Question: Why wouldn't Dumbledore let Professor Snape teach Defense Against Dark Arts before this year? Snape says in the book that Dumbledore was afraid of him being tempted to relapse into his Death Eater ways, but he says this to Bellatrix and Narcissa, who falsely think that he is on their side. Also, he probably wouldn't feel tempted to become a Death Eater again after Voldemort killed Lily. And Dumbledore repeatedly insists that he completely trusts Snape.
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27th Jul 2015
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
27th Jul 2015
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Question: The night when Harry is given to the Dursleys takes place in 1981. McGonagall and Dumbledore each say something about "for eleven years", so they are referring to the year 1970. What happened that year? I know from the sixth book that Voldemort had been around and gathering followers since way before then; he had some followers when he was 28 and he visited Hogwarts to apply for teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts.
20th Jul 2015
The Village (2004)
Question: In the last scene with the park ranger he is siting in his SUV completely motionless as if he is dead. The ranger does not even blink. The door is open, door alarm sounding and a ladder is leaning against the SUV instead of leaning against the fence or being on top of the SUV. What is wrong with the ranger?
Answer: He's in shock.
20th Feb 2009
Jaws (1975)
Question: When the swimmers are running out of the water, why does Brody shout: "No whistles?"
Answer: Brody didn't want to panic all the beach goers and cause a splashing commotion which would excite the shark.
Answer: When the shark attacks fist began, Brody began reading up on shark behavior. It is believed that loud vibrating sounds can attract sharks. Brody believes that multiple people blowing loud whistles could bring the shark closer into shore.
On the contrary, high frequency noises (such as those produced by whistles) barely penetrate into the water and seem to have no effect on sharks or any other fish. Low-frequency noises (such as concussive splashing) travel a great distance in water and are a definite attraction for marine predators. Ultra-low-frequency noises (such as the songs of whales) can travel hundreds of miles through water. The U.S. Navy even uses extremely-low-frequency (ELF) transmissions for communicating with submarines far out at sea. So, no, there is no documented scientific reason for Brody to think that high-frequency noise would attract sharks. Either the movie's screenwriters were badly mistaken in their assumption that whistles attract sharks, or the character of Chief Brody was deliberately written to be mistaken in that assumption.
11th May 2015
Jaws (1975)
Question: When Quint and Hooper are comparing leg scars, they are sitting near each other with legs overlapping. The shot moves to Brody, then back to Quint and Hooper at the table, sitting apart. Quint is fastening his pants, buckling his buckle, and zipping his zipper. He obviously showed them something that was edited out of the movie. What was it?
Answer: Possibly a scar from having his appendix removed, I've been told.
The appendix shot is Brody - he is feeling inferior as the other two share tales of the sea and the only scar he has is from his appendix being removed.
Chosen answer: I just watched this on DVD. As the men were supposed to be comparing their body scars to one another, it appears that Quint had just shown one that was hidden beneath his pants. Whatever this was, it was edited out. When movie scenes are originally filmed, they are usually much longer in length than what is in the final version. After editing, some actions, dialogue, and character movements are deleted either to shorten the running time, for better storytelling flow, or the action was considered unnecessary to the scene. Also, film censorship at this time (mid-1970s) was far stricter than it is today, and it may have been that a review board deemed it inappropriate to have a character unzipping his pants in that manner and insisted it be removed from the final version.
I believe it was Brody, not Quint that was looking down his pants. And I believe that he was embarrassed that his (maybe appendix) scar was not as big or impressive as Quint and Hoopers.
Watch it again and as Quint is scooting back over to his spot he's fastening his pants, but no explanation is given.
I thought Brody had been shot as a cop in the big city (and that was why he took the job in a quiet, small town) and that in this scene he was looking at the scar and comparing it in his mind to the scars the other guys were showing but not saying anything to them about it.
Answer: After Brody looks down at his abdomen scar (probably an appendix scar) the camera switches back to Quint and Hooper. As Hooper starts talking, watch Quint. He is buttoning his pants and then struggles to zip them up. He leaves his belt unbuckled. I've seen Jaws more times than I can count - starting the year it premiered in 1975 - and I didn't notice this weirdness until a few years ago.
