pugterranian
Pima County Public Library
pugterranian's Completed Shelf
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The Station AgentThe Station Agent, eBook
eBook - 2004 | Widescreen edeBook, 2004. Widescreen ed
Added Sep 02, 2014
Added Sep 02, 2014
Comment:
On Beauty is a thoroughly satisfying novel. A comedy set primarily in academia, author Smith explores issues of marriage and infidelity, politics (academic and otherwise), race, class and art. Part satirical, part serious and usually quite funny—particularly the funniest sex scene I’ve ever read. Smith is generous with her cast of likeable characters, the one exception being blowhard professor Howard. How did Kiki stay married to him all these years?On Beauty is a thoroughly satisfying novel. A comedy set primarily in academia, author Smith explores issues of marriage and infidelity, politics (academic and otherwise), race, class and art. Part satirical, part serious and usually quite…
BreachBreach, DVD
DVD - 2007 | Widescreen ed.DVD, 2007. Widescreen ed.
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
Comment:
A thriller for adults. Based on the true story of CIA lifer Robert Hanssen, who single-handedly caused the greatest security breach in U.S. history. Chris Cooper gives an amazing performance as Hanssen; the rest of the cast shines as well. The script is thoughtful and sharp, the action well-paced and the characters, even the small roles, are all believable and complete. Breach is the most satisfying thriller I’ve seen in years.A thriller for adults. Based on the true story of CIA lifer Robert Hanssen, who single-handedly caused the greatest security breach in U.S. history. Chris Cooper gives an amazing performance as Hanssen; the rest of the cast shines as well. The…
This Film Is Not Yet RatedThis Film Is Not Yet Rated, DVD
DVD - 2007DVD, 2007
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
Comment:
While Heath Ledger’s portrayal of a terrifying psychopath in The Dark Knight was brilliant, I left the theater reeling with what The New Yorker critic David Denby cheekingly called “post-movie stress disorder.” How did a film with such relentless, hi-definition violence and psychological terror ever get a PG-13 rating?
This Film is Not Yet Rated answers that question and more. This provocative, often hilarious documentary exposes the hypocrisy of the MPAA film ratings board, an organization so clandestine that it has been able to keep its members’ identities hidden for decades. Kirby Dick chronicles his and other independent filmmakers’ experiences before the board. While their low-budget work is scrutinized for minor sexual content—gay & lesbian themes especially—violent Hollywood blockbusters get a free pass (apparently exposure to frank portrayals of sexuality, straight or otherwise, are much more dangerous to Americans and their children than graphic scenes of extreme human suffering). Central to the film are the funny scenes of detective work Dick and his team use to uncover the identities of the board's members. This Film enlightens, enrages and entertains.While Heath Ledger’s portrayal of a terrifying psychopath in The Dark Knight was brilliant, I left the theater reeling with what The New Yorker critic David Denby cheekingly called “post-movie stress disorder.” How did a film with such relentless,…
House of Sand and FogHouse of Sand and Fog, Book
by Dubus, AndreBook - 1999; New York : 2000Book, 1999; New York : 2000
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
Comment:
A serious work of literary fiction and a classic page-turner. No cheap thrills here; the suspense is generated by deeply rendered characters, beautiful writing and nail-biting pacing.
Major Pettigrew's Last StandMajor Pettigrew's Last Stand, Book
by Simonson, HelenBook - 2010 | 1st edBook, 2010. 1st ed
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
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This debut novel should fill your heart and put a smile on your face. Like David Lodge's best work in the 80s and 90s, Pettigrew is a British comedy of manners in which meek, stodgy middle-aged men are given a new lease on life by smart, vibrant women. It’s a comic love story in that vein, a gentle (but still sharp) satire faintly bubbling with whimsy. The lovestruck Major and Mrs. Ali are very well-drawn characters; both are enormously likable and sweet. A slew of scheming relatives, obnoxious Americans and stuffed shirts round out the very entertaining cast of characters.This debut novel should fill your heart and put a smile on your face. Like David Lodge's best work in the 80s and 90s, Pettigrew is a British comedy of manners in which meek, stodgy middle-aged men are given a new lease on life by smart, vibrant…
Gone Baby GoneGone Baby Gone, DVD
DVD - 2008DVD, 2008
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
Comment:
Ben Affleck’s outstanding directorial debut. Like Clint Eastwood’s Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone is based on a Dennis Lehane novel set in the tough and seedy neighborhoods of South Boston. Affleck does Eastwood one better here by employing a style of gritty realism, whereas Mystic was a little slick for my taste (the notoriously overacting Sean Penn in the leading role didn’t help). The entire cast is spot-on, especially Amy Ryan as a drug-addict who can’t properly care for a dog, much less a young child. Gripping, at times heart-stopping, Gone Baby Gone is most impressive in exploring the tough moral choices desperate people are forced to make. When is obeying the law merely rule-following, and the best moral course of action is a slippery slope?Ben Affleck’s outstanding directorial debut. Like Clint Eastwood’s Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone is based on a Dennis Lehane novel set in the tough and seedy neighborhoods of South Boston. Affleck does Eastwood one better here by employing a style…
