Robert De Niro in "Red Lights."

Robert De Niro in "Red Lights." Credit: Robert De Niro in "Red Lights."

The 2012 Sundance Film Festival kicks off in Park City, Utah, Thursday, and unless you're one of those lucky moviegoers who can afford the expensive journey from New York to the Wasatch Mountains, you're probably wondering why you should care.

The answer: The festival traditionally offers the first look at many of the most significant movies coming out in the year ahead. It's hard to accurately gauge what will hit before the fest begins, but we've parsed the roster to come up with some of the films that we think are likely to catch on in Park City and beyond.

LI schools among nation's best ... Pension costs spike ... Lets Go: Kerber's Farm Credit: Newsday

Updated 28 minutes ago Nassau's lead pipes problem ... LI schools among nation's best ... Tobay Beach sand loss ... Knicks open camp

LI schools among nation's best ... Pension costs spike ... Lets Go: Kerber's Farm Credit: Newsday

Updated 28 minutes ago Nassau's lead pipes problem ... LI schools among nation's best ... Tobay Beach sand loss ... Knicks open camp

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