Question: Commander Malloy is following Snake in the sub on radar while he is heading to L.A. After reaching the concrete platform, the platform gives way and the sub begins to sink. Malloy radios Snake asking him what happened to the sub as it disappeared off the radar. If they were following him the entire time while he was underwater, what would cause the issue when it was sinking? It wasn't damaged, just the support collapsed.
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: What was the reason why the two divers at the start of the film chose to go down into the sunken boat to strip and make love? Of all places, why do it there?
Question: Why are the boys particularly annoyed when the alien takes the form of JJ from "Good Times"?
Question: How come, as mentioned in episode two, James was unwilling to acknowledge his involvement in the Civil War with others, even lying about not having served when asked and turning away from fellow veterans who recognized him?
Answer: Tim McGraw (the actor of James) put it best. McGraw has explained that James has PTSD from serving in the war. It doesn't help that, per McGraw, James was forced to serve and did not actually want to participate in it. This would make the war not only a shameful memory for him, but a painful one at that. Especially during a time when therapy was not a thing and people, particularly the male head of the households, were taught to hold feelings like that back. In his suffering brain, he thought it was best to try to put that memory aside rather than openly talk about it.
Question: What was the actual reason why Russia and North Korea (actually, it was intended to be China) chose to invade the United States? Was it because they saw it as a threat to them? What purpose would dedicating troops and logistics to an invasion of the USA have served?
Answer: The flimsy plotline was that the European Union's economic crisis had weakened the NATO alliance so much that they were vulnerable to a North Korean and Russian invasion. American troops were deployed to support NATO defenses, which supposedly left the U.S. mainland and its infrastructure open to terrorists and cyberattacks. Presumably, Russia's and Korea's joint objective was to weaken/cripple the USA's power, economy, and global influence by creating internal chaos.
Question: How is it possible that Harry has no problems with trusting Alastor Moody in this movie? At the end of the previous movie, he discovered that "Moody" was an evil imposter who conspired against him. He only saw the real Moody briefly when he was trapped inside his trunk and didn't even interact with him. So how come he isn't distrustful/suspicious towards him if he barely knows him?
Answer: How can Harry trust anyone, knowing they could be a Polyjuice imposter? The rest of The Order of the Phoenix trust Moody, and that has to be enough for Harry.
But in the book, he remembers that "Moody" was fake.
And was caught and replaced with the real Moody.
Still, it would have made much more sense if Harry said, "Professor Moody? Is that really you?" and Moody replied, "Yes, it's really me, the real Alastor Moody, not this cheap imposter."
Answer: Agree with the other answer, but would add that any evil wizard attempting to gain proximity to Harry by using Polyjuice potion would be unlikely to impersonate "Mad-Eye" Moody, as the real one would now be closely scrutinized and vetted by the Order.
But there is another issue. Harry acts as if he knew Moody very well, despite never interacting with him before.
As mentioned, Harry was present when the real Moody was rescued at the end of "Goblet of Fire." He likely had interaction with him immediately following that event and then later, even though it's not shown on screen. He also knows Moody by his colourful reputation and that Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix fully trust him.
He didn't interact with Moody in the previous movie because Moody was in a bad mental state due to being trapped for a whole year. It took Moody some time to recover from this trauma.
Question: There is a running theory that Becky actually did not survive, and that her father was imagining reuniting with her was actually his brain reacting to him seeing her body, whether or not first responders were on scene. So, if Becky actually was rescued, how could the helicopter have gotten close enough to reach her without the satellite collapsing due to the helicopter's downwash or the propellers hitting the tower itself?
Answer: There's no indication that the ending is anything but real; the other twist in the film is heavily foreshadowed through dialogue, camera framing, and so on, none of which applies to the ending. A helicopter could have hovered above the tower and lowered a rescue basket/rope to Becky, as she's less than 100 feet from the very top. Given that the tower was probably constructed using a helicopter to position the final pieces of the structure (a common practice for communications towers of this height), there's no reason why it couldn't have held up. The tower itself is never shown to be weakened or compromised, only the ladder affixed to the outside.
