Question: Why didn't Walter go to prison after he confessed everything?
raywest
21st Sep 2019
The Number 23 (2007)
18th Sep 2019
Death in Paradise (2011)
Question: Why did the cord on the wall phone in the police station change from straight in the early episodes to coiled later?
7th Aug 2014
Jaws (1975)
Question: The other night me and some friends were arguing whether or not the shot that Brody makes to blow the tank up to kill Bruce was possible, or would it be too hard to make?
Chosen answer: It would certainly be very difficult, with the shark moving and hitting the tank while slightly underwater. But it wouldn't be impossible.
Answer: This theory was tested on "Mythbusters" and the myth was "busted", twice. https://mythresults.com/mythbusters-vs-jaws.
12th Sep 2019
The Faculty (1998)
Question: Why are the aliens in that town? If they come from a oceanic planet then why not go directly into one of our five or so oceans?
Answer: The aliens needed fresh water. All the infected were drinking bottled water. When the gang were examining the slug in the garage, it dried up and died from salt, like a snail.
Answer: Whales and dolphins also lack manipulating appendages and the ability to survive on land.
Answer: The aliens need to infect intelligent life to thrive. There is no intelligent life in our oceans.
Answer: Well if they need to stay hydrated whales and dolphins make more sense than inhabiting people.
Dolphins and whales are also far less numerous. With populations numbering fewer than 10 million total across all species versus nearly 6 billion at the time for humanity.
Answer: It could be the salt or pollution. The aliens were drinking nothing but pure bottled water.
Good answer. Dang all you guys on this site are pretty good at this. I enjoy these answers you give since hardly anybody ever listens to me.
12th Sep 2019
Something's Gotta Give (2003)
Question: If Erica arrived after Marin and Harry, why was she surprised to see someone in the kitchen? Surely she saw a car in the driveway. And where did that car go? It wasn't in any scene after Marin and Harry parked. Supposedly, they shopped for groceries and ate dinner the same day they arrived. Why did they change clothes so often? It seemed Marin had her black bathing suit on under her dress at the store but wore something different at dinner. Harry had three different shirts, Erica changed from a scoop to a turtleneck and Zoe seemed to put a sweater over her blue top while shopping but changed at dinner.
12th Sep 2019
The House with a Clock in its Walls (2018)
Question: Why would Lewis confess to Jonathan and Florence that he brought back Issac from the dead? He could've kept it a secret to avoid being yelled at.
6th Aug 2019
General questions
This has been annoying the hell out of me for years. I'm thinking of an early 1960s (?) black and white American movie that features numerous cameos by A-List Hollywood actors who are so heavily made-up (with wigs and latex facial prosthetics) that they are all thoroughly unrecognizable. At the end of the film, as a complete surprise, there is a sequence of each of these otherwise unremarkable cameo characters removing their makeup for a big reveal. For example, a plain, middle-aged woman who only appeared for a few seconds onscreen grandly removes her latex face to reveal none other than Burt Lancaster. I believe Robert Mitchum and Tony Curtis were also among the reveals. What is this film?
Answer: "The List of Adrian Messenger" (1963). Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, and Tony Curtis, along with Kirk Douglas and Frank Sinatra, remove their heavy makeup during the epilogue to reveal who they are. Although Lancaster and Sinatra didn't actual portray the characters they claimed to have been.
Thank you. The name of this movie has been on the tip of my tongue for many years.
Incidentally, director John Huston (who also made a cameo appearance in the film) tried to convince Elizabeth Taylor to play a disguised part in this movie; but, when Taylor learned that her lovely face would be completely hidden under heavy latex, she turned down the role.
13th Mar 2019
General questions
What action or otherwise "exciting" movies have quite a low-key ending? It's fairly standard now for action movies to build to a massive crescendo, a final all-out action sequence with CGI destruction running rampant. Do any relatively modern movies buck that trend?
Answer: I would add, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo." Lizbeth Salander exposes Martin Vanger as the serial murderer. He is killed when Lizbeth chases him, resulting in a car explosion. That is the film's climax, but in the side plot, Lizbeth then goes on to expose Wennerström's corruption, as well as removing billions of Euros from his secret accounts.
Answer: First one that comes to mind is The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (if the ending is the same as in the book, that is-not 100% sure), but ending with a battle of words instead of an action sequence like most of the other Twilight movies.
Answer: Doctor Strange comes to mind - not *that* low key, but the actual climax is him in a time loop negotiating Earth's safety rather than a massive epic battle.
7th Sep 2019
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Question: If Aayla Secura's a Jedi Master then why does she wear a skimpy brown leather outfit? She should be dressed more like the other Jedi masters.
Answer: In-universe, it is the typical clothing of a Twi'lek female. Jedi are allowed to wear whatever clothing they want, though most choose the robes fitting the ascetic life of a Jedi.
Answer: Several possibilities. There are cultural differences in how the different races dress that may supersede the traditional Jedi uniform. However, and more likely, movies often sexualize women characters by dressing them in skimpy, skin-bearing costumes, even when it is out-of-sync with how others are dressed.
