It’s a fresh new year, so instead of touching on the economy, war or politics, I’d thought I’d start with a light and different topic today: movies.

When I grew up, my dad took me to the movies every Friday, with popcorn and sodas included. Some films were bad, but most of them were pretty decent. It made for some good childhood memories and to this day I have this useless skill where I can tell you, for the most part, how old I was when I saw the movie, what theater I saw it in and whether the popcorn was any good.

With 2008 behind us, I thought I’d take a look at www.darkhorizons.com and see what’s in store for 2009.

Perhaps the most anticipated movie in Minnesota should be the Renee Zellweger film “New in Town,” a fish-out-of-water romantic comedy that takes place mostly in New Ulm, Minn.

It should be entertaining to watch, especially the Minnesota scenes, although moviegoers should be warned the characters have the stereotypical, exaggerated “Oh yah” and “you betcha” Midwest accents.

It just might be the “Fargo” of romantic comedies. It opens Jan. 30.

Most of the other movies I really don’t have a clue about, but I could guess.

I have no desire to see a film called “My Bloody Valentine 3-D,” which opens Jan. 16; or “Drag Me to Hell,” which opens May 29; or “The Haunting in Connecticut,” which opens June 19.

Those types of movies need to die.

And apparently Jason lives on too, as another “Friday the 13th” is slated for well, Friday, the 13th (February.) “Piranha 3D” looks interesting though, which comes out on July 24, and it’s going to be a year of sequels, as “Terminator;” “Transformers;” “Pink Panther;” “Harry Potter;” “Final Destination;” “Street Fighter;” “Star Trek;” “Night of the Museum;” and “X-Men” all have new installments for 2009.

The best movies, of course, are the ones that are either entertaining or are so engaging and powerful that you think about them days and months and sometimes years after the lights come back on in the theatre.

After scanning the list of movies scheduled for 2009, I don’t have high hopes for a solid movie year, but there could be a few surprises.

If not, there’s always renting the classics or the first nine or so “Friday the 13ths.”