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First Sunday (2008)

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39 out of 59 people found the following comment useful :-
First Sunday felt like a whole week., 12 January 2008

Author: Zygrot24 from United States

What can I say? I didn't expect much walking in. Can you blame me? Did you see the trailer? You know a comedic trailer is unfunny when the funniest thing in it is the studio logo at the beginning and that wasn't funny. This debacle stars "multi-talented" act-rapper Ice Cube whose career started melting after Barbershop 2. Ice Cube doesn't even try to be funny nor does he have anything funny to do or say. Why is this guy even in comedies or movies for that matter? The comedy revolution of a plot consists of two losers trying to get rich quick. That is what the plot boils down to. Ice Cube's character wants to prove to his son that he is not a loser and Tracy Morgan's character wants to prove to the audience that he belongs in this movie. Neither of them are believable. The writer/director *Insert black writer/director's name here* tries to add dramatic elements to a humorless comedy script and fails just as much as he was trying to add jokes.

There is something in this movie about the 2 main characters trying to rob a church and realizing that the money in the church is already stolen, but I was too distracted by the idea that someone actually green lighted this script. First off, is it even an interesting idea to rob a church? I guess the writer figured that banks stopped carrying money. Secondly, who the hell thinks Katt Williams's one liners in this film were funny? The director kept cutting to him as if he said the most uproarious thing since Stephen Hawking yodeled Green Eggs and Ham. You know a comedy is bad when they go to one character for comic relief...IN A COMEDY!!! This movie tries way too hard to have many sentimental and redeeming moments wishing for you to stand up and cheer. But such "redeeming" moments as Ice Cube hugging his movie offspring and Tracy Morgan feeling as he belongs in society felt as if they were added as a last minute script revision because the comedy wasn't working. The hilarity of this movie consists of Tracy Morgan getting a massage from a badly dubbed transvestite. It also includes "pimped out" wheelchairs because a wheelchair with hot chrome rims equals comedy gold. By the way, those wheelchairs are mentioned more times in this movie than Jesus Christ in the Bible.

First (and hopefully the last) Sunday isn't downright awful. Not as awful as other urban comedies like Who's Your Caddy? or anything with Mike Epps. First Sunday is by far no Epic Movie (which is definitely a 0 out of 500) but it is clearly a waste of time. Not only for the audience but for the people involved in making it. It adds nothing new and it insults the audience's intelligence many times. I was going to list a bunch of movies that are funnier than First Sunday but after listing Schindler's List, Citizen Kane, and March of the Penguins I got tired. So in conclusion, save your time, save your life, and most importantly save your money. If you save your money that will most likely prevent a Second Sunday.

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43 out of 68 people found the following comment useful :-
Shamelessly deeding stereotypes on screen!, 5 January 2008

Author: janyeap from Washington, DC

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

With scenes pumping off like in a TV show, this film exposes an urban community with an appeal that's worst off than the dirty red-light districts in some cities. The film blares with loud music that seeming competes with noise from the loud-mouthed characters. The Writer/Director brings out a Baltimore community, inhabited by either dysfunctional characters or low-based folks – gangsters, masseurs, street alcoholics, homeless folks, macho men who can't resist glaring at female bottoms, and those who fill their time in an overheated church where the choir director maneuvers around like a court jester and any one dressed like a manicured, fruity dude could be troublesome! Even the court room has the appeal of a noisy street market! Hhhmh, what a pathetic way to portray a community… especially when it's so absurd to see Ice Cube's Durell – a man obviously with brains and talent – so easily becoming enticed to crime by his dysfunctional pal, LeeJohn, or having nothing better to do than be obsessed by a female's wriggling rear end.

Boy, aren't we getting rather bored with film after film that makes excuses for irresponsible bums who turn into gun-trotting robbers just because they are short of cash or are being hounded by ugly loan sharks? Boy, it's even more freakish to have to watch misfits turning over a new leaf by some lonely old church ladies with ogling eyes! Absolutely a lame movie without any witty humor, but with lots of unflattering stereotypical clichés to attempt at drawing out laughs… and where events and characters flow and end at very predictable expectations. Yep, this film is simply overloaded with non-complimentary logic and ugly characterization of an urban community!

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33 out of 51 people found the following comment useful :-
Subpar Comedy, 11 January 2008
Author: John DeSando (jdesando@columbus.rr.com) from Columbus, Ohio

Let me see: It's January, and a film is released with a recognizable star and an obvious audience. Should be a winner? Nah! Not for nothing is this called the "dead season" or the "dumping ground" because almost all the films released at this time are potential losers, films deemed by their owners weak for a variety of reasons, but most certainly heading for panning by the critics.

First Sunday, a heist film set in a church, fulfills all the requirements for this notorious time of year: The plot is thin and almost silly: a couple of slackers decide to rob a local church in order to pay debts or salvage a family, mixing guilt with almost innocence; Ice Cube stars against his type as a robber with at heart and he produces, an act that guarantees this weak film distribution.

