Hey Have You Seen That New Soul Power Trailer?

It's 1974 in Zaire. It's hot. It's Africa hot because...well you're in Africa. All eyes of the world are on your country because you are the host to the most anticipated boxing match in history. Muhammad Ali is going to fight George Foreman for the heavyweight championship of the world. Except there's a problem. The fight gets postponed. Now what do you do?
Hugh Masakela, Stewart Levine, and Don King took what could have been a disastrous moment and turned it into one of the most amazing musical festivals ever. If you have seen When We Were Kings (is it ridiculous how many times this movie has been referenced since I started running posting these trailers?) then you have seen clips of this concert. But the role of the concert was reduced to more of a background story in When We Were Kings. Now the roles get reversed and the story of the concert comes to the forefront in the new documentary titled Soul Power.
This is gonna be interesting because basically they've taken all the B reels and outtakes from When We Were Kings and made a brand new movie. Has that been done before? I've never heard of it. But I'll tell you this. I'm gonna see this movie no diggity no doubt! This movie stanks with funk, sweat, mo' funk, and mo' sweat. Every body is sweating in this trailer. James Brown, B.B. King, Bill Withers, The Spinners. My computer sweat the first time I played the trailer! Throw some Celia Cruz and Fania All Stars in there. Conio!!! And how could you not want to see a movie starring someone named "Big Black"? Take a look for yourselves kids. Soul Power starts sweating in theaters on July 10th.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlb6sYFn6HA

Charles Barkley. Is That Your Boy?

Last night during the TNT broadcast of game 5 between the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics, Charles Barkley made the claim that 6 time NBA champion, 5 time NBA MVP, and 1 time inventor of the McJordan, Michael Jeffrey Jordan was a "flash in the pan".

I'm asking. Charles Barkley. Is That Your Boy?

Let's just remember Sir Charles greatest game on the court and leave it at that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkix60xjUC8

El Show Latino Does It Again!!!

600+ in attendance this past weekend. 3 great shows. 1 grateful cast. On behalf of all who came out to laugh, love, and support, the cast of El Show Latino thanks you for making it such a great weekend for us all. A special thanks to Rich Ramirez for gracing us with his talent; Blanca Rodriguez for gracing us with her non-stop hard work behind the scenes; and Mikey O. for bringing us all together to put on a show for you beautiful peoples. Hasta La Proxima Mi Gente! El Show Latino will return again. Gracias.

Hey Have You Seen That New Facing Ali Trailer?

Question. Who is the Heavyweight boxing champ of the world right now? I have no idea and I'm pretty confident that you don't know either. The heavyweight boxing division just seems sad right now. Today boxers announcing their retirement generates a better response from crowds than does a heavyweight title bout. There was a time when a heavyweight title fight was an event as big as the Super Bowl or the World Series and maybe even the Academy Awards. And who was it who the people were always dying to see? The Man who's Pretty. The Man who can Float like a Butterfly and Sting like a Bee. The Man who Done Wrastled an Alligator. He's Fast, He's Quick, He's So Mean He Makes Medicine Sick. Muhammad Ali.

This is the brand new trailer to the documentary Facing Ali. First I posted the trailer to Tyson which you can read about here http://rickycarmona.com/blog.html and now the Greatest Of All Time has come back almost as a reminder to show us who will always be the heavyweight champion of the world. I'm really digging this trailer based on how it is they have decided to tell the story of Muhammad Ali. Director Peter McCormack has rounded up some of Ali's biggest opponents including George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ken Norton, and Leon Spinks to tell Ali's story from their own point of view. There is a documentary running on HBO right now titled Thrilla In Manila which I highly recommend you check out if you have HBO. You can find more information about it here http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/thrillainmanila/index.html. Thrilla In Manila follows the same story telling format but deals only with the Thrilla In Manila fight and features great interviews past and present with Joe Frazier and others. If Facing Ali can do in the theaters what Thrilla In Manila does on cable I think this could be the next When We Were Kings. No release date has been set for Facing Ali but I'm gonna be all up in it when it's out. Check the trailer out for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgWY2P9lFL4

Hey Have You Seen That New Harry Potter Trailer?

