Sep 13, 2002 By Lou Gaul Calkins Media Film Critic 3 min read

The new motion pictures opening today at a theater near you include: – “Barbershop”: The young owner (Ice Cube of “Ghosts of Mars”) of a barbershop started by his grandfather on the south side of Chicago considers selling the struggling business to a loan shark (Keith David of “They Live”). Soon after, he discovers how important the place is to the people in the neighborhood. The fun-to-watch PG-13 picture co-stars Cedric the Entertainer (“The Kings of Comedy”), Anthony Anderson (“Exit Wounds”), Sean Patrick Thomas (“Save the Last Dance”) and – in her screen debut – pop singer Eve. Rapper-turned-filmmaker Tim Story (“The Firing Squad”) directed.

– “How I Killed My Father”: A 40-year-old doctor (Charles Berling) searching for a cure to aging and living in the bourgeois suburb of Versailles finds his empty, materialistic life with his wife, Isa (Natacha Regnier), shattered by the appearance of his estranged father (76-year-old Michel Bouquet). The parent who abandoned him years ago suddenly drops back into the man’s well-ordered world and offers no apologies or explanations for his uncaring behavior. French actress/dancer-turned-filmmaker Anne Fontaine (“Love Affairs Usually End Badly”) directed the unrated import.

– “Notorious C.H.O.”: Comic actress Margaret Cho talks about sexual politics, romantic issues and racial relations during this concert, taped during a Seattle performance of her 2002 concert tour. The R-rated film captures every nuance of Cho’s always insightful, often hilarious performance and is a follow-up to her 2000 stand-up hit, “I’m the One That I Want.” Cho previously appeared in director John Woo’s hit film “Face/Off” with Nicolas Cage and John Travolta and starred in the ill-fated ABC sitcom, “All-American Girl.”

– “Stealing Harvard”: Many years ago, a man (Jason Lee of “Almost Famous”) promised his beloved niece (Tammy Blanchard of the ABC miniseries “Me and My Shadows: Life With Judy Garland”) that he would pay the tuition of his poor relative if she got into college. After the teen is accepted by Harvard, the blue-collar guy must suddenly come up with $30,000 for the first year and stupidly agrees to a plan by his misguided friend (Tom Green of “Freddy Got Fingered”) that they turn to a life of crime. Megan Mullally (TV’s “Will & Grace”), Chris Penn (“Reservoir Dogs”) and Dennis Farina (“Manhunter”) co-star in the PG-13 comedy. Bruce McCulloch (“Superstar”), who’s best known as a member of the comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, directed.

A rare ‘Beauty’ screening

At the buck$ office

Teens turned “Swimfan” – a thriller about a young woman who stalks a star athlete – into last weekend’s highest-grossing movie.

The PG-13 picture opened with more than $12 million and topped the heavily promoted melodrama “City by the Sea” with Robert De Niro.

The word-of-mouth favorite “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” continued its remarkable run, grossing more than $10 million for the No. 2 spot, and – remarkably – the $5 million feel-good comedy will soon top the $100 million mark.

The top 10 films last weekend were:

1. “Swimfan” ($12.4 million)

2. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” ($10.6 million)

3. “City by the Sea” ($9.1 million)

4. “Signs” ($8 million)

5. “XXX” ($5.5 million)

6. “Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams” ($3 million)

7. “Austin Powers in Goldmember” ($2.8 million)

8. “feardotcom” ($2.3 million)

9. “Spider-Man”/ “Men in Black II” double-feature ($2 million)

10. “Blue Crush” ($1.8 million)