I just remembered seeing a trailer for a movie years ago that I was curious about but never got to see. I just can't remember the name of the movie or even who was in it now. I think it was either a late 90's film or an early 2000's film. And possibly Patrick Swayze was in it? I can't remember for sure. I may be getting it mixed up with Ghost. Anyways, I remember in trailer that this guy was able to see numbers on people's foreheads. And these numbers indicated when that person was going to die and who was next. Like the lower the number, the sooner they were going to die. I don't really remember much else about the trailer. Does anybody know what movie this was?
Bishop73
26th Nov 2018
General questions
Answer: There's an episode of "Medium", s06e09 "The Future so Bright", where Allison sees numbers on people's forehead that tells how long they have to live and all the dead people have "0" on their foreheads. It might not be what you're thinking, but maybe you can look into if "Medium" got the idea from the movie you're thinking of.
Answer: There is a 2012 short titled "Numbers" directed by Robert Hloz that premiered at Cannes Film Festival in which a young man sees numbers floating above people's heads and then meets a girl with the same ability (it's not in English and might not be what you're thinking of so I won't give away any spoilers). There is also a 2007 film, starring Nathan Fillion, called "White Noise: The Light" (sequel to "White Noise") where the main character has premonitions of when people are going to die and tries to save them. But he doesn't see numbers on their heads, as far as I know.
Unfortunately, "The Frighteners" is the only movie with that plot.
12th Jul 2008
Elf (2003)
Question: I am confused. Buddy has blood drawn in order to do a DNA sample and they get the results almost right away. Doesn't it take weeks for DNA samples to come back? If so, how can they get the results so quickly in the movie?
Chosen answer: More than likely, it was done for storyline reasons. Since the results of DNA tests *do* take a while to come back, it slows the plot down to show them waiting. I guess, in a way, this situation calls for a suspension of disbelief; it may seem like it took no time at all, but in order to enjoy the film, you have to just accept that the necessary waiting period has passed.
There's an old story where someone asked a major sci-fi producer how fast one of his space vehicles could go. He answered, "At the speed of the plot."
Answer: It was most likely a blood typing test (it can take minutes and its done through a finger-stick test). If the doctor's office had the test cards. If both parents have type A blood, their child can't have type B and vice versa with type B and A. Type O is rare enough that its more likely that Walter and Buddy's mother were either type A, B, or AB. -college student who has rewatched the movie and had to go through several allele genotype/phenotype lectures.
Actually, type O is the most common type. O - is more rare than O+, which is true for every blood type, but O is still the most common for most ethnic groups.
Answer: Most private labs can return DNA testing results in 1-2 days because the test isn't that complicated, even in the early 2000's. It's usually court ordered testing that take weeks to process because of all the bureaucratic red tape, paper work, and signatures required. Some labs do get extremely busy and therefore it might take up to 2-4 weeks to get results back, but that also usually includes more extensive DNA testing.
Answer: Even so the test came back almost immediatly.
21st Nov 2018
Daddy's Home 2 (2017)
13th Nov 2018
Prison Break (2005)
Question: In season 2 T-Bag says to Suzy, when he kidnaps her and the kids and takes them to his childhood home, that he cannot procreate and that he is the last in the line of Bagwells. How then does he have a son in season 5? Have I missed something?
Answer: Giving an in-universe answer; T-Bag didn't know he had a son at the time he was speaking to Susan. It's unlikely he got a fertility test done and may just be assuming, however, if he got a fertility test done after 1991, it could come back that he's impotent. But as far as he knows, he's the last Bagwell of his family. Then in season 5 he finds out David is his son. It's not unheard of for women to not let the fathers know about their children (or that they're even pregnant) or not give their child the father's last name. Giving an out-of-universe answer; writers simply retconned his past to allow him to have a child, forgot what they had written, or just hoped no-one would notice.
14th Jun 2007
Home Improvement (1991)
Question: Was the actor who played Cal Boreland really Richard Karn's brother in real life?
Answer: No the guy sent in a picture of himself because he thought he looked like Al. So they brought him on the show as his brother.