I’ve read all of the Harry Potter books and peoples I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I haven’t cared this much about a rich little white boy since Silver Spoons was on TV.
How lucky is this series really when you think about it? They’re close to pulling off the impossible. Putting together a 7 book series and turning it into really good 7 movie series (put your wands away dorks. I know the last movie is being broken in 2 which is going to make it an 8 movie series). That’s what the Harry Potter movies are though. They are a really good movie series. They’re not quite great. The first two movies are enjoyable but not really that exciting. They have the same problem that The Da Vinci Code had as a book that was turned into a movie. Those movies in particular stuck to the books so much that the movies felt more like a step by step guide to the series as opposed to standing out on their own as individual films. I put that on the directors more than anyone else. But when Alfonso Cuaron stepped in for Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and knocked that one out of the park it put pressure on every director afterword to maintain the new standard he created. well from the look of this new Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince trailer director David Yates is trying his best to keep the series at that standard.
This trailer looks EPIC. Big Big Big Ups to whoever decided to start this trailer with one of the best chapters in the book. That opening wide shot of Harry and Dumbledore does a great job of instantly reminding the fans of one of the most iconic images in the books and for those who have never read the books it does a great job of showing you how big the scale of these movies has become. It’s a great opening hook. This trailer is all great eye candy. The different shots of the Dementors coming down from the skies and flying through London looks great. The image of Voldemort appearing in the clouds. The quick glimpses of Dumbledore surrounded by flames. I’m going to check out who the cinematographer was on this movie because the look and color scheme of this trailer reminds me a lot of the color scheme from The Matrix movies. A lot of the shots in this trailer look like they were shot with a greenish filter over the lens the same way many of the scenes from The Matrix and especially The Matrix sequels did.
The main cast of Harry, Ron, and Hermione are another example of how this series is on the brink of pulling it off. I just don’t watch these kids with a skeptical eye wondering if this is where they are going to grow out of their roles. I’m really looking forward to my guy Alan Rickman aka Hans Gruber aka Severus Snape to knock it out in this one too. The last few movies he’s had to take a back seat and understandably so but lordamercy! Snape is about to finally step up to the forefront of this series and I can’t wait to see Alan Rickman show us how it's done. Well kids without further ado enjoy the new Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Kl4eIUZIU

Hey Have You Seen The New Extract Trailer?

Like the Stevie Wonder song peoples,"It's been soooooo long..." but I'm back with the brand new trailer for Mike Judge's new comedy Extract. Wasn't I just saying that I was ready to start seeing comedies that didn't star people from the Judd Apatow/Adam McKay cinemaverse? Well like my man Denzel says in Malcolm X, "The Honorable Elijah Mohammed has said these things would come to pass and I am telling you they have come to pass".Extract stars Jason Bateman as Joel, the president of his own flavor extract factory who's on the brink of retiring and living the good life when unfortunately for him accidents start happening that derail his plan and fortunately for us Mila Kunis shows up (Mila is alright if I come down there and sing to you?). Alright since I first saw this trailer I've watched the last 20 seconds of Bateman blowing cheeba cheeba smoke out at least 10 times and it gets funnier every time. Based on that moment alone I want to see this movie. And the sound of sweat pants being tightened around Kristin Wiig's waist has never sounded funnier than it does here. I'm actually going to keep this one short because I don't want to give a play by play of every joke in the trailer. I will say that once again J.K. Simmons, J. Jonah Jameson from the Spider-Man films, is becoming a solid go to actor in everything he does. Personally he's been representing SmarTech ever since I first saw him back on Homicide: Life On The Streets (the other reason besides the X-Files that I stayed home errry Friday night). And Big ups Big Ups to Mike Judge for casting Chicago's T.J. Miller. Yessir! And ya' say Chi-city! No diggity no doubt he's going to knock it out in this one yet again. We're going to have to wait until September to see Extract but until then why don't I go see how much smoke I can blow out of my lungs while you guys enjoy:



http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/extract/teaser-trailer

Hey Have You Seen That New Moon Trailer?

