Question: The ending of Back to the Future, Marty says he's not going to the lake as the car is 'wrecked'. All the family react as if he's talking about the BMW. They rush out and see it is fine. But they know Marty has the Toyota truck - why would they not think he meant his car is wrecked'? I know he says car not "truck" but he's talking about going up to the lake - he wouldn't be going in his Dad's BMW. So is this a mistake or bad script writing? (01:49:00 - 01:51:00)
lionhead
5th Jan 2024
Back to the Future (1985)
Answer: It would've simply been down to the pure shock of what Marty was saying. The second he said "The car's wrecked", they dropped what they were doing and went to check. They didn't even care about the first part of Marty's sentence at this point, as all that was going through their heads would've been "Has something happened to the car?"
30th Dec 2023
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Question: Had Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan been able to both survive and defeat Maul, would this mean Sidious would not be able to manipulate Anakin anymore? Or would the Sith Lord have simply tried a different plan, besides emotional manipulation, to try to trick an Anakin trained under Qui-Gon into the dark side?
Answer: I don't think his plans would change. Qui-Gon is just another Jedi Master training Anakin, nothing much different because Obi-Wan was trained by him as well, after all. Plus, Qui-Gon much more believes Anakin is the chosen one, so he would probably allow Anakin a lot more than Obi-Wan would, including his relationships with Palpatine and Padme, which both are more important for Anakin's switch to the dark side.
I (not who submitted the question) wonder if Palpatine actually wanted Darth Maul to be killed by Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, or both. It seems like he mostly trained Maul to fight. Maul seemed to know little about the plotting, scheming, and political dealings. Dooku was capable in those areas, and was skilled at fighting. He was probably more useful while Palpatine waited to turn Anakin.
Not sure about that. I think he genuinely thought Darth Maul was properly trained to defeat Jedi. I don't think Palpatine planned ahead in terms of apprentices, except Anakin. But Darth Maul was before he knew Anakin. I don't think Sith are easy to find either, so Palpatine needed Maul for a lot of things more than just kill Jedi. It is too convenient however that every apprentice he had served his plans perfectly. Because I don't see Maul lead the separatists.
I was under the impression that Palpatine knew about Anakin ever since Shmi was chosen to be Anakin's mother. I might be wrong. This is an interesting discussion, though - I appreciate your response. Some think that Maul had limited use of the Force and was more of a trained assassin. But, if that were true, why call him a Sith apprentice? As you say, it's hard to imagine him being a Separatist leader.
I do not have any knowledge regarding any books written or other sources that might be considered canon, as have been mentioned in other comments here recently. My knowledge is purely the movies. As per the movies, Palpatine only learned of Anakin after the Battle of Naboo.
20th Dec 2023
Aliens (1986)
Question: I have a question regarding some of the slang used in the film. During the briefing just before the marines go down to the planet, Hudson asks, "Is this going to be a stand-up fight or another bug-hunt?" And what does Gorman mean when he says they think xenomorphs are involved? People say xenomorph is a fancy term for the species of aliens in this film series, however, it's made clear that at the beginning of the movie this is an unknown species, so that term couldn't refer specifically to them.
Answer: In addition to the other answers, I'd like to point out that xenomorph simply means strange or alien form.
Answer: It wasn't exactly an "unknown" species. "The Company," the commercial operation funding everything, knew the alien creatures existed and had wanted them as bio-weapons since the first film. It's unclear what Gorman knew but likely little more than his troops. Burke knew about the creatures and his purpose was to collect one, the same as Ash in the original "Alien." The term "xenomorph" is a general term that could be applied to any extraterrestrial non-humanoid species. Hudson is asking if they're hunting a non-sentient being.
Yeah, Gorman had no clue about the xenomorphs whatsoever. No way. The Company did, Burke is part of the Company, but Gorman isn't. He, like the others, is just cannon fodder. The term is used as you describe it though. You gotta understand that the Company itself probably doesn't know how a full-grown xenomorph actually looks like. Not until Alien 4. They just know there is alien biotech to be claimed.
17th Dec 2023
Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
Question: Regarding the subway bomb, if McClain and Zeus had actually made it to the payphone in time, then what would Simon have done to make sure the bomb went off?
Answer: The bomb was going to get off anyway, it didn't depend on them not making it in time. I don't think Simon cared much if they had made it or not. If they did, the bomb would have blown up anyway, and the game he was playing with him would simply be over. He'd probably have McClane killed right after that, before he might figure out the hows and whys.
17th Dec 2023
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Question: When Marty is walking through 2015 Hill Valley, he sees a billboard from Goldie Wilson III in which he is offering a hover conversion from $39,999,95. Where did Doc get the money from to have the DeLorean converted in the first place? This was also the starting price of a hover conversion, it may have even been more than $40,000 depending on how complex it was to fit it to the DeLorean.
5th Dec 2023
Jurassic Park (1993)
Question: The second Nedry notices the Dilophosaurus in the jeep with him, why didn't he quickly get out and shut the door, trapping it inside? He had a second or two before the Dilophosaurus started growling and attacking him, plenty of time to get out.
