Pro: Roadside Attractions can put together a scrappy campaign and land surprising nominations. They went big enough in 2009 to land major nods for "Winter's Bone" and the next year for Javier Bardem in "Biutiful." And just last year the distributor guided Sundance entry "Margin Call" to an original screenplay nomination alongside some expected bids for "Albert Nobbs." So a film like "Arbitrage," leanly scripted and with a movie star front and center, could just as easily appeal to voters and slip into the field.

Con: Maintaining recognition all the way from Sundance is always a tall order, no matter what the film. And this one might be lucky to just end up with some recognition for star Richard Gere at the end of the day.

- Kristopher Tapley