The colloquialism control freak usually describes a person with an obsession with performing tasks in a certain way. This is why a control freak can become distressed when someone causes a deviation in the way they prefer to perform tasks.
The Lovely Bones is a 2002 novel by American writer Alice Sebold. It is the story of a teenage girl who, after being raped and murdered, watches from her personal Heaven as her family and friends struggle to move on with their lives while she comes to terms with her own death. The novel received critical praise and became an instant bestseller. A film adaptation, directed by Peter Jackson, who personally purchased the rights, was released in 2009. The novel was also later adapted as a play of the same name, which premiered in England in 2018.
"Mr. Monk and the Candidate" is the two-part pilot episode of the American comedy drama detective television series Monk. It introduces the character of Adrian Monk, a private detective with obsessive–compulsive disorder and multiple phobias, and his assistant Sharona Fleming, as well as police officers Leland Stottlemeyer and Randy Disher. In this episode, Monk investigates an assassination attempt on a mayoral candidate.
Matchstick Men is a 2003 black comedy film directed by Ridley Scott and based on Eric Garcia's 2002 novel of the same name. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, and Alison Lohman. The film premiered on September 2, 2003 at the 60th Venice International Film Festival and was released in the United States on September 12, 2003. It received generally positive reviews and grossed $65 million against its $62 million budget.
Citizen Dog is a 2004 Thai romance film, directed by Wisit Sasanatieng and based on a novel by Wisit's wife, Koynuch, which was illustrated by him. The second film by the director of Tears of the Black Tiger, it is a colorful story set in contemporary Bangkok, where a boy (Pod) without a goal in life falls in love with a girl (Jin) who lives for her dreams. The film is frequently compared with the French movie Amélie. One of the main themes of the movie is that people will only find something from the moment when they stopped looking for it.
Hairstyles of the Damned is a coming-of-age novel and the third book by Chicago author Joe Meno. Released by Punk Planet Books in 2004, it has sold over 80,000 copies in ten printings. It has been optioned for film by Focus Features.
The Four Seasons is a 1981 American romantic comedy film written and directed by and starring Alan Alda, which co-stars Carol Burnett, Len Cariou, Sandy Dennis, Rita Moreno, Jack Weston, and Bess Armstrong. It draws its title from the four concerti composed by Antonio Vivaldi. Those compositions, along with others by Vivaldi, comprise the musical score.
Starter for Ten by David Nicholls is a novel first published in 2003 about the character Brian Jackson and his first year of university (1985–86), his attempts to get on the Granada Television quiz show University Challenge, and his tentative attempts at romance with Alice Harbinson, another member of the University Challenge team. The title is taken from an opening question to a round on the quiz show worth ten points, known as the teams' "starter for ten". Because this reference might be lost on American readers, it was originally released as A Question of Attraction when it was published in the United States.
Dirty Filthy Love is a British single television drama starring Michael Sheen as an architect living with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette syndrome.
P.S. I Love You is a 2007 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard LaGravenese from a screenplay by LaGravenese and Steven Rogers. It is based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Cecelia Ahern. The film stars Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, Gina Gershon, James Marsters, Harry Connick Jr. and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Just Listen (2006) is a young adult novel written by author Sarah Dessen. It is her seventh published novel.
Lucky 7 is a 2003 television film starring Patrick Dempsey and Kimberly Williams. In the film, a female lawyer arranges her life according to the predictions of her deceased mother. Her mother predicted that she would marry her 7th boyfriend, but the lawyer is confused when she concurrently dates two boyfriends following a break-up. Which one is the 6th boyfriend and which one the 7th boyfriend is unclear to her.
A Fraction of the Whole is a 2008 novel by Steve Toltz. It follows three generations of the eccentric Dean family in Australia and the people who surround them.
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental and behavioral disorder in which an individual has intrusive thoughts and feels the need to perform certain routines (compulsions) repeatedly to relieve the distress caused by the obsession, to the extent where it impairs general function.
Just Checking by Emily Colas is an account of her experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Divided into four sections, Colas provides snapshots of her life in a journal like manner. The text conveys her emotions regarding the disease throughout her entire life including her childhood and her role as a mother herself.
The Butterfly Clues is a Young adult mystery novel written by Kate Ellison and published in February 2012 by Egmont USA. The Butterfly Clues tells the story of Penelope "Lo" Marin, an outcast teenage girl who struggles with Obsessive—compulsive disorder (OCD) and has to deal with the constant urge to steal various items, the frequent relocation due to her father's job, and the memory of her brother Oren's death. Throughout the novel, Lo's problems arise as both weaknesses and strengths, which she is forced to deal with as she attempts to solve the murder of a young stripper.
The Dirty Girls Social Club is a 2003 novel by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez. Valdes-Rodriguez later wrote a sequel titled Dirty Girls on Top, which was published in 2008. The book is also credited with launching a new movement in Chicano literature and inspiring a series of "chick lit" novels about Latina women dubbed "Chica lit."
The Fox's Summer is a 2017 Chinese television series based on the online novel titled When the President Falls in Love (当总裁恋爱时) by Shen Cangmei. The series received praise for its witty dialogue and unique storyline, and ranked atop the ratings chart.
