I agree with your thoughts on Three Kings and American Beauty. South Park was fantabulous, especially Satan's musical number. I also appreciated the existentialist French kid who sets an example for the rest of us. Cradle Will Rock was inspiring, in - as you say - a propagandistic sort of way. I enjoyed Ruben Blades as Diego Rivera and the woman who played the head of the Federal Theater Project did a wonderful job.
Rushmore - could have been in '98. Great British invasion soundtrack. Last time there was a kid/teen ensemble this good was probably Bad News Bears.
Mystery Men - amateur, wannabe superheroes save the day by putting aside their bickering and getting past each others' peccadillos, plus Janeane Garofalo's in it. For a different view: http://www.thebigcombo.com/janeane.htm
Dream Life of Angels - well done French film with outstanding performance. A compare and contrast with American Beauty would be interesting. Anybody see it?
Being John Malkovich - Zizekian funhouse (!)
Fight Club - late modernist grotesque, smashing of coffee shop prefigures WTO's Seattle mayhem
The Insider - Nation magazine cover in journalist's office, Marcuse is name-dropped. I thought it was a good exploration of why it's so much easier just to play along. Really the movie is quite an indictment. Even though this one guy decided not to play along - granted he had to be coaxed - how many other heads of research for big tobacco did? 8? 9? Still, and even thought I don't smoke, I think this anti-smoking thing has gotten out of hand. A little too prohibitionist for my tastes.
Summer of Sam - groovy AND creepy
Go - thrillride with unsubtle pro-drugs message
Magnolia was allright, not my cup of tea. I didn't see eyes wide shut, boys don't cry,sweet and lowdown, the limey, or blairwitchproject. Good year for Spike Jonze (Three Kings, Being J. Malkovitch), Bill Murray (Cradle Will Rock, Rushmore), Saddam Hussein [sorta] (South Park, Three Kings), and the French (South Park, Dream Life of Angels).
Peter Kilander