Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

These are questions relating to specific titles. General questions for movies and TV shows are here. Members get e-mailed when any of their questions are answered.

Question: Why aren't Mr and Mrs Little surprised to see a talking mouse?

MikeH

Chosen answer: It's a fantasy world, like Harry Potter and the Narnia movies.

Question: How come the humans can understand mice and birds, but not cats?

MikeH

Answer: Since there no scenes of cats trying to communicate with humans, we don't actually know if humans can understand them or not. It may be that cats can communicate with humans, but simply choose not to.

Answer: Because it's a movie when talking animals is possible but not all animals can talk to humans.

Question: Would it not have been necessary for Kevin to at least wait and change the camera batteries while on the flight?

Answer: Movies are full of "if onlys" and this is one of them. Sure, it would have been better to wait but he is 9 years old and excited. He didn't want to wait so tried to do it when they were rushing to the terminal.

The_Iceman

Question: Whenever Jack is talking to Delbert Grady, Grady mentions his wife and two daughters; one of whom tried to burn the overlook down. My question is, are they the same twin girls Danny has visions of? Whenever Danny sees them dead in the hallway, the vision matches the story Ullman told Jack about Charles Grady. Why does Delbert Grady deny killing his wife and daughters when he was the caretaker, but then contradicts himself and go on to say he "corrected" them? Was he only denying being the caretaker since Jack has always been the caretaker? What is the connection between Delbert's story and what happened with Charles Grady?

Answer: Delbert Grady has always been at the hotel, just as Jack Torrance has...however, "Charles Grady" was one incarnation of the hotel's "caretaker", which Jack Torrance currently is. Delbert, evidenced by his appearance, occupation, and archaic racial views, has been with the hotel since its turn-of-the-century inception, just as Jack, in the photo at the end, has been. We don't know what "spirit-Jack's" function in the Overlook is...we only know that the present Jack (whom Delbert is talking to) embodies the "caretaker" who has always been there, just as Charles Grady did in his time. Delbert refers to his wife and two daughters, whom he did not murder...his "caretaker" version, Charles Grady, did that.

Replacements - S1-E4

Question: When members of Easy company spot Captain Sobel again one of the Replacements asks Bull "Who is he sarge?" and Bull replies "It's our first CO." Then the replacement asks "What happened?" and Bull replies with "He got promoted." I never understood that line. What was it about his promotion that made Bull say that? As I understand it Sobel was already a hated man before becoming Captain. So what did Bull mean?

lionhead

Chosen answer: Col. Sink gave Sobol a promotion after the men came to him and said they wouldn't follow him into battle. It was a promotion that ensured he wouldn't see combat and took him away from the troops, so it was technically a punishment.

Captain Defenestrator

Question: When The Queen sends a fake letter to Wendell's council, one person mentions Relish's challenge for Wendell to come and fight him. Why would Relish make this challenge if he knows that the Queen switched Wendell's body with her dog's?

Answer: He does this intentionally, he knows that Wendell will never rise to the occasion, due to his unfortunate circumstances.

Question: After Tony breaks the mirror, he hears the sound of horses running whenever he is about to experience bad luck. Is there a reason for the signal being horse sounds, i.e. a reference to a fairy tale or mythology?

Answer: After some research, it doesn't appear as though any cultures have ever considered horses bad luck; the opposite in fact, they are usually seen as symbols of power, freedom, and wisdom. It's likely the hooves sound was chosen purely because it was a bit ominous, and the approaching sounds easily signified that the bad luck was coming, rather than have it constantly be a surprise.

Purple_Girl

Question: Why was Percy still not talking to his family if he (and the ministry) knew Voldemort was back? The ministry also hadn't been taken over yet so nobody could stop him from leaving.

