Overview: Since the original 'Barbershop' was a surprise hit, earning $75 million in the U.S. alone, MGM put plans for a sequel in motion. Expect more tales in Chicago's South Side, at the legendary barbershop run by Calvin Palmer (Ice Cube). Queen Latifah will play the owner of a nearby beauty salon.

Verdict: In all honesty, 'Barbershop 2' is at best intermittently funny, and at times even affecting, but its drama veers into soap-opera territory, and its comedy too often reeks of sitcom laziness. Notably less funny than its rollicking predecessor, this sequel seems more like a showcase for the loose, occasionally very funny, give-and-take between instantly recognizable characters.