Excluding one obvious biggie (and a film many readers are probably well aware of), Be Kind Rewind, I've picked out 10 films being screened at Sundance this year to put on your radar for future seasons. Some don't have a distributor or a solid release date yet, but those kinds of things are one perk of showing a film at Sundance — perhaps the movie will incite an indie studio bidding war for the right to distribute it. Last year's Sundance crop brought us Waitress (6 PTA points and a respectable $19 million at the box office) and The Savages (7 PTA points and $2.5 million thus far); might there be another film this year that could end up paying similar dividends for Fantasy Moguls players?

[Films listed are in alphabetical order]

If Will Ferrell made independent films (okay, besides Winter Passing and Melinda and Melinda), I feel like Adventures of Power (currently set for an Aug. 15 release) would be right up his alley. It's about a New Mexico mine worker named Power (played by Ari Gold, who also doubles as director and screenwriter, so this is truly HIS project) who sets out to change the world through his love of drums. The only thing is, he never learned how to play, so he air drums, first at his aunt's bar on talent night, and then with a team in New York after being "discovered." Eventually Power finds himself in the air drumming battle of his life, against a formidable rival. It's the spotlight on a somewhat ridiculous concept (like Ferrell as a figure skater or Christopher Walken as an evil ping pong master) that I think is the draw here. After all, nobody could really change the world through air drumming, but wouldn't it be fun to watch them try? Of course Power, idealistic small-town boy that he is, has to overcome his share of obstacles and ridicule to save the day. But don't mistake this for a feel-good, against-all-odds story of triumph; it's definitely all tongue-in-cheek.

Death in Love doesn't have a distributor lined up at the moment, but if some studio doesn't pick it up after Sundance, then I'll be a little surprised. The question the film explores: What burdens do the survivors of those who survived carry? (Okay, so it's not exactly catchy like a tagline, but it's thought-provoking, at any rate. Right?) The film tells the tale of two sons who've developed differently under a mother with a history of erratic behavior. One can't cope at all, and the other copes arguably too well. The cause of said problems for the mother is that, during World War II, she was sent to a concentration camp. She was able to save her own life, but at a cost that saddled her with guilt: she seduced the doctor who performed medical experiments on prisoners. Jacqueline Bisset plays the mother, and Josh Lucas the older, unstable son. Boaz Yakin (Remember the Titans) is directing, and as one reviewer says, the film provides insights about "family, guilt, ambition, lust and the impossible task of trying to live without them." I say that's one to watch for down the road.

Films about dysfunctional relationships have been rousing indie successes in the past (Little Miss Sunshine, Sideways, The Savages); in a similar vein comes Diminished Capacity. Matthew Broderick plays Cooper, a newspaper editor who suffers a concussion that leaves him unfocused and without short-term memory. He returns home to visit his aging Uncle Rollie (Alan Alda), who is fast approaching senility and is on the verge of losing his home. Alzheimer's disease affects him as well; he sits at home all day refusing to pay bills and fishing with a typewriter. After Rollie shows Cooper a valuable mint-condition baseball card, however, the two men decide to journey to Chicago, hoping to sell the card at a convention for sports memorabilia. Based on the novel of the same title, the film is said to be a "bittersweet comedy about people coming together and memory falling apart." Look for it to reap a potential PTA bounty later this year.

In Bruges (Feb. 8) is leading off the festival, as the Opening Night selection. Oscar-winning director Martin McDonagh (who took his prize in the short film category, for Six Shooter) makes his feature film debut, a dark comedy about two hit men (Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell) whose boss (Ralph Fiennes) orders them to recharge their figurative batteries in the preserved medieval town of Bruges after a botched hit. They are certainly out of place in the calm setting, but they are to wait there until the boss calls with their next assignment. One man finds Bruges oddly serene, but the other can't wait to leave, and during their stay, the pair also gets caught up in a series of strange encounters with — get this; I'm quoting directly from the Sundance Film Guide — "locals, tourists, a dwarf American filmmaker, Dutch prostitutes and a romantic liaison that isn't what it seems." Doesn't the absurdity of that list alone pique your interest a little? The price tag in new January-March leagues isn't terribly steep; it's $18 in Ultimate leagues but it should definitely rake in some February PTA.

While politically charged films fared poorly at the box office last year, Incendiary could buck that trend. It probably won't get a wide release, so it won't be marketed as mass entertainment (unlike, say, Lions for Lambs). Incendiary only appeals to a limited demographic, so releasing it on just a few screens raises its chances of PTA success. It also isn't about American politics; it takes place in England, and doesn't project an opinion about anything political, simply examines how one woman's life changes in the aftermath of a terrorist attack on a London soccer stadium. It's based on a novel that, perhaps chillingly, was released two days before the London bombings. What could have been a one-time, easily forgettable fling with a journalist (Ewan McGregor) who lives across the street transforms into grief as well as guilt, all in the course of a day, as the woman (Michelle Williams) realizes that her husband and son are most likely victims of the stadium attack. The film will be released later this year in the United Kingdom; after its screenings at Sundance, a U.S. release should emerge as well.

