I'm Reed Fish

I’m Reed Fish directed by Zackary Adler. Written by Reed Fish. Starring Jay Baruchel, Alexis Bledel, Victor Rasuk, Schuyler Fisk, A.J. Cook, Katey Segal, Shiri Appleby, Valerie Azlynn,

I thought this was a intelligent underrated light comedy, and I have to say I was surprised. I think Jay Baruchel, shined in the lead, and I absolutely loved the iea and premise. The story revolves around Reed Fish, a small town radio show host, who is practically the town’s messiah. But when a friend from his past comes bck into town for the summer, he starts questioning his simple smalltown life and relationship, among other things. I thought this movie was fresh, intresting, and a very entertaining light-hearded comedy/drama. Both Baruchel and Bledel carry this movie, and it hought it’s a nice gem of a movie. Films like this prove that you don’t nee a big budget, overpaid actors or an outrageous story to make a good movie. Overall I was impressed with it, never bored throughout the movie, and surprised it was this good .8/10 #424 on favorite movie list.

Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow Directed by Tim burton. Written by Andrew Kevin Walker. Starring Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, Jeffrey Jones and Christopher Walken. Music by Danny Elfma, Cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki, Edited by Chris Lebenzon and Joel Negron.

Johnny Depp shines in this film about the haunting story of the headless horseman. Both him and Christina Ricci do well in this stylistic period thriller, which is successful, because its original, fresh, and despite the dialogue which is heavy, its still entertaining throughout. The acting and atmosphere is what sets it apart from mediocre films of its kind.

This movie is suspenseful because the music, cinematography and acting all contribute to keep it frightening, yet compelling. Another solid Johnny Depp performance and film. At times it seemed a bit long, but the third act picks up the pace and does well to finish off strong. I would have liked the build-up to be a bit better, but unlike a lot of films that fall apart trying to finish the story, this film does the opposite and doesn’t do the best job setting up the plot, but the final 25 minutes or so are very good. 7/10

The Wrestler (Directed by Darren Aronosfsky)

ything, was decent. 6/10
The Wrestler. Directed by Darren Aronofsky. Written by Robert D. Siegel. Cinematography by Maryse Alberti. Edited by Andrew Weisblum, Msic by Clint Mansell. Starring Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Mark Margolis, Todd Barry, Wass Stevens and Ernest Miller.
The Wrestler is a gritty story-telling epic of the story of wrestling stars in America, or maybe I should call them wrestling actors. Mickey Rourke is perfectly cast in this oscar-nominated role, and truly carries this film, though Marisa Tomei was also very good as the female lead. Overall, this movie is at times, tough to watch, but very daring, realistic and an overall informative piece that really shows the complexities of a glorified industry whose stars actually have troubles of their own.

Darren Aronofsky’s in-your-face directorial style make this a tough movie to watch, however it was an effective way of driving its point home. Fueled by powerful performances, whether you like this film or not it will definitely affect you. I thought it was a very good movie, though, its not one I would watch over and over. The choice of music and realistic style in which the film unfolds is commendable. 8/10 #452 on my list of favorite movies

Wolverine (X Men Origins) directed by Gavin Hood

Wolverine. Directed by Gavin Hood. Written by David Benioff and Skip Woods. Starring Hugh Jackman, Live Schrieber, Danny Huston, Will I Am, Lynn Collins, Kevin Durand, Dominic Monaghan, Ryan Reynolds, Danniel Henney

This is an example of a mediocre super hero movie. I like the fact that Hollywood likes to go back to the root of some comics, an as was the case with tracking back Wolverine’s story. A couple problems I had with this film were the fact that at times Hugh Jackman’s mannerisms just were a bit much for me, an also im not too sure about the supporting cast in this movie, and I was much more impressed ith Zack Snyder’s Watchmen from earlier this year than I was with this movie. Although im a big fan of the Gambit character, and it was cool to see his role playing a big part in the film, although again, I thought the casting choices were definetely flawed. This was not bad from an entertainment perspective and had some bright spots, including a solid score, decent visual effects and cinematography and the writing/directing, although not superb or anything, was decent. 6/10

