FilmJerk Favorites

A group of unique directors and the essential works that you've got to see.

||| Billy Wilder |||
Billy Wilder

For never being pigeonholed into a certain genre, for his unique and brilliant diversity.

Everyone knows the line. From the opening scene in the pool, this is an all-time classic.

Not as famous as some of Wilder's other flicks, but a laugh riot. Who ever thought an unplanned pregnancy, a Coca Cola plant, and communists could be so funny?

Another classic, and one of Marilyn Monroe's best. So many *perfect* lines in this movie, from "Story of my life. I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop." to "Well, nobody's perfect."

Recommended by CassyHavens

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Raise Your Voice

By BrianOrndorf

October 8th, 2004

While the goal for the film is to simply merge the two Hilary Duffs (singing and acting) into one film, “Raise Your Voice” is a juvenile production, even by Duff standards. Silly, immature, and veering dangerously close to a camp classic, “Voice” demonstrates that Duff should just stick to comedy.


Terri (Hilary Duff) is a 16-year-old gifted Arizona singer who has a chance at nurturing her talents when a prestigious music school in Los Angeles accepts her application. The only objection in Terri's way is from her father (a what-the-hell-am-I-doing-in-this? David Keith), but when her brother (Jason Ritter) is killed in an auto accident, Terri runs away with the help of her aunt (Rebecca De Mornay) to enroll in the school. Guided by hipster teachers (a loose John Corbett), and thwarted by potential boyfriends (a bizarre Oliver James) and malicious competition, Terri tries to overcome her fears and make her dream happen.

Last year, I suggested that tween superstar Hilary Duff should try a dramatic film to flex some acting wings. Sadly, I've lived to regret this statement. `Voice' is a picture that could be described as a siren's song to the under appreciated youth of the world, where their quirks are accepted, their adolescent insecurities overcome, and their moment of triumph wins the world over, promising a greater future ahead. On the other hand, you could say that `Voice' is the silliest, corniest, most obscenely unaware of itself production to come from Ms. Duff yet. Watching it isn't exactly torture, but admitting that you've seen it, if you're over the age of 10, should be a criminal offense.

`Voice' is a clearly a vanity film for the Duff Corporation, geared to merge the enormously successful singing Hilary with the reliable acting Hilary in a cushy melodramatic feature that the starlet could handle with ease. Directed by veteran television helmer Sean McNamara, the filmmaker brings all the finesse of a…television director to the big screen. T.V. can get away with brothers dying epically, gorgeous Flagstaff, Arizona being portrayed as a `dead-end town,' musical students prone to highly ridiculous impromptu jam sessions on campus steps, or the same students all looking like Hollywood-ready Good Charlotte wannabes (an oxymoron, I know). However, feature films need something with a little more substance and dramatic depth, and `Voice' doesn't have either. Simple earnestness is one thing, but this film makes `Touched by an Angel' look like David Mamet.

It's hard to dislike Duff, especially when she spends most of the film tugging down on her short skirt and other skimpy costumes in a battle with the costume department that she evidently lost. It's refreshing to see a teenage actress actually act like a teenager, with all those unpolished quirks and self-conscious traits. Duff has got her charms, but `Voice' is far too simplistically written, leaving her to make acting choices that don't fit the character. Also, she has to contend with a screenplay that is very liberal with plot direction and completely bonkers with character arcs. Most distressingly, all of Duff's vocals are dubbed over (presumably by herself in a studio). This makes `Voice' a kind of `Flashdance' for 2004, where the film is about natural ability, yet every scene featuring that ability has been doctored. That should send a confusing message to the targeted demographic, I'm sure.

`Raise Your Voice' eventually veers so far into camp (Terri sprints into her dorm room in spastic tears not once, but twice) that it could make this film a midnight movie highlight for years to come, which is somewhat of a shame. Duff's heart was in the right place with `Voice,' but the film is an immature, geeky disaster, which does nothing to help nurture the good intentions.

My rating: D-