15th Jul 2015
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Question: What I cannot understand about this movie, having watched it 3 times, is why there is no response to Crouch senior's death by anyone. Having read the book, I assumed it would be made clear at some point that he had been killed by his son, but in fact it's left hanging as a huge loose end. Is it conceivable that the tournament would just continue when the referee and judge has been found dead close to the castle?
Answer: You're right, and there is no real answer to this. The way Crouch Sr.'s death was handled did not make much sense and it is yet another example of how the movies glossed over many plot details that were explained in the books. It would be completely unrealistic that an important official's murder during the event would be overlooked. It's unfortunate that the overall story arc of the series has so many gaping holes in it and the filmmakers expected the audience to "fill in the blanks." That is why there are so many questions about the HP films on this site.
Actually it wasn't overlooked. In the next scene, just after Crouch's body was discovered, Dumbledore, Fudge and fake Moody are discussing the matter and are unsure what they should do about it. Moreover, in one of deleted scenes Harry, Ron and Hermione talk about Crouch's death.
Answer: But his death is explained in the book. Barty Crouch Jr. explains having killed him, transfiguring him into a bone and burying him in Hagrid's garden. As for why there was no announcement, Barty Crouch Sr. Was believed to be ill and had been out of sight for some time now. Percy Weasley, his assistant still had continuous messages from him via owl. At the end of the Tournament however and upon revelation, Fudge might've been acting out of fear and kept the entire incident low. Not to mention how he had limited proof considering he had Barty Crouch Jr. immediately kissed by a dementor. The movie plot for this is definitely flawed but the book, admittedly, allows proper assumption of the aftermath of his death.
Not quite flawed. After Crouch's body is discovered in the forest by Harry, there is a scene where Dumbledore, Fudge and fake Moody debate what actions should be taken due to this incident. Fudge, being afraid of losing his position of Minister Of Magic, refuses to cancel the Tournament because he doesn't want to be perceived as a coward.
Answer: It actually makes some sense. Fudge refused to cancel the Tournament because he was afraid of losing his position of Minister Of Magic.
17th Jun 2015
Friends (1994)
The One with Mrs. Bing - S1-E11
Question: When we first see Mrs Bing on TV, Jay Leno mentions that she recently got arrested and asks how it came about. Her response is "occasionally, after being intimate with a man, I just get a craving for Kung Pao chicken" This gets a lot of cheers and laughter from the audience and Chandler shouts "that's too much information!" at the TV. What was happening here? Why does what Mrs Bing said get so much of a reaction from everyone and not answer the question she was asked? Am I missing something?
Answer: This is a story about how Chandler's mom got arrested. So she is saying "after being intimate with a man I get a craving for Kung Pao Chicken." So what she is implying is that she is intimate with whomever, and immediately afterwards when orders Kung Pao Chicken. By this she is saying she got arrested at the place where they sell Kung Poa Chicken, because she was being intimate with the individual there. Conclusion she was openly having sex at a Chinese Restaurant.
Answer: I've seen a few answers that are similar to this. It's really unclear to me what the relation to being arrested is and/or why it's too much information. I feel like I'm missing a connection here.
Chosen answer: Nora Bing's remarks got a huge response by her being funny and making the incident about sex. Audiences tend react to titillating anecdotes. Chandler, of course, is always mortified by his mother for not acting her age and being sexually uninhibited.
This answers nothing really.
Answer: I honestly think part of it has been deleted since the original broadcast. I remember her saying something extra that carried on the joke, but watching it on streaming services, it isn't there.
8th Jun 2015
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
Question: Why does Harry simply drop his wand when Voldemort casts a disarming spell? When Professor Snape used it on Gilderoy Lockhart in the second movie, Lockhart rose into the air and fell. This also happened to Snape when Harry used the spell on him in the third movie.
3rd Jun 2015
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Question: Why does everyone love Gaston? I can kinda see why from his looks/biceps but is there another reason why they love him so much?
Answer: I would say he was admired rather than loved and for very superficial reasons. He is young, handsome, manly, and extroverted. People often admire and wish for those traits. They project other non-existent qualities onto such a person while blind to their flaws. In Gaston's case, he is arrogant and self-absorbed. It is very typical of our society to celebrate people for their physical attributes, even though they may lack integrity in other areas of their lives.
