America through 10 movies

A cool meme I will try my hand at...

"The challenge is to explain America to someone from somewhere else by giving them 10 movies to watch. The idea is not to give them a history lesson, so you don't have to start with The New World and end with Jarhead. What you're trying to do is give them a sense of who we are -- your take on our dreams, our attitudes, our idioms, what we think we are, what we are afraid we are, what we really might be."

Please note, I've tried to keep it to recent movies (no more than 20 years old) because I think the way we see ourselves is very temporal... So, here are my choices:

Garden State (2004) - it starts out a bit dark, but ends on an optimistic note - we all want that happy ending - its quirky characters ring true to the weird individuality that is America.
Rushmore (1999) - yes, we are all sort of enthralled by popular culture, and yes, Bill Murray's character is great at showing that capitalism can leave us unhappy.
American Beauty (1999) - the contemporary American family is far from perfect - an interesting analysis of individuality as opposed to true familiality.
Pleasantville (1998) - a great, lighthearted commentary not only on America waking up from the 1950s but also on personal discovery.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - more quirky families learning to accept each other, but done through wonderful storytelling.
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) - even though it's set n the early 1900s, it speaks volumes about friendship and loyalty.
Big Fish (2004) - are all Americans tall tale tellers? Are all families in America dysfunctional? Do all stories end happily? Yes, Yes, Yes/No. Discuss...
Far from Heaven (2002) - more self-discovery, this time mainly for a 1950s woman who learns how to be independent after her husband admits he's gay - there's also some hopeful interracial interaction.
Dances with Wolves (1990) - a western epic that explores a more realistic representation of Native Americans - also a great commentary on appreciating differences.
Ferris Beuller's Day Off (1986) - were all kids in 1980s America this precocious and/or neurotic? Also, is this what the American eduction system is like? Moreso that not, I'm afraid.

Most of these films are filled with flawed, quirky characters who, more often than not, learn how to accept and love each other. I guess that's what I've always believed America was about. Too bad the Republicans and Democrats can't learn that lesson...