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: When Peter is trying to get his powers back after Aunt May spoke to him when he was helping her pack up her belongings, why did he try to jump from one building to another? Surely there must have been a safer way like that time in the first movie when he was just trying to climb a wall or spin a web. Also, would Peter have survived that fall in real life?

Answer: We've seen Peter/Spider-man survive far worse than fall several stories, so yes he would've survived. He hasn't lost his abilities (super strength, super agility, etc.) he's just suffering from a lack of confidence. As to why he chose to jump to another building, what better way to force yourself back into to confidence than doing something dangerous?

Question: Just after Maverick gets put in jail he makes one of the officers hold up a tablet for them, showing the lawbreaking race. This doesn't seem likely at all to me: 1, wouldn't this encourage more lawbreaking? 2, surely an officer has better things to do than stand there holding a tablet. 3, I call this an objectification of the officer (reduced to a stand). 4, inmates making their officers doing what they want can't end up good. I'm not wrong here, or what?

Answer: In this instance he was a civilian in military prison. Notice he wore civilian clothes while his cellmate still had on garb. The rules process is different for civilians held in military prison so it is quite reasonable that would happen.

Question: Near the end a cop rigs his car up ahead of the racers with a baton holding down the accelerator. As the racers came by he put his car into drive, launching it into them. It's this an actual legit police technique? Wouldn't it be just as effective, if not more, had he simply parked it across the road? (Small road with trees on both side).

Answer: I agree with Ssiscool though I am not a cop either. This method is way too drastic and risky, I doubt that any police would use such uncontrollable and destructive force to simply stop a suspect while they could just install spike strips or - as suggested by the aforementioned - place a proper road block, giving a chance to the offenders to stop in time and surrender.

Dangar

Answer: I'm not a law enforcer but I would suggest this is not a legitimate tactic used by the police for a the main reason, The police car is not under any control and can easily go off course and cause a significant risk to life.

Ssiscool

Question: Why would Sam's life be threatened by the Mafia bosses if they find out that Ginger and Nicky are having an affair? I know it's mentioned that they hold marriage in high regard but isn't Sam the victim of being cheated on by his wife and betrayed by his friend? I can only come to the conclusion that they wouldn't approve of a man letting his wife sleep around but still, that seems presumptuous and excessive even for the mob. (02:22:10)

Answer: It's also possible that the "bosses" would be concerned that a rift between Nicky and Sam could bring public (police) attention to the criminal activities going on behind the scenes. These are, after all, two very egotistical individuals.

Answer: Concern about their affair probably has nothing to do with "mob morality" but with the possible complications and unwanted attention that Nick and Ginger, who is a volatile and unpredictable alcoholic and drug addict, could cause for the casino operators, who are being investigated by the F.B.I.

raywest

Question: Is Palpatine's identity a spoiler? The Episode IV-VI movies never mention the Emperor's name. In Episodes I-III, we can guess that Darth Sidious will be the emperor, but what about Chancellor Palpatine? If the audience didn't know that he was Sidious, the impact of the reveal would be far different than if they did.

DFirst1

Answer: This can vary from viewer to viewer. Before "The Phantom Menace" came out, I already knew Emperor Palpatine's name because I had the Kenner action figure of him, plus I knew the same actor was playing both characters. Someone else who may not be an astute viewer might not have known, though I find it hard to believe they wouldn't put all the pieces together by the time "Revenge of the Sith" came out.

Phaneron

Dirty Harry - S4-E5

Question: In some episodes they mention an officer's romantic relationships can be used by attorneys to somehow discredit the officer and get the suspect off. In this episode specifically, Deputy Chief Matthews says the department can't risk a defense attorney turning Lt. LaGuerta and Sgt. Batista's romantic involvement a courtroom sideshow every time they work a case together (and thus Batista needs to be transferred out of Homicide). But why would it matter? Is this just "Hollywood" exaggeration for plot purposes? Wouldn't the prosecution object based on relevance if the defense attorney tried to bring this up, especially since Lt. Guerta disclosed the relationship through the proper channels? Or is Matthews lying for an ulterior motive.

Bishop73

Answer: It could be a combination of both. Defense attorneys will do just about anything they legally can to get their clients acquitted, so it's not unreasonable that they might try to convince a jury that a romantic relationship between two officers in the same precinct could somehow cause problems for a case. Even if it's unlikely to work, the department would want to avoid it altogether. Additionally, Matthews and LaGuerta don't particularly like each other and are shown multiple times throughout the series to be scheming against each other, so it could just as well be a power play by Matthews to put LaGuerta in her place.

Phaneron

About Last Night - S3-E9

Question: Dexter tests the blood on Miguel's shirt, to see if it's Freebo's. It looks like he's just using a DNA sequencer and the blood result comes back "bovine." Can a DNA sequencer differentiate which species the blood came from like that? Or perhaps he was using a different type of blood analysis machine? Is there an analysis machine that's capable of that? I thought the way to test if blood is human or not, "anti-human serum" is mixed with the blood to see if it will clot. So wouldn't the only way to tell it was bovine blood is to inject it with "anti-bovine serum"?

Bishop73

Answer: The short answer is yes, it could. but, it would have to be set up to analyze results to differentiate species. The sequencer will report the base pairs for any properly prepared sample, but interpreting the results is a software package. The software is available, but I would think it unlikely that an analysis package used in a forensics lab would have the capability to be so specific. More likely it would report "Non Human Sequences Found."

