Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

These are questions relating to specific titles. General questions for movies and TV shows are here. Members get e-mailed when any of their questions are answered.

Question: If Carl is so terrified of being killed by the drug dealers after losing their money, why can't he simply leave the city?

Answer: Large sums of laundered money were involved, and the drug dealers are not "small-time crooks." They would relentlessly hunt Carl, eventually finding him. It would be, "he can run, but he can't hide."

raywest

Question: How could Fred and George fly into the Great Hall to set off fireworks when they were in the Great Hall taking their OWLs?

Answer: Fred and George were not in the Great Hall during the O.W.L. exam (specifically the Theory of Charms exam), which is only for 5th years. Fred and George are in their 7th year (they've already sat their own O.W.L.s, 2 years prior). Note at the start of this scene there's a closeup of the board, and it reads, "O.W.L. examinations -Year 5" (time code 01:35:45).

Super Grover

Answer: Mortgage interest on a second home was a tax deduction allowed by the IRS in 1997. Because this deduction primarily benefited high income individuals, Bobby's statement might have been meant to imply that he had a large income and might benefit from such a tax scheme.

Rolling Dark - S1-E9

Question: So they get the scientist on a four-seater, single-prop plane, and then send them from Siberia to Afghanistan. That's by the route from the briefing about 1800 miles. They fly with gear down. Is that possible? (00:06:47)

Answer: Yes. They would have to land 3-4 times for refuelling. The plane could fly with the wheels down, but the additional drag slows the plane and increases fuel consumption.

The One Where Rosita Dies - S7-E13

Question: When Phoebe meets Earl she says that her mothers name was "Pearl", but every other time Phoebe's mothers name is mentioned her name is "Lilly". Is Phoebe trying to relate her life more to Earl's? Or is this just a mistake?

Answer: Phoebe rushed to Earl's office to talk him out of killing himself. She told him about her own mother's suicide and deliberately lied that Lily's name was "Pearl" (rhyming with Earl) hoping to establish a personal connection with him. She stumbles a bit on the name, saying P-earl, as she makes it up "on the fly."

raywest

Show generally

Question: Why was Toad's color palette sometimes way different, primarily in the first couple of episodes? Why didn't they bother changing this with the final results? It's relatively inconsistent on what palette is used in each episode, despite the fact the more recognizable of the two (white mushroom with red spots along with a variety of coloring in clothes) is shown much more often than the other (red mushroom with white spots along with the majority of his clothes being red and white).

x8bitpixel

Season 10 generally

Question: Why does Clark keep burning his "S" symbol on the sides of buildings after saving someone? I get him doing it under the influence of red kryptonite, but at this point it just seems like vandalism that Superman would never do. Clark even saw Chloe having to scrub his mark off the wall of Watchtower, which wasn't an easy task. And if it's meant to be a symbol of hope against crime for the people of Metropolis, why burn it into the side of the refinery in Smallville after putting out the fire?

Bishop73

Question: The Bond films have traditionally hired English directors to helm all the films (much to the annoyance of many American directors like Steven Spielberg who would love to direct a Bond film). So why with this film did they decide just once to break tradition and hire a New Zealand born director instead. I'm truly baffled.

Gavin Jackson

Answer: I'm not sure about the idea that Bond films traditionally only hired English directors. Tamahori wasn't even the first New Zealander to direct a Bond film. Martin Campbell is a New Zealander who directed "GoldenEye" in 1995 (and "Casino Royale" in 2006). The first Eon Bond film, "Dr. No" was directed by Terence Young who was Irish, who directed 2 additional Bond films. Technically, Roger Spottiswoode is Canadian, but has dual citizenship. The first non-Eon Bond film, which had 5 directors credited, had 2 Americans, a German, and a Scottish director. And the 1983 film, "Never Say Never Again" was directed by Irvin Kershner who was American. And following Tamahori, there have been Swiss and American directors of Bond films (Marc Foster and Cary Joji Fukunaga).

Bishop73

Question: When did the Vinyards have to move into the apartment? Had Derek taken over the mortgage after his Dad died? So when he got locked up the payments stopped?

Answer: Bail, lawyers and court costs are very expensive, they most likely mortgaged, sold and borrowed what ever they could for his defense.

Show generally

Question: In nearly every episode there are two bailiffs standing in the back of the courtroom, a blonde white guy and a black man with glasses. They also appear hanging out in the cafeteria, walking in the halls, etc. However, I don't think they ever had a single line during the entire series run, even in episodes that prominently featured the building's entire bailiff staff. Any reason they made an effort to keep these two extras for the entire run, but never had them say anything?

Brian Katcher

Answer: Most likely, they were stand-ins for members of the main cast. When lighting sets, rather than have the main actors stand around while they adjust the lights, they will get someone with similar physical characteristics to fill in. Since they are already on the set and have nothing to do during the actual shooting, it is more convenient, and probably cheaper, to also use them as extras.

