Breaking down a film to understand underlying concepts and character portrayals and the different interpretations within a film.
9
votes
2answers
411 views
What is Belgravia in 'a Scandal in Belgravia'?
The title of the 1st episode on Season 2 of Sherlock, the TV-series is A scandal in Belgravia. What is Belgravia?
9
votes
1answer
340 views
Why is the blog text removed over Bull's head in Sherlock : A scandal in Belgravia?
In the episode A scandal in Belgravia (Sherlock season 2 episode 1), when Dr. Watson is blogging and his blog text is shown to the viewers overlaid on the wall of 221B, Baker St., why is the text that ...
14
votes
2answers
2k views
What does the quote from Sgt. Apone in Aliens “Look into my eye” mean?
When the Marines are waking up you get this dialogue between Hudson and Apone:
Hudson: Man, this floor is freezing.
Apone: What do you want me to do, fetch your slippers for you?
Hudson: Gee, ...
13
votes
5answers
4k views
Did Karen almost die in Goodfellas?
Let's go over exactly what happens in this scene again:
Karen brings something to Jimmy and Jimmy asks how Henry's doing. He gives kind of a flippant response to her answer, then looks down and is ...
37
votes
6answers
3k views
What kind of company is Initech?
What kind of company is Initech in the movie Office Space?
There are a few important things we know about Initech that the movie plot hinged on. Are there any real-life companies that actually fit ...
11
votes
1answer
353 views
What's with the “one-sided” dialogue scenes in Midnight in Paris?
I re-watched Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris last night. I noticed that during a lot of dialogue scenes with only two or three people, there will often only be one of the characters in the shot. It ...
14
votes
2answers
363 views
Is John Keating to blame for Neil's suicide?
At the end of the movie John Keating is accused of making Neil come up against his father and outing his own dreams ("Carpe diem!") which ultimately leads to him commiting suicide.
Was Keating really ...
10
votes
1answer
321 views
In, “There Will Be Blood”, what was the motivation to kill
In the 2007 movie There Will Be Blood, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, the main character -- Daniel Plainview -- puts a bullet into his "brother's" head when he discovers that the man isn't really his ...
9
votes
1answer
246 views
What does the girl cutting her hand in Animatrix: Beyond symbolize?
In the film, The Animatrix, specifically the Beyond section after the girl and the kids are quarantined, they return to the spot that had the glitch. I understand why she dropped the can (to see ...
10
votes
2answers
372 views
What's the purpose of Solomon's son Dia in Blood Diamond?
Apart from the regular plot, that in order to save his son he must overcome battles and so forth, what other purpose does his son have?
This is based on the fact that his son's name is Dia.
And in ...
8
votes
1answer
953 views
What happens to Alex at the end of Shallow Grave?
At the end of the movie it was not obvious to me what Alex's ultimate fate was. In particular, I wasn't clear whether he lived or died from his injury. It seemed like he might live, as he was still ...
8
votes
1answer
86 views
Is Ethan's and Lindsey's relationship seen as platonic?
Based on the long scene for the rescue of Lindsey and the fact that the movie continues even after the mission was a failure, Ethan could have just gone back home. The first plot that we are aware of ...
13
votes
4answers
1k views
Why does the Driver not have a name?
Something just occurred to me, for the life of me, I cannot remember the Driver's name. I am sure this guy does not have a name for the whole movie. Someone had to call out to him.
I have heard him ...
10
votes
1answer
289 views
How to describe Elsa Schneider in Indiana Jones Last Crusade?
Elsa is a very detailed character for the role she plays.
She is secretly a Nazi
Is constantly around Indiana
Gets violent with Indiana but kisses him
When Indiana finds her with book again Elsa ...
13
votes
1answer
203 views
In 'Synecdoche, New York' , what is the significance of choosing the play 'Death of a Salesman'?
The protagonist, Philip Hoffman, is directing the play 'Death of a Salesman' with a twist. He is casting young actors as the characters of Willy and his wife. From my understanding, he is doing this ...
11
votes
5answers
4k views
Regarding the ending of Oldboy
I have a couple of questions about the ending of the horribly disturbing Oldboy (2003).
Was he so consumed by revenge that he had nothing left after he carried out his purpose? The realisation that ...
14
votes
3answers
796 views
What is the significance of the hat in Miller's crossing?
Miller's crossing pays a lot of attention to Gabriel Byrne's hat.
Does it symbolize anything in the movie or have any significance to the plot or is this a bit of a red herring?
4
votes
1answer
187 views
Is there an explination for which emotions and senses are connected?
In the movie Perfect Sense a strange disease robs the people of their senses, one after the other. Just before a sense is going away the people have a strong emotion. They are coupled as follows:
...
12
votes
1answer
348 views
Why did Terry Gilliam include Jeffrey as a character in Twelve Monkeys?
The movie La jetée has already the story of 12 Monkeys, including also key-settings like the airport and the mall. But there is one big difference in 12 Monkeys to the older movie: Terry Gilliams ...
3
votes
0answers
107 views
Why doesn't Aman's wife comes back the last time?
In the movie Survive Style 5+, Aman's wife comes back as a ghost every time he kills her. But when she is killed the second time by the hit man, she doesn't come back. What is the difference?
6
votes
1answer
483 views
How can the ending of “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” be explained?
In the end of the movie Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Park Dong-jin get's killed by the group of communists, that Yu-sun is member of. But earlier in the movie it is explained, that Yu-sun is the only ...