First Daughter

First Daughter- directed by Forest Whitaker

Now this film is something I’m surprised a guy like Forest Whitaker got involved with. Its an uplifting chick flick which will probably please your average female movie-goer who is not so much concerned with how good the movie is from a cinematic, storytelling, acting or overall film quality perspective. But I just personally couldn’t really believe Katie Holmes in the lead at all, maybe the only refreshing thing was seeing Michael Keaton in this, after not seeing the guy in a movie in a while (least I haven’t seen him in anything in awhile), but the problem was this script and problematic film-making was so bad that it made Michael Keaton seem like Macaulay culkin. Overall this was just a bad idea, bad film about a president’s daughter wanting to go to college and have a “normal life”. Don’t watch this. 3/10

The Pineapple Express (David Gordon Green)

The Pineapple Express- Directed by David Gordon Green. Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Starring Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride, Kevin Corrigan, Craig Robinson, Gary Cole, Rosie Perez, Ed Begley Jr. Nora Dunn, Amber Heard, Dana Lee, Jonathan Spencer, James Remar, Bill Hader

Pineapple express is a very funny comedy. It may not be entirely original, as I think it borrowed a lot from buddy pothead movies like Half Baked or Harold and Kumar, however, Pineapple Express has much better acting than the other 2, which somewhat makes up for the lack of innovation. Seth Rogen and James Franco shine in the leading roles.  David Goron Green was a good pick for direction, I liked how he approache the project and his style was very simple yet suitable for this type of comedy. I have yet to see other films from him but Snow Angels, Undertow and All the real girls are all on my list to watch. Overall, well done film, a good comedy with fresh performances, some reworked ideas, but hey they didn’t steal anything, it just didn’t themes or concepts that were terribly new or innovative, except for the double cross joint which was pretty cool.

Pineapple Express is a good comedy, its not the cult classic which some may believe it to be, but I do think it is one that audiences can watch multiple times, have good laughs and not take too seriously. Overall, its one I would recommend to potheads or any fans of the Harold and Kumar movies, Superbad/40yr old virgin/knocked up gang’s movies. Definetely worth a watch. 8/10  #339 on my favorite movies list

Burn After Reading (Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen)

Burn After Reading. Written and Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton an Richard Jenkins. Music by Carter Burwell, Cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki, edited by Joel and Ethan Coen.

The Coen brothers follow-up to last year’s successful No Country for Old Men, is an entirely different project. Burn After reading, is downright hilarious, a solid dark comedy, that does a good job showcasing its actors, the writing ability of the Coen brothers, and their unique approach to comedy in films. Now I didn’t think it was as great as Barton Fink or the Big Lebowski, but it achieves on a lot of the same levels that those 2 films did, as well as the likes of Fargo.

 Brad Pitt and John Malkovich are both very good in roles that are not alike stuff we are accustomed to seeing them in, and Frances Mcdormand, is absolutely hilarious and brilliant as an insecure fitness center worker, who dreams of bettering herself for all the wrong reasons. There are some great exchanges between Brad Pitt and Malkovich as well. Overall I was very impressed with the entire cast, although I thought George Clooney and Tilda Swinton were less impressive than the other four (pitt, McDormand, Malkovich and Jenkins). The movie is a success because it is funny, entertaining, and original. Overall a must see for fans of innovative comedy an the Coen Brothers. 9/10 #189 on my list of favorite movies of all time

Crank 2 (Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine)

Crank 2. Written and directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Starring Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Dwight Yoakam, Efren Ramirez, Clifton Collins Jr. an JUlanne Chidi Hill. Music by Mike Patton, Cinematogrpahy by Brandon Trost. Eited by Marc Jakubowicz and Fernando Villena.

Crank 2 is a great example of an action movie that tries to do way too much. I have no idea what directors Neveldine and Taylor were thinking, but this is a horrible follow-up to Crank, which is one of my favorite movies and I have seen several times. Crank was excessively violent, as well, but the violence, served a purpose, and it was always entertaining, fresh, funny, slick and overall, a tour-de-fource amazing action movie. Crank 2 is dull, boring, over-the-top, not funny, excessively gorey and disgusting. The acting is almost on the same level of Crank, not amazing but not horrible either, but its flaws are more evident in this film as the screenplay is much more problematic here than in the first movie (crank 1)., but neither film thrives on its acting. Meanwhile, the style, which it is shot, is not bad, as was Crank, but again, the style is not the problem here, it’s the overall approach to the project, the incorporation of excessive violence, ridiculous plotlines (this is a horrible screenplay, the one-liners are so bad, its comedic). Overall, I just did not enjoy this film at all, and apart from having a decent score, and cinematography, there’s little I liked about this Statham flick, they just shouldn’t have made this movie. 4/10

