages is another example.

Answer: A musical that used preexisting songs is called a jukebox musical.

Question: How is Camp Green Lake legal? Aren't there laws against forced child labor? Also, what would happen if Stanley refused to dig holes?

MikeH

Answer: It is illegal. That's why everyone in charge gets arrested at the end. It only lasted as long as it did because they were in the middle of nowhere with little to no oversight and no on knew what was really going on until Stanley's release.

Phixius

Wait then why did the judge know about it? Did he get arrested too?

There are a lot of kids at Green Lake, sentenced by various judges. The court system either was unaware of the conditions at the camp, or didn't care.

Brian Katcher

Answer: Stanley and his fellow prisoners are convicted criminals, and as such, the authorities are allowed to work them. The conditions in the movie are rather extreme, but what recourse do the boys have? The warden and her flunkies are brutal people, and it's likely Stanley would have been in a world of hurt had he refused to dig. All they'd have to say is Stanley attacked them and whatever force they used would have been justified. That's the penal system for you.

Brian Katcher

Question: At the arrow shooting contest, how did Prince John know it was Robin Hood in disguise?

Answer: Because he was firing perfect shots and only Robin Hood is that good.

Greg Dwyer

Question: Even though Isabel committed suicide, shouldn't she have gone to heaven? She willfully sacrificed herself to insure that Mammon couldn't cross on to earth so in a way, she was saving billions of people, so that should have guaranteed her entry into heaven.

Answer: Sin for a good reason is still sin, and as Gabriel says earlier, you can't buy your way into Heaven. Real Catholic dogma, however, doesn't hold the mentally ill as condemned for committing suicide.

Greg Dwyer

Except Isabel wasn't mentally ill. She saw angels and demons just like Constantine did. It was her parents who believed she was mentally ill.

While suicide is a mortal sin, it's shown later (as in major plot point) that sacrificing yourself to save the world is a redeeming act.

Yes, but Constantine also said "My parents were normal. They did what most parents would do. They made it worse. You think you're crazy long enough, you find a way out" which could relate to Isabel losing her sanity in a way as well because of her family and how they saw her. The whole Isabel's sacrifice is added by the novelization but the movie is ambiguous about the suicide.

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Except Isabel wasn't mentally ill. She saw half breeds just like John did.

Sacrificing yourself for others isn't a sin.

Answer: If a soldier jumps on a grenade and dies to save his fellow soldiers, it's considered giving one's life for others. To my understanding, that isn't considered a "sin." If it was a mental health issue, a just God would give her a pass. If she was doing it to thwart Mammon's plans, again she was sacrificing herself. If she did it to get Constantine involved to help stop Mammon, again is was self sacrifice. (Notice how she says "Constantine" just before jumping when her sister views the video?). As a plot device, I understand it, but from a theological standpoint it is weak.

Answer: It is shown in the movie that it was Balthazar who whispered into her ear, gave her suggestions. Eventually she committed suicide to escape that, to escape her torment. She certainly didn't sacrifice herself to keep Mammon out because Mammon needed twin psychics, one in hell and one on Earth to do it, which Balthazar achieved for him.

lionhead

The film doesn't give information about the need of having one twin in hell and the other on earth to complete Mammon's plan; the movie states Mammon needs a powerful psychic and God's help. It isn't shown either that Balthazar was the one whispering to Isabel's ear considering she was apparently hearing Hellspeak, but no individual besides her appeared on the death scene; therefore, it was left ambiguous. Otherwise, provide evidence of the statement above.

When John and Angela are walking back to the elevator after taking care of Balthasar they specifically mention Mammon needed twin psychics. The only reason would be for their connection. One is in hell, the other on Earth. Through their connection Mammon is able to posses Angela. As for the second thing. When Isabel commits suicide you both hear Balthasar whisper to her and she has the mark on her wrist, like Hennessy had on his hand palm, the sign of Mammon. They wanted her in Hell.

lionhead

The dialogue, when they are walking towards the elevator, is "Constantine: Beeman said Mammon needed divine assistance to cross over. How's the blood of God's only son? Ángela: The stains on the spear. Constantine: Yeah. Ángela: So he gets the spear. He still has to locate a powerful psychic. Constantine: Not really. Ángela: Twins." Angela says "twins" after hearing Constantine say "Not really." (while looking at her) which made Angela realise that she was Isabel's replacement as a powerful psychic since they had the same gift, but the former's was dormant up until that moment. It's not because the plan needed one in hell and the other on earth. That's never stated as far as we know from the information provided by the film. As for Balthazar, it's never stated it was him who whispered to Isabel. That's an assumption based on hearing the voice alone. Also, the mark appeared on the guy's hand at beginning of the film after he found the spear and Balthazar was probably not there.

