Answered questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

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Question: How did Ben manage to fool the fingerprint scanner?

Answer: He took Abigail's fingerprints from a glass that she was holding. When he put his thumb up against the fingerprint scanner, it was actually Abigail's fingerprint that was being scanned, so the scanner was tricked into thinking that Abigail was trying to enter the room and not Ben.

Casual Person

I think Ben would have a hard time fooling the fingerprint scanner since the scanner analyzes not only your fingerprint but your blood pressure, and body temperature.

Would his body temperature and blood pressure be different from Abigail's?

Brian Katcher

Question: In the scene, where Lenny informs Homer that they're giving away free donuts at the shop and that they're going very fast, why didn't Homer ask Lenny to save him some? If he did and Lenny agreed, Homer wouldn't have to hurry up nor dump silo in the lake, thus the dome situation could have been avoided.

Answer: Homer has been known not to make the smartest decisions, and the decisions he does make, he makes without fully thinking them through. Clearly he wanted to get some donuts as quickly as possible without thinking of any other ways, so he decided to ditch the silo in the lake as it would be the fastest way of getting it off his back, even if it's not the smartest. Also, putting that aside, he likely wanted his own pick of the donuts rather than have Lenny guess what he wanted.

Casual Person

Question: Are there canonically any Jedi with lightsabers that are yellow, orange or just plain white? Mace Windu got a distinguishing purple one at Samuel L Jackson's request, and pink ones I suppose aren't viewed to be intimidating enough.

dizzyd

Answer: Ahsoka Tano uses white lightsabers later in life: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ahsoka_Tano%27s_white_lightsabers, reflecting her choice not to affiliate with the Jedi or Sith. While yet to be confirmed, Rosario Dawson is strongly rumoured to be playing the character in season 2 of The Mandalorian, and we may well see her with white lightsabers in live action then.

Jon Sandys

Answer: In Clone Wars we see Yellow (also in episode IX), Yellow-Green, Light Blue, Black and White. In the canon videogames you even see Orange, Cyan and Magenta.

lionhead

Answer: I'm not sure if they ever did but there's an episode with flashbacks and all of Lois' pregnancies. When Lois was pregnant with Malcolm, Hal used to do early stimulation exercises for Reese, it's proven that children who were stimulated early get higher IQ's. There's a line Louis says to Hal in that episode, something like: "He calls your phone. I don't know who is this helping, but not Reese", and then they do a close up to her belly, implying that's how Malcolm got so smart. But turning back to which side, probably Hal's side cause his father is kind of rich and successful as is most of his family which is why they didn't like Hal marring Lois. Ida and Victor were just farmers back in their country.

Question: After Simon had helped all of the kids out of the bus when it was in the water he was taken to the hospital where he later dies. What did he die from? Was he sick or did his body just shut down?

Answer: I don't know if it was ever stated what Simon died of, but Simon - against the odds - lived much longer than the doctor thought he would. Simon continued to "outgrow his body" (internal organs became too large for his tiny body). It can be assumed that Simon contracted pneumonia or hypothermia from being in the frigid water when he rescued the children from the submerged bus. I think Simon - expected to die at a very young age - was staying alive until he could realise his purpose or "God's Plan" for him. To "believers", Simon was "made small" and practiced holding his breath underwater (seemingly for no apparent reason) so that he'd be able to save the kids on the bus... then, having fulfilled "his purpose", was called "home."

KeyZOid

Question: When the Mandarin shoots the guy on the TV broadcast, is it real or fake?

Answer: It was fake. I believe at one point later in the movie you see him shaking hands with the guy after shooting him, showing they staged it. Remember, he is an actor.

lionhead

Question: The boys are playing baseball and young Carol shows up in a wheelchair. Shakes says she is his sister, so why later in the film does she ask him why he never asked her out.