Answer: There are some additional factors that would interfere with his ability to move quickly: He was obese (so not very agile) and his vision was impaired (he dropped his glasses and was sprayed with gunk in his eyes).
Answer: In addition to what RayWest and LionHead wrote, I would like to point out that it's easy to say what a person should have done. You're watching the situation as an outsider. Granted, this is a fantasy situation in a movie about dinosaurs, but the mentality is realistic: people who are actually in a situation don't always think of something that seems obvious.
Answer: The fact that Nedry was in a car could've been giving him a false sense of security. Yes, he could've gotten out of the car, but then he'd be out in the open, making it easier for him to get attacked by any other dinos that were lurking about. In the car, he probably (incorrectly) assumed that the Dilophosaurus would have restricted movement due to how small cars are, making it harder for it to attack.
22nd Nov 2023
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Question: Why did Obi-Wan go to Padme's apartment (as she told Anakin later) to discuss being worried about Anakin? He either doesn't know about their marriage, or he pretends to not know because Anakin would be expelled from the Jedi Order. In order to keep up appearances, it should be strange for him to visit her home.
Answer: He is hoping she knows where he is. He hopes to convince her to tell him so he can confront him.
The question is not about Obi-wan talking to Padme before the fight on Mustafar. It's about the off-screen visit, when Anakin asked Padme if Obi-wan had been to the apartment. She said yes, Obi-wan came by that morning because he was worried about Anakin. Why would he stop at her apartment if he "isn't supposed to know" that she is Anakin's wife?
Okay, my bad. Wasn't clear to me.
22nd Nov 2023
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Question: Why did Count Dooku tell Anakin and Obi-Wan to hand over their swords/lightsabers? Did he actually think they would do it?
Answer: He tells them to draw out their lightsaber, to not delay, and just start the fight.
But he says, "We don't want to make a mess of things in front of the Chancellor," as if he is trying not to fight.
The "mess" I think he is referring to is the pointless debate they will go into if they don't simply start dueling. A few seconds later, he says, "I've been looking forward to this", so he always wanted to fight. You have to understand that Dooku knows Palpatine is his master, and he has been ordered by Palpatine to get Anakin over to the dark side. The only way for him to do that is to best Anakin in dueling, showing him the dark side is stronger. Little did he know.
7th Dec 2008
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: Extended Edition: What is the point of the avalanche of skulls that the Army of the Dead throw down upon Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli? Surely the AOTD would want to keep Aragorn alive; he was the only way that they could break their curse. Or was the avalanche of skulls something that the AOTD were not responsible for? PS: I don't want any answers like "Peter Jackson put it there because it looked cool", I want answers that fit within the context of the film.
Chosen answer: With the last of the line of Isildur dead, there would be no one left to hold them to their oath and they'd be free to 'pass on.'
The king would have no reason to believe that killing Aragorn would free him. He thought the line was broken. He was surprised that there was an heir left alive. Therefore, he would have believed that they were never going to pass on because there was nobody to free them. Immediately attempting to kill the last person that could free them seems like an odd conclusion to come to within minutes of meeting Aragorn. A possible reason is that the army was leaving, so the magic holding the skulls stopped.
30th Oct 2023
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Question: A question that has been nagging me for so long: When the trio is chased by the Snatchers, why don't they just disapparate?
Answer: Apparition is not an easy spell to use. Wizards are only allowed to apparate at age 17 and are given lessons from that age. Ron definitely has never apparated before, only Harry and Hermione. It's highly unlikely they would have been able to take Ron along with apparition (side-along apparition) in the stressful situation without danger. If you do it wrongly, you get what is called "splinching," meaning parts of your body won't arrive at the destination. Ron already has injuries because of that. So, in short, it's too dangerous for them to try to apparate out of the situation.
Ron took the Apparating class at Hogwarts with Harry and Hermione. He failed his first license exam only because an overly-strict Ministry tester noticed he splinched some eyebrow hairs. Ron most certainly became practiced at it while hunting the Deathly Hallows. A hasty exit can be dangerous, however, as when Hermione hastily apparated herself, Harry, and Ron to escape the Ministry of Magic and is how Ron got his shoulder splinched.
Answer: I've wondered the same thing. There's no explanation, but it could be argued they were just panicked when the Snatchers took them by surprise. For all their abilities, they are still kids and occasionally lack critical thinking and failed to have a fallback plan for such an event or if they somehow became separated. Of course, it serves the plot as the story needs for them to be transported to Malfoy Manor. You should submit this as a plot hole.
I think even adults can panic in scary situations and not think of something that seems like an obvious solution. I've read online "tips" for getting away from muggers/robbers, but when I was actually shot by one, none of those came to mind.
In one of the books, Mr. Weasley says that many adult wizards don't apparate. It needs to be precise and it feels uncomfortable. Some would rather use a Portkey or fly on a broomstick.
27th Oct 2023
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Question: Given Kate met Gizmo in the previous movie, how could she mistake Daffy for him? He looks different from Gizmo.