Quantum of Solace (Directed by Marc Forster)

 

Quantum of Solace. Directed by Marc Forster. Written by Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. Starring Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Judi Dench Giancarlo Giannini, Gemma Arterton and Jeffrey Wright.  Cinematography by Roberto Schaefer. Music by David Arnold. Edited by Matt Chesse and Richard Pearson.

The James bond follow-up to Casino Royale, which was an impressive debut for Daniel Craig as bond, is not as efficient in telling the story, nor as creative, but it has much more action, eye candy, and a better homage to the older Bond films, especially the Roger Moore ones. As was the case with Batman Begins, and the Dark Knight, it seemed that Casino Royale set up the atmosphere for more action to come in Quantum of Solace, unfortunately Quantum of Solace wasn’t a masterpiece of scenes and sequences along with storylines as The Dark Knight was, however this was kind of expected as Casino Royale, a good film, was no masterpiece either. But to its credit, Quantum of Solace is far superior to any Pierce Brosnan Bond film, and a pretty entertaining movie.

Marc Forster is suppose to be a better choice for this type of film than Martin Campbell, I mean forster clearly has better films uner his belt, but it seems Campbell who is known for action adventure/films, would have probably been a better pick for this one as well. Forster made some decent dramas with Fining Neverland and Stay and a really good drama with Monster’s Ball. His vision is nice here in Quantum of Solace, but as far as direction, visual aspect and overall production, I liked Casino Royale more, but no doubt about it, all in all, Marc Forster is a better director, and it was interesting to see him direct this Bond flick. Both The Kite Runer and Stranger than Fiction are two of his films I haven’t seen, thus I didn’t comment on them and I’ve heard great things about his upcoming  project which is a collaboration with Michael Stracyzsnki who has adapted a Max Brooks novel and wrote last year’s Changeling script.

Back to this film, Its not supposed to be realistic, and its plot isn’t the most engaging, but it at least manages to do something that Michael Mann’s Miami Vice definitely didn’t do, and that is keeps us entertained throughout the entire movie. Overall, a must-see for Bond fans and action fans. 8/10 #433 on my list of favorite movies of all-time. 

The Lazarus Project

 

The Lazarus Project. Written and Directed by John Glenn. Starring Paul Walker, Piper Perabo, Brooklynn Proulx, Bob GUnton, Lambert Wilson and Tony Curran. Cinematography by Jerzy Zielnski. Edited by Fred Raskin. Music by Brian Tyler

This film is one of the most underrated films I have seen that came out in recent years. I found the subject matter very original and thought-provoking. Paul Walker plays a man who experiences something which seems to be fatal, and is transformed into a new life with a  second chance, but can’t figure out if he actually died an is reborn, or if he survived the incident but is given a new life. It has a nice psychological appeal to it, as well as fresh cinematography and musical score to go with it. Kudos to Jerzy Zielnski for shooting it well an Brian Tyler’s suitable music.

I can’t say Paul Walker was stunning in the lead, but he was convincing, as he was in Running Scared which is another great film. I thought Lazarus Project is an original, innovative, entertaining, thriller that still manages to make some interesting arguments rather than just being about special effects, action and the usual Hollywood antics. I was impressed. 9/10 #184 on my list of all time favorite movies.

Seven Pounds

Seven Pounds- Directed by Gabriel Muccino. Written by Grant Nieporte. Starring Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Michael Ealy, Barry Pepper. Music by Angelo Milli, Cinematography by Philippe Le Sourd. Edited by Hughes Winborne

Will Smith and Gabriel Muccino’s debut as a director/lead actor pair was nothing short of spectacular, The Pursuit of Happyness managed to capture everything a good drama should, with good performances, a solid script and an overall successful production that conveyed a heartfelt message, while not being overly sappy or typical. With their follow-up Seven Pounds, they take on a much more serious subject matter, which is a lot more controversial as well. I would first like to say that this is a good movie in my eyes.

