So what are the arthouse offerings set to open Oct. 12? Maybe some of you are wondering whether there's not a good Tom Shadyac comedy opening in limited release — and if that's the case please contact your local hospital, as you may be experiencing a stroke of some kind. There are some great films to take a look at this week, from a love story involving a, um, doll to a classy remake, from a black-and-white Brit biopic to a French documentary about a controversial attorney. So prick up your ears and abre los ojos ... let's begin.

Each season, as a Fantasy Moguls player, you'll be looking out for THE bargain that will earn you precious points for almost nothing. Sometimes these films are obvious, as 1408 and Superbad were last summer. Sometimes they're less easy to find because they obviously won't be opening in 2,000 theaters (or anything close to that number). Lars and the Real Girl is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting potential bargains of the season. Not one that will bring you $60 million, or half a dozen Top 5 points ... but definitely one that has more to offer than what Fantasy Moguls predicts (which is close to nothing). Lars will be the second film directed by Craig Gillepsie to open in less than a month, the first being Mr. Woodcock. And yet, if you examined the two pictures side by side, you wouldn't guess that the same person was behind the camera for both of them.

Lars and the Real Girl debuted at Toronto a couple of weeks ago, winning over many critics, who applauded this tale of a lonely guy in his 20s who, one day, shows up on his brother's doorstep to introduce his new girlfriend ... who happens to be an inflatable doll. (Yes, that kind of inflatable doll.) As borderline silly as the subject matter may sound, the buzz appears to indicated that Gillepsie has pulled off a surprising combination of drama and comedy that will allow the film to build a strong buzz on the arthouse circuit. The film's best selling point, though, might be its lead actor, Ryan Gosling. The Canadian-born thespian has been a respected performer since his strong turn in The Believer in 2001, and a chick magnet (and also Rachel McAdams's steady sweetie) since The Notebook in 2004. His tour de force performance in last year's Half Nelson made him an Academy Award nominee and gained him popularity among cinephiles. His name alone will no doubt attract a sizeable arthouse audience, and the fact that he is supported onscreen by some other fine actors (Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer and Paul Schneider) will only increase the film's attractiveness.

Fantasy Moguls doesn't think Lars and the Real Girl will bring you any PTA or Top 5 points, and that its User Rating will be as low as 5.0. That's why the film is available in both Ultimate Movie Moguls and Box Office Moguls Leagues for only $2. But with no strong film opening in wide release Oct. 12, the majority of PTA points will surely be confiscated by acclaimed limited releases, and Gillespie's movie could well be one of them, especially since it's currently scheduled to open in just two theaters. The IMDb User Rating shouldn't come in any lower than 7 (it's currently at 8.7, based on 85 votes) if the excellent advance reviews are any indication.

Speaking of the IMDb, when a film cannot be found there three weeks prior to its release in theaters, it's not a good sign of overall awareness or strong promotion. Unfortunately that's what's happening with the documentary King Corn, directed by Aaron Woolf, which will be released in probably only one theater in NYC, without many people having heard of it. The doc follows two friends from the "junk food generation" who, after realizing that pretty much everything they eat is made of corn, decide to follow the chain of maize from the moment the seed is planted into the earth to the moment it finishes into one's mouth (in whatever form).

It seems to me King Corn might well be an informative and enjoyable journey in the vein of Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, the only trouble (at least for Fantasy Moguls players) being that the film by Aaron Woolf has no buzz whatsoever that might help it find an audience in the very competitive fall season. Fantasy Moguls predicts no PTA or Top 5 points, a very low $175,000 box-office take and a 6.0 User Rating. I can't see how, without any awareness, the film is going to do any better than that. As for its predicted User Rating, it won't even provide that if it can't even get listed on IMDb before opening date. On the other hand, if porn films, direct-to-DVD sequels and  Dr. Dolittle are worthy of IMDb pages, then why not an interesting documentary? Right? Anyone? Bueller?

Breaking down a film from a Fantasy Moguls perspective is always hard when the movie in question is one you feel passionate about, one you think everyone should want to see and should abosolutely love as much as you do. That's the way I feel about Control, a film I told you about last month, and one I've had the chance of seeing already. It's been a while since that vieweing, but the experience left me fascinated. Control is the feature film debut of photographer and music video director Anton Corbijn, whose work with U2 and Depeche Mode has brought him a lot of respect. And what better subject to make his debut as a filmmaker than bringing to theaters the luminous, yet tragic life of Ian Curtis, lead singer of short-lived band Joy Division?

The idea of making a film out of Curtis's life has been bounced around in Hollywood for years, yet it seems appropriate that, in the end, the film was made quietly in the United Kingdom by a budding auteur. Making its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last May, opening the prestigious Director's Fortnight, Control garnered some of the best reviews out of the Croisette, going on to win a Special Mention from the Camera d'Or jury (which awards the best directing debut). Praised unanimously for its strong black-and-white photography, its desire to portray a man's passions and doubts (rather than a rock star's fate) and the amazing performance of young thesp Sam Riley, Control arrives in American theaters with a solid reputation among film buffs.

