You're damn right about "Fast Food Nation", sometimes it felt like Uwe Boll or Joel Schumacher (Sorry to Mr. Linklater) has made film against this industry. But fortunately, I knew almost nothing about Linklater when I saw it eight months ago... But it certainly had a few fine moments, among others the cycle around Greg Kinnear you mentioned. But I don't feel the desire to see it again. Same goes for "School of Rock"...
I'll also look out for "A scanner darkley" (it has some similar thematic and narrative approaches, right?) but the german DVD is still very expensive (too bad Warner didn't release it theatrical over here...).

Quote:I was pleasantly surprised that a film primarily made for a small, sophisticated audience generally received good reviews in the U.S. French critics from such publications as Positif, Les Inrockuptibles and, of course, Cahiers du cinma appreciated it even more.

Do you really think this is surprising? "Bug" is for sure one of those films which get all possible attention by the critics of prestigious, coservative magazins. Although I don't think that's the case - it is possible to see a philosophical or intellectual touch in it (I think it's way too aggressive - I liked that a lot* - for such games - it deals with a lot and mostly in a very polemical way)
* I suppose Friedkin to be a very arrogant and pessimistic man - so his points and his tone in "Bug" are probably pretty honest.

Btw, the film wasn't very successful then (1661 theaters indeed! ) I guess?