It's sad to admit, but this has to be one of the weakest Sundance Film Festivals in recent memory. Admittedly, there haven't been as many god-awful movies as in past years, but there have been few memorable standouts such as previous selections "Once," "Hustle & Flow" or "The Squid and the Whale." Although the first weekend of the festival always features some of the better flicks, here is the lowdown on the rest of the week's disappointing competition.

Great

"Phoebe in Wonderland": Elle Fanning is stunning as a young girl slowly beginning to exhibit symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder even as her mother (Felicity Huffman) refuses to acknowledge it. Noteworthy: Patricia Clarkson is particularly fine as the theater teacher leading the school's production of "Alice in Wonderland."

Good but Not Great

"Death in Love": A completely mixed bag, this challenging, artful drama directed by Boaz Yakin is about a 40-year-old man (Josh Lucas) trying to find peace with his dysfunctional family. It has some wonderful performances (Adam Brody in particular) and a few genuine surprises.

"Diminished Capacity": Still suffering memory problems after a concussion three months before, a Chicago newspaper editor (Matthew Broderick) returns home to find his uncle (Alan Alda) slowly loosing his mind and insisting they go back to the Windy City to sell a valuable Cubs baseball card. Virginia Madsen and Bobby Cannavale also stand out, but this comedy is a bit too formulaic at times to be a Sundance selection.

"The Escapist": This incredibly well-crafted thriller is about a "lifer" (Brian Cox) who attempts to escape from prison to see his sick daughter one last time.

"Sunshine Cleaning": Emily Blunt and Amy Adams continue to demonstrate why they are two of Hollywood's hottest and finest young actresses, but this dramedy about two sisters who form a company to clean up crime scenes isn't as original as it wants to be.

Not So Good

"Assassination of a High School President": A far less interesting retread of 2006 Sundance selection "Brick," this quirky teen comedy may eventually become best known for featuring star Mischa Barton's first nude scenes.

"Choke": Adapted from the novel by Chuck Palahniuk ("Fight Club"), this comedy finds Sam Rockwell playing Victor, a recovering sex addict trying to come to peace with his mother's dementia. It wants to say something serious about Victor's journey into self-acceptance, but first-time feature director Clark Gregg can't figure out the right tone to make it work.

"The Deal": William H. Macy spent years trying to get this movie, which he co-wrote, off the ground. It's a broad commercial comedy about a producer who manipulates a movie studio into making a Jewish-themed action picture. Unfortunately, it's just not that funny. In addition, when the public asks why the film is even in the festival while exiting the theater, that can't be good.

"Sleepwalking": Besides producer Charlize Theron's performance, there isn't much of a reason to see this pointless melodrama about a teenage girl (AnnaSophia Robb) whose uncle (Nick Stahl) helps her escape foster care after her mother (Theron) abandons her.

Sadly missed and getting good buzz: "American Teen," "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*," "Ballast" and "Sugar"

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