A lot of movies come out every year, and 2009 is no exception.  In fact, there are so many coming out that I’ve managed to compile a list of 53 that I’m interested in, and the list is still nowhere near complete.  That means that there is at least an average of one movie worth knowing about for every week of the year, and that’s just the ones that we know about as of this, the first full week of January.  So start with these 53 (links will point to a trailer if it is available, or to the IMDB page if no trailer is out), and stick around, as I will be updating the white board as the year goes on!

1. Notorious – Looks to be a well-done biopic on the life of Chris Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls, aka Notorious B.I.G.

2. I Love You, Man – Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, need I say more?

3. Coraline – Neil Gaiman wrote the bestselling story, Henry Selick turned it into a movie, and the soundtrack is done by The Might Be Giants…oh…and you can see it in 3D!

4. I Love You, Phillip Morris – This is one of the films on the list that could easily go either way, but after laughing hysterically at YES MAN, I’m at least inclined to give this Jim Carey/Ewan McGregor flick (that is not about big tobacco at all) a chance.

5. Cirque du Freak – Vampires are hot right now, and with John C. Reilly, Willem Dafoe, Ray Stevenson, Ken Watanabe, Patrick Fugit, Jane Krakowski, and Orlando Jones involved, i’m paying attention.

6. Watchmen – Who watches the Watchmen?  Well…we hope we have the chance to.

7. Duplicity – Tony Gilroy, who has written the three Bourne movies, along with 2007’s MICHAEL CLAYTON, is back with Clive Owen and Julia Roberts.  Throw in a little Paul Giamatti, and you’ve got what looks to be another great con movie.

8. The Wolf Man – Joe Johnston needs this one to be well-received now that the fate of Captain America is in his hands, and after seeing the leaked trailer from Comic Con, I don’t think anyone has anything to worry about.

9. Observe and Report – Forget the name Paul Blart, and remember this one: Jody Hill.  His previous film, THE FOOT FIST WAY changed Will Ferrel and Adam McKay’s life…this time, don’t miss out on the fun.  Make sure you catch Seth Rogen in the only mall cop movie that really matters this year.

10. X-Men Origins: Wolverine – What is there to say?  Wolverine is back, and this time we get a look at even more X-Men hitting the big screen!

11. Star Trek – J.J. Abrams ensures that Star Trek will have yet another generation of fans.

12. Terminator: Salvation – After the success of Dark Knight, Christian Bale playing John Connor in this Terminator movie means the flick could be complete and total crap, but a ton of people are going to see it either way…but have no fear, after watching the trailer, you shouldn’t think this movie will be anything short of awesome.

13. The Year One – With no trailer, all I can go off of is the cast and crew.  My gut tells me that a film written and directed by Harold Ramis, produced by Judd Apatow, and starring Jack Black, Michael Cera, David Cross, Vinnie Jones, Olivia Wilde, Oliver Platt, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Paul Rudd SHOULD be a winner…but there’s just no telling whether this will end up being another HISTORY OF THE WORLD or more like another CAVEMAN.

14. Public Enemies – Do you love tommy guns, fedoras, or names like Baby Face Nelson or Pretty Boy Floyd?  If so, PUBLIC ENEMIES should be on your anticipated movies list, because with Michael Mann directing, and names like Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Billy Crudup and Giovanni Ribisi set to star, this movie is going to be big.

15. Land of the Lost – Will Ferrell in a Land of the Lost movie?  No matter what else I write here, you already read the words “Will Ferrell” and you’re already interested!

16. The Taking of Pelham 123 – Tony Scott helms this remake of the 1974 crime thriller THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE.  He brings Denzel Washington back after a well deserved year off, and pits him against John Travolta and a group of hijackers who set out to take over a New York City subway car and attempt to hold it hostage.

17. G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra – Sure, it looks like it may end up being a big flop, but it is nostalgic.  It’s on the list, and you won’t convince me to take it off, so deal with it.