Answer: According to imdb.com: Richard has only one sister. http://uk.imdb.com/name/nm0439781/bio.
Answer: It should also be noted, Richard Karn is his stage name as Karn is his middle name. His real name is Richard Wilson. Cal was played by Keith Lehman.
Siblings can have different last names. One might have a different father. Maybe one legally changed his name for some reason, or a man took his wife's last name (not as common, but it happens). Of course, these two actors are not actually related, but I just wanted to point this out.
17th Jan 2007
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Question: In the climactic scene with Starling at the killer's house, the house is plunged into darkness. Did Jodie Foster actually act this scene in total darkness or is she just really good at pretending to be blind?
Answer: Jodie Foster has said they shot this with light, and that she had to pretend to act in darkness. You can tell because of the shadow cast by Buffalo Bill's gun - in actual darkness, it's impossible to cast a shadow.
Answer: It is not impossible to cast a shadow in darkness...like light, darkness is infinite...this is proven by people who take night vision goggles deep into underground subway systems, their bodies cast shadows the goggles can see.
With night-vision goggles, you will only see shadows if there is enough local illumination (such as moonlight). In total darkness (and even outside where only starlight is present), there are no shadows. In an underground subway, the only way to see shadows with night-vision is if some lights are on.
30th Oct 2018
Den of Thieves (2018)
Question: Early on we see the crooks put wet cash in a microwave, presumably to dry it. Would that work? I just assume you'd end up with hot wet cash - I would have thought an oven or hairdryer or something would be a better bet.
Answer: Considering how microwave ovens work, it seems it would. Microwaves work by bombarding whatever is inside with actual 'microwaves' which works to excite the water molecules within. Paper, and in the case of cash, cotton, wouldn't be affected on its own but the water inside would be. Ever had something wrapped in a paper towel when you microwave it? The cash is not metal, and the water content is what gets heated up inside and evaporated, so I believe it would work.
Answer: There are videos of people drying money in microwaves, but it was a single layer of bills. But it can be tricky because, like wet clothes, it can catch on fire in the microwave if let in too long.
29th Oct 2018
End of Days (1999)
Question: Why does Satan go through the trouble of hiring protective detail at the beginning of the film? Bullets have no effect on him, and even if he was hit, he could just make the claim that the shooter missed. And it's not like he's overly worried about people discovering his true identity, since he blackmails and corrupts people throughout the movie.
29th Oct 2018
Criminal Minds (2005)
Question: I never saw the whole episode, only near the end of it twice. The episode was about a boy about 10 or 11 who took a girl his age Into the Woods so he could kill her using a baseball bat. What was the name of this episode and what was the reason for him wanting to kill her?
Answer: "The Boogeyman", s02e06. Spoiler alert: The kid is Jeffrey Charles and at that point he had already killed 3 other kids. Jefferey basically hated and resented other kids after his mother abandoned him and his father spent a lot of time with other children because of her job. Jeffery would lure kids Into the Woods and then beat them to death with his bat just because of hate, no particular "reason." The scene you're describing, Jefferey agrees to walk Tracy home when her "buddy" leaves her (at this point the FBI announced there's a serial killer on the loose and kids should walk with a buddy). Jeffrey gets mad at Tracy for walking too slow and for complaining, and he takes a swing at her, causing her to flee Into the Woods and have Jeffery chase her.
29th Oct 2018
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
Question: When the crowd are giving Robin Hood the "chop", what's the tune they're chanting?
Answer: The tune is FSU's "Massacre War Chant." There's a history of how it all came about (which the Atlanta Braves adopted), but that's the music that usually accompanies the "Tomahawk Chop." It's also known as just "War Chant", but I think "War Chant" is a slightly altered version.
Answer: They're imitating a Native American chant in the style of the Atlanta Braves, from whom they also take the chop.