Happy Friday Peoples. Have you seen the trailer to Moon? I just did and I'm in. I've noticed a new trend when it comes to the sci-fi summer movies. There are two kind of sci-fi movies that come out during the summer. There's the loud, action, blow it up type like your Star Trek, Transformers, and Hannah Montana-wait what I say? Then studios will do an about face and put out a sci-fi movie that doesn't have the big explosions or the big action star.  The most recent example I can think of is Danny Boyle's Sunshine which I was digging until the last 1/3 when it turned into a big loud action movie. Moon, starring Sam Rockwell, looks to be the summer movie for all you thinkers out there.  

I'm a big Sam Rockwell fan. I've been down with him since Galaxy Quest which I need to remind people once again is a very underrated movie. Holla at Galaxy Quest will you. It will do you no harm.  You know what will do you harm? The Assassination of Jesse James by the Yaaaaaawwnnn. Sam Rockwell is in that and he is wasted. By the time Rockwell gets a chance to do anything in that movie the credits roll ten minutes later; well I just sat through 2+ hours of Brad Pitt staring out of windows and that's what I get as a reward!!!

In Moon Sam Rockwell plays an astronaut named Sam who's been stationed out in space for three years. His mission is winding down when a signal shows up and he investigates. This looks a little formulaic in the sense that it's a sci-fi movie with one person alone in space and the affects that has on your mind. Why is it in movies when a person is stationed alone in space eventually they start to see loved ones everywhere. They always see a loved one in some secluded part of the ship huddled in a corner reaching their hands out to them or a loved one lying on a bed reaching their hands out to them? If I was in that situation I'm sure eventually I'd see a loved one on my ship reaching their hands out to me, then I think I'd see a McRib reaching out to me, then a flat screen HDTV reaching out to me, then I'd see my tiny ass studio apartment and be like "Screw it. A space station ain't that bad after all.".

Other things I like about this trailer, the score. Simple. Chill. I also like their version of the HAL 9000. The smiley face is a nice touch. The rest? Well see for yourself and let me know what you think. I gotta go find a McDonald's that serves a McRib.

Hey Have You Seen That New Tyson Trailer?

If you're a fan of boxing you've probably asked, heard, or had to answer the question, who would win in a fight? Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson? Well now if you're a fan of boxing documentaries you'll be able to ask, who has a better documentary, Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson? This here is the trailer to Tyson. You know what I respect about Tyson? We always hear from Tyson in his own words. The sound bytes and ear bites (no I din't!) always come from Tyson. That's why it's always so easy for me to believe the sane, the insane, and the reeeeeally fu@&ing crazy things that he's said in the past. The only time I was being surprised by something involving Mike Tyson was when he lost a fight. I thought I'd lose my virginity before Tyson lost a fight. Insert your own joke here.
First thing I noticed about the Tyson trailer. This trailer is longer than all of Tyson's championship fights during his heydey. Second thing I noticed, I am still scared as hell of Mike Tyson. I'm not gonna bad mouth him at all during this. His fist might rip through this computer and crack my head open like BLADA!!! Just thinking of getting hit by Tyson makes my eye twitch. Remember how Tyson would walk into the ring? White towel or T-shirt, black trunks, black boots, and Welcome To The Terrordome blasting through the speakers. I'd crap my shorts then knock myself out if I saw that dude walking towards me. Hey you Chuck Norris fans? You know who Chuck Norris don't mess with? Iron Mike Tyson.
I've always felt boxing works better on screen as a documentary than as a biopic. As good as the boxing scenes looked in a movie like Michael Mann's Ali, it still sucked. I'll say it again in a most intelligent matter so you aren't confused, Ali sucks. If you want to see a movie about Muhammad Ali watch When We Were Kings. I'm sorry? Say again. You haven't seen that? I don't know you skillet. I do not. If you haven't seen When We Were Kings put it at the top of your Netflix pero right now. As your consigliere I'd say that's in the best interest of the family.
I hope Tyson is every bit as good as Kings. I doubt it will be. The fact that James Toback is directing it doesn't get me excited. Toback directed Black & White which was supposed to be this inside look at hip hop culture and how young white kids are fascinated by it. Instead it was a hot mess. You know what's worse than seeing an awful movie in the theater? Seeing an awful movie with only one other person in the theater. We kept looking at each other, "Should I leave? Are you gonna leave? If you'll stay I'll stay? What the hell is New York Knick Allen Houston doing in this movie?". The only thing that I remember enjoying from Black & White? A cameo from Mike Tyson. And it's not a funny cameo like the one Tyson has in the current trailer for The Hangover. It's a scary cameo that shows Mike being....well Mike. James Toback is a well known fan of Mike Tyson so I'm hoping he gives Mike the proper film he deserves. If not then Toback better not answer the door when Mike shows up and asks why his movie doesn't look so splendiferouth or his quotes don't sound more combuthtible? Just kidding Mike.

