Charles Daniel Sandoval Movies
A former Pakistani rock star attempts to adjust to life in New York City while simultaneously making friends and selling coffee from a push cart on the streets of Manhattan in Iranian-American director Ramin Bahrani poignant, character-driven drama. By day Ahmad (Ahmad Razvi) tends to hurried Manhattan-ites by keeping their bellies full and ensuring that they are adequately caffeinated, and by night he supplements his income by selling bootleg porn DVDs. Though Ahmad hopes to one day raise enough money to purchase a place of his own and reunite with his estranged son, times are tough in the city and the hard-working immigrant soon strikes up a tentative friendship with fellow countryman Mohammed (Charles Daniel Sandoval); a generous but sometimes condescending soul who readily takes the fledgling New Yorker under his knowing wing while offering additional work decorating his apartment. Spanish immigrant Noemi (Leticia Dolera) works at a newsstand near Ahmad's cart, and also finds herself warming to the haunted former rock-star's timid ways. As Ahmad, Mohammed, and Noemi gradually begin to socialize together, a tragedy in Ahmad's past soon prompts the struggling New York newcomer to question the true nature of his current relationships. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ahmad Razvi, Leticia Dolera, (more)
The war on terror has an unusual effect on one man in this independent drama. Hassan (Ayad Akhtar) was an engineering student from Pakistan who, while studying in Paris, was one of several Pakistani students arrested by intelligence officers on suspicion of participating in international terrorist activities. Hassan was innocent of any crimes, but it took him hours to convince the authorities of this. By the time Hassan was released, his attitude about the West had begun to change, and in time he began to identify with the terrorists with whom he had been unwittingly associated. Hassan then renounces his old life, joins a radical group, and illegally slips into the United States with the aim of staging a major terrorist action in New York City. Hassan comes to stay with an old friend, Sayeed (Firdous Bamji), and his family; Hassan has told Sayeed and his wife (Sarita Choudhury) that he's come to New York in search of a job, but in time Sayeed suspects his friend has a different agenda in mind. The War Within was screened as part of the 2005 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ayad Akhtar, Firdous Bamji, (more)
- 2002
Palestinian-American brothers Ali (Charles Daniel Sandoval) and Mustafa (Bronson Picket) take different approaches to dealing with the conflict between traditional values, deep-seated prejudices, and daily life in the United States. Ali finds work as a home attendant to the terminally ill, wheelchair-bound Yitzhak (Matt Conley). However, he is reluctant to tell anyone in his neighborhood that he is working for a Jew. Meanwhile, law-school graduate Mustafa secretly dates a blond American as his father, Hassam (Hany Kamal), arranges a marriage for him to a native Palestinian woman. Ali's friend Saddam (Ghazi Albuliwi) renames himself Tito and tries to convince people that he's Puerto Rican, while another one of Ali's friends, Mohammed (Anil Kumar), becomes more serious about his Islamic faith when his uncle is killed by Israeli soldier while fighting along West Bank. Tensions rise in the neighborhood as fighting in the Middle East escalates between Palestinians and Jews. ~ Todd Kristel, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Daniel Sandoval, Bronson Picket, (more)
