(Anlässlich der heutigen Sommerpausenmeldung von CARTA habe ich mich entschlossen, diesen Beitrag aus dem Februar 2011 erneut zu veröffentlichen.) Wenn man Apple mit Birnen und Currywursten vergleicht. Ob nun Musik, Literatur oder Computeranwendung: dreissig Hundertstel vom...

Why are testicles (=balls) used as a metaphor for courage? It would hardly create a useful chain of dialogue if you said to a guy “Hey, you got balls!” (“Yeah, I know. So what? Do you need one?”); you can only say this to a girl or a woman if you want to make it sound...

What was the overall critical reception of Inglourious Basterds in Germany? Quoras Christine Chois impression is that World War II is a particular sore point of shame for Germans. She asks how Germans felt about Quentin Tarantino’s “vision” of World War II and Christoph...

What are the best movies where most of the action happens in a building? There must be literally thousands of films that take place in a building because that is one of the lowest cost and therefore most obvious story and production environments – especially for independents. Having said...

What is art? Art is a label, pinned on a piece of creation or craftsmanship … … either by a broad audience observing it. … or by few marketers who want to sell it. Very many/much books are written, paintings are drawn, photograph are taken, films are made, songs are composed, statues...

The Ancient Greeks said there were only a few basic themes one could write about. The rest is just variation. What are these themes? This might be a very academic or theoretical approach, but as the question is about Themes, it is necessary to differentiate Theme from Plot, Story and Genre. In...

Why does everybody look sexier in black and white film? Yes – this question contains an assumption. So let's assume that the majority of people agrees on this assumption, although this might not necessarily be true. Second of all, let's disregard picture post production and...

What films with a great script and/or story have been ruined during execution (directing, editing, acting etc.)? I have to throw in Quantum of Solace – which is really sad for me, as I have been a huge Bond-Fan for … I don't know … decades, put a lot of hope into German-Swiss...

What are the worst movie titles of all time? Screenwriter Sean Hood asked me to answer that (thanks!) but the trouble is: being a German, the vast majority of films is filed under their German titles in my brain. Except from the all-time classics, I generally don't even know the original...

Is Thor going to be good? Oh yes – It is good! As Mark Hughes predicted correctly, Thor is first and foremost a triumph of Kenneth Branagh's talent and mastership for blending epics with humor. It is actually his most entertaining filmwork since his Shakespearian champagne cocktail...

How can one make tofu taste good when cooking stir-fry or curries at home? I will get grilled for this, I know: Do what (most of) the restaurants do: add monosodium glutamate. Chicken – like any meat – contains fat that is "carrying" taste and also gets caramelised on the...

How was Blade Runner used as an inspiration for Christopher Nolan's Batman series? I was asked to answer this question by Trey Morehouse on Quora. What struck me was that Trey could not have known about Nolan being my favorite filmmaker of the present; his invite to answer this question...

What makes death so difficult to bear? The mean thing about death (as opposed to dying) is that its fallout remains solely restricted and reserved to those who live on. Together with being born, being unconscious and being asleep, death belongs to the few experiences in life we are unable to...

What are the most popular US TV show dramas (especially mysteries/detective genre) in Germany? First let me point out, that I will not refer to "popular" with hard facts like numbers of re-runs or ratings; these numbers would not be very sound because the German TV market changed...

Did James Bond ever really love any woman? In Casino Royale he was deeply and sincerely in love with Vesper Lynd – both in the most recent film (2006) and in the original novel (1953). Casino Royale was Bond's debut – and right from the start he is confronted with the issue...

Which major movies have the biggest plot holes? One of my favourites is Alfred Hitchcock's 39 Steps, because this film should not be longer than 12 minutes: What happens is that Robert Hannay is asked by Annabella Smith for help because she is being followed. He takes her home to his...

Why is it harder to finish things than to start them? Finishing something is … impossible. At least from a human perspective on the idea of perfection. Example: I am just working on a script. I have to submit it by May 1st. Will it be finished by then? No. I just will have to stop working on...

What are the most philosophical or ethically interesting moments in popular culture? As mentioned by Marc Bodnick, 24 has certainly presented the biggest buffet of “impossible decisions” from a philosophical and ethical point of view I ever felt being confronted with – not...

Why is it that whenever a good character turns bad in fiction, he/she suddenly seems stronger? Simply because he releases or even loses his inner handbrake. A “good” character is usually caught in an inner struggle: there is something that has to be done (like achieving a goal,...

Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? Certainly the most generic reason is mistrust. Mistrust in the government, that is, as conspiracy theories always include governmental actions (not by definition, but I have not seen any exception to this rule yet). It also has a lot to do with...

Why is the public opinion on nuclear power so different in Germany compared to other countries? Before I try to create an answer, I think it makes sense to reference the article that this question was based upon from Spiegel Online International. My first response: well, it is quite...