Now is it for everyone, probably not. I thought Will Smith’s acting was at times outstanding, but during parts of the film I felt him fading away and having the same look on his face, but he still gave an all-in-all good performance, and this film also has a more complex and cleverly written screenplay. I think a film like this is a lot tougher to make than Pursuit of Happyness, thus it is less enjoyable, is it any less great, hard to tell. I can say I enjoyed their first film more, but value the pair’s work just as much with Seven Pounds. This is worth a watch, though the subject matter is one that can definitely move you and sadden you. 9/10 #254 on my list of all time favorite movies

Home of the Brave (Directed by Irwin Winkler)

Home of the brave directed by Irwin Winkler- Written by Mark Friedman. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Biel, Brian Presley, 50 Cent, Christina Ricci, Chad Michael Murray, Victoria Rowell, Jeffrey Nording, Vyto Ruginis. Music by Stephen Endelman. Cinematography by Tony Pierce-Roberts and Edited by Clayton Halsey.

Director Irwin Winkler’s look at post-war life for several Iraq war veterans, is neither totally convincing nor entertaining. Despite having some powerful scenes, which raised some good points from a psychological and political perspective, the film failed to paint a realistic picture, which allowed the audience to truly position itself in the shoes of the characters. As I watched the film I did not entirely believe Samuel L. Jackson or Jessica Biel’s character, and both were unconvincing, especially Samuel L. Jackson who had some very good moments, but due to a lacking script, went over-the-top at times. (Brian Presley) was not bad, but having 50 cent in this film was a casting catastrophe. They should have made better choices in the casting, but then again, there was a lot of other flaws in making this film, which I admit, is a tough type of film to make, but this just felt rushed and not enough precision an effort put into producing, writing and creating an original and realistic film about post-ware life.

I thought the cinematography, editing and music did very little to help matters a just didn’t engage me throughout the film. The opening sequence which takes place in Iraq is almost a joke, as at times It felt like it was in East LA, now I don’t know where they filmed it, but that’s not a good way to start off a film. Overall this film had potential but was a misfire in my book, and had it not been for a few good scenes, moral arguments and okay acting (at times), it would get an even lower score from me. 5/10

Santoori (directed by Dariush Mehrjui)

Santoori. Directed by Dariush Mehrjui.- Written by Dariush Mehrjui and Vahiea Mohammadi. Starring Bahram Radan, Golshifteh Farahani, Masoud Rayegani, Roya Taymourian, Nader Soleymani, Mahyar Poor Hesabi, Maedeh Tahmasebi, Siamak Khahani. Original Music by Mohsen Chavoshi and Ardavan Kamkar. Cinematography by Turaj Mansuri. Edited by Mehdi Hosseinivand

Every now and then an Iranian film comes around that is moving, conveys a message like no other. Director, Mehrjui does a great job creating an atmosphere where one truly feels society’s issues in regards to drug addiction. There has been a stereotype for some time now that young Iranians in the music industry are prone to becoming submerged in a world of drugs, alcohol and womanizing habits. Although this is a false stereotype, Mehrjui does a great job telling a story of Ali Santoori, a man, whose traditional family turns his back on him and tells him to choose between his “santoor” instrument and his family. Ali of course, chooses, his instrument, and successfully becomes Iran’s top pop performer. Meanwhile, he also meets and marries a wonderful young woman, Hanieh (Farahani), and his life seems to be on a great track. But as the story goes, Ali, becomes depressed and gets more and more addicted to drugs due to the government cracking down on his music.

Both Bahram Radan (Ali Santoori character) and Golshifteh Farahani give magnificent performances. Mehrjui style of telling the story is first-rate, using great shots, flashbacks, and flawless incorporation of music. The music cooperation between composer Ardavan Kamkar, a traditional santoor player, and composer, and MOhsen Chavoshi, top pop singer, is innovative, new and very well suited. Overall, this film achieves on every level, as it carries the audience through every range of emotion its characters feel, something Iranian films rarely do. Quite possibly the best Iranian film I have ever seen. 10/10