The Flash Reborn - S4-E1

Question: In the episode "Finish Line", the Speed Force tells Barry that he wouldn't experience the kind of hell that Savitar, Wally or Jay had. So why in this episode, when Barry leaves the Speed Force, does he seem confused and disoriented?

Bats! - S4-E7

Question: During the song, 2 cute bats are seen with 'Jude'. When the cute bat couple is shown again, Jude is nowhere to be seen. The couple doesn't look at all concerned. When Applejack was singing "These creatures have a one-track mind!", Fluttershy appeared without Jude and couldn't take him or her home and then come back in about 5 seconds. So, where did Jude go?

Question: Regarding the making of this movie and Matthew McConaughey's appearance. Was that just makeup he was wearing or did they digitally make him look different somehow? I want to say they digitally tried to make him look younger for some reason. he just looks very...odd, and in some scenes, his eyes don't seem to be making proper eye contact with Leo's, even when he is staring right at him.

oldbaldyone

Answer: Matthew was in the process of making Dallas Buyers Club where he played a man dying of AIDS when he was asked to do this film. That's why he looks significantly different.

Answer: It could be make-up, CGI, lighting, or a combination of all that. Regarding the lack of eye contact, considering he's supposed to be high on cocaine, his focus and reflexes would likely be affected.

raywest

Question: Between the scenes where Jordan and his dad are talking in the office and when it cuts to the party where he meets Naomi for the first time, there is a a quick 3-4 second shot of a random guy that never pops up again in the movie. Who is he and what does he have to do with anything?

Answer: Naomi's boyfriend.

Nemesis (1) - S3-E22

Question: In several of the episodes, when they show an exterior shot of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, there is a Humvee with "Sgt. Mack" stenciled on the windshield. As the military doesn't personalize its equipment (except for fighter jets), is this an Easter egg for somebody? (00:00:10)

Answer: When I joined the Colorado national guard in 2006 I was assigned a HMMWV with my name on the windshield in those exact black diecut vinyl letters.

Answer: The external shots are filmed at the real Cheyenne Mountain, with real military equipment and personnel.

Answer: Vehicles usually had the driver's name stenciled on them in the 80s and 90s.

Question: What is the situation with the maid and the woman who hung herself in the cellar? Not to mention the little boy. I'm aware the Witch cursed them and possessed the mother to kill the child. But are their spirits being controlled by the Witch? I know they scare the Warrens and stuff. But the little boy (Rory) teachers April where to hide and shows where he hides. But why is he hiding if The Witch controls him? Are we to believe the Witch can't find Rory's spirit? But if the spirits are under her control why would Rory help April stay safe?

Swan90EFC

Answer: The witch controlled their souls to kill themselves, but once they are dead she can't control them anymore. Some spirits just show up in the house but Rory knows what can happen and decides to help April.

Question: It's established that The Witch possesses the mother. So is the Witch controlling the mother like a puppet or is she controlling her as in, she actually is the mother. Because when Ed says "reveal yourself", it's the Witch. When they try to drag her out, she gets dragged back in by an invisible force. So in what way is the Witch in control of the mother?

Swan90EFC

Answer: She is controlling the mother like a puppet.

Question: It's made clear at the beginning of the film that a demonic force is something that has never walked the earth in human form. Yet The Witch did walk the Earth in human form, but still has all the powers of a demon and Lorraine even calls it a "demonic presence." So can humans become demons when they die or did I miss something?

Swan90EFC

Answer: The demon takes control of the witch. The witch likely opened a portal for the demon who attached to the witch. As such, the demon still hasn't walked the earth itself.

Ssiscool

Show generally

Question: Was there an episode where Bobby wrote his name on someone else's jar and tried to rub it off when the owner came back, but it didn't work?

Answer: Most likely thinking of the episode where Connie's cousin convinces Bobby to make meth as their science fair project. One of the judges is a police officer and when he is approaching Bobby is scrambling to remove his name from one of the beakers.

Question: In one scene where Lou is talking to Ivy about Butch she says that someone really hurt him once. What did she mean by that? Did Butch have an owner who was mean to him or abandoned him?

Answer: Butch was abandoned. It's never stated but it's implied.

Ssiscool

"Okay, well, here's lesson number two: we help them. We work for them. We tolerate that stupid boochy-boochy baby talk. And for WHAT? So that when they go off to college, they can dump you off with some old lady who can't throw a ball without so much as breaking her HIP!" Pretty sure this counts as being abandoned.

As I said, it's never stated outright but it is implied.

Ssiscool

Question: In the beginning of the movie Alice says the virus didn't just affect humans, that eventually the rivers dried up. Why would the rivers dry up? The virus doesn't affect the weather.

brianjr0412

Answer: The implication is that the virus has began to effect the environment as well. (Presumably by adapting and mutating).

TedStixon

Question: In one of the last scenes, when the students go into the room with Professor X, there was a moment when he stopped and looked back, then smiled. Why did he do this? (02:04:25)

Answer: It's implied that he sensed Jean was still alive, though the sequel doesn't really follow this up in the same manner, as Jean is discovered after awakening and killing Cyclops. One would think that Charles would immediately send for Jean if he thought she survived.

Phaneron

Question: Is Mr. Wu's grandson an alien like him? When Helen asks him if he's one of them, his response seems to suggest that he's dodging the question.

Answer: It's unknown if his grandson is like him or not as he does not answer the question, but he seems to imply that he might be.

raywest

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.