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Dedication: Too Weird for Its Own Good

BuzzSugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 06:00:00 PDT

Dedication, the directorial debut from Justin Theroux, is a weird little movie. And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, Dedication gets a little too lost in its own weirdness, ultimately overwhelming what could be a sweet, unlikely love story.

At the heart of Dedication is Henry Roth (Billy Crudup), a basket case of a children's book writer who occasionally has to put heavy objects (encyclopedias or other large books, preferably) on top of himself to feel safe. The one person in the world who can tolerate his antics is his illustration partner, Rudy Holt (Tom Wilkinson), whose particular brand of tough love seems to calm Henry down. The two are working on a tough deadline for a children's book based on their character of Marty the Beaver (dreamed up, amusingly enough, in a porno theater) when Rudy dies suddenly of a brain tumor. That leaves Henry without an illustrator, not to mention without an anchor to the regular, non-neurotic world.

Enter Lucy (Mandy Moore), an illustrator plucked by editor Arthur Planck (Bob Balaban) to work with Henry. Henry spends most of his time trying to figure out just how insulting and nasty he can be to Lucy before she gives up and leaves him alone; considering she's been offered $200,000 if she gets Henry to finish the book (unbeknownst to him, of course), it will take a lot more than insults to get her to leave. It's a perfectly solid plot, but Theroux doesn't control the movie's tone enough to execute it well. To see what I mean,

read more The first half of the movie feels trippy and surreal, something straight out of a David Lynch film (an effect I doubt is coincidental - but more on that later). Henry, angry over Rudy's death, continues speaking to his dead partner in a series of dream sequences, shot with a choppy, deliberate camera effect. Crudup does a fine job of conveying Henry's various psychoses, and though much of his character is never really explained - why the books? why the OCD tendencies to rearrange the condiments at every restaurant? - he's interesting enough. One of Theroux's greatest strengths as a director is his use of music, and the soundtrack adds a lot to the story, with the disjointed sounds of Deerhoof giving an additional window into Henry's psyche and the more mellow Cat Power representing Lucy's calming presence. But in general, the effects are a little too strange to be useful; after the first couple of jolts into Henry's alternate reality where Rudy is still alive, the device felt tired. But I still prefer the vaguely experimental tone of the movie's first half to the more standard love story it becomes in the end, because in all the trippiness, Theroux forgets to give us much reason to care about Henry or Lucy. Mandy Moore gives Lucy a good underlying toughness, but her character - who is also trying to decide whether to get back with her professor/thesis adviser (Martin Freeman) - isn't written deeply enough to understand why she'd put up with either of these guys. When the weirdness of the movie's first half starts to fall away, the story just feels empty. Which brings me back to David Lynch. Theroux, who worked with Lynch on Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire, wrote in the press notes for Dedication about how the legendary director had influenced his own style. So I suppose it's not surprising that Dedication feels like a clumsy attempt at taking elements of Lynch's films and applying them to a romantic comedy. But, well, even Lynch himself isn't famous for his great romantic comedies. Source

Mandy Premieres Her Dedication

PopSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:15:35 PDT

Mandy looked like a vamped up version of herself at the Dedication premiere in NYC last night. While we're a huge fan of the actress, we're not loving this harsh look. We bet her costar Billy Crudup wasn't into it much either. Mandy makes him look so tiny as she towers over him. Obviously from her big smile we can tell they were having fun with the situation. It reminds us that she's still her wholesome self. In fact, Mandy recently opened up to TV Guide about what sets her apart from some of Hollywood's other young stars. Here's more:

How have you been able to sidestep the troubles that have plagued Britney and Lindsay?
I think it all sort of comes down to family and having this wonderful support of people in your life. I know this sounds Pollyanna-ish, but it's not. I don't relate to that kind of lifestyle and exposure. That is never really the situation I've been in. And I feel lucky for that.

We agree that Mandy is lucky to have been able to rely on her strong family background. She's also stayed out of the scene which has helped her avoid trouble. If only LL and Brit had a support system then maybe they'd be a positive role model like Mandy.

For more of Mandy, Billy and more just read more

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Images include Justin Theroux, Amy Sedaris, Mandy Moore, Billy Crudup and Bobby Cannavale. Source & Source

First Look: Mandy Moore, Billy Crudup in Dedication

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 08:20:00 PDT

There hasn't been much of a publicity push for Dedication, a strange little indie romantic dramedy starring Mandy Moore and Billy Crudup, which can sometimes be a very good sign. After all, the last two movies I saw with Moore in them (Because I Said So, License to Wed) enjoyed major marketing pushes and then turned out to be some of the year's most embarrassing disappointments. For Moore's sake, I hope Dedication is a quality movie so we can see that it's not the actress that was the problem - it was the material.