I'd have to disagree. The film takes place in the 1790s to early 1800s if you ignore the Eiffel tower in Be Our Guest. So not long after the revolution at all. The peasantry was suffering quite a bit of food insecurity, which we see reflected in the opening song, (the eggs are too expensive, the bread is stale, etc.) Gaston is a hunter, and he's able to provide for his village which might otherwise have suffered a bit. I'd argue that his super-inflated ego may be a result of the praise he rightly earned.
Answer: I get the impression that Gaston comes from a family with some amount of wealth and social status - maybe not royalty, but perhaps more wealth and status than most people in the town have. Also, despite being vain and arrogant, he is bold and somewhat cunning. Many people like to latch on to a "leader" type.
3rd Jun 2015
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
25th May 2015
The Godfather (1972)
Question: After Michael shot the Turk and police captain he ran out the front door and the Turk's car was still there. Where was Lou, the driver? Wouldn't he have been standing guard there while the Turk was inside?
Chosen answer: Not necessarily. Both sides distrusted the other, and many arrangements were made on exactly how the meeting would be conducted. The Corleones would have insisted that none of Sollozzo's men other than McClusky be present inside the restaurant, though there may have been some planted, acting as customers. Captain McClusky was Sollozzo's personal bodyguard, and both he and Sollozzo believed Michael had no access to a weapon. As a waiting car immediately picked Michael up after the shootings, it would be reasonable to assume that any nearby Corleone men were watching Lou and would act if he made any attempt to interfere after the shootings. If any of Sollozzo's people were planted inside the restaurant, it was not worth them risking their lives after he was dead, and they likely assumed Corleone men were nearby who would kill them.
24th May 2015
General questions
You will be our hero if you can answer this question for us! We just need the title of this movie! It is NOT "Blow Out" with John Travolta, nor "FX," but it is of the same genre. (Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Who-Done-It). It came out around the 1970's or 80's. The lead actress COULD have been Cindy Williams, or someone who looked like her. The key scene, around which the whole storyline revolved, was a man and woman holding a private conversation about some crime or secret matter as they slowly walked around a large circular fountain in a public park. The hero of the story, through whose eyes it was told, was a technician who had several shotgun-microphones secretly set up in various hidden positions around the park to monitor that rendezvous point at the fountain on the plaza. The crux of the story is he accidentally picks up a conversation having to do with an impending murder, or big crime, or something. It was actually very well made and suspenseful. Can you remember the name of that movie?
Chosen answer: This is the 1974 film "The Conversation" directed by Francis Ford Coppolla. It stars Gene Hackman as a surveillance expert who records a couple's conversation on his hidden microphones about what might be a murder plot. John Cazale and Cindy Williams also star in the film.
24th May 2015
River of No Return (1954)
24th May 2015
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
Question: This question is about the entire series. I read the sixth book a couple of years ago and I can't remember if this was answered. Dumbledore once denied Voldemort's request to teach Defense Against Dark Arts because he knew that Voldemort did not want it, and was visiting the school for some other reason. Why would Voldemort curse a job that he was hoping not to get anyway?
Answer: Voldemort wanted to teach at Hogwarts to get more followers, possibly make the next Horcrux as 7 is the limit without your body being destroyed. He also mentions in the book that he had great respect for the teachers at Hogwarts, Dumbledore mentioned in book 6 and so does Harry in book 7 that Hogwarts was at least his first true home if not his real home so he may have partly wanted to return. He may have also wanted to get close to Dumbledore to figure out how to kill him. Dumbledore is after all, the only wizard Voldemort has ever feared.
Answer: There were several factors going on. Dumbledore did deny Tom Riddle (Voldemort) because he was suspicious of him but also because at the time Riddle was too young and inexperienced for the job. Riddle cursed the position so that no one hired for it would last longer than one year, thus giving him annual opportunities to reapply. There was also an element of spite. If he could not have the job, then he didn't want anyone else to have it.
He wasn't necessarily too young. I think he was 28 when he tried to get the job. Other professors, such as McGonagall and Snape, started at Hogwarts when they were younger. Snape was only 21.