8
votes
1answer
426 views
Was the Wheel of Pain actual or allegorical?
My contention (once I got past my teenage years) was that the Wheel of Pain, in the original Conan the Barbarian movie, was supposed to be alegorical...a symbol of Conan's difficult upbringing as a ...
16
votes
1answer
419 views
Why is Donnie Darko set in the 80s?
The movie Donnie Darko is timed in the 80s (to be precise 1988), but the movie was released 2001. I can see no significance, to put it in the past. Yes, there was the presidential election, but that ...
7
votes
1answer
528 views
What is the message behind Where the Wild Things Are?
What really is the message behind the movie, Where The Wild Things Are?
I've seen the movie year ago, and still couldn't figure it out.
9
votes
4answers
268 views
What is the relationship between the three intertwined stories of The Fountain?
In The Fountain (2006) there are three separate but related stories told in parallel--Imperial Spain, present day, and .. um, space bubble. Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz play the leading lad & ...
35
votes
3answers
4k views
What significance does Mike Yanagita have in Fargo?
In the Coen brothers' movie "Fargo" the detective Marge Gunderson gets called by and meets an old schoolmate, Mike Yanagita. He tells her that he is widowed and tries to make a move on her.
Later ...
9
votes
1answer
265 views
Kid's pictures in Clint Eastwood's True Crime (1999)
Around 0.02.24 (hh.mm.ss) into this movie there's a close-up of the picture just drawn by Gail Beechum (daughter visiting her father Frank on death row. It's just your bog-standard green field, fence ...
22
votes
3answers
860 views
What happened to the last of the sins in Se7en?
I have watched Se7en and followed Gluttony, Greed, Sloth and Lust. But I couldn't place the events of the other sins: Envy, Wrath and Pride.
Please provide some light on these. I am really ...
7
votes
1answer
355 views
What fills the void left by the lack of character development in Inception?
Most of the characters excluding Cobb and his wife, do not have very developed roles. The roles are actually shallow and it is at times hard to see the motivation behind characters to do what they do.
...
9
votes
3answers
801 views
Is the opening break-up scene in The Social Network intended to be humorous?
In the opening scene we have Mark and Erica talking about knowledge of people in China, SAT and Mark's infatuation with getting into the Finals Club. How is this scene humorous? Someone told me they ...
11
votes
1answer
584 views
What is Harvey's purpose?
In the movie Harvey from 1950 in the ending it is made clear that Harvey actually exists and is a Pooka, some sort of fairy from the celtic mythology.
Apparently he has chosen Elwood P. Dowd as some ...
8
votes
1answer
2k views
What layers of hell are shown in What Dreams May Come?
In What Dreams May Come, Robin William's character Chris Nielsen travels through hell. They show some of the layers in hell as depicted in Dante's Inferno, but I don't believe they show all of them. ...
18
votes
3answers
429 views
How do the differences between the replicants and Deckard evolve in Blade Runner?
In Blade Runner, replicant detection occurs via the subject's ability/inability to show advanced emotion. But early in the movie Deckard starts off as emotionless as the replicants.
How do the ...
20
votes
4answers
691 views
Ending of Donnie Darko
I never understood the movie Donnie Darko. In order not to keep the question vague, what happens in the end ?
38
votes
6answers
10k views
Why is the bride's name bleeped in Kill Bill Vol 1
In the movie Kill Bill Vol.1, whenever someone mentions the bride by her name
Beatrix Kiddo
Her name is censored with a beep. Is this explained somewhere in the movie? Or is it just a signature ...
47
votes
7answers
1k views
In Back to the Future, why don't Marty's parents ever mention how similar he looks to the Marty of 1955
Although Marty is only in 1955 for one week, he plays a pivotal role in getting his parents together. He even briefly dates his mother. So, considering he plays such a pivotal role, does it make sense ...
43
votes
6answers
968 views
What has the greatest chance of being in Marcellus Wallace's briefcase in Pulp Fiction
In Pulp Fiction, there is a briefcase who's content is kept very secret. What item gathers the most evidence for being in the briefcase?
13
votes
2answers
299 views
What was the alternative world in Sucker Punch?
In the movie Sucker Punch, while the girl Baby Doll dances the movie cuts over to scenes of her and the other girls in a different world. Is this world supposed to be Baby Doll's imagination, or what ...
7
votes
1answer
435 views
Why does the dinosaur let the wounded dinosaur live?
Yes, we are all fascinated (or abhorred) by the inclusion of a few CGI dinosaurs in Terrence Malick's 'Tree of Life'. Personally, I enjoyed the dinosaurs thoroughly, but...
Why did the predatory ...
45
votes
5answers
3k views
In Shutter Island, is there any definitive evidence that Teddy was or was not crazy?
The ending of the film Shutter Island is purposely ambiguous, with two different interpretations:
Teddy was crazy, and the whole movie was part of a role-play therapy
There is a conspiracy to ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
What does the ending of The Tree of Life mean?
At the end of the movie, adult Jack (Sean Penn) wanders through a wasteland, goes through a doorway and ends up on a beach. There he shares the screen with his father (Brad Pitt) and Mrs. O’Brien ...
17
votes
2answers
416 views
Evaluating characters by means of description
In his Star Wars Episode 1 review/analysis, Mike Stoklasa used a certain challenge as a device to illustrate how poorly thought out the characters were: "Describe the following characters without ...