Crudup plays Henry Roth, a peculiar, misanthropic and slightly unstable man who requires certain things (like sleeping with heavy objects resting on his body) to feel safe. Henry writes children's books that inform children of Santa Claus' nonexistence. When his best friend and book illustrator dies, Henry is paired with a new illustrator, the young, pretty Lucy (Moore), who possesses a quirkiness of her own. The two struggle to get along, and surely a kind of love starts to bloom between them. Amy Sedaris and Martin Freeman (the original Tim from the BBC "Office"!) also star. Dedication opens in limited release August 24, so to watch the trailer,

Mandy's Film Gets Picked Up By The Weinstein Co!

PopSugar — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 16:33:50 PST

Mandy's star is on the rise. She has a new album coming out this year and now her film Dedication has been picked up by The Weinstein Co. at Sundance. That's like hitting Sundance gold! Page Six reports:

"Distributors were in a fierce battle," said a source, but Weinstein secured the deal "at 4 a.m." Harvey Weinstein was huddled earlier in a corner of the Lotus Lounge at Hollywood Life House with the film's director, Justin Theroux, for hours. Moore was there as well, sealing her own deal with DJ AM. "The two were making out on the couch," said our spy. The Weinstein Co. also acquired "Grace Is Gone," starring John Cusack, for $4 million, as well as "Teeth" and "La Misma Luna." Reps for Weinstein confirmed all four picture deals.

Congrats to Mandy and her team on that deal. As for the DJ AM part, well I guess we're just happy Mandy is smiling again. More pictures of Mandy looking pretty for David Letterman, so just

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Mandy is a Good Girl, not a Goody-Goody

PopSugar — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:00:45 PST

Mandy is up in Park City and managed to sneak away from her new beau, DJ AM to get some promo pics taken for her film Dedication, which also stars Billy Crudup. Could she get any cuter? Mandy may have a squeaky clean reputation, but she set some things straight in the February issue of Jane magazine. In addition to saying that she hated her past pop albums and that she's recently suffered from depression she also made it clear that she isn't your typical good girl. Here's highlights:

On why she doesn’t drink:
“I’m a control freak, and I think maybe that’s why. I’m too scared to see what will happen. I’ve been drunk maybe two or three times in my life, although I do like to have a glass of wine before going into the studio, to mellow me out.”
On her image:
“I kind of am a goody-goody. But I’m not judgmental. I’ve done a couple of movies [A Walk to Remember, Saved] where I’ve played Christian characters, so people assume I’m very religious. It’s not a completely correct perception of who I am.”
On the future:
“I’m still figuring it all out, but I want to be extraordinary. I want to live up to my full potential. I’ve always been really shy, very ‘don’t look at me.’ I’ve wanted to hide. But now I don’t want to hide.”

She seems to be pretty extraordinary to us! I mean, she's managed to grow up in the spotlight without totally losing her mind (or her underwear). And she may be a good girl but not in an annoyingly, oh just shut-up kind of way. Young Hollywood needs more people like her. We are always up for more Mandy. For more pics just

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Two Super Chic and Easy Ways to Wear Neon

FabSugar — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:00 PST

Neon hues have dominated the recent runways, but the joltingly bright shade can be a little intimidating to pull off in everyday life, especially considering how often we wear black! To make the trend more wearable in everyday life, we worked with our partners at Gap for an easy styling solution that incorporates just a touch of neon for a big impact. Our FabSugar TV host, Allison McNamara, has a basic rule for neon: pair it with solid, neutral tones and keep the silhouette clean. For a downtown edgy look, she layered a neon tee under a gray top and cream blazer, and paired it with slick leather pants. For a more feminine take that's great for the office, she substituted a full black skirt for the pants, and chose a pink v-neck to wear under the cream blazer. Her sophisticated, but insanely easy-to-wear looks prove that neon isn't an '80s leftover; rather, it's a fresh way to brighten up a neutral outfit. If you love this, check out what we did with bright blue khakis.

From the Fit Community: Leave Your Phone at Home When You Work Out

Fit Community — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:25:08 PST

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wants you to know: you're hurting your workout when you bring your cell phone into the equation. She shared her three reasons you should stay cell phone-free at the gym in our 10 Pounds Down! community group.

1. It’s hurting your workout (and could cause you to get hurt)

If you can text or talk on the phone during any part of your workout, you aren’t working hard enough. Exercise requires a mind/body connection (yes, even the time you spend on the treadmill) and your cell phone seriously disrupts the communication signals between your mind and your body.