18. Shutter Island – Scorcese, DiCaprio, Ruffalo, Kingsley, Mortimer, Williams (Michelle)…

19. Taken – Turns out most of the “exclusive clip” we just posted about this movie is in the trailer (which First Showing had nearly a year ago) linked in this list…but what isn’t in that clip that IS on this trailer, is how Liam breaks the news to his daughter’s kidnappers that he is one major badass.  Watch this trailer.

20. Moon – Duncan Jones, aka Zowie Bowie (David Bowie’s son) wrote and directed this sci-fi mind game movie which will feature two Sam Rockwells and a Kevin Spacey robot.

21. Avatar – If you believe the hype, AVATAR will rock the world of movies forever.  James Cameron has put roughly 5 years of his life into testing, developing, and creating a 3D blockbuster of epic proportions, but the impact this film has on the future of movies is more than just technique.  Cameron has personally been a part of developing hardware and software that will be available to every major studio very soon, and if people love AVATAR, you better get ready to see a wave of 3D films flooding in over 2010 and beyond.

22. 9 – Shane Acker’s short film (which is linked on the trailer page) was definitely a well told story in its brief 10 minutes, but this trailer for the full length movie looks to take the premise of its predecessor and expand it to something of much bigger proportions.

23. Inglourious Basterds – Some said it would never be made, but barring some sort of unfortunate circumstance, Tarantino’s long announced World War II flick will finally see the light of day this year.  Can’t wait.

24. Sherlock Holmes – Guy Ritchie splits with Madonna and picks up a homeless guy for a role in this revved up version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic character, Sherlock Holmes.  Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and Rachel McAdams headline this flick which hopes to salvage a once interesting director’s career.

25. The Hurt Locker – I’m definitely not a war movie guy, and honestly, most films that try to touch on the war in Iraq have just felt out of place to me for whatever reason, but Kathryn Bigelo’s film, THE HURT LOCKER stands out.  With reviews coming in that herald both Jeremy Renner’s performance, and Bigelow’s direction, THE HURT LOCKER definitely seems worth a look.

26. Whatever Works – Woody Allen is writing and directing this film which centers on an older man (Larry David) getting involved with a much younger girl (Evan Rachel Wood) and some extended romantic entanglements that involve the younger girl’s mother and father.

27. The Road – Definitely in my top 10 most anticipated movies, if I had to rank them, THE ROAD stars Viggo Mortensen in a dark and very emotional story about a man who is dead set on getting his son to some place of safety in a post-apocalyptic US.

28. Where the Wild Things Are – Some loved the story as kids, some just love Spike Jonze.  Either way, this film will be loved by many.  Take a look at the pictures that are now available, and give your imagination a couple of minutes to run away.

29. The Fantastic Mr. Fox – Another beloved children’s story, another director with a dedicated following.  This time it’s a classic Roald Dahl story, directed by Wes Anderson.  Wes brings along a cast of voices that will be quite familiar to his fans: Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston, and Jason Schwartzman, as well as George Clooney as the voice of Mr. Fox himself.  Oh, and for you music fans…Jarvis Cocker is providing the soundtrack!

30. A Christmas Carol – Robert Zemeckis is behind this animated IMAX 3D telling of Charles Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL, which will feature Jim Carey as Ebenezer Scrooge as well as the three different ghosts who will haunt Scrooge’s memorable Christmas night.

31. S. Darko – I never said every movie on this list was going to be GOOD, but with that said…you still might want to check out this non-Richard Kelly sequel to DONNIE DARKO.  Of course, there’s no Donnie, in fact, the only returning character is Donnie’s younger sister Samantha, once again played by Daveigh Chase.  It sure has a lot working against it with a relatively unknown screenwriter and director, but then again, who was Richard Kelly before DONNIE?

32. Big Fan – I love Patton Oswalt, I loved THE WRESTLER…don’t worry, there’s a connection between the two, I’m not just at the point of babbling as I’m now more than 3/5 of the way through this rundown.  BIG FAN (which is screening at Sundance this year) is a comedy written by Robert Siegel, who wrote THE WRESTLER, and features Patton Oswalt as the biggest New York Giants fan imaginable.  However, his life takes a turn after he ends up in a fight with his favorite player.

