About Screen Yak

Screen Yak

Screen Yak consists of one person (Mike) with a passion for films. Cliche, right? Absolutely. 

My goal here is simple: Take my experience as a writer, mash it together with my love of yakking about movies, and see what comes out!

 

 

About Mike:

When I was a kid, my friends and I would often take my dad’s gigantic camcorder and attempt to make movies in my back yard. Years later, we still agree that our masterpiece was a crime noir movie in which 12-year-old me accidentally pistol whipped one of my other friends on the head with a toy gun. That was also the last time I was allowed to use the camera – whoops. Despite accidentally inflicting pain on people and dealing with loads of subsequent Catholic guilt, making these (objectively awful) movies was some of the most fun I ever had in my life. 

My first job was at a Blockbuster Video. I started there during the reign of VHS but within my first few months, DVD began joining the party on the shelves  – what a magical time! I always liked movies, but having that level of access to free rentals in an age before streaming changed EVERYTHING for me. It changed my entire outlook on film. It changed the conversations I was having with anyone who would listen to me. It changed how I spent my free time. It changed what I spent all of my money on. I realized film is not just entertainment – It’s art as well, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since.  

A recovering former Kevin Spacey fan, I’m still soul-searching to discover my new favorite acting professional. 

 

Favorite movies: 

Gladiator, Clue, The Empire Strikes Back, Fight Club, My Cousin Vinny, Psycho, Everything Everywhere All At Once. Hot Take: Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade is better than Raiders Of The Lost Ark.