The Drunkard's WalkThe Drunkard's Walk, BookHow Randomness Rules Our Lives
by Mlodinow, LeonardBook - 2008 | 1st edBook, 2008. 1st ed
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
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A fascinating look at the science of randomness, which, according to the author, is vastly misunderstood by the mass media, the legal system and society in general. Mlodinow’s lively writing and humor illuminates what could have been a dry topic (math, statistics) with examples from the World Series, professional gambling and the movie industry. You’ll think twice about your next encounter with a “crazy coincidence.”A fascinating look at the science of randomness, which, according to the author, is vastly misunderstood by the mass media, the legal system and society in general. Mlodinow’s lively writing and humor illuminates what could have been a dry topic…
Just Like the OthersJust Like the Others, Music CD
by Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl (Musical group)Music CD - 2008Music CD, 2008
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
Comment:
Great performance from Amy and Derrick Ross. The simple instrumentation and stripped-down approach perfectly suits Amy’s gorgeous voice. The songs are chosen and arranged to feature her plaintive vocals and sparse piano style, both of which she delivers with supreme confidence. This record is a breath of fresh air.Great performance from Amy and Derrick Ross. The simple instrumentation and stripped-down approach perfectly suits Amy’s gorgeous voice. The songs are chosen and arranged to feature her plaintive vocals and sparse piano style, both of which she…
The Flamingo KidThe Flamingo Kid, Streaming Audiobook
Streaming Audiobook - 2003Streaming Audiobook, 2003
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
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The young Matt Dillon stars in a sweet and honestly portrayed story of a young NewYorker’s coming of age in 1963. The tension between father and son is especially poignant in this heartwarming and funny film.
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
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Be forewarned: this is a brutal and bleak memoir, full of violence, loneliness and heartbreak. Yet it is also a thing of beauty, a straightforward and unadorned memoir in which the young Dubus, violently bullied as a child, transforms himself into a fighter, protector and, ultimately, a bully himself. Dubus is searlingly honest in the telling of his story, and in the process creates a very moving portrait of male vulnerability. If you enjoyed his great House of Sand and Fog, you will appreciate going deeper into Dubus’ world.Be forewarned: this is a brutal and bleak memoir, full of violence, loneliness and heartbreak. Yet it is also a thing of beauty, a straightforward and unadorned memoir in which the young Dubus, violently bullied as a child, transforms himself into…
Manhood for AmateursManhood for Amateurs, BookThe Pleasures and Regrets of A Husband, Father, and Son
by Chabon, MichaelBook - 2009 | 1st edBook, 2009. 1st ed
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
Comment:
The Pulitzer Prize winning author takes a thoughtful look, through the prism of his own experience, at what it means to be a man in our culture. The result is a varied collection of moving and funny essays. This also might serve as an instruction manual for spouses of smart, sensitive, well-meaning but ultimately flawed men.The Pulitzer Prize winning author takes a thoughtful look, through the prism of his own experience, at what it means to be a man in our culture. The result is a varied collection of moving and funny essays. This also might serve as an instruction…
In Fifty Years We'll All Be ChicksIn Fifty Years We'll All Be Chicks, BookAnd Other Complaints From An Angry Middle-aged White Guy
by Carolla, AdamBook - 2010 | 1st edBook, 2010. 1st ed
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
Comment:
Probably the most offensive book I’ve ever recommended. And it’s not even half good. From the man who brought you The Man Show, these testosterone-soaked, sometimes neanderthal-ish ramblings are guaranteed to make your liberal friends cringe. Me, I prefer to judge Adam in the context of his entire body of work, which includes the wonderful film The Hammer, years of counseling Junior College-bound teens on the late night radio staple Loveline, and now this—at times—very funny book. I laughed, and learned a thing or two like how to best utilize a pet Pegasus.Probably the most offensive book I’ve ever recommended. And it’s not even half good. From the man who brought you The Man Show, these testosterone-soaked, sometimes neanderthal-ish ramblings are guaranteed to make your liberal friends cringe. Me,…
pugterranian's rating:
Added Sep 02, 2014
Comment:
Ferris’s second novel has been unfavorably reviewed by some critics (and an ax-grinding Jay McInerney) and they have a fair point: The Unnamed is a far cry from Ferris’s acclaimed debut, the comical Then We Came to the End. Reminiscent of Beckett, Faulkner and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, The Unnamed is heart-breaking parable, wonderfully strange, brilliant, spellbinding and moving. It is an illumination of the mentally ill mind and a debate on the necessity of religion. It is an examination of a couple’s cycle of abandonment and commitment to each other. Throw in some devilishly neat twists and tricks and a pinch of good old postmodern suburban American angst and you have an existential page-turner that I found deeply satisfying.Ferris’s second novel has been unfavorably reviewed by some critics (and an ax-grinding Jay McInerney) and they have a fair point: The Unnamed is a far cry from Ferris’s acclaimed debut, the comical Then We Came to the End. Reminiscent of Beckett,…
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