3:10 to Yuma

3:10 to Yuma Directed by James Mangold. Written by Halsted Welles, Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. Cinematography by Phedon Papamichael. Music by Marco Beltrami. Edited by Michael McMcusker. Casted by Lisa Beach and Sarah Katzman. Starring Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Logan Lerman, Dallas Roberts, Ben Foster, Peter Fonda, Gretchen Mol This is an example of a very good modern western and adventure story. There was one scene that was a bit hard to watch for me as far as blood and open wounds, but this was a highly enjoyable movie. Superbly acted, directed well, and its story was engaging, with nice subplots. Its not extraordinarily original, but doesn't need to be, for what it is, one of the best films of its kind. I liked it more than Tombstone or Unforgiven, which were two of my favorite of the newer western films i had seen. I thought Russell crowe shined as the antagonist, while Christian Bale did a pretty good job as well. Its shot and edited very well and has a very suitable score from Marco Beltrami. Its not a film i would watch over and over, but i enjoyed it alot the first time around. Ben Foster Peter Fonda and Gretchen Mol were great in supporting roles while Logan Lerman wasn't bad as Bale's character's son either, decent job for a young actor. I think for what it is, this film is good, real good, dont expect the most realistic action sequences, though, as that is not exactly the case with the shootouts, but then again, its still a bit more realistic than most films of its kind, thus i rate it highly. My Rating: 9/10. #302 on my list of all time favorite Movies.

Dark Blue

Dark Blue. Directed by Ron Shelton. Written by David Ayer. Cinematography by Barry Peterson. Music by Terence Blanchard. Edited by Patrick Flannery and Paul Syedor. Casted by Francine Maisler. Starring Kurt Russell, Scott Speedman, Michael Michele, Brendan Gleeson, Ving Rhames, Kurupt, Dash Mihok, Lolita Davidovich and Master P. I thought this was a highly underrated film. Much more realistic than the over-the-top training day (which Denzel made into a good movie), but this film doesn't rely on Russell's performance (not to say Russell was anything short of great), this film is more successfull because of David Ayer's great script and Shelton's gritty approach to the topic of corruption in the LAPD. With great music, good action sequences, and a very well-selected cast (apart from Scott Speedman who was decent but i would have liked to see someone better in his role). Overall, the story, acting, and premise was very well handled. Alot of people didn't like this movie, and a lot of people will rate Training Day higher, but if you are interested in seeing a gritty story about cops and the stuff they can get away with, this is a big time recommendation from me. I think these are the kind of roles, Kurt Russell is made for. Overall, a great film, and one of my favorites that I have seen several times. 10/10 #126 on my all-time favorite movie list.

Changeling directed by Clint Eastwood (2008)

Changeling. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Written by J. Michael Straczynski. Cinematography by Tom Stern. Music by Clint Eastwood. Edited by Joel Cox and Gary Roach. Casted by Ellen Chenoweth. Starring Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Colm Feore, Devon Conti, Michael Kelly, Amy Ryan, Dennis O'Hare

Changeling is a perfect example of a dramatic, sad story of courage, endurance, and a testament to how some things were just unfair and out of people's hands in the old days. Angelina Jolie shines in her oscar-nominate role a a single-mother whose son goes missing in 1928 Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the LAPD is under public scrutiny at the time and very eager to solve the missing boy case as soon as possible. This film is very engaging, always interesting, and very well acted. I was very impressed with the way it was shot, the set decorations as well as Eastwood's entire approach to the project. It was stylistically different than Mystic River or Million Dollar Baby, an on the same level of those films (much better than Million Dollar Baby which i consider a great film but not flawless).

The supporting cast was perfect as well as Malkovich, Donovan and Amy Ryan all gave refreshing performance. There are some amazing scenes between Malkovich and Donovan, Malkovich and Jolie and Jolie and Donovan. Despite this film being a tear-jerker, a bit frustrating to watch early on, it definetely pays off, and is a big achievement for Eastwood. I enjoyed every bit of it, and highly recommend it to any fan of good Drama films. 10/10 #35 on my list of all time favorite films.

Rediscovering my passion

I'm a 22 year old radio/tv/film major at San Jose State. Although i was a business major just 2 months ago, a very pivotal car accident caused me to re-evaluate things. I decided to change my major from marketing to film studies. I made a number of other decisions, decided to not be friends with those that constantly hurt, agitate or bothered me. When u have a fractured tibia, shattered ankle, extensive skin defects and a ruptured stomach, 5 surgeries, many many narcotic medicines, and alot of anesthesia mediciine for surgery, it really gets you to start thinking aout life. I decided that maybe having a bunch of friends was not as important or good as maybe having less friends, but at least knowing those friends were truly there for me. I am very thankful that during my 42 days in the hospital, i realized that i have an amazing circle of surrounding people.