THE GAMER NEXT DOOR

Chosen answer: It's explained a little more in "Order of the Phoenix". The row Percy had with his family (and his father in particular) was about more than Voldemort. It's mentioned in an early chapter of "Phoenix" that over that summer, Percy was promoted at the Ministry, working directly for Cornelius Fudge; as Ron says, Junior Assistant to the Minister is a remarkable position for someone only a year out of school, and their father believed Fudge hired Percy in order to spy on the Weasley family and, through them, Dumbledore. Percy, meanwhile, felt insulted that his father wasn't pleased about it and said, among other things, that Arthur's lack of ambition was the reason for the family's poor economic status. He also felt that his parents' support of Dumbledore was foolish, and as long as they continued to do so, he would not consider himself a member of the family.

Question: Is there a reason why Roger, Anita, and their child are not back for this sequel? Also, how and why did Dipstick get adopted by Chloe?

Answer: Because Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson who portrayed Roger and Anita were busy filming other projects at the time and maybe they chose not to return. Or perhaps the writers couldn't find a way to fit them into the Story. As to how Dipstick got adopted by Chloe, maybe it's just a mystery we'll never know.

Answer: We are never told why they are not there and we are not told about how Dipstick came to live with Chloe.

Question: I've got two questions about the sentinels. 1) Why didn't Blink ever create portals to another country or maybe space every time the sentinels showed up, instead of just bringing the sentinels a tiny bit further, or is she only able to create a portal to somewhere she can see? 2) Would the sentinels have been able to adapt to Quicksilver's powers fast enough before he could escape from them into another room, or is there another way they could have been fast enough to kill him?

THE GAMER NEXT DOOR

Chosen answer: 1) Blink's powers seem to have a short range, although it does seem to extend beyond just places she can see (she is able to open a portal for Magneto back into the room with Charles but she can't see into the room). 2) It really is impossible to answer this question, as we never see Quicksilver in the future. Presumably he could outrun a sentinel as none are shown to have super speed. However they were shown to use their sheer numbers and a bit of cunning to defeat the X-Men more than once.

Question: When Young Joe is waiting in the field for Old Joe's arrival from the future, the sky is perfectly clear blue, except for a single, strange and very prominent zig-zag cloud that almost looks like a contrail of some sort. What is the significance of or explanation for that weird cloud?

Charles Austin Miller

Chosen answer: Clouds are a strong visual motif in this film, present in different forms throughout the film. Look also for the "cloud" of cream in Joe's coffee and the "cloud" of blood when the gat-man is killed in the house.

Question: There is a scene where Chris desperately prevents the cannibals from coming up into the watchtower. After a while, there is a silence. Then Carly radios for help in fear saying "Hello? Hello? ls anybody there? Can you hear us? Hello?" And then suddenly the radio moves quickly. It looked like psychic phenomenon. What was it?

Bunch

Chosen answer: It was the cannibals. They had realised the trio were in the watch tower and yanked the cable to disable the radio to prevent them getting help.

The_Iceman

Question: There is a scene where Chris and the other three discover the cannibals' cabin. When they hesitate to enter the house, Carly tells the others that she needs to pee. Then her boyfriend, Scott says to her "Well, l need to remind you of a little movie called Deliverance." Well, what does Scott signify there? I've never seen the movie.

Bunch

Chosen answer: Deliverance (1972) was about a group of canoeists who are attacked, raped, and murdered by a group of deranged, inbred hillbillies. Scott is implying the cabin looks like a place where those sort of people might live. Http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068473/.

Brian Katcher

Question: Why didn't the ape-keeper, Rodney, simply shoot Caesar? He was in the sniping platform, he was aiming the tranquilizer rifle, he had a clear shot, but he just lowered his rifle and fled when Caesar yelled "No!" for the first time. If Rodney had pulled the trigger, the ape rebellion would have been nipped in the bud.

Charles Austin Miller

Chosen answer: Rodney was against the cruelty that fellow ape-keeper Dodge displays toward the apes and was likely hesitant to shoot Caeser at first. When Caesar yelled "No!", Rodney lowered his rifle from shock. Caesar then starts running around chanting "No!", and because he's running around Rodney no longer has a clear shot, and then he panics and flees having just seen an ape speak.