Question: In the opening sequence, Elsa narrates that violence "stranded us on the beaches of New Jersey." What happened in New Jersey that she was referring to?
Answer: Elsa's narration is a loose timeline, before 1883 (the origin story show). Elsa states "violence has always haunted" her family. They, who travelled, suffered on the overcrowded immigrant "coffin ships" (called this because so many died) sailing to North America. Upon their arrival in the new country, they were "stranded" when the ship landed in New Jersey, at one of the immigrant landing depots on the Northeastern shores. (Then, they served in the armies during the American Civil War, "devoured" at the bloody Shiloh and Antietam battlefields.)
Question: If the Phantom wanted to remain in the shadows, why did he put himself in his role in Don Juan that had him basically come out in the open in front of the public eye, where everyone, especially law enforcement, could see him?
Answer: He wanted to let Christine know that he was her Don Juan. He loved her and was willing to risk everything to be the only man in her life.
Question: What shirt is Laddie wearing under his military jacket?
Question: In season 2, why does Norm's employment status change between episodes several times? One episode he is an accountant, Sam's to be specific, and then the next episode he is unemployed. But the episode after that, he is employed again as an accountant.
Answer: Early in the first season, Norm originally had a steady job as an accountant at an accounting firm, and then he was fired. From then on, he worked for himself as an independent accountant, which results in Norm being unemployed much of the time. Hence, Norm's employment status can change between episodes.
Question: At the bank, near the beginning, what was the security guard watching on the TV?
Answer: The film is Touch of Evil (1958), directed by Orson Welles. *SPOILER* Within the specific scene that the guard is watching, Quinlan (played by Welles) is holding a box with dynamite sticks inside, with Vargas (played by Charlton Heston) contending, "I looked in that box, just now, there wasn't anything there" (the box had been empty when Vargas was in the bathroom). This scene in Touch of Evil is foreshadowing the end with Cosmo in Sneakers (1992).
Question: Can anyone explain the part where the Mariner says he's gotta throw the girl over the side? He tells Helen the reason as "My boat's tore up, I'm taking on water. I'd be lucky to get half a hydro ration out of that." What does his boat taking on water have to do with his water-making device?
Answer: The water-making device, just like the boat, was damaged when the Smokers attacked the atoll. With the device damaged, the Mariner wasn't sure if it would still be possible to get it to work and get any water to drink from it. Not only that but, with his boat taking water, it would eventually sink. He needed to repair it before that happened.
Question: When the "hotel" left Danny just before the boiler set on fire, why didn't he use that chance to leave the building?
Question: A while ago, I read about a deleted scene in which Draco is having a conversation with a friend, who was not Crabbe or Goyle. It was noteworthy because this friend would be someone whom Draco treats like an equal (instead of harassing them, bossing them around, etc.). I think it was going to be in the Deathly Hallows book or movie, but I am not sure. Was it ever written and/or filmed?
Question: Do the teachers have a way of checking that other teachers awarded or deducted points for appropriate reasons? For example, Snape called Hermione "an insufferable know-it-all" and took five points from Gryffindor. I remember him doing that in the book also.
Answer: Adding on to the response by RayWest: In the books, it's common for the teachers to deduct or award five to ten points (twenty or more if the student has done something especially good or bad). The Heads of House are probably not suspicious about most incidents of someone winning or losing these smaller amounts.
Answer: I remember that the four giant hourglasses (one for each House) that is located in the entrance hall magically added and deleted House points by using different-colored gemstones. Even though it was done automatically as soon as a teacher awarded or deducted points, they were also supposed to report it to the House heads and would give their reasons.
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: Probably for the same reason people do it on commercial jets to join the "Mile High Club", or any other unusual place. They're fueled by the excitement of doing something dangerous, forbidden, and/or out of the ordinary.
raywest ★