26th Oct 2018
Jurassic World (2015)
Question: Between this and Fallen Kingdom, why did the filmmakers suddenly decide to have Blue be a caring character? The Raptors have always been known as blood-thirsty carnivores that'll tear you apart-even when they're not hungry, and yet Blue is almost the opposite. Why her of all Raptors/dinosaurs and why was that decision made? And movie-wise, why were the scientists suddenly keen on doing that for her as well? What's there to gain from it?
Answer: Blue and the other raptors in Jurassic World were trained to respond to human commands, particularly to Owen. The reason the raptors "turn" on Owen is because the I-Rex has raptor DNA in it and became the alpha of the raptors. But then the raptors turn their loyalty back to Owen at the end of the Jurassic World. In Fallen Kingdom, the scientists try to use the fact that Blue follows command to breed a new dinosaur capable of being used as a weapon (by using Blue's DNA/blood).
Answer: Owen raised Blue since birth, and she imprinted on him as her "mother." Blue retained her bond to him though she instinctively responded to the Indominus rex as the new alpha. In Fallen Kingdom, there were videos showing the young Blue's strong attachment and obedience to Owen. That does not mean Blue was tame and wouldn't hurt humans and Owen always maintained the raptors were not safe. Of course, this is a move, and the raptors are written to behave in a way that serves the plot, regardless of logic.
26th Oct 2018
Arrival (2016)
Question: Why is it that the aliens, who obviously possess technology and intellect far beyond humans, didn't think to use their pictographs to communicate right out the gate? We had to wait for Amy Adams and her dry erase board?
Answer: The Heptapods' "present" encompassed about 6000 years of our human past, present and future. So, they perceived 3000 years of our past and 3000 years of our future simultaneously. It's a confounding idea to humans, but the Heptapods already knew, 3000 years in advance, that Louise was the critical contact for the evolution of communication between our species. For the Heptapods, there was no coincidence or impatience or blind luck; they already knew exactly when and how to start communicating with her.
Answer: The aliens don't see time in a linear fashion but all of time at once, meaning they can see the future, which is why their writing is like it is. They therefore knew Louise (played by Adams) would be the one to figure out their language and had to wait for her, or simply chose to wait for her.
8th Aug 2004
Stargate SG-1 (1997)
Question: In some episodes you'll see a shot of the outside of Cheyenne Mountain Complex and there will be a truck to the right. Why does it say 'SGT MACK'? Or, who is this guy?
Answer: It's not unusual in the military to paint the name of the NCO assigned to and responsible for that particular vehicle on that vehicle. Sgt Mack is no-one in the series I've ever seen.
Answer: I saw it one time, but there was no character with the name Mack for that episode. But MacGyver's nickname in the show was Mack. Richard Dean Anderson (who plays Jack O'Neill) starred as MacGyver. In addition, several other SG-1 cast members appeared in the show MacGyver.
24th Oct 2018
Forrest Gump (1994)
24th Oct 2018
Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
Question: The SAM missiles continuously chases the fighter jet for a few minutes. In reality, don't SAM missiles only contain enough fuel to fly for about 5 to 10 seconds?
Answer: Surface-to-air missiles come in 3 ranges (long range, medium, and short). Long range missile have a range of 100-150 km (there are some very long ranged missiles that can go up to 400 km). Short range missiles go about 3 km. SAM's are faster than Air-to-Air missiles and can travel around Mach 3 and up to Mach 8, with some that can go faster (so about 1 - 2.7 km/s) I don't know what kind of SAM was used, but long range SAM's are fired from a fixed or semi-movable position and medium ranged SAM's can be fired from vehicle mounted systems.
A behind enemy lines goof from IMDb, says that no missile is capable of chasing the F/A-18 as it is portrayed in the movie. A missiles rocket motor only holds enough fuel for one pass at a target. I don't know if you agree with it or not.
I would disagree with the statement that it wouldn't have enough fuel. However, even after a missile runs out of fuel it can still glide to its target at supersonic speeds for a time. I do think the portrayal of the chase scene is overly dramatic in Hollywood fashion though, particularly for the first SAM fired.
According to the trivia of the film the missile used was a 9m37m missile.