15th May 2015
The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)
Question: There are a few unresolved conflicts despite Natty reuniting with her dad. Like what happens to Natty's abusive sitter, Connie, and the brown puppy Natty was looking after? Also, do the people working at the reform school Natty was sent to ever catch up to her? And what's the fate of both Harry and The Wolf?
Answer: There are no definitive answers. Connie likely continued running her boarding house.The puppy's fate is unknown and it probably was picked up by the city pound. In the Depression era, there was far less oversight of state-run juvenile facilities, and there were fewer resources available for tracking runaways, who could more easily evade the system. If they ever did find Natty, there would be nothing they could do because she was never an abandoned child and was with her father. Harry's fate was unknown but presumably he continued with his life as before.
13th May 2015
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Question: At the beginning of the film C-3PO says that Lando and Chewie never returned from Tatooine and Jabba's Palace. If that's true then how did Luke and Leia manage to concoct a plan to get inside using Chewie as a bounty if he wasn't there to be told the plan?
Chosen answer: C-3PO was unaware that Lando, who was disguised as a guard and spying on Jabba's domain, was smuggling out information to Luke. C-3PO, being an android, was often told information on a need-to-know basis only. He was often not trusted with more sensitive information, lest he inadvertently reveal something. He also didn't know that he and R2 were being sent to Jabba as a "gift" from Luke and that it was all part of the plan to rescue Han Solo.
5th May 2015
Inside Man (2006)
Question: After the robbery and once the dust settled (business was back-to-normal at the bank, etc.) why did the bank president not immediately go to open the safety deposit box and see what happened to its contents? He knew it was the target of the robbery. Reason would dictate that one of the first things he would have done would be to open the box and see what was there... Not leave it to the NYPD to open it and discover a mostly empty box except for the big ring, chewing gum and note.
Answer: The aforementioned answer fails to keep in mind he is the owner of the bank and could've have done this hours before the bank was opened and or hours after the bank was opened. Dalton spent 3 days behind the wall. Mr Case had a special fixer, and she had the mayor in her pocket. It is a reasonable assumption that a billionaire like Aruthur Case would be able to have the contents of his safety deposit box removed with little to no problem. One way is "yes Mr. Mayor I will be giving you a blank check for your reelection campaign." The issue is this was a major plot hole that almost ruined a otherwise great and well thought out movie.
Answer: Arthur Case did not want anyone to know about the safe deposit box or what was in it. In fact, the box's number had been left off the bank records. The police did not immediately know if anything had been stolen during the robbery. Case going to the bank to check on the box, would only have drawn attention to it. The contents, the diamonds, were a link to Case's criminal Nazi past that he wanted kept hidden. It was only by chance that Detective Frazier discovered the box and the clues that had been left inside it by Dalton Russell.
30th Apr 2015
Night at the Museum (2006)
Question: How are Cecil and the other guys able to "come to life", in other words be able to do the stuff they were doing? Last time I checked, they aren't museum exhibits.
Answer: Even though they are human, they are able to enhance their abilities through the artifact they are stealing. It affects them the same way it does the museum exhibits.
Ahkmarah was not wax, he was actually a mummy who was given back his life and all his organs and strength as was his parents in last movie. So it would make sense that they would benefit from the magic to make them stronger when they were near the tablet.
30th Apr 2015
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: In the flashback of Vito Corleone's return to Corleone, Sicily with his young family, his wife is shown holding a baby in a bonnet in several scenes. On the train he is talking to an older child and calling him Michael. Who is the baby?
30th Apr 2015
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Question: Why does Bellatrix accuse Dobby of defying his "masters"? Surely she would have heard from Narcissa, Draco, or Lucius that he no longer serves the family.
Answer: That would hardly matter to Bellatrix. She would look at Dobby as an inferior being who was fit only to serve wizards. She likely considers him to still be the Malfoy's possession, despite Harry's freeing him. Most wizards see their race as "masters" to all house-elves and other non-human sentient beings, regardless of whether or not they were free.
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Answer: While Dumbledore did trust Snape, he knew that his being immersed in teaching the Dark Arts could have an effect on him. Also, many years before, Voldemort had placed a curse on the position of the Dark Arts instructor after Dumbledore turned him down for it. After that, no instructor lasted more than one year. He didn't believe that Snape could last any longer than the others had, and he couldn't risk losing his strongest ally.
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