By Hook or by Crook

I didn't go out of my way to see this one but I found myself surprised at how interested I was in these characters. I found them very believable.

I suppose some sections may have appeared creaky or stiff. But those of us who are fans of indies, well, every now & then it's worth it to wait out the imperfect stuff.

My favorite parts of the movie were times in which not too much was going on - when the characters were just hangin' out talkin' well, trash.

I found at least one of Val's crazy musings fairly thought provoking.

And I was really impressed with how they decided to go with Sly's attempt to hold up a convenience store toward the end of the movie. That seemed -very- believable.

I dunno..I wish I could hang out with these two more. One hopes for further adventures...

More than anything tho, I was just glad they found each other. They make one hell of a team.

I was very impressed with this small, independently made picture. The story, about a pair of social outcasts who meet, become friends, and provide each other with a support system both seemed to lack as children, is at times hilarious, at times sad, but always provocative. Music, mostly by underground bands, was used to great effect, as was the experimentation with camera angles, filters, and slow or fast motion techniques. The performances (the leads are played by the writers and directors of the film) are some of the best I've seen in the last couple of years. If you ever felt like a square peg being forced into a round slot, I really believe you'll appreciate "By Hook or By Crook".

Drag King lowlife drifter film had interesting premise but turns out to be one of the worst films ever made for the niche lesbian market. With the advent of cheap filmmaking equipment everybody thinks they're creative, but they're not. This film is like a Super8 film all kids make when they're bored during summer vacation.

I find this piece amazing, one of the few portrayals of butch identity in film. It's a buddy story really, mixed a lil with road movie and a dash of coming of age story. The writer/director/actor team of Howard and Dodge prove their versatility and strength by bringing characters to life that are so marginalized out in the world. Also a great performance by Stanya Kahn as Billie: an awesome Fem character that deserves a whole movie of her own. Visually, this is one of the better digital films you will see from 2001. The soundtrack kicks. "A man's journey is but the search for the first great images that gained access to his heart."

One of a kind, highly recommended.

A good and trusted friend asked me to watch this with her, and I am very glad she asked me and that I did. Now that's going to sound funny when I go on to say that I don't think this movie really works, but stay with me. And keep in mind I'm an essentially straight male watching a film geared almost exclusively to butch lesbians, so my opinion may seem worthless anyway.

I'll start with the faults. It's crudely cut, paced too leisurely, and it's basically insular and a little too in love with itself; it's coasting on the charisma of it's lead characters to make up for the fact that there is little real meat to this movie. The story lines involving lost fathers and petty crime seem underdeveloped and tacked-on for the sake of having something, anything to drive what little plot there is.

But, the strengths begin front and center with Harry Dodge. You can't take your eyes off when Dodge is on screen, the presence is that magnetic. And the dialogue that's been created in tandem with partner Silas gets you interested in them. And yes, while I criticized the lack of solid ground for a story, the characters kept my interest throughout.

What I am saying here is that I felt a sizzle in the same manner that I felt when I saw the first works of Alison Maclean or Katja von Garnier, or what critics in the '50's felt watching the first Cassavettes or Godard. Like those early debuts, this film by itself is not accessible to a 'regular' audience, but the talent and potential is obvious and exciting, and as a viewer I become quite interested in seeing their next film. In fact, I think if I were a producer watching this, I would want to bankroll their next film the same way Mel Brooks took a gamble on David Lynch.

So yes, by my friend corralling me into watching this, I got to walk in on the ground floor of what should be an exciting film-making team. With the right balance of impulse and discipline, I think Silas Howard and Harry Dodge are going to create something big in the future.