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As the Sundance Film Festival wraps, two films are the prevailing standouts — _The __Surrogate_ and _Beasts Of The Southern Wild_. But _Red Lights_ and _Filly Brown _have been the titles

consistently coming up short along with _Lay The Favorite_. Sundance founder Robert Redford warned attendees on Day One to explore the fest’s various nooks and crannies before guessing which

films would be hits or misses. Here’s my reporting: FEATURES _THE SURROGATE, directed by Ben Lewin_ This film is the obvious commercial hit and awards contender coming out of Sundance this

year and it already caught a $6 million acquisition deal as Deadline reported Monday. This film proves that there are still films that arrive with little fanfare and then break out. Starring

Helen Hunt (in a terrific performance) and John Hawkes and William H. Macy, pic centers on a man who is confined to an iron lung and at age 38 makes it a goal to lose his virginity. All the

buzz bodes well for Lewin who proves that reinventing yourself is possible at any age. Born in 1946, Lewin has a bevy of TV writing and directing credits with a sprinkling of features like

_Georgia_which received two AFI Award nominations way back in 1989. _BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD directed by Benh Zeitlin_ This is the fest’s artistic smash to date. The filmmakers had the

“dream” Sundance premiere at the Eccles Theatre complete with a standing ovation and immediate buzz at hobnobbing events. Instantly speculation began about who would snag the film populated

by unknown actors. Fox Searchlight did. This is the first film by co-writer/director Benh Zeitlin and the team behind Court 13_._ “Court 13 is an ethos we have on approaching a story and

production,” Zeitlin told me. “The arc is made through homemade objects, actors that are non-professional, and a crew that is chosen for their courage and art rather than pure skill.” _YOUR

SISTER’S SISTER directed by Lynn Shelton_ This film about grief had its U.S. debut at Sundance after a Toronto fest premiere initiated buzz. Sundance’s comparatively smaller lineup is giving

the film some breathing room and good word of mouth for performances by Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mark Duplass, and Mike Birbiglia. The film follows Jack who is grieving over his

bother’s loss and heads to his father’s cabin unaware that a woman is already staying there with similar circumstances. _RED HOOK SUMMER directed by Spike Lee_ This film proved extremely

divisive with its supporters saying “Spike Lee is back” and detractors simply dismissing it. The film nevertheless was talked about well after it premiered and not only because of Lee’s

anti-studio rant during the post-screening Q&A. Financed by Lee, pic follows a boy who goes from a comfortable life in Atlanta to living with a grandfather he has never met in a gritty

housing project in Brooklyn, location for Spike’s _She’s Gotta Have It_ (1986), _Do The Right Thing_ (1989), _Crooklyn_ (1994), _Clockers_ (1995) and _He Got Game_(1998). WATCH ON DEADLINE

_SIMON KILLER directed by Antonio Campos_ Buzzed before the fest, this film turned into Sundance’s greatest polarizer. It’s the latest installment from the Borderline Films folk who brought

_Martha Marcy May Marlene_ here last year. _Martha_ director Sean Durkin switched roles with Campos and put on the producer’s hat for this film about a disturbed recent college grad who

falls for a Parisian prostitute. “Ambitious”, “cinematic”, and “tough” were adjectives used. “It’s like _Shame. _Some love it. Others hate it,” was one opinion after its Eccles debut. Look

for it to possibly play Cannes. _Martha_ was one of the few Sundance choices there last year and _Simon Killer_‘s French setting and artistic sensibility may get it a slot. _FOR A GOOD TIME

CALL… directed by Jamie Travis_ This Sundance film like _Bachelorette_ have drawn some initial comparisons to box office smash _Bridesmaids_. But this is seen as “the more accessible” of the

two because of its less dark material. It revolves around two frenemies who end up in a NY apartment together and share a “dirty secret”. _KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, directed by Ira Sachs_ After a

slow start following a sneak screening in New York, the film picked up steam in Park City. Some festgoers ranked it among this year’s favorites due to its raw intensity even if they call it

flawed. Based on a true story, the film revolves around two men’s emotionally and sexually charged journey through the love, addiction, and friendship. _COMPLIANCE directed by Craig Zobel_

This divided audiences right out of the gate following its initial screening. It had one of the most emotional Q&As at the festival. One woman yelled out “Sundance can do better” after

its premiere which reflected what many thought. Others have lauded the film as “an incredibly smart movie” about the American psyche post-Guantanemo Bay. The film follows two women working

at a busy fast food restaurant on a stressful workday that leads to police detention and a sexual assault. DOCUMENTARIES The unfortunately titled_ FINDING NORTH_ by Kristi Jacobson and Lori

Silverbush is the “big issue doc” of the festival. Though “not artsy”, it’s “very Participant” as in Participant Media which also made _An Inconvenient Truth_). Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio

came on board as producer of the film about hunger in America. _HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE_ received a rapturous standing ovation the minute the lights went on following its first screening.

Sundance attendees noted the AIDS film came in with little buzz but is now on a roll. _SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS_brought out a throng of LCD Soundsystem fans who packed the Park Cities At

Midnight screening complete with spontaneous clapping and singing for a really fun evening. _MARINA ABRAMOVIC: THE ARTIST IS PRESENT_ is “so much more than you think it’s going to be,” and

“definitely not a PBS documentary”. A performance artist for 40 years, Abramovic  staged maybe a Sundance first: a silent party. (Attendees including Redford walked around a gallery without 

schmoozing.) Heidi Ewing’s and Rachel Grady’s _DETROPIA_ caught good word of mouth on the non-fiction side as did Bart Layton’s _THE IMPOSTER_, _ME@ THE ZOO_, _WEST OF MEMPHIS_, and the even

 more polarizing _QUEEN OF VERSAILLES_