MGM's comedy sequel Barbershop2: Back In Business opened number one at the weekend on an estimated $25m, shunting Buena Vista's true-life sports drama Miracleinto the silver medal position on $19.4m.

The only other top 10 openerwas Fox's family adventure Catch That Kid, which bowed in sixth place on$6m as box office for the top 12 pictures fell 9% against the same period lastweek on $92.8m.

Barbershop 2: Back InBusiness averaged $9,258 from 2,711sites and enjoyed a better opening than its predecessor, which took $20.6m inits first three days in September 2002 and went on to gross $75m.

Ice Cube returns as theamiable store owner struggling to keep his father's traditions alive and thepicture also stars Cedric The Entertainer and Queen Latifah. Kevin RodneySullivan directed and the picture received good reviews.

Miracle recounts the story of the 1980 rookie US ice hockeyteam's surprise defeat of the Soviets in the Olympic semi-finals. Kurt Russellstars as the team's inspirational coach Herb Brooks and the picture also starsPatricia Clarkson and Noah Emmerich.

It averaged $7,464 from2,605 sites and received very strong reviews.

In Catch That Kid,which averaged a meagre $2,118 from 2,844 venues and failed to impress thecritics, a young mountaineering devotee must rob a bank to fund her father'soperation.

Kristen Stewart, Corbin Bleuand Jennifer Beals star and Bart Freundlich directed.

Elsewhere Newmarket's Monsterperformed strongly on the back of expansion and Charlize Theron's bestactress Academy Award nomination, surging three places to eighth on $3.5m for a$15.3m running total in its seventh week on release.

New Line's The Lord OfThe Rings: The Return Of The King passed $350m in its eighth week, adding$4.4m for $351.2m and falling three places to seventh.

Universal's romantic comedy AlongCame Polly continued to perform well, adding $7m for $75.2m in its fourthweek and slipping one place to fourth.

Miramax's drama ColdMountain stayed put in 10th place, adding $3.2m for $82.9m inits seventh week.

Next weekend is President'sDay and the wide releases include Columbia's romantic comedy 50 First Dates,starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.

Estimated Top Ten US Feb 6-8 2004
Film (Distributor)/International distribution/Estimated weekend gross/Estimatedtotal to date
1 (-) Barbershop 2: Back In Business (MGM) Fox Int'l $25.1m -
2 (-) Miracle (Buena Vista) BVI $19.4m --
3 (1) You Got Served (Screen Gems) CTFDI $7.7m $26m
4 (3) Along Came Polly (Universal) UIP $7m $75.2m
5 (2) The Butterfly Effect (New Line) NLI $6.7m $41.5m
6 (-) Catch That Kid (Fox) Fox Int'l $6m --
7 (4) The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (New Line) NLI $4.4m$351.2m
8 (11) Monster (Newmarket) Media 8 $3.5m $15.3m
9 (7) Mystic River (Warner Bros) Warner Bros Intl $3.5m $69.8m
10 (10) Cold Mountain (Miramax) Miramax Int'l $3.2m $82.9m