Question: Does Kiera Nightly's character ever split up with her husband and go to his best friend? They show her with the husband at the end of the movie, but it seemed to me that she really loved the best friend. I was sure she would choose him over her husband.
Answer: No, Keira Knightley's character is not in love with the best friend; her kiss is one of compassion and affection, not love. Richard Curtis mentions this on the DVD commentary - he says something about Juliet being the sort of girl who would be used to men falling for her and treating them gently and kindly, which is what she does here.
Question: Do we know how Georgie actually dies? We see his arm get ripped off, are we to assume Pennywise dragged him down then ate him immediately or left him to bleed to death and then ate him or that he is also "floating"?
Answer: I would think that the shock of having ones arm ripped off would be more than enough to die from that injury alone. Georgie tries to crawl away so his death is not instantaneous. But bleeding to death is a very real probability. Could have been cardiac arrest.
Answer: I think whatever happened to Georgie is what we may or may not imagine happening to him, but whatever did happen, we all know that Georgie dies because he comes back, but he's more like a hallucination because IT makes you see whatever is your worst fear.
Question: Was Paul Giamatti's lazy eye achieved through practical means or CGI? If it was practical, how exactly did they do it?
Answer: The best information I read was from an online "People" magazine article. Actor Paul Giamatti says he is sworn to secrecy on how the lazy eye effect was achieved, other than to say it was "movie magic." I hope someone finds additional information and shares it here, as I'd like to know more.
Question: At the very end when they show the sun setting over the hill, you can see something/someone moving across the screen, just under the ground. Is this done to symbolize something, or was it a sort of camera problem?
Answer: According to Ted Neeley and Norman Jewison on the DVD commentary, the shepherd walking across the frame in the final shot of the film was never intended to be there, and just happened across the shot as they were filming. Because of the significance of a shepherd in the teachings of Christ, Jewison and the crew were struck profoundly by the timing of this shepherd crossing the field, and kept the shot. They got a perfect sunset, as well as a subtle depiction of the resurrection.
Question: Why would Henry do so many evil things to his own family?
Answer: Henry apparently has what is called a "conduct disorder" - the term used for kids below the age of 18 engaging in what would be (and most likely will become) a diagnosis of sociopathy/psychopathy (antisocial personality disorder) when he becomes an adult. He is "evil", highly manipulative, self-centered, without remorse or other true feelings, and probably incapable of forming loving or long-term attachments. Many sociopaths are believed to have above average intelligence and make good imposters, capable of fooling others because they come across as "charming."
Answer: Because he's nuts!
Question: Julie starts getting "stuff" in the mail from her readers. But when you do a blog, you wouldn't put your address in there, would you?
Question: Why was Toulouse crying at the end of the Elephant Love Medley? If I am correct he was sitting on a balcony eating and drinking when singing the words "How wonderful life is, now you're in the world." Is it just that he is happy about his dream of finally getting the Bohemian Play? Is it a potential that he is in love with Christian or Satine. Another possibility is that he just happy seeing Christian in love, since Christian previously stated that he had never been in love before?
Answer: The way I saw it, that was Toulouse in present day singing, after the death of Satine etc.
He's a funny little man who is lonely himself. All he has is his bottle when everything is all said and done. He has nobody.
Answer: Maybe it's sort of a foreshadowing.
Question: During jury selection, Kevin decides to have one of the jury dismissed, I believe, because of the shoes the jury member wore. What exactly do the guy's shoes have to do with anything?
Answer: The shoes showed him this man polishes them every day, also his clothes are custom made. That all means the look he has of a black thug is deceiving, instead he's a cautious, proud person they can't use in the jury. Just to add, Kevin knows all this because the devil (his father, spoiler alert) is giving him the talent to do it, not a logical explanation can be given why he dismisses these people.
Question: Why didn't the lady who was originally with Mid-Size Sedan decay quicker, and we were able to see her body intact when she hit young Trent in the water?
Answer: Because she was 'freshly' dead when she hit Trent.
Question: Wouldn't it have made sense ton purchase a new battery if Grant Taylor's car kept breaking down?
