"The Machinist," directed by Brad Anderson ("Next Stop: Wonderland") shares the darkness of "One Point O," but has the opposite flaws. Instead of aimlessly pacing back and forth along the same corridors, the plot of "The Machinist" unfolds carefully and hits all the right marks. Unfortunately, the Big Reveal at the end of a suspense thriller ("The Usual Suspects," "The Sixth Sense," "Seven" -- the list goes on and on) has become so common that, once you can see, very early on, that a Big Reveal is on the way, it's tough not to become consumed with trying to figure it out. And when you're solving a plot puzzle instead of following the dramatic action of a film, you're out of the game. That said, "The Machinist" is the kind of movie that will naturally draw in audiences. If the thoroughly mediocre tricks with smoke and mirrors of "The Ring" can make $128 million, then "The Machinist" should be a hit -- if and when it attracts a distributor.

One delightful movie that seemed to be getting very little buzz was "D.E.B.S.," a sure-footed teen comedy directed by Angela Robinson about an elite paramilitary group populated by long-legged agents in Catholic school-girl uniforms. Despite clever dialogue and hip visual touches, this appeared to be just another goofy low-budget "Charlie's Angels" -- that is, until Amy, head D.E.B., falls in love with the beautiful criminal mastermind she's been charged with bringing to justice. Considering how fun and hilarious and modern this movie is, it's surprising that more people aren't talking about it. Regardless, Sony's Screen Gems is its distributor, so you should be able to find it in theaters sometime this year.

Most festival-goers agree that this was a great year for documentaries at Sundance. While viewers raved about such films as "Imelda," a stirring look at Imelda Marcos that "goes beyond the shoes," and "Deadline," an exploration of Illinois Gov. George Ryan's move to commute the sentences of 167 inmates on death row, distributors were in hot pursuit of the next "Bowling for Columbine." "Riding Giants," Stacy Peralta's doc about big-wave surfing, is also a clear crowd-pleaser, and while it lacks the crystal-clear, high-tech cinematography of last year's surfing doc "Step Into Liquid," it more than makes up for this lack with much sharper commentary, far more personal stories that range from quirky to deeply moving, and the distinct visual style that made Peralta's "Dogtown and Z-Boys" such a critical success. Peralta has a great eye, a real knack for story, and the passion to do justice to the dizzying evolution of big wave surfing over the past 40 years.

While some of the flashier docs with fun subjects are sure to get a lot of recognition, films with heavier subjects like "Control Room" and "Home of the Brave" are likely to get lost in the stampede. That would be a real shame, given the knack both of these documentary filmmakers have at making very broad subjects so affecting and personal. In "Control Room," director Jehane Noujaim explores life behind the scenes at Al Jezeera, the independent news outlet watched by millions in the Arab world. Instead of pounding home one particular point of view, Noujaim introduces us to memorable characters, and in so doing, reveals the passions, biases, and heartbreaks of those involved in covering the war in Iraq. For viewers who've mostly watched American coverage of the war, "Control Room" offers an entertaining but eye-opening glimpse at last year's events through a different perspective.

Surprisingly, "Home of the Brave" offers the same very personal approach to significant events, even though most of them took place 40 years ago. Director Paola di Florio examines the life and death of Viola Liuzzo, the only white woman murdered during the civil rights movement, partially through the experiences of her children. Liuzzo was campaigning for black voting rights near Selma, Ala., when she was killed by four members of the Ku Klux Klan, one of whom turned out to the a member of the FBI. As new details of the story emerge and Liuzzo's family struggles to come to grips with her death years later, the film reaches an emotional high pitch that's so heartbreaking yet full of hope, the experience is unforgettable. After so many paint-by-numbers documentaries about the civil rights movement, it's remarkable that a filmmaker could manage to bring the period and its tragedies alive through such a personal story.

As the Sundance festival wound down, the talk on the streets was far more positive than it had been just a few days earlier. Those who hadn't stayed out until 3 a.m. all week were clamoring to make it into the repeat screenings that had been set up later in the week to accommodate the most popular films. Others vowed to see the films they missed as soon as they made it into theaters nationwide -- a feat that's not so tough to accomplish, thanks to the enthusiasm of distributors this year. Whether or not any of these acquisitions makes sense critically or financially remains to be seen, of course. For the moment, though, despite the bleary eyes and crumpled clothing that signal festival burnout, most of the temporary residents of Park City you run into are more than happy to proclaim this year's festival a success.

But that may just be the free sushi and the pink cashmere scarves talking.

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