Whether you’re a self-proclaimed film enthusiast or just a sucker for watching movies, I say hello! Welcome to Almost Linear, a blog where I will do a deep dive on the movies that have had a lasting impact on me and unpack the narrative choices that made them unique. My name is Jack, and I cannot stop watching movies.
My passion for film developed with my grandfather showing me movies I was way too young to watch; Mean Streets, The Godfather, Goodfellas… okay, it was mostly mobster movies. If it was only my grandma home, it’d be a lot of Judge Judy, but that’s not the point. Maybe there were some drawbacks to watching these movies at such a young age – after watching A Clockwork Orange at age eleven I lost sleep for a few nights – but all in all, I had developed an ever-present curiosity for how stories are told.
Eventually, that turned into a desire to tell stories of my own. I’ve been writing screenplays for a few years, and the movies I’ve watched over the years have given me a plethora of examples of narratives I want to emulate. I’m a huge proponent of the saying “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” a phrase I think is very often misunderstood. This blog is called Almost Linear as a callback to a very consequential time in my screenwriting journey. I was shown Citizen Kane and Annie Hall over the span of a few days, both movies that were told out of order. Ever since, I’ve spent a lot of time writing and rewriting movies to see if I can successfully imitate that structure and tone.
As I was growing up, one constant in my life I could always rely on was journalists or bloggers writing op-eds and reviews on film. It was the best way to get out of myself, and I relished the opportunity to take in all these writers different styles and takes on things I was already interested. I hope that my blog provides that same escape, and maybe some insight too, whether it’s helping you view movies in a new light or giving light to writing problems you may have encountered. I just want to pass off what was given to me.
Why should you listen to me? I’m not earning money for my craft, I haven’t won any awards, and at the time of writing this nobody knows who I am; I’m not exactly a licensed professional. That being said, neither were most of the people that made me want to be the artist I am today. I have a feeling that the fact that I’m still writing might make me more accessible, but I’ll let you be the judge of that.
This may not be a linear journey but bear with me, I think you’ll have a great time. Follow my blog and let our adventure begin. If you want to bring up any insights or concerns, feel free to leave a comment or reach me via (email/twitter).
Almost Linear 