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Chunk’s World
Posted by CL Stegall on Jun 13, 2009 in Chunks World
Since no one is really visiting this site, I am going to redirecting to my other diversionary site/project:
Movies I think Didn’t Suck
Since I posted a list of sucky films I’ve seen recently, I thought it approrpiate to counterbalnce with a list of what I consider to be “must sees”. But, don’t take my word for it…see them yourself to decide.
American Gangster - Much better than expected. But, then it IS Denzel.
Appaloosa - Ed Harris is amazing and Viggo Mortensen can do NO wrong. Viggo is one of my top five fave actors.
Bolt - Funny and moving. I really enjoyed it.
Bubba Ho-Tep - Hilariously campy send-up of campy monster movies. Great!
Dark City Director’s Cut - Better than the original release; this one is SO underrated.
Eastern Promises - Again, Viggo Mortensen is the man!
Forgetting Sarah Marshall - I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time!
Great Debaters,The - So moving and disturbing and engaging and uplifting…all-around great film.
Hard Candy - Oh, God, what can I say…watch this!!
Hot Fuzz - Simon Pegg scores again!
In Bruges - Violent and heartbreaking, this is simply one of the best films I’ve ever seen.
Invisible,The - This one stands alone as unique and intriguing.
Juno - Diablo Cody (the writer) scores big with terribly relatable characters.
Knocked Up - A great comedy from the get-go. Seth Rogen makes me feel his pain and confusion and growth.
L.A. Confidential - one of the best crimes drams this side of “The Usual Suspects”!
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist - Another film that takes the “teen adventure” and turns it on its ear.One of the best films of 2008.
Nines,The - A deep and troubling film that (although sometimes difficult to follow) has a freaky twist that pushes the entire film in a different direction at the end. So cool.
No Country for Old Men - So very deserving of the Best Picture Oscar.
Reign Over Me - Adam Sandler is INCREDIBLE in this film. Heartrendingly-portrayed character.
Street Kings - This film - thougha tad bit cliched - serves as some of Keanu’s finest work. (I know that isn’t saying much, but check out the end scene with him and Forrest Whitaker!)
Wristcutters: A Love Story - an independent film which took the Afterlife and make it somewhat comprehensible to me. A wonderful film, seriously.
Movies I Think Are Crap
My friends are always jabbing me about the fact that I like movies…almost ALL movies. If I enjoyed a movie they hated they asked me why. Well, I am a fan of escapism. As long as a film gets my mind involved, then I am mostly happy with 90 minutes to two hours of not being me, of diving into someone else’s life and adventures for a change.
But, just to throw a wrench in the works, I thought I would list a few of the movies (some rated highly, some otherwise) that I found truly disappointing.
Enjoy! Discuss! Flame me, I don’t care. It’s just my opinion, after all.
Movies that Sucked:
Burn After Reading - great acting…stupid, nowhere plot.
Waitress - you have GOT to be kidding me. Horrible with a capital WHORE.
Babylon A.D. - YUk!
Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever - I’ll never get that 90 mins back. Ever.
Bangkok Dangerous - I like Nick Cage…but…seriously?
Citizen Kane - I know I’ll get some crap for this, but…bo-oring!
City of Ember - Yeah, for kids only.
Cypher - forget it.
Hannibal Rising - the guy gave me the creeps but still seemed amusing…and that just shouldn’t be.
Jackie Brown - Quentin can do so much better.
Max Payne - a melange of cliches and previous films…interesting but that’s all.
Pineapple Express - Oh, God. What a waste of my time. I finally gave up after forty minutes of nothingness.
Punisher: War Zone - great action revenge stuff…but no real plot to speak of.
RocknRolla - turned it off after only twenty minutes.
Speed Racer - managed to make it through with out throwing up…barely.
The Bank Job - true story, but still boring.
The Day the Earth Stood Still - I expected too much going into this one.
The Lost Boys: The Tribe - Blech!
The Mist - the perfect example of how an ending can ruin an otherwise decent fright flick!!!
The Salton Sea - Huh?
The Tale of Despereaux - beautifully told story of…ah, who cares.
Twilight Falls
I’m finishing up preparation to publish my modern fantasy novel, “Twilight Falls“, online beginning May 1st.
I’ve built out the site and published several short stories including the new “Amy’s Ogre“, about a little girl desperate to escape into a fantasy world of fairy creatures and leave behind the dangers of the “real world.”
