The Big Sick (2017) Kumail Nanjiani – Movie Review

Kumail Nanjiani stars and co-scripts this romantic comedy about himself (more or less), a Pakistani immigrant to America turned stand-up comedian living in Chicago who ends up going out and then falling into a romantic relationship with a white, non-Muslim psychology graduate student named Emily. Contrary to both of their desires to stay unattached, things are going remarkably well, though that is also part of the problem, as his very strict and traditional Pakistani family expect – no, require – Kumail to find a Pakistani woman to court and marry, which they are busy trying (and failing) to arrange, so he keeps his relationship with Emily on the sly.

Meanwhile, the young comedian must keep his head in the game to try to secure a spot in an important comedy festival that may kick-start his career in show business beyond local gigs. Life gets even more complicated when it is discovered that Emily is suffering from an illness that has the doctors baffled, leaving Kumail and Emily’s parents flying in from North Carolina to bond during the hospital visits, while also knowing that Kumail and Emily may not end up together, if, and when, the medical ordeal is over.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Tom Holland – Movie Review

In this outing, we find Peter Parker as an awkward teenager, who has a crush on schoolmate Liz, while also brushing up on his knowledge on a school team vying for a national academic competition. He also happens to have an internship with part-time father figure Tony Stark, who is using the opportunity to mentor the lad on the ways to use his technologically advanced costume that’s enhanced like a magic Swiss-army knife by an AI control device Peter dubs ‘Karen’ (all tech courtesy of Stark Industries) to thwart criminals around the city. He gets more than his match when the Vulture, a spurned blue-collar Joe turned hi-tech criminal named Adrian Toomes, comes on the scene, having confiscated alien technology (from the Chitauri, as a seen in Marvel’s The Avengers) in order to manufacture and sell ultra-powerful weapons on the black market.

Baby Driver (2017) Edgar Wright – Movie Review

Set in Atlanta, Ansel Elgort plays Baby, a baby-faced (naturally) but extremely talented driver who constantly plays music on several of his old iPods while he works to overcome his persistent tinnitus, the result of a childhood car accident that left him an orphan. The trouble is that Baby hates what he does and wants out as soon as his debt is paid off, which he does, only to find Doc knows he’s the best driver in the business and won’t let his golden goose go.