Handful of movies seen at theater in the last couple of weeks:

Booksmart: As discussed above, a very enjoyable, smart coming-of-age comedy with some interesting directorial flourishes. Fave bits: Billie Lourdes stealing ALL her scenes as some kind of manic pixie fairy rich girl; a gorgeous underwater sequence that straddles a perfect line between hope and heartbreak; the two leads and their tremendous chemistry. Unfortunately, they opened this movie wide in Memorial Day Weekend against Aladdin, and reportedly it got clobbered in the box office. It will do well in home video, I think.

Rocketman: an overall delight! I dug this much more than I did Bohemian Rhapsody -- it helps that Taron Egerton does his own singing. I also have much deeper childhood association with the music of Elton John than I do with Queen. There are a lot of musical numbers, some snazzy, some forgettable, and a few that are genuinely brilliant (personal fave being a low-key but a lovely rendition of "Your Song" earlier in the movie). The actors are very fine, and Egerton gives his all. The heart of the movie is the life-long songwriting partnership Elton John has with lyricist Bernie Taupin, played by Jamie Bell, which is INCREDIBLY SLASHY despite (or possibly because of) their friendship being very deep yet platonic. The actual sexual relationship John has his manager played by Richard Madden kinda pales in comparison, I gotta say. Anyway, thoroughly enjoyable, A++ would watch again!

The Souvenir: directed by Joanna Hogg, a British director whose work I wasn't familiar with before. The toast of Sundance earlier this year, this film has only opened in limited release in large cities, I believe. I watched it in Boston while I was there this past weekend on a conference (do I have my priorities straight or what). Largely autobiographical, this is a memory piece, of an ill-conceived love affair that was short-lived but clearly had a major formative influence on Hogg as both a person and an artist. Tilda Swinton is in it as the mother of the protagonist, who is played by her own daughter (Honor Swinton-Byrne). Tom Burke, whom I adore (last seen in the BBC Strike Mysteries), plays The Terrible Boyfriend, the type of boyfriend anguished young women would write to advice columnists about and everyone would be like "DUMP HIS ASS RIGHT NOW." But the whole thing is played out clear-eyed and remarkably free of judgment, with insights born of time and experience since. I loved it a lot but not sure if I'd recommend it indiscriminately. It's got this mix of delicacy and emotional violence one would have to be in a receptive frame of mind for. Of the Buffistas, I think JZ would love this? Apparently there is a sequel already in works, which is... interesting for the type of the movie this is.

Christopher Lee RIP

Bah, old news. Stupid FB.

Don't feel bad - yesterday something came across my screen about James Arness (aka Marshal Dillon) dying and I mentioned it to someone ... who was too young to have ever watched Gunsmoke. Then I checked and he died in 2011 ....

Saw one for Gene Wilder (who passed in 2016) today, too. Not sure what got those stories circulating again.

Because we still miss them?

I just watched "Tully", which reteams Charlize Theron and Diablo Cody for the first time since "Young Adult" I liked it a lot, but I mention it here because I've never been anybody's mom and it was def a movie about motherhood, so even though it seemed, like, right on enough to me, maybe there were still things in it that mothers would appreciate it more. Toddson, good point. Also think people don't look at dates very closely.

Super late to this conversation but I finally saw Endgame (yay!). Two questions: Was Gamora still gone at the very end because she got poofed when Tony snapped his fingers? Since she came with Thanos to now, I guess?

And second, when did Pepper get an Iron suit of her own?! Did I miss that? Or has it been too long since I saw Iron Man 3? (Also, for all her Goopiness and health nut woo woo, Gwyneth Paltrow is not aging very well.)

Wait, one more -- why did Vision not come back? I think I have to watch Infinity War again.

Was Gamora still gone at the very end because she got poofed when Tony snapped his fingers? Since she came with Thanos to now, I guess?

Original Gamora is still dead, in Thanos' exchange for the Soul Stone. 2013 (or whatever) Gamora who came to the future with Thanos is still alive. When you see the Guardians at the end, Quill is trying to search for her, or something.

And second, when did Pepper get an Iron suit of her own?! Did I miss that?

Tony was building it earlier in the movie, when we first meet Morgan. She's taken the helmet to the Rescue suit. But I think it's subtle enough that if you don't catch it, it's a nice surprise when she shows up at the battle.

Wait, one more -- why did Vision not come back? I think I have to watch Infinity War again.

Because Thanos killed him directly. He didn't die as a result of the Snappening.

Thank you, Dana! I did see Quill searching for Gamora but I didn't understand why.

I need to send you cookies!

Best guess is Tony snapped away "Thanos and his forces" and since 2013 Gamora had chosen to turn against Thanos prior to that, she was no longer considered part of his army from the Gauntlet's perspective.

I am curious how direct someone's Snap Wishing has to be. Is it absolutely literal where the slightest miswording or oversight results in disaster? Or does it merely interpret the wisher's intent?