Stuber - 4/5

This movie is a delightful version of exactly what it wants to be. It’s funny, of course, but also manages to be better than average across the board. The cinematography is exceptional, at least in a few places, and even though the plot is exactly what we’ve come to expect from a basic action flick, the characters keep the audience invested. Honestly, it’s basically just Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani doing exactly what’s expected from the trailer, and it’s a ton of fun.

Content warning: brief male nudity

Closest comparison: It’s Die Hard by way of Superbad.

Setting: Action
Plot: Buddy cop
Tone: Action Comedy

The Big Sick - 4/5

It’s difficult to make a comedy about tragic circumstances, like chronic illness, but this movie walks the line perfectly. Maybe because Kumail Nanjiani lived through it, the script is able to use its comedy to prevent the depressing narrative from taking over the tone and keeps up a smile through the tears. It never makes light of the subject matter, but makes subdued jokes alongside the documentarian day-in-the-life struggles. It’s definitely a stand-out entry among its peers, and if you have a close connection with chronic illness it’s certainly worth a watch.

Closest comparison: It’s like a non-sci-fi Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind by way of The Fault In Our Stars.

Setting: Hospital Comedy
Plot: Documentary
Tone: Drama

Men in Black: International - 3/5

It’s kind of dumb, but it’s a lot of fun. It follows in the steps of Ant-Man, where it keeps to its own rules for the main storyline but abandons them when it wants to make a joke. That being said the jokes land, for the most part, and it’s flashily cinematic in all the usual places. Instead of having a boring, predictable plot it changes up the formula by keeping the audience guessing which of the myriad tropes they’re going to fall into. This is the least weird and most stylish of the Men In Black franchise, and the second best one of the lot because of it.

Closest comparison: Thor and Valkyrie in a buddy cop movie with aliens.

Setting: Weird Sci-Fi
Plot: Buddy Cop
Tone: Comedy