Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more
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Question: Is there any logical explanation for the lavish costumes used by the characters in the Shumacher films? For example, Poison Ivy always wears lavish outfits (ludicrous tights and heels and multi-thousand-dollar-looking outfits and robes); or Two-Face from "Forever" and his split suits). I know it is for the style, but is there any realistic explanation as to how this could happen?
Question: If dates in the Star Wars universe are based on when events took place in relation to the Battle of Yavin, what date system was used up to and during the battle?
Answer: The Galactic Standard Calendar has been used consistently in the Star Wars universe for thousands of years and is, from its alternate name of the Coruscant Standard Calendar, probably based on the Coruscanti year length. Each new regime that has ruled the Star Wars galaxy has tended to reset the clock, as it were, so the Empire tended to count years from when Palpatine declared himself Emperor in 19BBY, during the events of Episode III. The Old Republic started their count thousands of years earlier, when it was founded. When the Empire fell to make way for the New Republic, they chose to start their calendar from the year of the Battle of Yavin, the year when they struck their first huge blow against the Empire.
Tailkinker
Brian Does Hollywood (2) - S3-E2
Question: I didn't understand why there was a woodpecker on Keanu Reeves' head. What was the joke?
Answer: The joke is that Reeves is a "wooden" actor.
Grumpy ScotQuestion: Throughout the film, you see the water fountain in the middle of the town. How is that effect of the water done? Is it shot in real time?
Answer: No, it's stop-motion just like almost everything else. The water appears to change levels because they used different pieces that could pop in and out of the well part of the fountain to make it look like ripples and movement. The DVD commentary with the director explains much of how all the scenes were shot.
Question: Of the main cast, do any of the actresses claim to be same-sex orientated in real life? Which ones? I've Googled this, and only found speculations rather than actual answers.
Answer: I read Diva magazine which is a British lesbian magazine - Leisha Hailey and Daniela Sea have both given interviews and have stated without question that they are lesbians. Despite much lesbian disappointment Katherine Moennig will not confirm her sexuality, stating it is personal and not an issue. Although it was once stated by an american publiction Jennifer Beals 'outed her', once published this was denyed by Jennifer stating they had twisted her words. Jennifer Beals has been married twice, Laurel Holloway according to her official website is married, but has stated in many interview since the L Word began that she is bisexual. Mia Krishner is most confusing of all, various interviews she has claimed different things - bisexuality, heterosexuality and bicuriousity...but notably takes lesbian/bisexual/transgender roles. Pam Grier, Rachel Shelly and Erin Daniels have categorically stated they are heterosexual. Janina Gavanker has never made any comment about her sexuality, although all speculations made on Google are that she is straight. Information on Rose Rollins is sparse and wholly speculation. I can add though that Shane's stalker in season one called Lacey is played by Tammy Lyn Micheals, who according to both parties' official websites has been 'married' to Melissa Etheridge since 2003, they also have children.
Question: Doesn't it seem like the Wraith have been scaled down over the course of the season? In the beginning, they were beings with superhuman strength and speed who could heal bullet wounds (The Defiant One) and create illusions. Now they are only slightly faster/stronger than humans, and Ronon beats them on a regular basis, as does Sheppard. Doesn't it seem a bit too convenient?
Answer: Not necessarily. Atlantis has had several captured Wraith to study and they have been fighting them for years. They've clearly learned Wraith vulnerabilities. Sheppard also carries a much more powerful .45 instead of the 9mm M9 after the first season. Ronon never had much trouble beating a Wraith and he and Teyla have both been training Sheppard. Wraith darts create the illusions, not the Wraith themselves. And finally, the Wraith are slowly starving as they were awakened far too early and are correspondingly less powerful.
Grumpy ScotAnswer: It was very obvious that they nerfed the Wraith a lot during the course of the show. No question about that. Probably it had to do with the access to food was limited thanks to the Replicators, and also because they needed to give the humans a chance to beat them. But in universe it is explained that Wraith who feed at slow intervals are not that strong. And it makes sense when you think about the Wraith and how they survive.
Question: When Denzil and his new wife are traveling home from their wedding, they are stopped by the crooked SIU cops. When they get home, Denzil goes straight upstairs, gets the fur coat his wife bought him and throws it on the fire. Why did he do this? The look on his face suggests he is angry at his wife, but I can't figure out why.
Answer: The expensive and flashy fur coat (150,000 dollars) makes him extremely noticeable to police. Before the fight, he has been under the radar, but believes the gaudy clothes have given him away as a person with too much money, which gets the police to investigate him.
Answer: He's weary of the world from his journey and giving up the ring, so he never seeks love in The Shire, instead going into The West with the Elves.