EK8829

Question: Two questions. First, why is Hagrid sent to tell Harry about the wizarding world and escort him to Diagon Alley? Being a half-giant, he would attract attention from a lot of Muggles. Second, have no Muggles noticed that several children arrive at King's Cross Station with owls every year? The owls would be seen before the wizarding families approach Platform 9 3/4.

Answer: I would guess Dumbledore sent Hagrid to fetch Harry solely because he knew the half-giant would frighten the Dursleys, who wanted to stop Harry from going to Hogwarts. Hagrid was also on a mission to fetch the Philosopher's Stone from Gringott's Bank at the same time. Magic was apparently used to mask the comings and goings of wizards whenever they were out and about in the Muggle world. Sometimes people noticed odd things happening, but then tended to shrug it off.

raywest

Question: I understand the concept of spelling mistakes and an editor accidentally missing them, especially for an unknown actor's name. But how did "Callahan" end up getting misspelled when it was spelled correctly in the first film? Has any reason been given? Or if there someone with general knowledge of how end credits are produced, is there no editor?

Bishop73

Chosen answer: The error didn't necessarily start with the makers of the credits. It could have crept into the process at any point. Whoever typed up the names to give them to the technicians who made the credits could have misspelled the name.

Question: When Dim and Georgie are taking Alex through the woods to beat him up, Alex says: "I just don't get this all. It was them that went for me, brothers. You're not on their side and can't be. You can't be Dim. It was someone we fillied with back in the old days... Trying to get his own bit of revenge after all this time. Remember, Dim?" What does Alex mean by saying "it was them that went for me"? Also, who is "them" that they with fillied back in the old days and is trying to get revenge?

Qwarke

Chosen answer: "In the old days," Alex and his Droogs used to assault and batter (filly with) the homeless, meth-drinking tramps. After Alex is released from prison and reconditioned, one of those tramps recognises him in public and a group of tramps attack Alex for revenge. Two policemen come to Alex's rescue, and Alex immediately recognises the cops as his old Droogs, Georgie and Dim. They recognize Alex, also. As Georgie and Dim haul him away for a beating, Alex is trying to explain the situation with the tramps.

Question: If Dumbledore wanted to take the Philosopher's Stone and hide it at Hogwarts in order to lure Voldemort out (as answered in another question), isn't that taking a huge risk in regards to Harry's safety? Dumbledore knows Harry is starting that year and also that Voldemort wants to eliminate Harry, so isn't he potentially putting Harry at risk by attempting to lure Voldemort to Hogwarts (to get the stone). I mean after Harry defeats Quirrell/ Voldemort in the chamber and Dumbledore visits him in the hospital wing, he doesn't even apologise for risking Harry's life by moving the stone from Gringotts to Hogwarts.

Answer: Dumbledore did not bring the Philosopher's Stone to Hogwarts to lure Voldemort there. He brought it to the castle to protect it after hearing that one of Voldemort's servants may attempt to steal it. No one knew then that Professor Quirrell was that agent. Dumbledore did not know for certain that Voldemort had returned, only that it was probable.

raywest

Chosen answer: - Now hold my hand. - Yes, sweetie. - Now the story. - What story is that, sweetheart? La notte di San Lorenzo. San Lorenzo, who is...? My patron saint. And saint of my father's village. That's right. And what happened to him? He was in Rome. Mm-hm. And... I forgot. Well, many years ago...the bad guy says to him "Bring us the riches of your church." And Lorenzo, he brings them the beggars and the sick people... -...and he says... - "These are our riches." Yes! - Bravo, Lorenzo, bravo. - That's wonderful, sweetheart. So clever. And tonight, August 10th, is... La notte di San Lorenzo. The night of the shooting stars. When anything can happen.

Michael Albert

Question: Near the start of the movie, we see a young Angel cutting off his wings when his father walks in on him and says "Oh God, not you too." I was just wondering, does his father has something against mutants?

oncerella

Chosen answer: He was ashamed that his son was a mutant, especially given his status in the business community. Warren Worthington Jr. (Angel's father) was the one who, through his company, created the mutant cure 10 years later. In the comics, he also supported the mutant registration act.

Bishop73

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