Question: What are the limits of the Ghost Rider's Strength?
Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more
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Question: Why did the Japanese girl lie about her mother jumping off the balcony? She'd probably have gained the same amount of sympathy from the officer if she had told him about finding her mother after she had shot herself. And why doesn't the father look more surprised that she's naked? He just blinks and hugs her?
Answer: Chieko was traumatized by her mother's death (and feels a great need for physical contact and affection) (though she (mistakenly) manifests this in a sexual way...not too unusual in young disabled people). Her father seems to suffer from this same horrific loss, which means that they're both stuck in a kind of "loss-limbo" (unable to satisfy either's needs). On the balcony, the two holding hands suggests the beginning of the "breaking of the ice" between them. BTW, her nudity-in that scene-has no significance. This is just a father and his child. I wish the movie-makers had given us a clue about that damned note. Though the secrecy of it does kind've suggest that it reflects her intent to end her life...even as her mother did. Her appearance in the nude to the cop (which, on the face of it, seems very erotic) challenges us to remember that people exist on "different levels" or expressions (or "ego-states"). The main thing is that she's calling out for affection and being comforted.
Answer: It's obvious that this girl has quite serious psychological problems. Thus her erratic behavior, of which her father must also have some experience already.
Question: At the very end of the movie, Michael Caine states that the audience wants to be fooled as a dead Angier is shown in a water tank. What does this mean?
Answer: It means exactly what he says - the reason that illusion shows are successful is that the audience, whether they admit it or not, want to be fooled by the illusions that they see. They don't want to see what lies behind it.
Question: On the movie timeline website it says that on November 6 2012 America elected a female President, and that this fact comes from Back To The Future Part III. Where in the film is this mentioned?
Answer: It's actually mentioned in Part II, when Marty and Doc are reading the newspaper. If you look at the headlines on the left side of the page, one of them reads, "President says she's tired of..." As this is in 2015, pending changes to US election dates, she must have been elected on November 6th 2012.
Question: In a conversation between Senator Kelly and Colonel Stryker - regarding whether Stryker wants a war - Stryker says he was leading military operations when Kelly was still a baby. Kelly isn't young. How old are each character supposed to be? (Granted, that's technically Mystique as Kelly, but Stryker does not know that).
Answer: Given his history with Logan, Stryker could easily be in in 70s. Assuming Senator Kelly is in his 50s, that could put Stryker as a young operative when Kelly was born. In any case, he may be exaggerating.
Question: Why does it seem like Filch is on Dolores Umbridge's side?
Answer: He has always been in favour of using much stricter discipline at Hogwarts, even talking warmly about medieval punishing methods. Umbridge introduces and enforces the sort of rigid regime he wants, one where the school will be free of pranks and rule-breaking, something he hates with a passion (since, as caretaker, he often has to clean up the mess afterwards). Hence, he is very much in support of Umbridge.
Question: Why wasn't Harry punished for using the Cruciatus curse on Bellatrix? The ministry obviously keeps tabs on underage wizardry. Wouldn't there be serious repercussions for using an unforgivable curse?
Answer: The Ministry can keep track of magic being cast, but appear unable to determine who actually cast it - for example, when Dobby uses magic at the Dursley's house during the events of the Chamber of Secrets, Harry is blamed for it, as he's the only known magic-user at that location. At the Ministry, there are something like a dozen adult wizards involved in the fight, including a considerable number of Deatheaters. The Ministry know that a Cruciatus curse was cast, but would have no way to know who actually cast it, letting Harry off the hook.
Question: In the first scene, Harry is practising his 'Lumos Maxima' spell under his bedcovers. But in film 5 (and the books, for that matter) it is said that students aren't allowed to perform any magic outside of school. So how was he able to perform this spell without being warned/expelled from Hogwarts?
Answer: It's also shown that the Ministry have some discretion in what's allowable. Given that Harry's using a low-level spell, out of the sight of any muggles (the incidents that get him into trouble in books 3 and 5 both take place with muggles present), in a repeated fashion that would clearly indicate practice, it's reasonable to think that the Ministry would exercise its discretion in this instance and choose not to pursue the matter.