33. Funny People – Judd Apatow is now a household name, and this is no fluke.  As time goes on, his two underappreciated shows have shown that he’s a great judge of talent, by virtually launching the careers of Jason Segel, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, and to a certain extent, James Franco.  He may have served as a producer on some questionable projects, but when the man writes AND directs a film, as he did with 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and KNOCKED UP, the end result is hilarious…not to mention, this film has so many great comedians in it, there’s no reason to skip it.

34. The Soloist – Robert Downey Jr. stumbles upon a homeless and schizophrenic musician, tries to help, probably feels like he hurt more than he helped for a bit, but in the end a lesson is learned that warms the heart of everyone who watches.  Just a guess from what is seen on the trailer, but even a predictable storyline can still be a touching, and poignant movie.

35. Sunshine Cleaning – Possibly my pick for sleeper film of the year, as I unfortunately don’t see this film getting a full mainstream run.  Watching the trailer makes me feel the way I felt when I saw the trailer for Wristcutters or Little Miss Sunshine…some of you will know what I mean.  You see a trailer and know you will see the film, you probably love it already, and a new friend gains a ridiculous amount of cool points for having seen it themselves.  Amy Adams and Emily Blunt make a great pairing, Alan Arkin is reprising his role as a grumpy but extremely loving grandfather, and Steve Zahn is always a pleasure.

36. The Informant – With Matt Damon becoming recognized more and more as Jason Bourne, it’s easy to forget he has a sense of humor.  In this odd but true story, Damon plays Steve Whitacre, a rising star in a corrupt company who decides to turn informant for the feds.  Only problem is, he apparently gets a little caught up in the idea of being a spy, and ends up weaving a web of lies and misinformation that leaves the Feds wondering what is true and what isn’t.

37. The Mother of Invention – This mockumentary from newcomers Andy Bowser and Joseph M. Petrick looks like it could make a splash, if it finds distribution.  Of course the fear is that it may end up like Napoleon Dynamite, having a limited run initially until someone like MTV comes in and decides to tell every 12 year old in the world about it.  Try to catch it early, and be prepared to abandon talking about it once you see Vincent Dooley products in your local Hot Topic.

38. Arrested Development – With every day that passes, I hope more and more that this can still happen this year, but with Michael Cera apparently still holding out, I have to wonder what we will end up getting.  My utmost confidence is placed in Mitchell Hurwitz and the rest of the cast though…who knows, maybe they’ll pull a Marta, and just replace him with someone completely different.

39. Killshot – It has suffered through virtually every roadblock a film can hit on its way to theaters including reshoots, the removal of Johnny Knoxville’s character, and it is now missing the “Quentin Tarantino Presents” just above the title, but it’s still coming out, John Madden is still the director, and it’s still based on the Elmore Leonard story.  Unfortunately, there’s no updated trailer to be found, so who knows how much of what was seen in the trailer that is out there will end up in the movie.  Keep an eye on it though…with Mickey Rourke, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Thomas Jane and Diane Lane rounding out the cast, it still has hope.

40. Fanboys – Speaking of roadblocks…FANBOYS has seen a few of its own, but it won’t matter anymore once it is released.  Chances are if you’re a big enough nerd to understand most of the jokes in the trailer…you PROBABLY already know about this film which centers on a group of friends trying to break into Skywalker Ranch so they can see EPISODE I before it is actually realeased, and all the attached drama, but if–by chance–you have been frozen in carbonite for the past couple years…click the link…watch the trailer.

41. Youth in Revolt – There should be no truth to the rumors about Michael Cera not wanting to come back as George Michael because he’s tired of getting typecast…since he seems to be making no attempt to get away from the awkward young guy parts.  In this one he plays (at 20) a 14 year old boy who is obsessed with sex and trying to lose his virginity to the teen queen of the mobile home park he’s living in.  Considering director Miguel Arteta is used to working from the king of awkward, Mike White’s source material, fans of the Revolt books should have no fear about the movie being watered down.  If you don’t believe me, watch Chuck & Buck and get back to me.

