By Gregory Ellwood
Special to MSN Movies

With January's arrival, it's time for another installment of the Sundance Film Festival. Unlike the past two years, the 2008 edition promises to feature more audience-friendly, star-driven flicks than ever.

Still, the socially conscious festival committee is no doubt concerned about the continuing influx of B- and C-level celebrities (i.e., Shannen Doherty) who descend upon Park City, Utah, and distract from all the "serious" filmmaking by crashing free gifting suites and underwhelming parties. But with television production at a standstill and few movies in production because of the Writers Guild of America strike, you can expect even more questionable attendees to make the trek out of sheer boredom (Jeremy Piven, welcome!).

Yet the festival must take some responsibility for the madness. When you have Mary-Kate Olsen starring in one of the dramatic competition selections ("The Wackness"), do you really expect the paparazzi won't be far behind?

In any event, the stars are coming to snowy Utah, and here's a look at some of their movies that may eventually hit a theater near you.

"Smart People"
Sarah Jessica Parker, Dennis Quaid, Ellen Page and Thomas Haden Church star in this comedy about a professor (Quaid) whose well-managed life comes crashing down on him when his screw-up brother (Church) pays a visit.

"What Just Happened?"
Director Barry Levinson makes his first festival appearance with this comedy based on real-life producer Art Linson's accounts of the absurdity of working in Hollywood. Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn and Catherine Keener star.

"Sunshine Cleaning"
This highly sought-after comedy finds Amy Adams and Emily Blunt as two sisters who open a business to clean up the bloody messes left at crime scenes. Oscar winner Alan Arkin, of Sundance favorite "Little Miss Sunshine," co-stars.

"Sleepwalking"
Charlize Theron produced and co-stars in this drama about a 12-year-old girl (AnnaSophia Robb) who escapes foster care with the aid of her uncle (Nick Stahl) and discovers the true reasons why her mother (Theron) abandoned her.

"The Great Buck Howard"
Tom Hanks produced and co-stars in this comedy about a law school dropout (Colin Hanks) who becomes the personal assistant to a has-been "mentalist" (John Malkovich) attempting a career comeback. Emily Blunt and Steve Zahn also star.

"Incendiary"
Ewan McGregor and Michelle Williams star in this drama about the aftermath of a fictional terrorist bombing at a British soccer stadium.

Other flicks with famous names: Josh Hartnett in "August," Felicity Huffman in "Phoebe in Wonderland," Naomi Watts in the American remake of "Funny Games," festival regular Paul Giamatti in "Pretty Bird," Luke Wilson in "Henry Poole Is Here," and Bruce Willis and Mischa Barton in "Assassination of a High School President."

Next: Sundance: Comebacks and Breakouts?