Answer: Most likely it was about money. Actors who have speaking parts, even if it's only one word, are paid more than "extras", who do not have any dialogue. As the two characters played no part in any of the plots, there was no reason to have them speak lines. Therefore, they were paid less money.

raywest

So why hire an extra to play a messenger or bailiff from another courtroom when that pair was already on the set and could have easily said the lines?

Brian Katcher

What lines? Your question specified that they never spoke any lines and you wanted to know why.

raywest

Lines that other extras playing bailiffs said.

Brian Katcher

If an actor speaks any dialogue, they are billed as "co-stars" and paid at a higher rate than "extras" (also known as Background Actors), who are uncredited. The two you mentioned were regulars who were merely silent background characters used to "dress the set", making the courthouse look more realistically populated. Extras often have no acting ability and are unsuitable for speaking lines. Some people work exclusively as extras in various TV shows and movies and do not actually act or have dialogue.

raywest

Question: How many injections does Jekyll need to take to prevent himself from turning into Hyde? The first time Jekyll speaks with Nick, he feels himself about to transform but takes a serum to prevent it but, later, when Jekyll's talking to Nick again, he feels himself about to change again and tries to take another injection.

Answer: As many as needed, Mr. Hyde was asserting himself, trying to take over. Like "Blade," he needed to take more and more injections of the serum, because the vampire blood was getting stronger and stronger.

Question: I'm a bit confused by the end of the movie. When Jake takes off with Keri, where was he taking her? Was Jake going to start a new life with Kari somewhere else or, was he going back to heaven and decided to take her with him?

Answer: He said he came back for her, only in a new face. So, yes, like in the old westerns the hero rode off into the sunset with his lady love.

Question: Near the end of the movie, George and Lorraine say that if it hadn't been for Biff, they never would have fallen in love. Shouldn't they really be thanking "Calvin 'Marty' Kline" for getting them together?

Answer: I agree with you, but the idea is that, if George hadn't rescued Lorraine from Biff in the parking lot, they wouldn't have fallen in love. It's dark as hell to wax nostalgic about an attempted r*pe, but there you go.

Totally agree with your answer. Would add that Lorraine already knew who George was but was unimpressed and had mostly written him off as a goofy nerd. It was George saving her from Biff that totally changed Lorraine's perception. Otherwise, Marty's attempt to push them together probably would have failed.

raywest

Answer: Hayden Christensen was announced in January 2024 as voicing Shadow.

Ssiscool

Answer: Robert Pattinson or Jason Griffith.

Question: At the end of the film, there is a series of clips and news articles covering the aftermath of the shootout. Does anyone know if the clips in the film are genuine news clips from the aftermath of the event or if they are filmed for the purpose of this movie? One shot shows 3 LAPD officers getting a medal presented to them, one shows footage of people taking gifts to the LAPD etc.

Ssiscool

Question: In the 90's TV version, there's an extra scene where Tyler gives Andy a knife and says "A good soldier is always prepared" at the beginning. Later, they trade the knife back and forth. I could swear at the end of the TV version, when Tyler hands Andy the knife and he cuts Chucky's hand off, Tyler screamed "A good soldier is always prepared!" But that isn't on the "Deleted TV Scenes" on the new Shout Factory Blu-Ray. Anyone else remember that extra bit of dialogue, or am I misremembering?

TedStixon

Question: When Dr Connor (Lizard Man) is planning to turn everyone in the city into lizards, what are people going to do when they're lizards? Are they still going to continue their lifestyle, still eat human food, and do other hobbies and activities that humans do?

Trainman

Answer: Connors believes that humans are too weak and flawed, and that if he transforms them all, he'll create a better, smarter and more powerful species. Presumably, given his motivations are to "improve" humanity, he also believes that society itself will also evolve into something "better" (even possibly utopian) once everyone has transformed. As for all the minutiae like what people will eat, hobbies, etc.? I don't think Connors has really thought about that. His obsession is very surface level, and basically starts and ends at "If I turn people into powerful hybrid beings, everything will be better!" Realistically? There'd probably just be a lot of panic and chaos, a lot of people might hurt or kill themselves when they realise they've changed into another species, and society would probably collapse for a while before slowly rebuilding itself over the course of years.

TedStixon

Question: Why did Linda think Dave had anger issues? During the incident on the plane, he remained calm and never raised his voice.

Answer: It's been a few years since I've seen this film, but if I recall correctly, the entire movie is revealed to have been a setup to make Dave learn about how he has to stand up for himself, since he's too nervous ands bottles up his emotions. She doesn't necessarily think he has "anger issues." She's just in on the whole scheme to teach David his lesson since she loves him and wants to help him.

TedStixon

Answer: Masking tape on windows and glass doors during a tornado or hurricane is supposed to secure the glass if it shatters, containing any flying chunks. However, safety experts say it actually provides little protection and recommend against it.

raywest

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