Hey Have You Seen That New Bruno Trailer?

Hey it's a trailer for an upcoming comedy that doesn't have Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, and that one other guy from Judd Apatow movies, and that other dude Adam Mckay uses all the time. I'm all for all of those guys being in comedies because they've been funny moreso than not but alright already. Can we see someone else who's funny in movies? I'm at the point where I'll take Martin Lawrence in Black Knight II just to see some variety.

But hold up. Wait a minute. Espera un momento because here's an upcoming comedy from a familiar face with a new face.  Here's the trailer for Sacha Baron Cohen's new movie "Bruno".  The first time I saw the trailer I'll admit I was a little underwhelmed. The first thing that jumped out to me was the structure of the trailer itself and how it seems to be setting up that Bruno will be a documentary style comedy.  That can be good and bad.  Good for all of us who thought Borat was great and want to see something like that again.  Bad for us who were looking for something new and then were like "Hey, this seems slightly familiar."  From this trailer Bruno the movie looks a lot like Borat the movie. Bruno comes to America. Bruno interacts with Americans. Bruno freaks Americans out by what he says. Americans freak us out by what we say. That sounds like Borat don't it? What we haven't been told yet but I'm sure you will start to hear as the release gets closer is that Bruno actually has much more of a narrative structure to it than Borat did. Borat really feels like a documentary, I guess it kinda is, but Bruno has a specific storyline. It isn't Bruno just going around to different parts of the South and making us feel better about ourselves. I have no problem watching that though.  The trailer has some laugh out loud moments. I think the scene that takes place in Sears is gonna be HI-larious. All of the little O.J. moments look great as well. And if you're going to make the fashion industry look ridiculous then you're my guy no doubt. Enjoy the trailer and let me know what you think. Gimme a minute though cause I gotta holla at this blond girl with a belt right quick.

Comedy For A Cause

Beautiful Peoples! I am a part of a very special, important show that will be happening on April 17th at The Chicago Center For The Performing Arts. Different artists from across the city are coming together to help those we know who suffer from MS. This show is a fundraiser. 100% of the proceeds will go to those who suffer from MS. Please read take a moment to read the press release below and come support those in need. Please pass along this information to anyone you know would like to show their support as well.

Approximately 400,000 Americans have MS, and every week about 200 people are diagnosed. MS is a debilitating and life-altering neurological diseasethat affects those diagnosed and the people who support them. The Latino comedy community has banded together to raise funds to help in the fight of this disease. Please join us on Friday, April 17, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts (777 N. Green - Chicago) as standup comedians Ricky Carmona and Elizardi Castro and sketch comedy groups the ESL Players and Salsation Theater Company, NFP showcase their talents to bring awareness to Multiple Sclerosis. Tickets are $20 and all proceeds will go directly to MS patients.Purchase your tickets in advanced by going to http://www.theaterland.com/. We appreciate your support and please spread the word!

Opening Day!!!

Hey there Beautiful Peoples! It's one of my favorite days of the year, Opening Day of the Major League Baseball 2009 Season. Baseball stadiums new and old are throwing out their first pitch unless you live in Chicago where they are getting the shovels ready to get rid of any snow that may have gathered over the last 24 hours. Nothing says Opening Day in Chicago like possible snow flurries and 37 degree temps.

Today (minus the 2 teams that played last night) all of our teams are in first place and we are looking forward to how things will play out over the course of 162 games. Make your predictions. Choose your MVP's. Start hating the Yankees. Good Luck to errrybody's team. I hope this season brings errrybody what they wish. Unless you're playing my White Sox. Then I don't know you. Hey. You know who else loved baseball? Al Capone. Loves the game and the swing of the bat.