PARK CITY — I'm lucky, as far as the Sundance Film Festival is concerned.
The so-called "press and industry screenings" at the festival mean that I don't have to fight the crowds to see the movies.
And in some cases, there are early pre-screenings of notable festival selections.
As a result, I've already seen things like "Get Low," a low-key drama that opened the festival's Salt Lake City programming. The same goes for "Frozen," an at-times gruesome thriller about three skiers who are trapped on a ski lift. (The ultra-low-budget movie was filmed at Ogden's Snow Basin.)
So I can already wholeheartedly recommend "Get Low." (It was good, but really, how can you resist a movie that has Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek in it?)
As for "Frozen," it's not great. But it has some intense moments and will appeal to fans of the earlier Sundance hit "Open Water."
Unfortunately, my work schedule means I won't get to see a lot of things. But I do have a few movies circled.
By the way, I'm not guaranteeing that the selections are all going to be good, just that they sound interesting — at least to me and my rather peculiar movie sensibilities.
Also, I'm not guaranteeing that I'll see them all — at least not during this year's Sundance.
But here you go — here are six other films at Sundance that have caught my eye:
"Abel" (Jan. 25 and 26 in Park City; Jan. 28 in Salt Lake City; Jan. 30 in Provo Canyon).
I've already heard some good things about this Mexican-made family drama.
"Cane Toads: The Conquest" (Jan. 26 and 27 in Park City).
Mark Lewis' documentary about the Australian environment is being shown in the 3-D format.
"Night Catches Us" (Jan. 24, 27 and 29 in Park City; Jan. 25 in Provo Canyon; Jan. 28 in Salt Lake City).
Based on his performance in "The Hurt Locker," I'd gladly see anything actor Anthony Mackie is in. This is a '70s-period drama.
"A Prophet" (Jan. 24 in Salt Lake City; Jan. 30 in Park City).
This French thriller about organized crime behind bars already won awards at last year's Cannes Film Festival.
"Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil" (Jan. 27, 28 and 30 in Park City).
Cultural misunderstanding pits hillbillies against snotty college kids in this horror spoof.
"Waiting for Superman" (Jan. 24 in Ogden; Jan. 27 and 30 in Park City; Jan.29 in Salt Lake City).
I'm a documentary fan, and this expose about the U.S. educational system comes from the makers of the Oscar-winning "An Inconvenient Truth."
If you go...
What: The 2010 Sundance Film Festival
Where: Various venues in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and the Sundance resort (Provo Canyon)
When: Through Jan. 31
How much: $15 ($15 wait-list tickets)
Phone: 435-776-7878
Web: www.sundance.org/festival
e-mail: jeff@desnews.com