Quid Pro Quo depicts the eccentric subculture of those who long to feel whole, but in peculiar ways. It is fashioned as a tale of strangers whose lives become intertwined, in a similar vein to Crash or Babel. I know that many people think those films are a convoluted mess, but regardless of that opinion, those movies did perform well, and so there is a market for similarly crafted films. The main character of Quid Pro Quo is Isaac, a paraplegic New York City radio reporter, who follows up on an anonymous source's tip on a story about a man who walked into a hospital and demanded his leg be amputated. The pursuit of this story, even if only to satisfy his own curiosity, leads him to the culture of "wannabes," those who seek personal fulfillment in unorthodox ways, and may not feel whole unless they are an amputee. Unfortunately, Isaac's exploration of this culture may lead him to a painful truth rather than the answers he desires. Director Carlos Brooks is making his directorial debut with this psychological thriller (certain to be a more cerebral thriller than, say, Untraceable). Look for a limited release later this year.

As I've said before, foreign films are generally a safe bet for some respectable PTA numbers if they are released on American soil. One particular foreign Sundance entry that stands out is Time Crimes, a Spanish-language time-travel thriller. The focus lies on Hector, a man who hikes into the woods to investigate, amateurish as this may seem, a chance glimpse of what appeared to be a nude woman. Instead, he is attacked by someone or something wearing a pink head bandage, and hides inside some scientific contraption to escape. When he emerges, he finds that he has gone back in time, and naturally, has no idea how to right the situation. Hector is no scientist; he's just an average man, and so these circumstances are beyond his comprehension, not to mention beyond his control. Yet, he still must try to understand and fix them, though the more he tries, the more things fall apart. If nothing else, give it a look simply because the director's credited name is Nacho Vigalondo. Yep, Nacho Vigalondo.

My columnist cohort Indie Jones has already put the word out there about Towelhead; I'd like to throw my endorsement behind it too. Another film based on a novel, this film has impeccable pedigree, with Alan Ball (screenwriter of American Beauty) directing and Maria Bello and Aaron Eckhart (who fits much better in smaller films like this than in, say, No Reservations — yuck) among the cast. The movie explores the ripening sexuality of a 13-year-old Arab-American girl, sent to live with her strict father after her mom's boyfriend helps her shave, to put it delicately, the bikini area. Even in this new locale, her discovery of her own sexuality becomes a troubling obsession for two of her neighbors (Eckhart, as a redneck — ha! — and Toni Collette, who tries to shield the girl from all the attention) and her boyfriend. A portrayal of the anti-Arab sentiment especially prolific after the 9/11 attacks is also captured here. It may deal with somewhat risqué topics, but Towelhead could become an arthouse sensation. (After all, the perhaps equally risqué Lust, Caution did alright for itself last year.) Warner Independent has already picked up distribution rights; all that remains is for a release date to be set.

Looking at how well 3D films have performed in the past year (The Nightmare Before Christmas re-release and Beowulf, which, while it underwhelmed, had great numbers at 3D-equipped locations) as well as the rabid anticipation of the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds Concert in digital 3D come February, I think it safe to say that U2 3D could be worth a look for your future Fantasy Moguls rosters. IMDb currently lists a release date of Jan. 25, which would be immediately after its debut at Sundance, but the film isn't yet available in new January-March leagues. Perhaps it'll get pushed back, especially since Hannah Montana will lock up most digital 3D locations just a week later, or maybe the engagements on Jan. 25 are exclusive bookings, like sneak previews. In that case, I'd think U2 3D could expand to nationwide digital 3D theaters once the Hannah Montana concert has ended its weeklong run. We can certainly hope, because the movie looks pretty cool (I think the trailer played before most 3D showings of Beowulf; that's where I saw it, anyway). Given the number of fans U2 has worldwide, this stands to do very well even in limited engagements. PTA numbers should be spectacular. And a fun fact: this production employed the greatest number of 3D cameras ever used for a single project.

My final mention is a shout-out to Morgan Spurlock in the documentary category. In fact, Spurlock's name alone is part of what I think will make Where In the World is Osama bin Laden? a viable PTA pick (and one that could potentially provide some box office revenue too; his last directorial effort made $11 million theatrically) later this year. The film is Spurlock's follow-up to the much-discussed Super Size Me, which really put him on the map. Now people know who Morgan Spurlock is, and they'll almost assuredly be willing to see another of his films, especially because Super Size Me, about the director's experience of eating nothing but food from McDonald's for an entire month, was so eye-opening for many viewers. (I've actually never seen it, but that's what I hear.) Simply put, Spurlock was amazed at bin Laden's ability to avoid capture, and so he set out to track the man down himself. The film is a chronicle of that journey, along the way painting a portrait of the many Middle Eastern societies that are inextricably caught up in U.S. politics. At its core, this documentary is an appeal for greater awareness among global neighbors — and surely Spurlock isn't as opinionated as Michael Moore when it comes to making his points.

Well, that's all. If you happen to be in Park City in the near future, now you may have a few ideas as to what to do with your free time. And the rest of your can keep your eyes peeled in the months to come. Next week, I'll delve into some analysis on the new January-March season. Until then, good luck!

Mister Informative once thought he saw a naked woman in the forest, but it turned out to be just a tree with an unusual shade of bark. Also, there were no time machines in the immediate vicinity. Send questions about the Fantasy Moguls games, or reports of your own unconfirmed nudist sightings, to misterinformative@fantasymoguls.com.