Question: How do the hovercraft work? I know the glowing pads contribute to the hovering ability, but is that based on any real technology? And why don't the sentinels have the hover-pads?
Nick N.
1st Mar 2005
The Matrix (1999)
28th Feb 2005
The Matrix (1999)
Question: Is it ever explained how Morpheus knows that Neo is the one initially? In the beginning all we know is that they are looking for each other, what happened before then?
Chosen answer: It's never explained. From what we do know, it's clear that Morpheus and his group have been observing Neo for some time, as they presumably do with potential new recruits. While Neo was too old to be a recruit, it seems likely that Morpheus saw something during that time that convinced him that Neo was the One, leading him to break the rules regarding age and extract Neo from the Matrix anyway. It's also possible that the Oracle gave him some relevant information when she told him that he would find the One - not a name and address, obviously, but something that Morpheus ultimately recognised in Neo.
3rd Feb 2005
General questions
It seems that most TV show and movie characters use Mac computers, at least a far higher ration than I see in real life. Is there a reason that Apples are so prominent on TV and movies?
Chosen answer: Apple pays a sum of money to have their products shown on screen - because of their obvious logos and often unusual designs they stand out more than most PC brands.
1st Jul 2004
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Question: I read that in the comics there is a reason that Doc Ock's arms want to rebuild the fusion so desperately. This is not dealt with in the movie, can anyone tell me what the reason was?
Chosen answer: It was only mentioned once, and it was when he first showed them to the audience. He stated that they were built for the soul purpose of creating fussion, so that is all they wanted to do.
15th Jun 2004
Peter Pan (2003)
Question: Is there any reason that Mr. Darling and Captain Hook are played by the same actor other than to pay homage to past productions of Peter Pan (as pointed out in trivia)?
Chosen answer: It's a stage tradition. Mr. Darling and Captain Hook are ALWAYS played by the same actor.
27th Apr 2004
Mystic River (2003)
19th Apr 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Question: Where did Sam get the potatoes for the "coney stew"? Not having enough food is a big issues for the hobbits yet it seems he has more than enough ingredients to make a stew with the rabbits that Gollum brings to him. And, if he just dug up the potatoes, why is running out of lembas bread such a tragedy?
9th Feb 2004
Two Brothers (2004)
12th Jan 2004
Minority Report (2002)
Question: Why all the build up of John having sent the Russian eye-surgeon guy to jail, suggesting that he will hurt John; only to have him successfully complete the operation, and take care of John afterwards?
Answer: Because subverting the expectations of the viewer makes it more interesting. The audience (and potentially John) are set-up to expect bad things, which don't happen. Once the "bad thing" happened, the suspense would be gone and everyone could relax. Expecting something bad but knowing when it might happen maintains the tension.
Chosen answer: It's what's known as a McGuffin; a plot element that seems to be important when introduced, but serves no purpose other than to intrigue/distract the audience. The term was popularised by Alfred Hitchcock.
That's not *quite* what a MacGuffin is. A MacGuffin not only seems important, it *is* important; in fact, one of its two diagnostic characteristics is that a MacGuffin is something around which the entire plot revolves. The other property fundamental to what makes something a MacGuffin is the fact that the origin, purpose, function, and, in some cases, even identity of the object is left either vague or completely undefined. The briefcase in Pulp Fiction is a classic example (although there *is* a compelling argument that the object in the briefcase is in fact a specific artifact).
Well, according to the doctor when the operation is beginning, the doctor reveals that in prison, he spent all of his time in the library, including books on medicine and technology. As a result, he found his "true calling", and is thankful to John for helping him see that.
28th Dec 2003
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Question: Why is Agent Smith able to fly at the end of this film? He must've picked it up sometime between the Burly Brawl and the Super Brawl, but I have no idea how.
Chosen answer: Agent Smith is on a hyper-advanced learning curve because of all the personalities he has been integrating. Flying is certainly not the only advance - he's developed control over the weather, has superfast healing, and probably has limited precognition after his encounter with the Oracle.
28th Dec 2003
Memento (2000)
23rd Dec 2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Question: In the beginning of the film Galadriel says that Bilbo's finding of the ring was something that "the ring did not intend." Later in the film Gandalf tells Frodo that Bilbo was meant to find the ring. I have not read the books, but both statements can't be true. So what's the real story with Bilbo and the ring?
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Chosen answer: The hover pads work by electro-magnetic repulsion much like the mag-lev trains we have today only much more so. They would not leave a trace of propellant to be followed/tracked/traced nor would they be especially hotter than ambient temperature like jet engines etc. The sentinals do not care if they are tracked, but it is not clear if they use a more advanced form of this technology or something else. Remember that the Zion people have to start over from scratch every so often while the machine culture is constantly advancing so the humans' technology would not necessarily be as advanced.
Myridon