Yet, I liked First Sunday well enough to keep it from my slag heap of grade F. I liked the sub-textual seriousness of kids without dads, dads dealing with unemployment and disrespect, and mundane church matters. In addition, Cube (Durell) has a solid persona, not varying much each film, of an intelligent, serious but secretly warmhearted guy, a working stiff who just hasn't had the right breaks.

His sidekick LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan) provides the feckless, goofy, but lovable klutz, whose heart is bigger than Durell's. Beyond reasonable humor is Katt Williams' Rickey, a choirmaster with loopy observations and mannerisms. The women in the congregation serve as enablers for the errant crooks, and in one case, as major eye candy. Most of the characters in the film are shameless stereotypes.

The responsibility for this sub par comedy rests with writer director David E. Talbert, whose more that a dozen successful plays with heavy social themes remind of the success Tyler Perry has had with a similar profile. But Talbert lacks Perry's refinement of style and substance that deftly mixes broad comedy with social concerns. Talbert may never reach the success of Perry, but he should keep trying because social comedy is a powerful part of our popular culture.

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15 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
Entertaining, Not Award Winning, 21 January 2008

Author: LadyGotthelf from United States

I really enjoyed this film for a number of reasons. I think Katt Williams is hilarious all by himself and was a great person to cast as choir director. I thought the plot was not as generic as most theft-based plots that hit Hollywood. I thought the transitions that happened as the film developed were fun to watch. Overall I thought the movie was really good.

If you are trying to decide whether or not you want to go see this movie, consider this as you make your decision. First, the film is stereotypical. The main characters live in and attend church in a run down community exposed to crime, drugs, and other stereotypical things you expect to find in a stereotypical community overrun with stereotypical people who are stereotypically Black or Hispanic. Second, the film is funny. Things that are funny to people who understand the complexities and realities of being Black will realize this; people who do not understand will find it challenging to find the comedy. Third, the film will not be an Oscar nominee. The movie was not so well shot, scripted, edited, or presented that you will see it up for major awards. That being said, a number of movies come out every day that are entertaining but are not award-winning and we watch them because we want to be entertained. This is another one of those films. So, if you want to be entertained, you understand the positive and negative inner workings of Black society, and you do not mind viewing a film that displays both stereotypes and truths about the way Black people live, move, and have their being, this movie is for you.

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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Didn't See What Was "THAT" Bad About It, 17 May 2008

Author: Dragoneyed363 from United States

Let me start off with the bad things in this movie:

-There was a lot of unbelievable material.

-Some of the acting was poor.

-Most of the funny material wasn't funny at all.

-There was about 2 to 3 clichés

Now, the good things:

-I "DID" laugh at maybe 4 lines.Not hysterical laughing, but still a little chuckle.

-It managed to keep me entertained, and I was actually sucked into the story plot a little.

Overall, this movie "WAS" kind of bad, but not terrible.I wouldn't recommend it, but yet wouldn't say to absolutely avoid it.

It was nothing special, but if you feel like watching it, be my guest.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
A good comedy, 4 May 2008

Author: apetitefor from Bulgaria

The movie can really touch with its emotional aspect, which consist of the old motive that money can't always buy anything. There are some good in the hood laughs, but not worth to remember. I personally think that Ice Cube can do better, and he can achieve something more great the "Friday" series.His acting is getting better and better, but he should try to change the plot of his movies or maybe a drastic change in his character.At all, this movie production is not something amazing,but this is not its main mission. It's just a good comedy, that can waste your time, without wasting its limit. By the way its worth nothing the fact that there are some really funny characters that are really moving the thing in this production. Like the chore director for example, or the priest.Actually this is the main element that makes me rate the movie at a more high score. It seems that almost everything was half-baked- the plot is good, but could have been better, and the actors a re funny,but could be funnier.

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15 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :-
Review - First Sunday (2008), 14 January 2008

Author: Sploich from United States

It's hard to decide whether to praise or crucify director David E. Talbert for making "First Sunday," but because it wasn't complete blasphemy, I think I he can be forgiven.

Now that I've got those puns out of the way, "First Sunday" is a movie about two friends, Durell (Ice Cube) and LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan), who also happen to be bumbling criminals. In order to pay a $17,000 debt so Durell can keep his son, the two decide to hold up a church for its large sum of donation money. As that plan starts to fall apart, they both learn a lot about themselves that they didn't expect.

Being a fan of "30 Rock," I was looking forward to seeing Morgan take on a film role, and I think he pulled it off just as well as he does on TV. He's pretty much the same sort of character though, so it's not that huge of a leap. His part also would have probably been better if the writing had been the same.

I don't want to go off on a rant, but Ice Cube really showed me with this movie that he is a one-trick pony. He's not a bad actor, but when it comes to comedy he's always the same. I'm pretty sure he only got the job in this because of his character in the "Are We There Yet?" movies. It's just the same thing and I'd like to see him do something else. Seeing as I haven't seen much of his work, I guess I could always start there.