Answer: Going along with LorgSkyegon's answer, the clothing is common for female Twi'leks. Many Jedi observe a few traditions, customs, etc. of the worlds they came from. Since they are guardians of peace across the galaxy, they need to respect all cultures. It can be helpful for a Jedi to acknowledge their background, especially if they ever need to deal with a situation involving their species/homeworld.
5th Sep 2019
A Christmas Story (1983)
Question: At the Christmas parade, What is Mickey Mouse doing with Dorothy when all the Wizard of Oz Characters shoo him away?
Answer: He appears to be trying to either tickle her or "feel her up." Either way, it's unwanted and the other performers shoo him away.
6th Sep 2019
...All the Marbles (1981)
Question: Given that Las Vegas is the bigger more glamorous and more well known on sporting events, why didn't The California Dolls vs Toledo Tigers Tag Team Title match take place there instead of Reno?
Answer: No reason is given but there could be any number of factors involved in why this location was chosen. However, it appears to be less about the plot than about real-life logistics. The event takes place at the MGM Grand Hotel in Reno. MGM financially backed this film, so this was an opportunity for them to showcase and promote their expensive hotel in the movie. Also, filming on MGM property would have given the production greater freedom on when, where, and how they wished to film, avoiding many of the costs, restraints, and restrictions often encountered when filming a movie.
5th Sep 2019
Rush Hour (1998)
Question: Isn't a flight from Hong Kong to LA 13hrs? How then is Lee able to arrive during the daytime if the Consul's daughter was kidnapped that same morning?
Answer: It's a movie. Due to filming logistics, factual details sometimes are purposely skewed to serve the plot or accommodate technical issues in shooting scenes. Time is compressed, geographical details are altered, and so on. Audiences are expected to employ a "suspension of disbelief" in order to allow the story to unfold in a smooth, consistent, if sometimes unrealistic, way.
Then what about the end of the movie when Lee told Carter that the flight was fifteen hours?
It takes longer to fly west than east due to westbound headwind and eastbound tailwind.
19th Nov 2005
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Question: If Crouch used the polyjuice potion to be certain people, how was he able to take their voice as well? When Harry and Ron used the potion before, they kept their normal voices.
Answer: In book two it states that the voices DO change.
To quote from chapter 12 as read by Stephen Fry: "Are you two OK?" Goyle 's low rasp of a voice issued from his mouth.
Answer: This is never covered in the book either, but Crouch was a fully trained wizard while Harry and Ron are not. It's not unreasonable to think that there is a spell that allows you to imitate voices perfectly. There were candies in the last film that made people sound like monkeys and lions. A voice spell wouldn't be that different.
Answer: In the books, the polyjuice potion changed the person's voice as well as the physical appearance of the person who was impersonating someone else. The movies made a decision to have Ron and Harry keep their own voices, presumably so the audience could more easily keep track of which one was Goyle and which one was Crabbe. The other characters using polyjuice varied on whether or not they kept their original voices. Crouch Jr.'s voice was the same as the real Mad Eye's. When Hermione impersonated Bellatrix LeStrange, she sounded like herself. This really comes down to movie-making logistics. If Crouch kept his own voice, then the movie makers would have had to dub David Tennant's voice over all of Brendan Gleeson's dialogue.
Answer: In the movie Barty Jr (as Moody) imitates voices, including Hagrid's. When Harry returns from the graveyard and Barty Jr takes Harry into his office or living area.
28th Aug 2019
Hide and Seek (2005)
Question: I have watched the move both on DVD and on TV. When I watched it on TV the ending was different than the one that the DVD had. The ending shows Emily in a hospital room of some kind - why was this ending shown?
Answer: The movie actually had five alternate endings, ranging from Emily having the dissociative identity disorder to her not having it and living happily with Katherine. Each ending depended on which theatrical market (U.S. or International) the movie was shown. You happened to watch two of the different versions, the one shown on TV and the other on DVD. The DVD has a special section showing all five endings. The Wikipedia article on this film has a section that describes the five various endings.
27th Aug 2019
Tarzan (1999)
Question: After Sabor the leopard jumps on the net to kill baby Tarzan, it instead launches him up to Kala, who catches him by the diaper. Why does Kala move Tarzan up and down several times?
Answer: Kala, who was on the floor above the netting, was attempting to pull baby Tarzan up through the space around the pole, but it was too small for an infant to fit through. Kala instead pulled Tarzan by his diaper along the slit between the boards to the end of the floor where she could then reach over and pick him up.
23rd Aug 2019
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
Question: When Chitty goes over the cliff and the wings come out, where does the picnic basket on the back go?
22nd Aug 2019
Unfaithful (2002)
Question: The final scene in the car at the red light in front of the Police station. They are discussing escaping to Mexico for the rest of their lives. They hold each other. The car doesn't move. Do they give themselves up to the police? Is that what the writer is implying?
Answer: Although Connie wanted them to go to Mexico and assume new identities, it is implied that Edward, who initially goes along with that idea, will likely turn himself into the police. However, there's no definitive ending given, so the audience is left to interpret the outcome.
An alternative ending was shot in which Edward says goodbye to Connie in the car and walks into the police station. The director discusses this on the commentary track. The alternate ending is on the DVD.