It's not an assumption when it's his voice. It doesn't all have to be "stated." And the whole twin part is just a coincidence? Are you saying Gabriel and Balthasar found twin psychics so they have a backup if one of them dies? That's ridiculous. They needed twin psychics specifically, and they make one of them commit suicide. That's not just a random thing, it's what needed to be done. And it's Mammon's sign, not Balthasar's.

lionhead

It's an assumption because there is insufficient evidence to prove it, and there were other voices in the film to assume it was specifically Balthazar's given that Angela heard a similar voice calling her name when she was in hell and Mammon appeared, which could indicate that maybe it was Mammon who whispered to Isabel too but still not clear though. It's more speculation. Yes, not everything has to be stated since some things are implicitly given although it also depends because it can become ambiguous if it lack details which is open to interpretation, but the movie dismisses any possibility of your theory of "one in hell and the other on earth" by stating what the "villain" needed and with that the argument doesn't work. Otherwise, it would be a plot hole for creating an inconsistency with the rules established before. Angela just realised she was the powerful psychic since they had the same gift, so Mammon didn't have to locate another one since it was there in the other twin.

There is no inconsistency with the rules, there is help from god, there is a psychic. All that fits, the Hell Bible just wasn't specific enough, they didn't know the full plan. There is something significant about them being twins. Both because Isabel was killed and Angela and Constantine realise that's what Mammon was looking for.

Now, all that is just speculation, and misinterpretation of what has been explained in the reply above yours. Not continuing the discussion.

Answer: The film itself can't be blamed for that really because it was left ambiguous; the novelization added the part of Isabel's sacrifice to the story. If we go by what the film gave us then Isabel might have been an unstable person considering even Angela didn't back her up about what they could see which could've led her to believe that maybe she was indeed crazy, and as Constantine said "You think you're crazy long enough, you find a way out." Perhaps she just wanted to end everything that was happening to her. There isn't enough information in the movie to confirm or deny it.

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Question: Was the ghostwriter murdered? Why? The book had already been published, and he only discovered the truth about Ruth minutes before, so who would have wanted him dead?

Answer: Who would want him dead? Ruth, for one, as well as Professor Emmett (her CIA recruiter) and others involved in the conspiracy. Yes, the book had been published, but the secret message only comes across if one is in possession of all the knowledge that the writer had acquired, which the casual reader would not have. And minutes is plenty of time for Ruth, Emmett, or anyone else to make a phone call and arrange the hit.

The published book was a rewrite and would not have the secret message in the chapter beginnings.

The published book was a rewrite of the original manuscript. He gives her the original manuscript that he was working off, not a final draft.

Makes no sense, he was run down 2 minutes after she read it.

We know the beginning of the book was rewritten as he didn't like it. Almost certainly, the clue is not in the published version of the book. Ruth was shocked to read the note and is delivering her speech so is unlikely to be complicit in the murder of the Ghostwriter. The ending suggests that Ruth, too, is little more than a pawn in the whole conspiracy.

Answer: In the books, Charlie worked with dragons in Romania, so it may have been that he was too busy and too far away to make the trip back home for Christmas. For the purpose of the movie, there is no explanation given, but it is less confusing to have fewer characters present if they serve no real purpose to the story line. Charlie Weasley has always been a minor background character.

raywest

Question: Wouldn't Ocean's crew all be broke at the end, since the $198 million check includes Tolour's $97 million plus all of the combined money they had left?

Answer: No, Tolour agrees to pay Ocean's crew's debt to Benedict if they win. $97 million is what they're short at the time of the conversation.

The War Without, the War Within - S1-E14

Question: In dialogue, Starbase 1 is described as "100 AU from Earth," which is over three times the orbital distance of Neptune. But the onscreen graphic shows the starbase next to a planet that can be visually recognized as Earth; portions of North America, including the Florida peninsula and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, are visible. The distance given in dialogue makes sense, given the episode's plot; it's a distant location still within the Solar System, and the Klingon attack is said to be "practically in Earth's backyard." The location shown in the graphic does not make sense, because Earth would already be under attack yet everyone is concerned only about the starbase, not the planet (which is never mentioned at all, let alone said to be Earth).

DavidK93

Answer: The planet shown could well be a terraformed moon on the outskirts of the Solar System. The planet is not shown in great detail behind the damaged station.

Question: When Freddy is killing Tina and slices her body she wakes up right before she gets picked up in the air and dragged across the ceiling. Wouldn't Freddy have stopped messing with her since she woke up at that point?

Answer: She was not awake. People scream, get out of bed and walk around, and even have conversations while sleeping.

Question: Chad tries to discourage Troy from singing with the line, "If you sing in musicals, you're going to end up in my mom's refrigerator." Any clue as to what this means?

Answer: When Chad brings up Michael Crawford (the iconic Phantom in musical performances of Phantom of the Opera) he points out that Crawford's picture has never been on cereal (Wheaties) boxes like popular athletes. Chad says that his mom saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway 27 times, and she put Crawford's picture "in" her refrigerator. So then Chad tells Troy that if he plays basketball his picture will end up on a cereal box, but if he sings in musicals his picture will only end up in his mom's (or anyone's) refrigerator. Apparently since Chad's mom was nuts about Michael Crawford, one of her "crazy diet ideas" was to put Crawford's picture in the fridge to help her stick to her diet.

