as many as five or six a day with a little planning. After a week in the dark, here are a dozen of the ones that made the biggest impression on me -- for better or worse.

"Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call, New Orleans."

Werner Herzog's new film with Nicolas Cage -- and why didn't anyone think of that combination sooner? -- is bizarre, erratic and extreme. Also incredibly, addictively watchable. Opens in November.

"The Boys Are Back."

Based on the best-selling memoir of how a half-wild newspaper reporter, recently widowed, raised a couple of kids in a no-rules household. Star Clive Owen is pleasant, but this felt like upscale Disney. Opens Friday.

"Capitalism: A Love Story."

Michael Moore rails against the free-enterprise system by introducing us to people chewed up and spit out by banks, politicians and corporations. Unfair, inflammatory -- and very powerful. Opens Wednesday.

"An Education."

A small gem of a movie about postwar, pre-Beatles England, with Carey Mulligan very good as a too adventurous teen and Peter Sarsgaard smoothly seductive as the older man who schools her in life. Opens Oct. 9.

"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus."

Heath Ledger's last movie, with friends Colin Farrell, Jude Law and Johnny Depp taking on some of his scenes for director Terry Gilliam. Ultimately, more curious than entertaining. Opens in December.

"Life During Wartime."

Todd Solondz's (sort of) sequel to the sardonic "Happiness" revisits that film's characters, here played by other actors. The standout? Allison Janney, fleeing New Jersey for a new life in Florida. Still looking for distribution.

"The Men Who Stare At Goats."

A terrific cast -- George Clooney, Kevin Spacey and Ewan McGregor -- in a semi-satire on the CIA, with Jeff Bridges channeling "The Dude" as a hippie officer. Alas, it's only about two-thirds of a good film. Opens in November.

"Precious"

It's not very well directed, and the writing is awkward. But this story of an abused teen is harrowing -- and driven by surprising work from Mo'Nique as a monster mom and Mariah Carey as a social worker. Opens in November.

"A Prophet"

A Grand Prix winner at Cannes, this French crime drama follows a 19-year-old Arab into prison -- and then watches the system (and a cunning Corsican mobster) turn him into a real pro. Grim and gripping. Opens in December.

"The Road"

Long delayed, post-apocalyptic drama with a shaggy Viggo Mortensen looking after his son, searching for food and running from cannibals. Like "Mad Max," minus the fun -- or the point. Opens in November.

"A Serious Man"

Small-scale and personal Coen brothers' film, set in 1967 Minnesota, as a beleaguered professor looks for meaning. Is it a spoiler to say he doesn't find any? Well, these are the Coen brothers, after all. Opens Oct. 2.

"Up in the Air."

Clooney's second film at the festival, and a winner, as he plays a hatchetman traveling the country firing people -- and keeping even friends and lovers a safe arm's length away. Best of the fest, hands down. Opens in November.