Answer: Connie wants to say she is guilty and asks her husband to forgive her.
Answer: I think that they had already decided that Edward would turn himself in after the school event. That's why the were so sad when they danced and why they engaged in an escape fantasy conversation at the red light. They knew that the police would soon figure it out and it was only a matter of time before Edward would be arrested. Rather than live in fear, they decided that it would be better for Edward to turn himself in. That's my answer but I have two other questions that I can not answer. 1. WHY did she do it? 2. How long did the affair last? I can't figure out the season but m y guess is between fall and the end of November but I can't be sure because the seasons don't seem to be correct. Is it sunny/warm enough to plant a garden in November in NY? I don't think so.
"Why did she do it?" I think that is the question she asked herself once she realised that she had made a terrible choice. Initially, it made her feel alive and young and excited. She had everything, but she began to feel invisible. Ultimately, her son will suffer the impact of her choice, and she will never have peace again.
20th Aug 2019
House, M.D. (2004)
19th Aug 2019
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Question: What time of year is this film set? One day it's warm enough to swim outdoors in central Spain, the next day it's ski season in northern Italy.
Answer: The time setting is vague, but both Italy and Spain have Mediterranean climates (mild wet winters, hot dry summers). However, climate also varies by altitude, and, at certain times of the year, it could conceivably be cold enough in the Italian Alps for skiing while it is warmer in Spain for outdoor swimming. Also, movies tend to ignore reality for the sake of storytelling.
19th Aug 2019
The Brady Bunch (1969)
Question: There's a scene in this episode I haven't seen in over 30 years (edited out in more recent years) where the 4 kids upstairs are arguing (boys vs girls) and the kids continuously stamp their feet on the floor and then Alice is shown downstairs watching her cake in the oven. Periodically with all the stomping from upstairs, the cake gets flatter until very flat the end of the scene. Question is does anyone remember this scene and why does the cake in the oven get flatter every time a kid stomps from upstairs?
Answer: I think I remember that episode - but, more importantly, my mother always told me (and my siblings) to stop jumping/ stomping, running in the kitchen, and opening the oven door when a cake was baking... because these could make the cake fall. I believed my mother... and I, as a child, also caused a few "fallen cakes" because I didn't quite always listen (right away, anyway). I'm sure Alice's fallen cake episode was exaggerated, but cakes really CAN fall from stomps and opening the oven door too soon. Usually, it has something to do with the baking powder and how the air bubbles change during the baking process. Doing something that might cause the oven and cake inside to move/shake can suddenly change the air bubbles inside the cake and cause a collapse. I don't know all factors that have to occur for a cake to fall (collapse in the middle), but I've seen fallen cakes during my adulthood and... well... caused at least a few myself. Regarding Alice's cake falling each time one of the Brady kids stomped upstairs, I'm not sure if a series of falls could occur. IF it is possible, I think there would have to be way too much baking powder in the batter or some other inaccurate combination of ingredients that alter the chemical process during baking.
Answer: Realistically, a cake would not deflate in that way. There are some desserts, like delicate, airy souffles, that can deflate during and after baking, and that must be served almost immediately from the oven. The scene, broadly played for humor, is merely meant to show the argument's growing intensity gauged against the rate of the deflating cake.
Answer: I haven't come across a scene like that, but maybe over time what you remember got mixed up with episodes of other shows, so this is just a suggested episode. "Try, Try Again." In the episode, Mike is preparing a gourmet meal for Saturday. Jan is practicing tap dancing in the kitchen and his soufflé that he had spent 3 days preparing is knocked to the floor. While it is true soufflés can "fall" (meaning deflate), it's because the cooking time was wrong (or opening the oven door too soon) or the structure of the egg whites is too weak. Noises don't make them collapse.
This was not from "Try, Try Again" (though I do remember that scene too). That was in a later season when the kids were older. The one I was talking about was during the first season when all the kids were young. I know the scene in question were the 4 youngest kids and the scene started by each the boys and girls arguing that Greg/Marcia (running for student body president) doesn't stand a chance against him/her to win (boys for Greg, girls for Marcia).
That's "Vote for Brady", s01e11. I watched it and for some reason Carol tells Mike to be careful, after he makes too much noise, indicating noise will ruin the cake. Alice does keep checking on the cake with the oven light every time the kids make too much noise. However, the cake is always fine, and in fact getting bigger. Then, realizing the cake is fine, Alice is relieved and leans against the counter, knocking over the cutting board. The cutting board crashes to the ground, which this time does cause the cake to flatten. It seems like an exaggerated prop, I've never see a cake rise like that, it looks like how a muffin might rise. Then it's somehow deflated, as if it was hollow, like a puffed pastry, or too raw. If it was too raw, it shouldn't flatten in the oven. But the look of the cake doesn't remind me of any puffed pasty, which is made from a dough, not a batter and the cake looks like a batter cake to me. So, it just deflates for irony or comedy of error reasons.
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Answer: As I recall, at the end, Walter had turned himself in and was awaiting sentencing. He was told the judge may go "easy" on him, likely because of his mental instability, but exactly what easy means, is subject to interpretation.
raywest ★