Well, it’s almost New Years. January 1st, 2009. Can you believe this decade is almost over? I swear it went twice as fast as the ’90s. And I still haven’t accomplished everything I meant to. Time’s speeding up every year, and unlike Benjamin Button, I’m not getting any younger. Last year, I didn’t even bother with resolutions - like most people, I figured there was very little chance of ever fulfilling any of them. Or even, necessarily, remembering what they were or where I wrote them by December 31st. The beginning of a new year might be an arbitrary point in time to get my life back on track, but it’s still as good as any.

This year, I’m going to do something a little different for my New Year’s Resolutions. I’m going to tack them to the fridge and actually do them. And if I start to slip and forget why they’re so important, maybe these movies can help me out.

I resolve to…

1. Broaden my horizons without eliminating the possibility of old favorites.
Much like in Shaun of the Dead, I feel like I’m in somewhat of a rut. Hopefully, it won’t take a zombie attack to teach me how to make use of my skills and develop new ones. While old habits can be as comforting and secure as a heavy-doored pub, sometimes you just have to learn how to pretend that you’re dead.

2. Make new friends.
It took a tragedy to bring Large back to his home in Garden State, but hopefully I can make some connections with new, exciting people without crippling depression driving me to it. Like most people, I’m often drawn to friends who are unlikely to challenge me and force me out of my comfort zones, but I should definitely make an effort to start seeking out people who can teach me about things I wouldn’t pursue on my own.

3. Learn some magic tricks.
As demonstrated by Angier and Borden in The Prestige, magic can be quite an impressive hobby. Although it’s obviously not a good idea to get sucked in the way they did, to the point where you’re doing outrageous and dangerous things to outwit your rival, magic is something that impresses people even when they know that it’s all smoke and mirrors.

4. Make my own choices, without being swayed by what I’m told I “should” do.
I may not be a demon that fell to earth, that like Hellboy, I have the strength to pursue what I believe is right, regardless of what my origins or upbringing might be urging me to do. Whether those voices in my ear are telling me to unleash Armageddon or simply stay in a job I hate, I shouldn’t pay attention to them when they run contrary to what I truly want.

5. Pursue my passion, even if people make fun of me.
Unlike Dewey Finn in School of Rock, I can’t let myself be discouraged by people who will insist that I can’t accomplish what I want to in my life. Whether I set out to assemble an awesome rock band out of schoolchildren or just to finally write that novel, it’s important to have enough confidence in myself that I won’t question my abilities just because a few jealous idiots can’t keep their hostility to themselves.

Hopefully, this year’s resolutions will go a little better than last year’s. Take my advice and don’t make resolutions you know you can’t keep, like “work out five days a week” or “eat no more than 1,700 calories every day.” It never works, and you’ll end up abandoning the entire thing out of frustration and guilt. Reaching for the stars might not be quite as effective as realism in situations like this.

Good luck with your resolutions, if you’re making any – and even better luck with everything you do in the new year. Let’s make everything in 2009 the best year ever. Or at least not fall into a recession-based funk.

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