81
votes
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Why does Zootopia have an intentional Breaking Bad reference?
The directors addressed this scene and their motivation directly, indicating that it was both a cultural homage and just a really good joke:
The gag works. During copious test screenings, Moore and ...
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70
votes
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What is this record-destroying scene in Family Guy a reference to?
Didn't even have to watch the video--the thumbnail was enough to know that this parodies the printer-destroying scene in Office Space.
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68
votes
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Did Spaceballs have to get permission for Pizza the Hutt
A brand like Pizza Hut can be trademarked but not copyrighted. Copyrights allow the author (or owner of the copyright) to retain exclusive rights to use the work or significant portions of it. ...
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62
votes
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Which movie series are referenced in XKCD comic 1568?
All XKCD comics have individual threads in the XKCD forums which discuss the various comics.
There is also an Explain XKCD wiki which can help. (Thanks to @alex_d).
From perusing the thread:
...
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58
votes
Has a movie ever referred to a later movie?
Most Pixar films have appearances of characters from future movies.
This list comes from the Pixar Fan Wiki:
Monsters, Inc. - Clownfish, the main characters of Finding Nemo, are depicted three ...
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55
votes
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Which mask is Wade/Deadpool wearing in this scene?
Its Hugh Jackman, the actor who plays Wolverine in the "mainstream" x-men movie series.
Its one of many fourth-wall-breaking Hugh Jackman / Wolverine jokes in the movie.
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50
votes
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Do you have to be well versed in Mighty Mouse to understand Andy Kaufman's infamous SNL skit?
No...I don't think so.
As you said, Kaufman's humor was entirely different from most other peoples.
Here the "joke" is in the fact that Kaufman's "role" is highly specific.
The ...
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47
votes
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Was this a movie reference when Tony said "happy trails, kid!" to Spider-Man?
It's a TV (and old radio show) reference. Both Die Hard and Avengers are referring to a song. It's a pop-culture way of saying, "Goodbye!"
When Tony Says it to Peter, he's implying, "...
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40
votes
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Meth dealer reference in Family Guy
That's Jodie Lee-Ann Sweetin, an actress and recovered drug addict, who wrote a book about it, called unSweetined.
She tweeted about it in 2013:
@SethMacFarlane I love Family Guy and was so stoked ...
38
votes
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Have we ever seen Data make use of his "multiple techniques" before First Contact?
Data and Tasha Yar had a drug fueled liaison during season 1 of TNG, The Naked Now. It was never spoken of again, but referenced in Season 2 Measure of a Man.
Season 1 was 2364-2365, First Contact ...
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32
votes
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What are all the faces on Grandmaster tower in Thor: Ragnarok?
They are winners of the contest of Champions and they are characters from the Marvel Comics.
Man-thing - Top
Beta Ray Bill- Left
Ares - Right
Bi-Beast - Bottom Right.
Fin Fang Foom - Bottom
I ...
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31
votes
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License plates in Zootopia
This is probably a date like Dec. 29th 2003 for example, but director Rich Moore has said that there is no hidden meaning in this twitter reply:
Who knows? :)
Fast Animal, without the vowels
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30
votes
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Is there any connection between Stranger Things and IT movie?
Is there any connection between Stranger Things and IT movie?
Yes, IT is one of the inspirations behind the show.
From huffingtonpost
The Duffer brothers, who actually once pitched an “It” remake ...
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29
votes
Is Rick and Morty satire/parody of Doc Brown and Marty McFly?
Yes. This is discussed by the creator of Rick and Morty in the Back To The Future documentary that was released recently.
See the Wikipedia article on Rick And Morty.
The series has its origins in ...
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29
votes
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What does it mean to be a show's "screech"?
Screech, as you pointed out, was a comic relief but somewhat annoying character from Saved By The Bell (1989-92). He was played by Dustin Diamond, an actor with a troubled history who would eventually ...
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29
votes
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What's the meaning of the sentence on Ariel's shirt?
These are references to Ariel's treasures in The Little Mermaid.
Ariel has collected many things, each representing a special memory, adventure or a new discovery. She calls them her gadgets, gizmos, ...
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28
votes
Has a movie ever referred to a later movie?
In Pulp Fiction (1994), Uma Thurman plays the role of an actress / wife of a gangster, and speaks about one of the gigs she has starred in:
It was show about a team of female secret agents called &...
- 699
26
votes
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Is the phrase "Zowie, I'm young!" a reference?
This is a good one.
"Zowie!" is a thing that cowboys said in old westerns. Because they couldn't swear. Something like "todly-o" or "gorsh dam".
It's a word that means "Huuray!". And it's also, a ...
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25
votes
Was this a movie reference when Tony said "happy trails, kid!" to Spider-Man?
Was this also a movie reference?
Quite possibly!
When performing a Google search using "happy trails movie", in the Images results, one of the thumbnails was of Alan Rickman in Die Hard.
...
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25
votes
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What were all the references in Deadpool 2?
There is a very good list by denofgeek:
Early on, Wade discusses how horrible his father was. This is 2/3 on point to the comics. In the comics, there were three different takes on what Wade’s father ...
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25
votes
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What is the reason behind this musical reference to Pinocchio in the Close Encounters main theme?
In an 1998 interview with Ian Lace, John Williams explained
"In this spirit, the idea to incorporate When You Wish Upon A Star was Spielberg's. I think for him, it had something to do with the ...
25
votes
Meaning of "Never get involved in a land war in Asia" in The Princess Bride?
"Never fight a land war in Asia" is one of those weird aphorisms that is widely known, but on which nobody agrees who originally said it. It has variously been attributed to Bernard Montgomery (...
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24
votes
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Is there a certain comedian this South Park episode is referencing?
The cigarette he waves around, the crass misogynistic humor and intentionally insulting his audience until they leave the theater is all Andrew Dice Clay (only instead of the greaser look and NY ...
- 100k
24
votes
Is Hunger Games Allegory for Donald Trump?
Did the cast or crew say that President Snow is supposed to represent Donald Trump?
Jennifer Lawrence and her costars for Mockingjay, Part 2 did have a conversation with Entertainment Weekly where ...
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21
votes
Has a movie ever referred to a later movie?
It never actually happened (unfortunately), but Spaceballs (1987) referred to its own sequel toward the end of the movie. (I searched for the clip, but could not find it.) Here is the dialog:
Lone ...
- 8,610
21
votes
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What is the meaning behind Lisa Simpsons triangle shaped red eyes?
It's a reference to the CITGO sign
Nothing says “Boston’’ quite like the iconic CITGO sign.
The white sign, which today features a massive flashing red triangle, has loomed over 660 Beacon Street in ...
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21
votes
Is there mention of any of the modern gods in "Stargate SG-1"?
Yes: Satan (Christianity) and Nirrti (Hinduism)
In season 3 episode Demons they encounter a medieval Catholic society.
Carter: The UAV photos were right, there it is. Looks like a church.
O'Neill: ...
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20
votes
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What is the movie playing on TV on Logan and what is its connection to the film?
It's 1953's western film Shane.
Confirmed on thrillist.com too
And the full dialogue was:
Shane: I gotta be going one.
Joey: Why, Shane?
Shane: A man has to be what ...
- 119k
20
votes
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Identify reference: yelling "It's a cookbook!" when things are going crazy
What is "it's a good book" referring to? What is the joke?
Unfortunately, you have been deceived by script-o-rama!
The actual dialogue in the film is,
It's a cookbook! It's a cookbook!
...
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Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible