2011: Year of The Pursuit of Happiness (Sports)

By: Luke Florence

"The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase: if you pursue happiness you'll never find it." - C.P. Snow.

With movies dominating the majority of 2011 on The King of Arguments something had to get left behind. Unfortunately, sports became the victim. It's been more than a year since I last posted about anything related to athletics at all. Some of my newer visitors have no idea that I started this blog so I could do just that ... write about sports.

Who knows if 2012 brings any more or any less sports-related posts. I can't predict the future (even though that's exactly what I attempt to do in this column). What I do know is that 2011 was the year my favorite teams (Irish, Browns, Bulls, Penguins, and Indians) were all on the pursuit of happiness.

Some came closer than others.

2011: Year of The Pursuit of Happiness (Television Shows)

By: Luke Florence

When thinking about what 2011 brought me in terms of television programming, one word came to mind.

Strange.

For the first time in four years my favorite television show was no longer around (LOST). For the first time in four years I didn't have a must-see show. For the first time in four years I simply didn't have a television show. And it felt ... strange.

After LOST went off the air in May of 2010 I took a break from TV. It wouldn't have been fair to try and watch another show after riding such an emotional high LOST provided. The best way to move on, for better or worse, is a combination of distance and time. After enough of both had passed I decided it was time to dive back in to see what television had to offer.

2011: Year of The Pursuit of Happiness (Books)

By: Luke Florence

There's something about a good book that is unparalleled in terms of entertainment value. A good book at it's best is pure creation on two fronts. One on side there is the author, the original creator who put the pen to the paper and allowed the world a glimpse inside their mind. On the other is the reader, the receiver, who takes those words and creates their own images and ideas to coincide with the words they are digesting.

In 2011 I read eight new books which took me to different places - some good, some not so much - but all of which taught me something about myself. A book doesn't have to be good to teach a lesson.

2011: Year of The Pursuit of Happiness (Movies)

By: Luke Florence

As 2010 turned into 2011 there was one song that I was listening to more than any other. It was Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness." I thoroughly enjoyed the beat, Cudi's rap style, and the message surrounding the song. So, when it came time to slap on a label for 2011, I figured Cudi's tune would be a perfect fit.

It's been a while since I've done a year-in-review post. To be exact, it's been three long years. In the past I've recapped the seasons for my six favorite teams (Bulls, Browns, Indians, Penguins, and the Irish) and then given awards for my favorite movie, favorite sporting event, etc. This year we will do things a little different.

In separate posts, I will discuss 2011 from differing angles. This first one will be my look back at movies, with subsequent posts covering television shows, books, my personal life, and of course, my sporting teams. All will lead to a more comprehensive and in-depth look at 2011 and my pursuit of happiness.

Seems fitting that we start with my 2011 review of movies due to the fact that I spent the last seven months on this blog recapping my favorite 100 films, we might as well keep that movie momentum moving. Will any film released in 2011 crack my top-100? What was my favorite film of the year? Or my favorite individual performances? Only one way to find out.

KOA's 100 Films: Top Fifteen Trailers

By: Luke Florence

As soon as I finish one list I start another one, only this next one won't take six months to complete, although it did take that long to gather all the necessary information.

Now that I have posted more than 100 movie trailers over the last 24+ weeks it's time to rank the top fifteen. Granted, these probably aren't my favorite trailers of all-time, but they certainly are ones I always enjoy.

KOA's 100 Films: By The Numbers (Part Two)

By: Luke Florence

Now that you know what my favorite 100 movies are I thought it would be nice to showcase some statistics. Who is my favorite director? What about my favorite actor/actress? Do I favor dramas or comedies? What year had the most films represented on my list? How many Oscars did these films win?

What follows are answers to all of the questions and much more.

KOA's 100 Films: 1

By: Luke Florence

On June 30th I mapped out my next major task for this blog with the introduction of a series of posts titled, "KOA's 100 Films." Over the course of the next six months I unveiled my 100 favorite movies. It was the largest list I've ever compiled and without question one of the most difficult tasks I've tackled here.

All of it has led to this last moment when I would finish this major endeavor. For those of you who have been following this blog since its' inception you know how rarely the word "finish" is used. I've started several adventures in the past and have failed to finish, but I refused to accept that notion when I started this adventure.

Fitting in so many ways that the word "finish" should arise by happenstance in my intro to my favorite film of all-time because the idea of "finishing" is a major theme in the movie.

And so here we go. It's been an epic encounter. Thanks for going on it with me. I made this list for myself, but like all great things in life, it can only be enjoyed with the presence of others.

KOA's 100 Films: 2

By: Luke Florence

All along I've been listing MY favorite movies without regard for anyone's opinions. The films have been ones that I've enjoyed and could care less whether or not anyone out there agreed with me or not. That mindset kind of changes as we hit my #2 favorite movie of all-time.

This film is one that I consider to be the greatest movie ever made. It's not my #1 movie because of certain personal reasons, but it is without question a piece of art that deserves all of the recognition it has received since it's release nearly two decades ago. What's sad is that it took the world nearly two years after it's opening weekend at the box office to realize how good it was. This film that many regard as the best ever, flopped horribly at the box office and initially didn't make enough money to simply cover production.

And look at it now.

KOA's 100 Films: 3

By: Luke Florence

Every once in a while a film comes along and changes things. It's innovating, ground-breaking, and revolutionizes the way movies are perceived. Strong words, yes, but accurate when describing this unbelievable film.

If LOST was condensed to a two-hour movie, it would look like this film ... just completely mind-blowing awesomeness.

KOA's 100 Films: 4

By: Luke Florence

Love is a theme that Hollywood has been exploring for as long as anyone can remember. Often, it is portrayed as a fairy-tale where Prince Charming comes to sweep Cinderella off of her feet. Other times it follows a basic formula where two people meet, they fall in love, break-up, but get right back together at the end. There's nothing wrong with these characterizations of love, except that they are missing a taste of reality.

My #4 movie takes a unique turn from the prototypical Hollywood-love angle and tackles the topic with a fresh blend of real-life.