Answer: No. It might not been the battery.
Question: Will someone explain to me navigation. I have never heard of "Sou Sou West" or "Sou East by East."
Answer: There are four major directions (North, South, East and West), four minor (North East, south east, south west and north west) and 16 sub directions. Among these are South South West and South east by East. South South West is between South West and South and South East by East is between south east and east.
Question: Were the scientists involved really concerned about igniting the atmosphere?
Answer: The short version is "no, not really". Much like in the film, the possibility was considered, a lot of calculations were done, and it was agreed by everyone privy to them that the chance was basically zero. Also like in the film: "what do you want from theory alone?" - it couldn't be guaranteed to be absolutely zero, but then the chance of almost anything happening is never absolutely zero. A 1946 report by three of the scientists stated: "whatever the temperature to which a section of the atmosphere may be heated, no self-propagating chain of nuclear reactions is likely to be started. The energy losses to radiation always overcompensate the gains due to the reactions."
Question: Since Loki is the son of Laufey the Frost Giant, why doesn't he look like one?
Answer: When initially found by Odin, he does. Something then acts on him that causes him to mimic Odin's more human appearance, which he then keeps until his exposure to the frost giants during the events of the film, which tips him off to his true nature. Whether this was caused by some magic inherent in Loki even as a baby or whether Odin did something to disguise the child's true origin is unrevealed.
Question: How could WOPR not know the difference between a game and real life?
Answer: While merely speculation, the WOPR is not alive and knows only what it's been programmed to do. It would have no concept of life or death, and as such would see no difference between the simulation and the real thing. That being said, an easy way to make it see the difference would be to program it to not waste physical resources. It would then see the use of all its actual warheads as less desirable.
Question: What is the symbolizim of the church at the end of the film? Could it be Heaven? but if you actually believe in Heaven then you might not think that some of those people will be going there. Another possibility is that it could be, well, places in the heart.
Answer: I think the church represents three things: one, showing that we're all one with God, whether we're alive or dead. Two, that those that have died are still in the memories of those that are living (places in the heart). And three, forgiveness, as shown in the last shot with Mr. Spaulding and the kid who killed him.
Question: (Spoiler warning) I didn't really understand why the wildfire was put into the story. I know that fires happen in California often and that the scene at the end of the movie looks creepy with all of the smoke and fires in the background, but was there supposed to be any other special meaning or symbolism?
Answer: As far as symbolism, from a film student's perspective (mine), it's like destruction or division, two common themes in the film. The two characters are split in values and the fire is raging between them. As the fire gets closer to the houses, it increases in intensity, as does the fighting between neighbors. I think in this film, fire was used not only as a plot device, but a metaphor for the story as well.
Question: When Robocop is about to arrest Jones, he suddenly feels his system malfunctioning. Jones then explains that Directive 4 is used to shut him down if he attempts to arrest a senior officer of OCP. Why did Jones put this directive into Robocop? At the time nobody knew he was working with Boddicker.
Answer: Because he knew he was doing illegal activities. Robocop was said to be highly efficient at his job and Jones did not want to risk him out on the streets without the insurance of shutting him down if Robo came after him.
Question: Is it ever revealed what Frankie's secret is? Why is he estranged from his daughter and looking for forgiveness?
Answer: No, the cause of conflict between Frankie and his daughter is never revealed - we only know that she returns his weekly letters, and it has been some time since they have had contact.
Question: Why did the spitfire pilot land on the beach at the end of the movie facing certain internment when he could have ditched and be taken back to Blighty?
Answer: After running out of fuel, he kept his craft aloft as long as he could so he could shoot down the enemy plane. He then landed when and where he safely could, which was on the beach but in enemy territory. Ditching a plane in water is dangerous and would have meant far less chance of survival.
Chosen answer: She was upset that Mr. Sir was making a big deal about Stanley supposedly stealing his sunflower seeds. The Warden is only in it for the treasure and doesn't care about the boys. Mr. Sir bothering her about a minor theft is irritating to her.
Brad ★