Answer: She only saw him briefly, never in full light either. Plus, it was some time ago. I don't think she would suspect there is another one either.
At the end of the first movie, after killing the gremlins, everyone is at Billy's house, and Kate puts a thermometer in Gizmo's mouth and looks directly at him while doing it, giving her plenty of time to look at him.
Still, very briefly, still in low light. She has had way less interaction with Gizmo overall.
9th Oct 2023
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Question: After the battle on Mustafar, does Vader realise that he was wrong to accuse Padme on Mustafar (of bringing Obi-Wan to kill him)? I thought he obviously did, because he asks Palpatine if she is all right. However, some fans seem to think that he still believes he was betrayed. He only asked due to his remaining love for her. Is this clarified anywhere?
Answer: He hopes she is all right, mostly because of the baby(s) in her belly. He is the father after all. His anger caused him to hurt her, but he did not intend to kill her, since she is pregnant with his child. He says to Obi-Wan, "you will not turn her against me." So he believes she is misguided by his "enemies." Of course, he is really confused, angry, and traumatized at this point, so not much rationale can be expected of him. I don't think there was much of Anakin left at that point already.
Answer: My interpretation is: he "woke up" after the procedure with his new armour and realised that he should have listened to her. I don't know which books and graphic novels are still canon, but some show him reflecting on Padme, imagining conversations with her spirit, and visiting her grave. Some images will come up in a Google search.
Question: When Gandalf remarks that there are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world, is he referring specifically to the Balrog? If not, what are some other monsters he could be referring to?
Answer: Yes, he is referring to the Balrog. Though, he doesn't know for sure, he has been suspicious that there was a Balrog awakened in Moria.
5th Oct 2023
Goldeneye (1995)
Question: Was any reason ever given as to why Bond's gadget-filled car was barely used in this film? It seems odd to give the series a fresh start in many ways, make a big deal about his car with missiles inside the lights, and then he drives it for 30 seconds and gives it away. Why bother giving him a car at all?
Chosen answer: There hadn't been a Bond film for seven years, and it was a new Bond. They wanted to get away from the gadgets and show him at his best. It was a way to let people accept Pierce Bronsan, watching what he can do. He put a lot of Sean Connery into it.
I can see that, but it just seems weird to highlight the features the car has and then not use them. Would have been simpler to omit it entirely, but presumably BMW wanted some product placement.
According to Wikipedia, the deal with BMW came at the last stage in production, so they were only able to put the car in the movie but not make scenes where the gadgets are actually used. I can imagine they'd have to rewrite parts of the script and take more time filming to do that.
11th Sep 2023
Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
Question: Can anyone give a reason as to why he was made younger after being hit with that gas tanker with the lips? It's true that he was once again immortal, but that doesn't mean that he should've reverted to the age he was in the first film.
Answer: Killing another immortal grants you their life energy. The energy returned his youth and powers.
11th Sep 2023
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
11th Sep 2023
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Question: At the beginning of the movie, it was shown that both Tony Stark and Nebula are stuck inside Peter Quill's spaceship after Thanos' snap. Here, Tony Stark says, "Oxygen will run out tomorrow morning." However, this doesn't make any sense. Why didn't the two of them just stay on Titan? It's not like they needed special equipment in order to breathe on Titan before. They could just stay there until help arrived.
Answer: If they have no way of communicating with anyone, they have no chance on Titan either. That planet is dead too—might actually be hazardous to stay there too long. Nobody knows they are there either. They took their chance with the ship and getting to Earth.
Answer: What help? Nobody knew where they were, where to start looking, or if they were even alive. Tony had a wife and daughter on Earth; he had to get back.
2nd Sep 2023
Rocky III (1982)
Question: Right at the end of the movie Rocky and Apollo have their behind closed doors deciding fight. They are supposedly alone. How did they tie their own gloves on? You try tying a boxing glove on with one free hand.
Answer: Nobody says no-one was at the dressing lockers to help them out.
2nd Sep 2023
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Question: What spell did Snape use on Dumbledore to knock him off the tower? It couldn't have been the Killing Curse because when that's used, it produces a green light and the light from Snape's wand was blue.
Answer: It was the killing curse. You hear him say Avada Kadavra, too. I think the lighting in the scene makes the color seem a bit off, more turquoise than real green.
23rd Aug 2023
Valkyrie (2008)
Question: In the opening scene, why did Stauffenberg just sit in the jeep idly while watching the fighter's bullet path come towards him? Even if he saw that too soon, he could've at least tried to open the door and throw himself to the ground.
Answer: You have to understand, this is a dramatic reenactment of the incident which caused Von Stauffenberg to get his injuries. It is not based on reality. They are trying to add drama to the scene by having him watch his demise approach, which is common in movies.
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Answer: Why wouldn't he go in the BMW? Going to the lake doesn't mean off-road driving, it might be a nice paved road all the way to a touristy spot. I don't think it's a mistake or bad writing.
Actually, Biff comes up to him with the keys to his truck, saying it is ready for his trip. So he was going with his truck.
lionhead