By Hook or by Crook

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.

By Hook or By Crook is a tremendously innovative film from a pair of immensely smart and talented filmmakers, Harry Dodge and Silas Howard. They manage to tell an original story in a distinctive cinematic style, and it's beautifully shot by Ann T. Rosetti, and wonderfully written -- truly poetic.

The lead characters are true heroes and serve as a rare kind of role model/inspiration for butch dykes and trannies everywhere. This film has so much energy, so much poignant passion and scruffy San Francisco heart to it. I can't recommend it highly enough!

The best butch buddy movie of all time!

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 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".

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.