Please check it all out at “Twilight Falls“!
Down With The Sickness
Posted by CL Stegall on Apr 21, 2009 in GENERAL POST
I am so down with a cold right now. My whole body aches and I can’t quit coughing. Man, I HATE this.
New Inspiration - New Effort
Posted by CL Stegall on Apr 18, 2009 in General Topic, MY NOVEL
Well, Tony Eldridge and I had a nice three-hour visit at the local Starbucks and I am newly invigorated about my novel!
I will be removing any of that content from this site and replacing it with a link to the new site (in-progress) which will house the novel.
To read about exactly how I am publishing the novel, please check out the new site, Twilight Falls.
It looks like I have a lot of marketing ahead of me but I am truly excited about what this process will provide in the long run with regard to my writing.
Please support me once the novel goes live on May 1st, 2009!
~CL
The Age of Reason
I’m finding I am not spending nearly enough time on my novel as I had expected/hoped. I’m being creative, but not in the manner of completing what I’ve started with the novel.
I will focus/dedicate more time to that effort in the future, most likely to the detriment of this site. Nevertheless, I feel it necessary to continue to post and keep my (scant) readers updated with my progress, tribulations, frustrations, etc. It’s the least I can do: share my pain as such.
Tomorrow morning I’m meeting Tony Eldridge for some breakfast coffee and chatting at the local Starbucks. He is a wealth of knowledge and experience and I am looking forward to touching base with him once again.
With that, I bid you adieu for the evening.
Keep writing….
GothMinister!
Posted by CL Stegall on Feb 21, 2009 in MUSIC
OK, so a Facebook/writing friend of mine has introduced me to a new band from Norway called Gothminister.
You gotta check them out if you are into technoMetal or Goth Metal or new wave metal. Especially the song “Dusk to Dawn.”
I’m kind of grooving on these guys right now. Great sounds and talent.
Shapes
Posted by CL Stegall on Feb 11, 2009 in FEATURED ARTICLE, Featured
There are shapes which can sometimes cloud our minds: the shape of hatred is a cloud which blinds our own inner sensitivity; the shape of prejudice is a block of fear which hinders our own evolution; the shape of jealousy is a vicious circle of misunderstanding and self-delusion which prevents us from sharing our lives with those who could most likely make the biggest difference.
So many shapes, so many reasons to hold ourselves back, to not let someone in…
This stage of our lives is too short–less than century–to let so many chances pass us by; chances to enrich our lives, emotionally and psychologically, not monetarily. Money doesn’t matter in the end, does it? Once you throw off this mortal coil and take the next step in our evolution…what would you expect to do with money? Pay off God? Sorry, I really don’t think you can bribe God. Although I am fairly certain an incredible number have tried.
I feel the key is simply to recognize those shapes as they appear. Then, if you’ve the heart and will, you can do something about them, kick them aside and get on with your life. Forewarned is forearmed. Guaranteed.
The shape of love is a Möbius strip of friendship which goes on for eternity. Infinity. Forever.
“Forever is a mighty long time”
Raising Sand
Posted by CL Stegall on Feb 9, 2009 in FEATURED ARTICLE, Featured
I’ve noted in a previous post just how much I adore the song that has now been awarded Record of the Year at the Grammys, “Please Read The Letter”, by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. I was super excited to hear that their album, “Raising Sand”, was truly embraced by the recording academy and won FIVE Grammys last night.
I’ve heard a few people state that they cannot get used to (or don’t even want to get used to) hearing the lead singer of the most influential rock band in the modern music era, Led Zeppelin, basically “crooning” on the album. To that I say that no talent in the creative fields should be ever be confined to any particular boundaries, genre or medium. The fact that Robert could pull off this amazing album having had his background is a huge compliment to his overall talent and I do not see how anyone could ever deny that fact.
For me, I was hesitant, I admit, to lending an ear to the album; however, once I did, I was thoroughly amazed at the perfection of the melding of the two peripatetic voices from such different “genres”. Alison has long been a favorite of mine in the Bluegrass arena, and Led Zeppelin…well, hell, who Didn’t like the Zep?!? How could you not recognize the varied talents’ coming together to create something so amazing and congealed? Open your mind, put on the CD, close your eyes and let it take you where it may…you won’t be sorry.
-CL