First out of the chute with criticism of Sundance's competition slate is Jeffrey Wells, on his Hollywood Elsewhere blog:

As usual, one looks for catchy or provocative subject matter, a proven director, veteran actors...anything that pops through among the Sundance grim-itude. You certainly need to be on the lookout for any film that appears to use chronic downerism as a badge of artistic sincerity or authority. Road movies, marginal lifestyles, bizarre dysfunctional behavior, warring family units, shattered dreams, sex with the wrong people for the wrong reasons, etc. Sundance spelled backwards = funky depression.

That said, Wells holds out hopes for a few titles: "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh," "Sunshine Cleaning," "American Teen" and "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson." Unfortunately, the one World Cinema title Wells latches onto, the Brazilian thriller "Elite Squad," was pulled from the festival slate at the last minute.