Captain DefenestratorQuestion: When the gang, Red and Bob are at the WWF match, I've heard that the Hardys, Ken Shamrock and Ernie Ladd, are shown. Where are they?
Answer: Most of the wrestling in the ring is done by the Hardys, Ken Shamrock at one point stares down Red and Ernie Ladd can be seen in the locker room as Rocky Johnson's manager when the Formans go hunting for an autograph.
Question: If characters such as Luke and Obi-Wan are human, how come they are in a galaxy far, far away?
Answer: Well, it's also a "long time ago", so it doesn't rule out the possibility that the human inhabitants of Earth travelled here from there. Could also be a simple case of parallel evolution and the filmmakers refer to the species as "human" for convenience, in the same way that the standard Star Wars language is represented as present-day English, despite the fact that it obviously wouldn't be.
TailkinkerQuestion: When Joker says, "Is it you, John Wayne?" I don't really understand this joke. Unless he's just trying to be random, but then isn't he worried he might be in trouble?
Answer: The quote was "Is that you John Wayne? Is this me?" Its a quote directly from the book the movie was based on. In the book Cowboy says it rather than Joker, mocking Hartman for barking out orders like John Wayne in many of his movies. After saying "Is this me?" Cowboy takes off his Stetson and fans his face, play acting a less masculine character that might also be found in a John Wayne movie. In the FMJ scene they of course weren't wearing Stetsons (full brimmed ranger hats) so it's a little off.
Answer: I always thought from the way Joker says it in the movie, that he is making a joke about the Gunny sounding like John Wayne ("Is that you John Wayne?"). But he says this joke mimicking the voice of John Wayne, which leads him to comically add "Is this me?" He is basically making a joke and then laughing at his joke by adding on to it.
Question: What is the whole deal with the black guy who sleeps all the time? And Sydney was sneaking in changing the time on the clock. I can't quite get the gist of that. Please help and thanks in advance.
Answer: When Sydney arrives at the Vortex, she is told that Embele is a Nigerian transfer student, who is still jet lagged despite the fact that he has been in the U.S. for about three years already. She decides to take matters into her own hands to help him. Every single day she adjusts the time on his alarm clock, so each day he is a bit closer to the actual local time. Then after about a month or two, his body has slowly adjusted to the proper time, which allows him to function normally, instead of sleeping all the time.
Super GroverQuestion: When Kate and Chris are in the tunnel (in 1357), Kate tells one of the monks to go tell Arnaut. When did Kate know of the existence of Arnaut, as they had yet to meet?
Answer: Kate is an archaeologist who,d been studying the castle's history for quite a while. She knows the protagonists and who's in charge.
SereenieQuestion: Who is the band on the big screen during Mardi Gras and what is the song? It's the goth music video which Dracula describes as "brilliant."
Answer: "Heads Explode" by Monster Magnet.
OneHappyHuskyQuestion: How did they film the shot with the different colour medicines coming out of the same bottle?
Answer: Most likely a variation on the "inexhaustible bottle" magic trick which has existed in various forms for hundreds of years - it relies on different chambers holding different liquids, and air holes in the bottle being covered or not change the pressure and allow the desired liquid to flow out. As the scene is one continuous shot with the entire bottle visible, this seems most likely - the air holes could be on the side away from the camera, with Julie Andrews repositioning her thumb for each colour. More info here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inexhaustible_bottle.
Jon SandysQuestion: What was the type of jet that Tony Stark used to travel to Afghanistan in? Is this an actual jet or a movie mock-up?
Answer: It's a CGI mockup. Originally a Boeing 737 Business Jet, it was decided during production that a regular jet wasn't nearly sexy enough for Stark, leading to everything from the wings back being replaced with a digital model that looked cooler.
TailkinkerQuestion: Why and how did all that stuff end up in his apartment? Did the computer send it? If so, how and why? How was the FBI coming to his apartment "motivating" him?
Answer: ARIA sent the stuff to his apartment so the FBI would catch it and go after him. His motivation was that only ARIA could "save" him from the FBI, who was investigating him for terrorism.
IngabritzenQuestion: What's the reason why Rafterman doesn't chase after the guy who steals his camera and Joker replies with his own set of "karate moves"?
Answer: Because he knows he cannot possibly catch him. The "karate moves" just shows his frustration.
raywestAnswer: Because it's basically a government camera. It's not his personal camera. He'll just go back and report that some "gook" stole his camera and they'll issue him a new one. Not a big deal for that type of equipment, considering they're in a war zone. If they stole his rifle, it probably would have been a bigger deal, but it's just a camera.
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Answer: You answered your own question. "Realistic". This is a movie trying to look like a comic book. Comic outfits are drawn on, no seams, no underwear/bras, etc. So live action costumes are just going to look odd.
Grumpy Scot