Answered questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

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Question: This film is directed by Mike Bigelow, but I can't find anything else he directed or was a part of. Is this a fake name used by Mike Mitchell, the director of the first Deuce Bigalow movie? It seems too coincidental for this director to have the same last name as the title character (albeit an "e" and not an "a"), have the first name of the first director, and not have any other working credits. Plus, Mike Mitchell has worked on several kids films and may want to avoid association with this film?

Bishop73

Chosen answer: Mike Bigelow is a real television commercial director, but yes, "European Gigolo" was his only feature film and the similarity of the names is a coincidence.

Sierra1

Question: Given that the whole break between Redford and Pitt is over Redford's willingness to sacrifice people [even Pitt's girlfriend is given to the Chinese] what explains Redford's sudden change of heart and willingness to risk all to save Pitt AND his girlfriend?

Answer: Muir has become frustrated with the CIA as a whole - now carrying out bugging ops on trade talks so the US can sell more "toaster ovens", as opposed to the 'righteous' work he's done all his career. This is compounded when he sees that the CIA are prepared to let a man (Bishop) be killed over it, which also cements his determination to stop it. Although he has underestimated Bishop's feelings and determination to rescue Hadley, that's not really the point. He sees that Bishop is doing something righteous, 'the right thing' so to speak, and sees rescuing Bishop and Hadley as a chance to a) do something worthwhile again before he retires, b) redeem himself for past sins (sacrificing people/Hadley), and c) poetically stick it to the CIA - using their own resources to carry out the rescue mission amidst the trivial 'work' they're doing now. Muir knows that when he retires he'll be broke, but he'll be able to live with himself - he did something that was morally the 'right thing', as opposed to being the cold calculating operator he's been all his career, with that conditioning being another reason he now resents the CIA (he doesn't like what he's become). He's kicked against the bureaucrats who are doing all the wrong work for the wrong reasons. Also, there's a parallel between Bishop's feelings for Hadley and his attempted rescue mission, and Muir's feelings for Bishop (he loves him like a son or a star student). Muir certainly sees Bishop as family, and you don't mess with an Amercan's family. Muir says as much in the film with the analogy about his uncle's plough horse. The student is now teaching the master - about doing things for the right reasons (love and loyalty as opposed to death and toasters).

Answer: Several reasons: Muir felt no loyalty to Elizabeth Hadley, but he did to Tom Bishop. Muir had faked a letter to make Bishop believe that Hadley had ended the relationship, so he was not supposed to know that she was in Chinese custody. Muir had underestimated Bishop's feelings for her, and his capacity to work out the deception and attempt to rescue her. Also, Muir believed that Hadley was a threat to Middle East ops, however as he was now retiring from the CIA he no longer had responsibility for this area.

Sierra1

Question: What's the story behind Red's job as a clown shown in the beginning of the movie?

Answer: It is almost certainly playing on the trope that clowns (and comedians) often have issues with anger or depression, although they are assumed to be happy and fun.

Sierra1

Question: When Anakin and Padme get married, Anakin is wearing an outfit that is often seen on Jedi and is displaying a Jedi Padawan's hair braid. Do he and Padme not care that the man who performs the wedding is seeing him (as Jedi are not supposed to have relationships and marry)? Why not disguise him? It's a huge risk to let even one person see a Jedi getting married.

Answer: Agolerga, who officiated the wedding, would have known who both people were, especially Padme. Remember they were also keeping the marriage secret because of Padme's position as Senator. Assuming Agolerga was aware a Jedi can't marry, he may simply not care or agree with the rule. Also, as a holy man of Naboo, Anakin and Padme may have trusted him with their secret.

Bishop73

Question: In the military warehouse scene at the beginning of the film, the huge sliding doors are designated "51" in numbers 30 feet tall, on the inside of the warehouse doors. If you were already on the premises of a top-secret government base, and already inside a top-secret government warehouse, why would you need a 30-foot-tall numerical designation inside the building?

Charles Austin Miller

Chosen answer: The filmmakers are employing some "artistic license" here so that the audience will know that this is the famous "Area 51." They have to be obvious about it.

raywest

Question: When Nate writes a letter to the Stork company, he writes that he wants a baby brother, not a sister. If the baby-manufacturing machine can read Nate's letter, why does it produce a baby girl instead of a boy? Also, how come the baby girl has pink hair while her mother has platinum blonde hair and her father and brother have brown hair?

Johman

Chosen answer: The baby-manufacturing machine had been shut down for some time when Tulip wrongly inserted the letter requesting a baby boy. The machine, which presumably would not be working efficiently after such a long hiatus, accidentally produced a baby girl. That may be why the hair color did not match either parent. Also, this is an animated film that has little to do with the reality of biology. The baby is a girl, so pink hair would be an obvious choice. If it was a boy, it would probably be blue.

raywest

Answer: It could honestly be that he "needed" a little sister more than a little brother. Having a sister can be a completely different experience than having a brother, and the machine might have gone against his wishes because it would have been a better fit for their family. Additionally, it could also just be that there's a chance that the machine has the odds of having a boy or a girl at random, and that when a parent requests it, there's always a chance that it will not follow it to a tee.

