The Big Sick and The Hero look at what happens when life throws you something unexpected. And hard. There are no obvious choices in life when dealing with families, culture, expectations, fame, drive, and love. Then add in sickness. These two films take different looks at these things... different from each other and different than most films.

The Big Sick is a comedy with a surprising amount of heart. Kumail is a comedian and meets his match in Emily, a lovely girl who is perfect for him. The only problem is that Kumail is expected to abide by an arranged marriage set up by his Pakistani Muslim immigrant parents. And then Emily gets sick.

The Hero is a breakout performance by a man that we have adored for decades in Sam Elliott. He plays a Western icon given a potentially life ending diagnosis.

Despite very serious premises, each of these films have so much to offer in heart and comedy. Both have amazing supporting casts and are strong contenders for awards.