In that case the scene is completely Hollywood and unrealistic. The 9m37m is a short range missile, even though it's vehicle mounted, and has a max range of 5 km and doesn't even reach Mach 2. When the 2nd missile is fired we hear one of the pilots say "3 miles and closing", meaning the SAM shouldn't have been able to catch up to them or chase them down. The film makers probably wanted something cool looking without considering (or caring) what they had or may not have access to a midrange SAM system and pretended it was one.
But don't long range missiles lack the ability to turn fast enough to follow and chase a jet due to the weight of the amount of fuel they carry?
21st Jan 2018
Stargate SG-1 (1997)
Question: Why couldn't Calder and his people do the shoveling themselves? Were they lazy?
Answer: Technically Calder's people were doing the digging themselves. The planet basically had a caste system and the working class citizens had to do the digging as slaves while the upper class citizen got to live on the surface. All the workers underground were citizens of the planet except for SG-1. However, Calder was also trying to preserve this caste system because he wanted to stay in power and the upper class enjoyed their lifestyle. I don't see it so much as being lazy but more like, why do something yourself when you can get someone else to do it.
Then what would you call being lazy?
Laying around, not doing anything when you could be, or are suppose to be, doing something. In this episode, the upper class people still had jobs, they just didn't do the dangerous, dirty, and labor intensive jobs.
18th Oct 2017
Stargate SG-1 (1997)
New Ground - S3-E19
Question: Why does the guy who was interrogating SG 1 think they know how the dead man they found was killed? Why does he think they're lying? Why doesn't SG 1 tell their interrogator that they weren't there when the man was killed?
Answer: He knows that SG-1 didn't kill the man because they were in custody when he died. He suspected that there was a fourth member (Teal'c) and was trying to get them to admit it.
Answer: The planet had two groups of people that were basically at war with each other. The guy interrogating SG-1 was part of the Bedrosian military and thought SG-1 was working with, or part of, the Optricans (their enemy). He simply doesn't trust his enemy and thinks they're responsible, and he certainly isn't going to listen to reason. Plus, he's trying to preserve his religious beliefs and doesn't want to think his people came through the Stargate.
11th Oct 2018
Matlock (1986)
11th Oct 2018
Criminal Minds (2005)
Question: What episode was J J beaten and lost her baby?
18th Sep 2013
Moulin Rouge (2001)
Question: Was Moulin Rouge the only musical to purely use pre-existing songs, or have there been others?
Answer: Come What May was an original film composition, albeit for Romeo + Juliet, but it ended up not being used until Moulin Rouge! So, depending on how you want to look at that technicality, there could be an argument made that Moulin Rouge! did not use only "pre-existing songs." However, there have been other such musicals; Mamma Mia! being an example. Interesting to note that they both have exclamation marks as part of their titles.
Answer: Knights Tale being another.
Answer: Musicals that use pre-existing songs, or unreleased songs (i.e. songs written before the musical was written), are often called "jukebox musicals" and there's a long list of them going back to the 40's. Jukebox musicals also included musicals centering around an artist or band's album (sometimes these are referred to as "rock operas" and included "Tommy" by The Who and "The Wall" by Pink Floyd.
Answer: Also Rock of Ages is another example.
Answer: A musical that used preexisting songs is called a jukebox musical.
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Answer: You may be thinking of the 1996 horror-comedy "The Frighteners," directed by Peter Jackson and starring Michael J. Fox, Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace, Jake Busey, and a host of others. Michael J. Fox plays a shady psychic medium (performing fake exorcisms for money) who starts seeing glowing numbers on people's foreheads shortly before they die under mysterious circumstances. Turns out it's the malevolent ghost of a mass-murderer (played by Jake Busey) who is still trying to get the "highest score" of victims, marking them with sequential numbers before he kills them. Michael J. Fox must engage in supernatural battle with Busey to stop the carnage. "The Frighteners" was a technically superior film that didn't do so well at the boxoffice but went on to become a cult classic.
Charles Austin Miller
I looked up a trailer for that, it's not it. But thanks.
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