Even if you think you are the most talented texter, or multitasker to ever walk the earth, don’t kid yourself - many studies have shown cell phone distraction as even worse than being drunk – so if you wouldn’t run that mile, take that spin class or do Pilates totally wasted, then your phone shouldn’t be out during your workout. Not paying attention during exercise is dangerous and can cause you to hurt yourself - in a big way. Not to mention, it slows you down! Even if you stop to text in between exercises, you are slowing down your flow - and your heart rate. Not a good way to get results.

Read more reasons for keeping your cell phone at home after the break.

14 Geeky Languages to Learn With Your Love

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:15:00 PST

Love may be a universal language, but we're not sure that phrase includes the sci-fi alien races and fantastical creatures that rule the far depths of the galaxy, who express love in words beyond our human comprehension. When you're thinking of a unique way to woo your valentine this year, plan a tutorial to learn together one of these 14 geeky languages. While several of these Trekkie, Tolkien, or computer gaming-inspired languages have enough depth to warrant a university level class, many are not fully realized, so have fun discovering select words and phrases to bring to future geeky date outings.

Wookie - Made up of three dialects, the main Wookie language is Shyriiwook. As you'd expect it consists of lots of barks and grunts, but don't you dare say that to Chewbacca. The Star Wars Christmas Special has detailed examples of this mystifying tongue.
Klingon - The language of Klingons, the sometimes ally of the Federation, is arguably the best known of the imagined star languages. Described by its Hollywood creators as gutteral in tone, dedicated Trekkies maintain the Klingon Language Institue, preserving the galaxy's "fastest growing language."
Vulcan - Known as the language of Spock, one version of Vulcan looks like musical notes. Much of the language is available online today as Gene Roddenberry was insistent when making Star Trek: The Motion Picture that the Vulcans receive their own linguistic treatment.
Romulan - As biological cousins of the Vulcans, the Romulan language is difficult to differentiate from Vulcan to the untrained ear. The Central Institute of the Romulan Language ensures you get the right training to one day know the difference.
Cardassian - Residents of the Alpha Quadrant, Cardassians are a fearsome foe of the Federation. Little is known of their language, maybe because of its rectangular-shaped letters and script.
Andorian - The blue-skinned moon species from Andora appeared throughout the Star Trek series and would of course show up in the directory of a PADD.
Elvish - With a background in linguistics study from Oxford, Tolkien did not take the creation of the Lord of the Rings languages lightly. Based on Welsh and English, you can study Liv Tyler's Arwen in the film trilogy for pronunciation and read the many online Elvish resources, including an English to Elvish dictionary.
Dwarvish - Also called Khuzdul, Tolkien is said to have drawn inspiration for the secret language of the Dwarves from Hebrew, reflecting many of the same sounds and structure. As many Lord of the Rings languages, it's been almost fully realized and you can study up with the Dwarvish dictionary.

Check out even more languages to geek out over after the jump.

Gisele Drops an F Bomb Following Tom's Super Bowl Loss

Katie Henry — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:30:59 PST

See Gisele's post-Super Bowl exchange with an unhappy fan - The Insider
Adriana Lima reveals her Valetine's Day wish - People
Pregnant Jessica Simpson makes a Super Bowl appearance - Us Weekly
Miss Piggy to host the BAFTA Awards - HuffPost Entertainment
Watch all new movie trailers that aired during the Super Bowl - Hollywood Reporter
Katy Perry dedicates "Peacock" to Tim Tebow - Celebitchy
Jesse Eisenberg is a man of many talents - Lainey Gossip
See the celebs who made the trip to Indianapolis for the big game - TooFab
Did Harvey Weinstein get history wrong in Madonna's W.E.? - The Daily Beast
Kellan Lutz was in support of Gisele and the Patriots - Wonderwall
Howard Stern stars in new America's Got Talent promo - Lifeline Live
Christina Aguilera had an awkward Mickey Mouse Club reunion - Zap2It
Rango scores the most Annie Award nominations - Rotten Tomatoes

This Weekend: Get Schooled on Science, Thanks to YouTube

Kristy Korcz — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:03:38 PST

YouTube isn't just for watching funny videos about cats, it's also a great place to get educated. No, really! Take SciShow, for example. This channel is dedicated to teaching the masses interesting things about science, computers, and all things geeky, in a highly entertaining way, thanks mostly in part to the adorably nerdy host, Hank.

Get schooled on things like solar energy, mind reading, and Tatooine, both in quick "dose" formats or longer, more involved episodes. Obviously an overachiever, host Hank also gives you the easy-to-digest lowdown on biology on a secondary channel. Classic geek move, right there.

What are some of your favorite educational YouTube channels? Share them with us (so we can get smarter together) in the comments!