danceability CUBE Does It AgainBarbershop 2: Back in Business is a great sequel, one which delivers fresh, subversive laughs. Sure the plot is just about the same as the first, but the movie still entertains and the cast is even better since we have a few new characters, such as Queen Latifah who plays Gina, the owner of another barbershop near Calvin's. Ice Cube returns as Calvin Palmer, the owner of a very popular barbershop on the Chicago Southside. The entire cast does return, and offers something a little new to the film, surely Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer) for in this film he rambles about the Kobe Bryant trial, R. Kelly and Michael Jackson as well as a few others. Eve returns as Teri, Sean Patrick Thomas, Michael Ealy, Troy Garity and more. I should also point out that this installment is directed by a different director, Kevin Rodney Sullivan who made his debut with this film and he keeps the franchise going more than well. Barbershop 2: Back In Business is rated PG-13 for Language, Sexual Material and Brief Drug References. The language is a bit bawdy and rough, there's also sexual innuendo nothing explicit though. The film has already been a hit and surely deserves to be one, I'm not too sure if it's better than the first but it sure is as good. Head down to the theatre and check out Barbershop 2.

RaiderJack I do not mean to imply that I was surprised at how well this sequel came off. Generally sequels pale in comparison to the original and just as generally, the public expects less.Hats off to the sequel to Barbershop which I found to be quite pleasing and enjoyable. The sequel is not ambitious and plot-wise is rather formulaic. What makes this work however, is the history, both of the characters as well as of African-Americans, that is seamlessly woven into the story to flesh out the characters and give the viewer a chance to understand the motivations behind their actions.A very interesting example is the way Isaac, the only white barber, is treated in the sequel. I submit that Ice-Cube is trying to give the audience a glimpse of what it must be like to be the minority in a given work situation. Instead of not balancing the opinion by only showing the effects this would have on a minority, he made a white man the minority and showed how exasperating and ultimately demeaning this kind of behavior can have on the oppressor as well as the one being oppressed.There were good jokes all around but somehow I found myself less interested in the laughs and more interested in the presentation of the message. Some may feel it descended into schmaltz, i.e., let's live together in peace, love and respect for the differences of your fellow man, etc. Conceding that these messages tend to be sentimental, when we look at what is happening today, this is infinitely more important a message than reinforcing the same old stereotypes.It is also wonderful to see the incomparable (and fine!) Harry J. Lennix. Even though he played the protagonist, he nonetheless elevated the production with his sterling portrayal of the businessman whose main concern is making money at the expense of the rich historic tradition of the neighborhood.Worthy outing indeed!

Special-K88 Lukewarm but watchable and laid-back follow-up to Barbershop. Shop owner Cube and his rambunctious co-workers are enjoying the success of their thriving business, until a new, technologically advanced shop prepares to open across the street. The shop is run by a smarmy political suit who not only threatens to put them out of business, but has also convinced the majority of the neighborhood inhabitants to sell out as well. First film was likable enough but didn't exactly cry out for a sequel, though there are some occasional laughs. Uninspired script doesn't have much of a story to tell, but it's still well-performed and made worthwhile by an enthusiastic cast, especially Cedric the Entertainer who seems to be having the most fun of all. **

SalukiKnightX I like the movie because it addresses the importance of history and how many cities simply decide to forget all of its culture just for the quick dollar. Chicago is just the best example because most of the sites you saw in Blues Brothers and Running Scared are gone Maxwell Street and streets like it are all gone to make way for progress. But the line in which Calvin asks what good is progress if you lose your soul? I remember this as an example, the nearby town of Murphysboro didn't want a Wal Mart as to whether the city listened or buckled is left in the air but when you have Wal in towns less than 10 miles from each other and pretty much force the issue where truly is the voice of America? But then again I don't know but it does make you wonder where are we truly headed.