Us - S4-E15

Question: How did the claimers know it was Rick who killed their friend? They never saw him as he ran away while they were inside the house.

The_Iceman

Answer: The Claimer in the headscarf saw Rick hiding under the bed just before being rendered unconscious. Also, Rick was wearing a jacket he took from the Claimer he killed.

Chosen answer: They saw Rick run off with Carl and Michonne.

MasterOfAll

Question: How come Professor X was so against Magneto killing but had no problem with Wolverine killing in other movies?

Answer: In this film Xavier was young and naive, and only met Wolverine once. After, as seen in Days of Futures Past, he's become cynical and hateful towards everything.

MasterOfAll

Question: Once Gothel has given Rapunzel the satchel, how does she keep it hidden from Flynn/Eugene right up until the point at which they watch the lanterns from the boat?

Stewart Gordon

Chosen answer: Either in her hair, or under her dress.

MasterOfAll

Question: Why did Dre's mom make him go to school the day after he arrived into another country that he doesn't even speak the country's language yet? Besides both Dre and Dre's mom have jet lag so they'd probably sleep in even if they both had an alarm clock.

THE GAMER NEXT DOOR

Chosen answer: Dre's mother had him learning the language before the moved, he would have known the language if he wasn't so lazy. Jet lag or not she wanted him in school.

MasterOfAll

Once More, With Feeling - S6-E7

Question: Is there something wrong with Sweet (Hinton Battle)'s left eye? He seems to keep it closed or half-lidded during his introductory song, the camera and lighting keeps it out of sight most of the time, and when he does open it, such as at 29:58, it's looking ahead in comparison to his right, which is focused on something else.

Wink

Chosen answer: He could have a lazy eye, (aka Amblyopia) but doesn't in other work and interviews, so it's probably just selective camera/lighting work.

Crossed - S5-E7

Question: When Rick and the group are chasing the cops, they turn a corner and see a tower with "evac here" on it, then the camera pans to lots of walkers on the ground who look like they have been melted and stuck to the tarmac. What happened to them?

The_Iceman

Chosen answer: They were burned. Remember the military bombed the city.

MasterOfAll

Question: When Malcolm was hiding in the shower there was a window on his left - why didn't he use it to escape?

Answer: He tried opening the window, but it was stuck. He could also not have gotten through the window without making noise and being discovered. He just wanted to get out of the room without being seen.

raywest

Question: In the Rogue cut of the movie after Rogue and Magneto make it back what is rogue apologising to Kitty for? She hates Kitty. If anything she should be angry at Kitty for being in a relationship with Bobby.

THE GAMER NEXT DOOR

Chosen answer: In the Rogue Cut, Bobby died whilst trying to rescue Rogue. She apologises as she knew that they were in a relationship. Given the war between the mutants and the sentinels, Rogue and Kitty would have set aside their feud.

Casual Person

Question: How can they use the elevator to get to the surface if the Red Queen shut the power down?

Answer: She must have had trouble in keeping control of the elevator's power as the impact of the explosion blew out some of the windows and the sea came rushing in.

Bunch Son

Answer: The force of the water moved the elevator up the shaft, hence why it did not go all the way up.

Question: After 20 years of immense technological evolution, why is everybody still using cars that need gasoline?

alko

Chosen answer: It's technology that works, so why not use it? People still drive 20 year olds cars now, some because they like them, some because they can't afford a replacement. It wouldn't be surprising for the new technology to be very expensive or patented by the military and therefore not available for everyone.

Chosen answer: Neither, actually. Apocalypse merely revealed to Magneto a way in which he could use his powers at their current level. Magneto is simply phenomenally powerful.

Phixius

Question: How does the movie really end? Are the family trapped in a snow globe for all eternity, or were they given a second chance and Krampus is just watching them?

Answer: The ending is that they are all alive and Krampus gave them a second chance. Evidence of this comes from the director's commentary and the comic book prequel "Krampus: Shadow of Saint Nicholas".

Answer: He's at the salad bar when the gremlin pops out and grabs a guy. The guy they grab is former football star, Dick Butkus.

Bishop73

Question: I was wondering what does NS stand for? And also, I've noticed that there seem to be two different kinds of robots apart from NS-5. Their torso looks different. Are these just different NS-4 modifications, or are they even older versions, like NS-3 or NS-2?

Inkster

Chosen answer: With Isaac Asimov's robots its short for a common name. In the case of NS its short for Nestor, though in the movie the robot is called "Sonny" which switches the NS. In the books though its short for Nestor. Another example is the RB type robot (not in the movie), short for Robbie. It's safe to assume there are older models of the robots and that NS-3 and NS-2 are probably around.

lionhead

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