Scheduled to open in only one theater in New York City on Wednesday, Oct. 10, Corbijn's film will be able to rely on terrific reviews and word of mouth to open with what might be a killer PTA. Fantasy Moguls predict two points in that department, but a little bird is telling me two is the very least it can do, and four is a good bet. (Then again, my own experience with this film has made me lose "control" of any kind of objectivity ... ) Expect the User Rating to go much higher than the 6.7 predicted. Around 8 seems more like it, to me. If you're looking for strong numbers in the PTA and IMDb areas, then for only $8, you won't find a better pick than this film.

Back in the documentary department, Terror's Advocate has one pedigree that can't be beaten: It's directed by Barbet Schroeder, a towering figure of '70s French cinema who emigrated to the United States in the late '80s to direct such films as Barfly, Reversal of Fortune and Kiss of Death (among others). Schroeder's last foray into fiction was in 2002 when he directed Ryan "Lars" Gosling in Murder by Numbers. Now he's back with a documentary that made a lot of noise when it was presented at Cannes and released in France last spring. Why? Because it examines the life and work of one 20th century's most controversial lawyers, Jacques Vergès, who made himself famous by defending such high profile terrorists and war criminals as Carlos the Jackal and Klaus Barbie, among others. The film is a striking look, beyond Vergès himself, inside the world of terror and its connections through one man. It may be a bit static overall, but emerges as one of the most fascinating, enigmatic, terrifying and awkward documentary subject of the year.

Vergès may not be as well-known in the U.S. as he is in Europe, but the subject is explosive and sure to attract and create debates. The fact that Schroeder directed the film will no doubt add to its arthouse value. Terror's Advocate will cost you $10 in Ultimate leagues and is virtually assured of gain one or two PTA points, with a User Rating in the high 7s. For the same price in Ultimate leagues, you could nab Jennifer Lopez's Bordertown. I wonder if that's not more terrifying than Vergès' resumé ...

Let's finish the week's offerings with the most expensive of the group, Sleuth. By expensive I mean that you can buy it in Ultimate leagues for $19, an amount that's pretty steep for a film with very few box-office pretensions. There's a good reason the film is highly price, however ... actually, there are several good reasons: the director is named Kenneth Branagh, the two stars are named Michael Caine and Jude Law, the screenwriter is named Harold Pinter, the original stage play was a Tony winner and the first film version is a well-regarded adaptation directed by Hollywood legend Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Yes, that makes for a lot of reasons why this film is being eyed as a strong contender on the arthouse circuit this fall.

Sleuth is a passion project for British actor Jude Law, who's been trying to put it together for many years now. The fact that he convinced Caine to take over Laurence Olivier's role (Caine played the role now handled by Law in the Mankiewicz film) and brought Branagh and Pinter on board shows he wanted quality. After all, he could have thrown it all together at the drop of a hat with Rob Cohen behind the camera and Vin Diesel in Olivier's role: XXX: The Furious Sleuth. Is that such a bad idea? But no, Law took his time and mounted a stylish-looking tête-à-tête that competed a few weeks ago for the prestigious Golden Lion in Venice.

The problem, however (there is one), is that for all the artistic credibility that's been put behind Sleuth, the one thing certain to diminish such a film's chances in theaters has happened: the reviews from Venice were lukewarm. With no critical support and, hence, so-so word of mouth, Sleuth is facing a stiff challenge. Will the star power and class of the film be enough to gain the 7 PTA points Fantasy Moguls projects? Or the $5.6 million in total receipts? Nothing's for sure with Sleuth, not even its PTA (though, for now at least, that's on track with a score of 8.2 based on 105 votes). For $2, on the other hand, it's a nice pick for Box Office players who didn't already snatch up Eastern Promises, which strongly looks to have been the best bargain in that price range.

In the midst of Oscar bait and award-caliber films, the end of the year will still have some space for outsiders. Looking ahead, as I do every week, I've got my eye on a dark horse that could do more than just take up space between holiday blockbusters and awards nominees. The Savages, a Sundance favorite last January that's been positioned by Fox Searchlight on Nov. 30 (or possibly Dec. 26, if you believe IMDb over Box Office Mojo). The film is Tamara Jenkins's second feature film, almost 10 years after her directing debut Slums of Beverly Hills. Her comeback behind the camera is the opportunity for her to work with two of the finest actors of their generation, Laura Linney (her fifth film this year after Breach, Jindabyne, The Hottest State and The Nanny Diaries) and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The two stars play siblings who must suddenly take care of their aging father (Philip Bosco) when he becomes particularly ill. The Savages collected excellent reviews in Park City, and there is no doubt that Linney and Hoffman will attract the arthouse audience once the film opens (whenever, precisely, that is). This is the kind of film that could have strong legs, and it currently stands at 8.5 on the User Rating scale. Don't overlook these Savages when they come knocking at your door.

Well, can you hear that sound? No, not the Valkyries, that's just my neighbor taking himself for Robert Duvall again. No, I was talking about that familiar end credits music that announces the light is about to come back on and it's time to empty your seat. Yep, it's here, so it's time you get up and ... go catch another film. See you next week with a Joaquin Phoenix/Mark Ruffalo showdown, among other things.

Indie Jones is not watching The Notebook no matter how good Ryan Gosling turns out to be in Lars and the Real Girl. And you can't make him. But you could e-mail him at danceswiththearthouse@gmail.com.