Answer: I believe you are confusing two characters and what person's sister. The girl in the wheelchair (can't remember her name offhand) was Hector Maldonado's sister. Hector was on the opposing stickball team. Carol (who was not in a wheelchair) was Michael's girlfriend, so Shakes saw her as "taken" and "off limits." (Shakes wouldn't steal his friend's girlfriend).

KeyZOid

Answer: He was startled for a brief second, then quickly realised, Bruce had gotten the remote pilot device fixed on the Bat-Hover craft.

Question: Surely the Federal government would realise Goldfinger's involvement once he tried selling them his gold? That and what does China promise him for creating economic chaos in the West?

Rob245

Answer: He wouldn't have to sell the gold. He would keep it and become the new Fort Knox. He'd become the richest man in the world, worth billions, back in the 1960's, it was unheard of.

Answer: Yes, the U.S. government would realise that Goldfinger was involved. The movie's plot is deliberately unbelievable and merely intended for entertainment, not reality. Audiences are expected to employ a "suspension of disbelief." China promised Goldfinger the nuclear bomb so that he could carry out his plan. They wanted to create economic chaos in the US while Goldfinger's own gold would become far more valuable.

raywest

Question: Did the real Lefty actually have "cancer of the prick", as was claimed in the movie?

Answer: Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero suffered from testicular cancer, as well as lung cancer.

Bishop73

Question: Is there any reason why this is M. Night Shyamalan's only film to not have a Blu-Ray release? Like rights issues or something of that matter? Seems very odd that of all movies, this is the only one not available in HD.

TedStixon

Answer: I don't know if there is one particular reason why The Village was not released on Blu-ray, but there are several factors that might help explain why not. I believe the movie had mixed reviews - some people liked it and other people did not. If a movie does not appear to be in high demand, it wouldn't make financial sense to release more on DVD or Blu-ray. If a movie already made a big profit ($200 million), perhaps it is best to move on to a new movie. Also, many people never bought any Blu-ray discs, primarily because they didn't think the higher costs were justified and/or they never bought a Blu-ray player. Blu-ray discs typically have a lot of "extras" that many people want to see. Perhaps there were few, if any, extras that could have been included, thereby reducing a Blu-ray's appeal. Even if none of the above is significant, there is a big factor that is/will be affecting all movies - discs in general are already obsolete, streaming has been taking over.

KeyZOid

This is unrelated to the movie itself, but many people are interested in the extras, such as commentary tracks, making of - documentaries: features streaming services can't provide.

Jukka Nurmi

At least one streaming service I know does support extras, Apple, and has since 2009.

Answer: True... but I'm saying that maybe they didn't have anything to add.

KeyZOid

Question: What was the deal with the watch switch? The only person who could connect that watch to Slevin, as far as we know, is Lindsey, and he has no reason to try and make her think he's dead.

Answer: The plan was for Lindsey to identify him at the morgue and then be taken out by Goodcat. She knows that he's going to take her out so the watch is to now used to fool Goodcat by making him assume the original plan is followed. Lindsey verifying Slevin, ending the search, killing her tying up the last loose end. Hope that cleared it up.

Answer: There were actually a few watch switches, which need to be recalled to understand. In particular, GoodKat took Nick Fisher's watch and gave it to Slevin. When Lindsey asked Slevin why the mugger did not take his watch, Slevin responded that it was fake. Slevin later switched watches with Yitchok (rabbi's son), which means Yitchok was now wearing Nick Fisher's watch. By wearing Nick Fisher's watch, Yitchok could be implicated in his death and the police would believe they had solved the murder case but did not have to "try a dead man." Slevin now had Yitchok's watch which was, undoubtedly, an expensive name-brand such as Rolex. In short, Slevin "upgraded" his watch and Yitchok gets tied to Nick Fisher's murder.

KeyZOid

The 1st watch swap Slevin's dad is at the track, representing the last time he would see him. Also, explains the importance of the "fake" watch. The watch Lindsey sees is his father's as he wouldn't go anywhere without it. Slevin swaps with Fisher. Later flashback to Fisher look at his watch, then fwd to Slevin wearing it. Slevin swapped out of necessity, knowing it would identify him. Goodcat returns his dad's burnt watch at the end. Yitzchok's watch isn't mentioned. Value was irrelevant.