Question: How do the Death Eaters escape from Azkaban when it is very tall where the explosion happened/spell hit, and they don't (or shouldn't) have their wands?
Answer: Quite simply, someone else caused the explosion from the outside. Or for that matter, seeing how the Dementors have changed sides, it is not unlikely that someone was allowed to come in to Azkaban and break the Death Eaters out.
Question: If only Harry and Luna can see the thestral creatures, then how do all the others fly them when they go to the ministry without falling off, due to not seeing where they can hold on?
Answer: They have to feel the Thestrals with their hands to know where and how to climb up, and then simply grab hold of whatever they can and hang on for dear life. It is said to be a very confusing and scary way to travel!
Question: During a break in the card game Bond slips something into Le Chiffre's inhaler - but I don't recall anything coming of it later. What did he slip in and what was the significance of that?
Answer: It's a tracking device he can use to find Le Chiffre at all times. He uses it whilst in the hotel lift to determine that Le Chiffre is on the 4th floor of the hotel and which room he is in.
Question: Why is the Silver Surfer making craters all over the Earth? What purpose do they serve?
Answer: They're part of the mechanism that Galactus uses to extract the life-force from the planet.
Question: Specifically HOW would Pai Mei have taught the "five point palm exploding heart technique" to the Bride? We all know she trained with him for months. Bill (and the film generally) makes that very clear. Could someone simplify this for me?
Answer: It is obvious they practiced this on anything but a live person. See the look in her eyes when she completes the move on Bill? She's like, "yes, OK, it works" even though I'm sure she implicitly trusted Pei Mei, she had never seen the technique on a real person. So likely they would have used anything from a piece a wood to a dummy. Also she trained with Pei Mei for years not months. Remember Bill telling her not to sass back at least for the "first year or so till he warms up to her" - they had lots of time together.
Answer: The same way he would have taught her any other dangerous or esoteric techniques. Most likely, he would show her the precise way to position the fingers, precisely when and where to strike and then have her practice until she could do it correctly in an instant. In addition, a training aid such as a dummy would also help her know exactly how much force to use, as well as letting Pai Mei judge whether or not she did everything correctly and correct any flaws. But it really is impossible to do anything but speculate on this, as techniques like this and the teachings thereof are deliberately not shown to the general public (if they even exist, that is), and so the only ones who know how to teach this will not give away any hints or reveal any special training methods they use.
Question: What did the Jackal put on the rear handle of his van that caused such a severe and swift reaction on contact?
Answer: It's a shellfish poison that goes straight into the bloodstream and attacks the respiratory system (as stated on the director's commentary).
Question: Can anybody make out the instructions on the zero gravity toilet on the space craft?
Chosen answer: The wording was spelled out in the "making of" book. Someone took the time to reproduce it here: http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~elf/aso/zeroGtoilet.html.
Question: Can anyone tell me where to find a list of ALL the music used in the movie? I'm looking for stuff that's NOT on the soundtrack.
Answer: All the music is listed in the ending credits of the movie.
Answer: When using IMDB, make sure you are using the "full site" and not the mobile version. At the top, above the movie/show title, click "more." Under "did you know?" click "soundtracks" (this list all the recorded songs used in the film, not just the songs on the soundtrack album). However, it often does not include incidental music, which is the background music or song created just for the film to create a mood, tone, or theme. Although often theme music that is later recorded and released will be listed on IMDB's page even though they didn't appear in the original credits, the same way (uncredited) actors are listed on the site.
Answer: You can also find the titles of the songs at IMDB. An online movie database.
Question: Is one born with a deranged tear duct or is it acquired? Also, why does Le Chiffre have a clouded and faded iris, is that part of the disorder? Can he even see out of that eye? The scar above and below his eye must also be related, or could someone have inflicted it upon him?
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Answer: The Ghost Rider possesses superhuman strength sufficient to lift up to 25 tons. http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Johnathon_Blaze_ (Earth-616).