Super Grover

Question: After Harry's name has come from the Goblet Hermione says, 'Come on Harry.' Then she says something that sounds like, "Harry f**king dizzy"! What does she actually say?

Answer: "Harry, for goodness sake!"

Answer: I just watched the clip on YouTube. Hermione says, "Go on Harry. My goodness."

raywest

Answer: He may well have, but as there's no need for us, the audience, to see him being brought up to date because we've seen it all, it can be assumed that Aragorn told him about the events since the Mines of Moria while they travel, off-screen, to Edoras.

Season 1 generally

Question: If there were two designated survivors (Kirkman and Hookstraten) then why was it decided so quickly that Kirkman would be president instead of Hookstraten?

The_Iceman

Answer: The line of succession is VP, Speaker, President Pro Tempore, then the Cabinet Secretaries in the order the department was created. If none is qualified, then the Chief Justice or senior member if no Chief or Chief is ineligible or declines, acts as POTUS until either the House chooses a new Speaker or the Senate chooses a new Pro Tempore, whichever is first.

Answer: While both parties picked a designated survivor, only Kirkman was a cabinet member and in line for succession. Hookstraten was the Majority Whip leader for the House of Representatives and not in line for succession. She would only have become president if something happened to Kirkman.

Bishop73

Question: After the Warg attack, why did Theoden order to leave the dead?

DFirst1

Answer: They have an urgent need to make it to Helm's Deep. Spending time burying or moving the dead will make them prone to another attack and more deaths.

Phaneron

Answer: Nothing, we can see she's holding his body and mourning his death.

Answer: In my opinion, it is a comparison of who he is truly striving to be, in comparison to his physical appearance. Christine had an angel of music, who was her tutor. The phantom believed that the angel was him. Also, it could be that he sings so well (like the voice of an angel), but has a "hideous" physical appearance (like one might think of when they think of a Demon).

Question: This question is about the entire series. I read the sixth book a couple of years ago and I can't remember if this was answered. Dumbledore once denied Voldemort's request to teach Defense Against Dark Arts because he knew that Voldemort did not want it, and was visiting the school for some other reason. Why would Voldemort curse a job that he was hoping not to get anyway?

Answer: Voldemort wanted to teach at Hogwarts to get more followers, possibly make the next Horcrux as 7 is the limit without your body being destroyed. He also mentions in the book that he had great respect for the teachers at Hogwarts, Dumbledore mentioned in book 6 and so does Harry in book 7 that Hogwarts was at least his first true home if not his real home so he may have partly wanted to return. He may have also wanted to get close to Dumbledore to figure out how to kill him. Dumbledore is after all, the only wizard Voldemort has ever feared.

Answer: There were several factors going on. Dumbledore did deny Tom Riddle (Voldemort) because he was suspicious of him but also because at the time Riddle was too young and inexperienced for the job. Riddle cursed the position so that no one hired for it would last longer than one year, thus giving him annual opportunities to reapply. There was also an element of spite. If he could not have the job, then he didn't want anyone else to have it.

raywest

He wasn't necessarily too young. I think he was 28 when he tried to get the job. Other professors, such as McGonagall and Snape, started at Hogwarts when they were younger. Snape was only 21.

Question: Why did Catherine target Nick? I know he's a big douchebag, but that can't be the only reason right? Was it to get revenge against Beth for once and all for leaving her?

Answer: Because she's insane? And very ill. And dangerous. A pure bred psychopath. She got off screwing with him, his head. She has a degree in effing with you. Beth was just a bonus. Unlucky. Collateral damage. Unfortunate. Catherine was, is a clinical psychopath. She had no reason. Or it was fun for her. She was one twisted broad. An evil dame. (IMHO).

Alan Keddie

Question: Whose baby is it? The therapist is pregnant. We know she lies at times. I choose to believe it belongs to Bill, evidenced by deep love and mourning showing in the therapist's face at the funeral.

Peri424

Answer: It isn't definitively answered but it is heavily implied the father of the baby is Billy.

BaconIsMyBFF

Answer: She says "and I thought I was the liar".

Answer: Matt Damon was shown to be impotent, so the assumptions is that its Leonardo's.

He isn't. He's shown to have a single instance of what can be assumed to be erectile dysfunction.

Answer: It's reasonable to assume it was Colin's.

Answer: I think this was left purposefully ambiguous so as to allow the viewer to draw their own conclusions. Is it Billy's? - and therefore Madelyn will be forced to raise a baby on her own and explain the death of its father? Or is it Colin's? - and therefore Madelyn will be forced to raise a baby alongside him, knowing what kind of man its father is. I interpreted the scene as the baby being Colin's. Furthermore, it is not implied that Colin is impotent, only that he has performance issues every once and a while (this could be due to the immense stress and pressure he is under living in constant fear of being made as Costello's rat).

Question: On the Air China Boeing 747 plane, Dre hesitantly mumbles something in Mandarin. What is Dre saying before the Asian businessman on the same plane across the row is insulted and replies "Dude, I'm from Detroit"?

Answer: "Nihaw, mao"

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