Slevin doesn't get Fisher's watch until they drop his body. That's the first and only swap. Yitzchok's watch is never mentioned, and value is irrelevant. The "try a deadman" was a fake plan involving 2 lovers killing each other told to the Boss and had nothing to do with the watch. Tried to find anything in your answer that was accurate but unfortunately nothing in your answer was in the movie.

Question: During the scene where the kids are eating in the diner and they are talking about the train crash, you can see Joe's father getting out of his police car across the street at the Auto Sales lot. I've noticed in movies that they don't usually have a major character appear in a scene without a reason, even in the background. So it makes me wonder if they cut out some interaction with Joe's father in the diner, or if this diner scene was originally intended to appear at a different point in the film, such as when Joe's father visits the car lot when the owner is complaining about things missing from his cars. I've watched my DVD many times, and I only just noticed this. Now I'm dying to know.

juliebellp107

Answer: The explanation for the police car going into the auto dealership when Joe and friends are at the dinner is provided by J.J. Abrams in the "Commentary": "As it was originally written, you [audience] were simultaneously with the father going into the car dealership... umm... and with the kids in the diner. We ended up moving the structure around. So, it wasn't... umm. It was no longer simultaneous." Abrams said that the kids had been rehearsing at the table. Filming the auto dealership scene was finished so they went ahead and filmed the kids at the diner, too.

KeyZOid

Boys II Mensa - S1-E6

Question: When Mr. Feeny is talking to Cory in the cafeteria about his score on the IQ test, Feeny is shown purchasing a coffee from the vending machine. Are there actual elementary schools in the United States with coffee vending machines where prepubescent students have the ability to purchase a beverage more suited for younger adults and older? This isn't the faculty cafeteria mind you, because it's the same cafeteria the students are shown occupying throughout the first season. Seems a little irresponsible on the school's part to give students access to coffee.

Phaneron

Chosen answer: In the present day, with the United States abiding by more stricter school health laws, for the most part this wouldn't be in school cafeterias as many cannot even have carbonated beverage machines now. However, in the 90s when the show takes place, it wasn't unheard of for there to be coffee machines in the cafeteria of small schools where the teachers eat with the students as we see them do often in the show. The idea being that the cafeteria was small enough so a teacher or hall monitor could catch a student before they could drink the coffee.

Answer: Eye rolling is a rude act in general. People do that because they think the other person is being what they believe to be "stupid" and are visually making it known by eye rolling. Hermione believes Harry is being "stupid" because risking being seen could cause the others in the hut, including himself, to think dark magic is going on and they may attack the Harry traveling back in time. She's rolling her eyes to let it he visually known that she believes he's being "stupid" by putting himself in harm's way out of anger.

Question: Winnie (Alexis Bledel) runs away from her family and stays with Mae Tuck (Sissy Spacek) and the Tuck family. Winnie's family organise a search party to look for Winnie. Ben Kingsley (The Stranger/Man In Yellow Suit) also seeks Winnie and the Tucks, as they have secret information he wishes to acquire. Ben Kingsley finds Winnie and the Tucks. He threatens and intimidates them with a loaded revolver, even manhandling Winnie and holding the revolver barrel at Winnie's head. Sissy Spacek is standing behind Ben Kingsley. She hits him on the head with a rifle butt, killing him. At this point the search party converge on the Tucks' home. They see Sissy Spacek kill Ben Kingsley, so she is arrested for murder and sentenced to be hanged. Would any court find Sissy Spacek guilty of murder? She was obviously acting to defend her family and Winnie from an evil man with a loaded gun.

Rob Halliday

Answer: It depends on the court. If the court believed killing the man was not necessary to save Winnie (ie. if a judge thought he was outnumbered and the men could and should have wrestled the gun away from him); then yes. A court could still find Mae Tuck guilty if they believe death was an excessive use of force in defending Winnie.

