With a Friend Like Harry —". . . Moll's a master at creating and conveying tension, even visually, down to the level of the jostling, garish colors that purposely crowd the screen and subliminally suggest the not-so-hidden nightmarish quality of contemporary suburban life. The film's also hilarious, in an understated way, with each new "solution" by Harry pushing the limits of the permissible toward the outrageous.. . ."

Spy Kids —" . . . What will please parents most is that this film is filled with life-lessons that are cleverly taught: the importance of family and honesty, the need for belief in self and goodness toward others. But it's Rodriguez' wit and pop-culture savvy, neither of which devolve into raunch or post-mod quipping, that ultimately make this film such a highly recommended treat"

Memento —" . . . Riding the wave of popularity begun by such all-out narrative headtwisters like The Usual Suspects and The Sixth Sense (as well as the brilliant, still-to-be-released Mexican film, Love's a Bitch, and lesser examples of the genre like Sliding Doors and Me Myself and I), Memento's a gritty revenge thriller with more than its share of surprises . . ."

Enemy at the Gates —". . . Based on William Craig's book, Annaud and co-screenwriter Alain Godard have created a remarkably efficient and effective movie which uses Vassili and Konig's near-mythic battle of wits to put history in its proper context . . . It's also the new year's single most satisfying movie experience thus far."

Snatch —". . . In Guy Ritchie's world, the cumulative anxiety of constant missteps and imbalances is part of natural selection. It's survival of the fittest in Snatch, and (anti-)social Darwinism has rarely been more entertaining . . ."

Traffic —". . . And as proof of just how gifted Soderbergh is with actors, in a film in which there is gunfire and mafia assassination, the most violent scene is one in which a husband and wife (Douglas and Amy Irving) spar bitterly about their relationship. The gunfire and bombs in the film make us jump; their exchange makes us gasp and shudder. . . . "

O Brother, Where Art Thou? —". . . What does all this virtuosity add up to? That is often the question with the Coens' enterprises, and O Brother has divided critics since its bow at Cannes 2000. All I can say is this particular excursion into screwball madness is often heavenly, and frankly leaves critical explication somewhat unnecessary. Go see it and laugh."