42. Adventureland – I have QUITE a thing for Kristen Wiig, and after this film, it might be acceptable to have a thing for Kristen Stewart…but let’s leave my celebrity crushes and get back to ADVENTURELAND.  There doesn’t seem to be a flaw in the lineup…Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader as crazy amusement park bosses, Jesse Eisenberg as an awkward guy just older than Michael Cera, Ryan Reynolds as the rebellious, but wise semi-mentor, Martin Starr as basically what Bill Haverchuck would’ve been in 1987, and Kristen Stewart as the hot chick.  Oh, and it’s written/directed by SUPERBAD’s Greg Mottola (a name you should probably remember from here on out)

43. Next Day Air – No promises on this, but it sounds like a decent enough action/comedy about non-drug dealers accidentally ending up with some drugs and trying to sell them off before the drug dealers find out what happened.  Donald Faison, Mos Def, Mike Epps, and Eddie Winslow…I mean, Darius McCrary are all in on this project along with music video director Benny Boom and first time writer Blair Cobbs.

44. Bruno – Sacha Baron Cohen brings another character out of the Ali G world, and into the lives of people who will most likely be made uncomfortable by his mere presence.  Brüno, the Austrian fashion reporter, is bringing his show to America, and we’re in for another crazy story along the lines of 2006’s BORAT.

45. The Brothers Bloom – Also in the running for sleeper movie of the year, THE BROTHERS BLOOM is the second film from writer/director Rian Johnson.  If you haven’t caught his first film, BRICK yet…DO IT.  Johnson has incredible style, with both his words and his visuals, and both are clearly on display in this trailer.  Did somebody say they should give him Cowboy Bebop?

46. The Hangover – Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis star in dude…where’s the groom?  Seriously, that’s pretty much what it is, but with those three guys, I’m in.

47. Them – Anything that involves Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg is worth noting.  Sadly, IMDB doesn’t do any justice to the concept of the book (which the aforementioned Mike White is adapting) so I’m linking you to a synopsis of the book it is based on.

48. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – Michael Cera makes another appearance on the list in this Edgar Wright film which is based on a comic book series about a guy who must defeat a girl’s seven ex-boyfriends before he can date her.  Of course they’re all pretty awesome guys in their own ways, which should make for an entertaining film.

49. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus – You had to know this was coming…Terry Gilliam has an amazing ability to tell fantastical stories, of the largest scale, and this looks to be a new achievement in his already impressive career.  Fortunately for Gilliam, things still continued on after the tragic loss of the film’s star, Heath Ledger before the movie was even finished, thanks in large part to actors Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell pitching in to help finish Ledger’s role.  This movie is on most people’s radar, as it will be Ledger’s final performance.  Until then, we can only wonder how his Parnassus performance will measure up to his Joker.

50. The Winning Season – Sam Rockwell as a down and out coach who is given a shot at redemption when he starts coaching the local high school girl’s basketball team.  Written and directed by James C. Strouse, THE WINNING SEASON just barely made it into Sundance this year, but it did make it in.  Should know more soon.

51. Gentlemen Broncos – The Hess brothers are back.  As with their other movies, I’m unsure as to whether it seems like it would annoy me, or make me laugh out loud.  Especially since all we have so far are a few YouTube videos featuring Jemaine Clement as the character Dr. Ronald Chevalier, and none of them are all that great.  However, they could just not seem funny due to being highly out of context.

52. Freeloaders – Adam Duritz (of the Counting Crows) makes his directorial debut in this film (even though IMDB says it’s Dan Rosen) that is based on a house he owned out in Hollywood that became a party pad, even when he wasn’t there.  Somehow along the way, a group of partiers just ended up living there.  The Broken Lizard crew is set to star in and produce the flick, which makes it a lot more interesting of a project.

53. The Slammin’ Salmon – Whew.  We’re finally here…the last film on the list, and there’s actually a trailer for it now!  It’s the Broken Lizard comedy that is slammin’ into Slamdance festival this year, and it looks hilarious.

So there you have it.  53 films you might want to see…not the Top 53, or most anticipated, but just 53 movies you might want to see.  Feel free to comment back on which films you’re not interested in seeing at all, films that weren’t on the list that you are looking forward to seeing, or just to tell us how on earth you had time to read through all of this!