Question: Why was Elsa so horrified about the killing? We don't know how much she knew. Let's assume she thought the camp was full of luxury. She still knew they were imprisoning people. We don't know whether or not she knew the people were innocent, but either way, it still doesn't make sense. If she knew they were innocent, why would she have no problem with the imprisonment, but be horrified when she learned they were killing them? I know killing is worse, but she acted like she thought her husband was an angel, and then all of a sudden realised he was a monster. If she thought they were destroying the country, it makes no sense that she was so devastated they were being killed. Many people are against the death penalty, but I don't think anyone cries over bad people being executed. I also wonder how much the grandmother knew. She seemed angry, but not horrified.

MikeH

Answer: She represents what many people, including the wives of many Nazis, were during the time of the Holocaust: brainwashed. Many people during the time of Nazi Germany did not know what the camps truly were. They thought they were labor camps meant to keep Jews "under control" and "beneficial to society" as many thought they couldn't be trusted unless monitored. This shown in the movie where they show the "labor camps" as being resorts with swimming pools and cafes in the Nazi propaganda commercial. When she realises the camps are actually death camps; she is horrified for the reasons many others who supported Nazi Germany were horrified in real life. #1 They realised they were lied to and now have to question what they believed. #2 Many folks were afraid of Jews and did not trust them, but they did not think they were evil and deserving of death. This seems confusing in light of what we know now. However, at the time, many Germans including the wives of Nazis were brainwashed.

Answer: In general, quite accurate as that was the point of the show. To teach kids about science. As the show is now over 20 years old, some facts have changed as we're always discovering new things. For the time, it was as accurate as it could and much of it is still accurate now.

One thing I think the show gets wrong is the idea that electrons stop moving when you break a circuit. Electrons never stop moving.

Question: I have to admit that I don't know if this can be called a 'mistake', so I just post is as a question also to gauge the response from others who may have seen the movie. The 'trick' the movie's second act is based on, with Jude Law showing back at the novelist's house posing as an investigator... Would ANYONE be fooled by this? I don't pinpoint an obvious flaw in the make-up that maybe would be a Character or Continuity mistake, but seriously; is there ANYONE who wouldn't see through that silly disguise, especially considering that it's the only other visitor the guy had in days, that he is obsessed with him, Law comes to see Caine about his 'own' disappearance, which as opposed to the audience Caine knows is fake and left him open to at least a prank or revenge. I mean, they are up close for so long during this, both times, it is such a wild stretch of the suspension of disbelief. I was truly convinced Caine had seen through him right away and was playing with him, but shockingly, that was not the case. (00:02:30 - 00:39:40)

Sammo

Answer: Sleuth was originally produced as a stage play written by Anthony Shaeffer. In that medium, the surprise reveal was more plausible. The 1972 movie, starring Michael Caine in the younger role, was relatively more successful in deceiving the audience, though, it too, was fairly obvious. The 2007 version, directed by Kenneth Branagh, seemed to assume that most of the audience already knew about the plot twist and, as it comes midway through the story, it appears the movie instead focused on the psychological aspects of the cat-and-mouse relationship between the two characters.

raywest

Question: At Lucy's birthday party one of the kids says that Lucy said that she was adopted. Did Lucy really say this or was the boy lying?

Answer: But when Lucy is put under oath and talks to the judge she tells him that she never said that she was adopted and even says that kids lie about stuff.

Exactly! She told a lie - and then admitted that kids (including herself in her previous statement) lie.

KeyZOid

Answer: Based on Lucy's reaction to and disbelief over the boy saying that she said she was adopted, it appears that Lucy did tell the boy she was adopted. Lucy was shocked and embarrassed over her father being informed of what she said. Lucy loves her father but has reached the age where she sees that he is "different from the other fathers." She is sensitive over her friend calling her father a "retard" and mocking him by repeating some things he says, such as "Sorry Mr. Egg."

KeyZOid

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