My parents, Afsaneh and Reza, truly broke their backs for me, and were there for every moment of my agony, stress and experience in the hospital. My aunt, Elaheh (Elli) was there just as much, she literally did not miss a day, even when she was tired or sick or herself, and i admire her amazing self-less-ness. My grandma, Maman Forough, could not stand the hourly updates she was receiving, and surprised everyone in Iran, by getting up one morning, booking a ticket, and arriving in San Francisco within a day. These 4 people are truly a blessing.  

I'm also thankful for my best friend Nima, who despite battling dealing with medical school applications, dealing with his last semester at UCLA, being vice president of a fraternity, and many other things he has going on, still flew back to town, mostly to see me, and spent his last night in the bay area at the hospital with me. I love this guy from the bottom of my heart and will fight any war, cross any path and basically do anything for him as i saw he was willing to do for me. His loyalty is unmatched and im lucky to have a brother like him. He truly is, as i like to call him, "my brother from another mother". I also thank his girlfriend, Parastoo, whom i only met once, but was very touched by the fact that she contacted me n cared alot about what was going on. I'm also very thankful for his parents, who basically treated me like their own son. His mother, Soheila, an angel in my book, came to visit me over 20 times in the hospital, brought me food several times and would even come on her 30 minute lunch breaks. His father Shahbaz was also there throughout, and witnessed some of the ups and downs, including my delusional reaction to some of the narcotics, where i spoke to him about me playing basketball and Barack Obama being on my team.  

I'm also very thankful for my stepmom Mahshid, whose support and care was unconditional throughout this process. Her kind words and constant motivational tone was helpful, as well as her Lasagna which even the nurses who tried it in the hospital said that it was one of the best lasagna's they have ever tasted.

I'm also very thankful for my cousins, Setareh and Sahar, and their parents Mahboobeh and Mahmoud. This family also looks after me, cares and was there as if i was their son. They have always had my back in the past and continued to do so this time. Both Sahar and Setareh came to visit many times, despite Setareh working and Sahar dealing with medical school applications, MCAD's and both of them preparing for my eldest cousin in that family, Sepideh's wedding (congrats again Sepideh!). Their parents Mahboobeh and Mahmoud came to visit after work so many times, and their presence truly lightened my spirits. I will always remember this and forever be thankful for their kindness, as they had done in the past by letting me stay with them on vegas trips, sleep over at their house after clubbing, and overall being one of the cornerstone of my family life in Northern California.  

I'm also very thankful for good buddies of mine like Marcus Abadi, a true gentleman, who came to visit me in the hospital so many times, despite being a very busy guy who works, looks after his dog, and has quite the social life. Marcus you are a g, and forever one of my best friends. I'm thankful for one of my best friends, Nima Farakesh, also my boss, who came to visit and never stopped caring despite having a very hectic job and life of his own, him and his brother Reza were also a great help in this process. 

I'm thankful for my Milpitas homeboys, Khoa Do, Kevin Lee, Alonzo Fitz, Jose Torres, Wendell Escalano, Franny Davis Jr. (dont remember u last name my ninja), and Justin Wardley, who visited me and also lifted my spirits. Also thanks for the dvd's Khoa, truly helped me get through all of this, I'm really thankful for Khoa big-time as i've known the guy since i was 9 and he is truly one of the best friends I have ever had, and one of the coolest, most humane people i have ever encountered, a true OG. I'm thankful for my homie Kevin Dao, who was my ninja at San Jose State, and also came through quite a few times. I'm thankful for Herant Azizian, one of my best friends, who came the very next day after he found out, and was kind enough to help me line up my beard which had gotten quite out of hand, he is one of my best friends, and i'm happy to have known the guy for 13 years.

I'm super thankful for my cousins Siavash and Sohrab, who flew out from Arizona right away to come be by my side. Both of them have been a huge help and i am so thankful that we are as close as we are. Sohrab, its ya niggga ARMOULAK AKA ARMOUL, AKA CHAPO RAST givin u some props .