Like I said earlier, the writing isn't the best. There were some funny moments, but every character was generic and every plot was cliché. I thought the actual idea of the movie was interesting at first, but it could have been pulled off better.

In the end, "First Sunday" is not as horrible as it sounds from the trailers and such, and I actually did enjoy it. I just don't think it'll be joining my DVD shelf any time soon. I'll probably buy Juno later this year instead.

Acting: 6/10 Writing: 4/10 Video/Editing: 4/10 Audio/Music: 2/10 Entertainment: 4/10

Final Score: 4/10

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Few laughs and a lot of Camp., 22 May 2008

Author: Vincent Cadena from California

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

First Sunday is about two losers played by Ice Cube and Tracey Morgan. The two guys go through life getting in trouble with the law again and again. The courtroom scenes feature a white prosecutor and a black female defense attorney, there's one funny moment between them in the first courtroom scene. Ice Cubes character tries to do good but Tracey Morgan keeps getting them into trouble, so in this clique ridden film what happens? They need to get money to buy themselves out of trouble and to stop Ice Cubes kid from moving. They decide to steal it from a church, thats when the movie finally takes off, halfway through the movie. Katt Williams is funny but he tries too hard. It becomes a whodunit for a few minutes. Long story short, the Deacon of the church was stealing the money anyways, so the Judge lets Morgan and Cube go, they reform blah blah blah. OK, I thought it could've been a lot funnier, it was too preachy and unoriginal. It really seemed like a Christian movie, which is who it was made for the Tyler Perry fan base. Williams, Morgan and Cube have all been better, this was a letdown and a waste of 5 bucks. If you're a bud head or a Christian you might like it. If you're a Republican or a Cineast you'll probably hate it.

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6 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
not "friday after next" but definitely good old family fun, 21 April 2008

Author: beregic (beregic@msn.com) from Canada

first of all i do not get some of the reviews here( probably because as some admit have not seen this feature to the end). well i did and overall i was pleased, actually the morality tale is very good just simplified probably because of the need to get a pg-13 rating. this however gets only 6 stars because the Rickey character ( ice cube's partner) which has some wacky lines at best unfortunately reminding me of the idiotic "scarry movie" franchise and alike. also in the church scenes there are some parts that are too soap-oprah, even if i can see the good intentions in that. i add an extra star because the original and refreshing flavor ice cube brings to the industry, with a blend of jokes that at surface seem very simplistic but combining them with the "other" ice cube gives those very jokes a new dimension , sometimes very deep ones and very sarcastic at that as well.then again, i consider sarcasm the best joke ever told because ,unlike just a "funny" one, it has generally a morality tale that might just teach(or preach) something, someone, somewhere...

now there is another reason this movie did not do good. everyone probably knows ice cube for his "toughest persona" as i do, from his old school rap with hits such as ".... the police" or "gangsta rap made me do it". therefore "gangsta" fans would be probably disappointed by this. actually if one takes a closer look at ALL ice cube movies since barber shop, one can see that he really does not condone violence at all. better yet, ALL the "tough" "gangsta" characters in his features are made "fun" of as not being "cool" at all, sometimes outright "stupid" ones. but unlike the mainstream media ice cube does not blame violence be invoking FEAR, or disturbing behavior. just like in his very political songs , the fear factor is always played on only to invoke "rightfull" repression. and one familiar with his activism can see how skillful he is able to stay away from THAT "disturbing" behavior in itself.

furthermore, while this feature is not as good as "Friday after next" when it comes to having hilarious jokes (i miss Mike Epps to be truly with you here,Katt Williams does not even come close to fitting his shoes)there is a bit more "soul" here. this is a very much family movie , quiet naive i might add but as i said before, simplifying issues does make it more on everyone understanding. but that requires that the viewer see it to the end. there is one scene i personally do not like it. the one that inserts an indirect commercial for pay station...well i hope at least he got paid for it, and the viewers will know to "avoid" too deep thoughts on that one...

as last words, i like ice cube overall. he is not a great actor, but he always gives me the vibe of being natural. after all, when you telling "hood" stories no "class" acting would help since this is about reality and not "art"( art being a subject of personalization and subjectivity, but not of that as reality is on the "ground"). this will entertain you, i might add "good old family fun". not one of my favorites( Friday after next remains the top one so far) but definitely a better one out there comparing it to the dumb "meet the Spartans" for example.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Not the worst movie I've seen, 13 May 2008

Author: Bill Jordan from Pennsylvania

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Well, I think the rating on here of 2.7 thusfar is probably a little low, but this movie certainly doesn't have much going for it nonetheless. It's not original at all, and in terms of being a comedy, did little more than make me smile at a line or two. But it is rather harmless, and it does try to have a positive message. Frankly, I think the writer/director was trying to imitate Tyler Perry, and did so rather poorly. There's even a character in one scene that appears to be a male actor impersonating an older female (though the character mysteriously disappears with no explanation). All in all, I wouldn't recommend this, but if you're looking for something to watch with the kids, they might enjoy it, and won't come away traumatized.

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