Im also thankful for Tanjit, Amy, Shawn, Fardad, Bill Sereda, and Anthony for coming by and keeping me company, also thanks for the DZ kabab Fardad, maro khejalat dadi, and it was the best persian food i have had in awhile! I'm thankful for my boy Dean Latrine, his presence was a blessing, this guy his hilarious and just hanging out with him brightens my spirits, also the magazines were great for getting my mind off things. I'm also thankful for Annette Tran for her kindness, as well as the cupcakes and stuffed animal haha. Thanks to Han Ly for her kindness, care and bringing me Kabab when i most needed it :)... too sweet, too sweet.  

I'm also thankful for my brother Arash, who came to visit a bunch of times despite having a hectic life of his own and living 40 miles away. His presence helped me deal with my issues. Also his care and voice of concern through calls and text messages re-inforced the fact about how much he truly cared. Thanks Arash, kheyli aghayee.  

I'm also thankful for my family across america and in Iran, my 4 uncles, Mehdi, Khosro, Anoush and Peyman, my uncle from my father's side, Mr. Ghanian, his wife, and their sons Saeid, Massoud and Hamid and their families, my cousin Parastoo, my grandma's sister, Khaleh Pari, my cousins Mikey and Leyla and their mom Lupita, and anyone else i failed to remember. I'm also thankful for all of my mom and dad's friends who came to visit, there are so many, and each one of these people spent hours with me and helped me get through this. They are all special in their own right, and their presence was pivotal in my recovery. Thank you Jamileh an Paul, Fereshteh and Hashem, Babak and Lisa, Marlene and Kamran, Homayoon and Tayebeh and Ronak, Maria and Kambiz, Soori and Aziz, Behjat, Mrs. Ghamari, Bijan, Khosro (forgot his last name), Arjang and Arash Kalbali, Mohammad, Nora, Farzad, Anahita, Mehrdad Bani-hashemi, Reza Samadi, Hossein and Mojgan, Ziba and Shirin-Dokht, Tannaz and Nasser, Mahnaz Carun, Marjan and her mother, Vida and Changiz,Reza and Hamid Asayesh, Taraneh Talieh and Mitra, Mahnaz and Ali, Hossein Akhavin, Mohammad Khoshnood and his wife Delshad, Majid Khostavan and Maryam and their son Amir-Reza, Mr. Javad Fardis and his wife Mali khanoom, Arash Riazi. Also thanks to those who called and talked to me such as Dena, Ali Riazi, Rashaad, Bahareh, Bobby J. and others.

Thanks to my homies from San Jose State such as Devon, Chauncey, Brad, Ali,Evan, Ashley, Lani, Jimmy, and others who were kind enough to express their sympathy. Thanks to the likes of Rouge, Neil, Elliot, Rose, Karl and Mike from b-ball, Carlos, Mike Vu, Hector and his girl Lily and many others who coudnt make it to the hospital, but still helped me out through their words. Thanks to my buddies at PSAC, UCLA, and alumni such as Babak, Milad, Keyvan, Kaveh, Nasser and others who expressed their sense of worriness. THanks to all the other people i failed to mention. There are others for sure, but i can't recall right now and i'm really sorry if i forgot anybody. Anyway the point of this was to say thanks to everyone, its because of these people that i had the strength to allow myself to keep a positive outlook and not le.t my medical situation (which was pretty fucked up to say the least) get me down.  

P.S. if you are tagged but not mentioned in the note, that means you are my true friend n somehow i didn't contact you or wasnt able to call you (lost my phone in the accident), but if ur tagged means ur my peeps. 

On a brighter note, i am going to start reviewing films I see, whether new or old, and also reviewing some films that i have seen many times before but are among my Top Movies of all-time (right now the list is 400+). I will create blogs once or twice a week to review films, and also select best Movie of the week, Actor of the Week, Cinematography of the Week, Editing of the Week, Casting decisions of the week (overall cast) an Writing of the week. Kinda like my own personal oscars, without the politics, okay maybe with some politics, i can imagine Robert DeNIro will be winning best actor quite often.. ;). Stay tuned.... for now, "That's all folks".  

http://filmcritiquecentral.blogspot.com/ 

Arman Mahmoudi  

AKA Newly motivated, re-incarnated film-critic, enthusiast and future Film school Student.