To celebrate the upcoming release of Pain & Gain, JOE takes a look at our favourite movies from that film's director, Michael Bay.
When people talk of certain directors having certain shooting styles, Michael ‘wouldn’t this scene look better with another explosion’ Bay certainly springs to mind as one of the most distinctive auteurs in Hollywood.
No Bay film is complete without multiple slow motion shots of American flags, sunsets, sunrises, more sunsets, bikini-clad ladies, bikini-clad sunsets and more American flags. Draped around an exploding bikin-clad lady. At sunset.
Did we mention that the man likes his explosions?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn_HFEDNZ_Q
Before we even look at JOE’s top Michael Bay films though, we feel that it’s very, very important that we point out that the Hollywood head honcho has also directed a recent Victoria’s Secret commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmNEG8IFd_Y
Even a blind person could see that the ad is a Michael Bay product.
Here are JOE’s top five favourite Michael Bay films.
The Rock (1996)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JYJ7c9p-fI
Never mind being one of the greatest Michael Bay films, The Rock is one of thee greatest films ever made. Ever. Of all time. Ever.
It’s a fact.
Starring a bad ass Nicholas Cage and a even badder asserer Sean Connery as two unlikely heroes hired by the Government to break into Alcatraz, The Rock is pure unadulterated boys’ own action goodness.
Plus it has one of the best ever come back lines in film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD5GtohtRYU
Transformers (2007)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnwmUZuF5OY
Only Michael Bay would have the cojones to take an almost-forgotten childhood toy and turn it into a multi-billion dollar film franchise.
Speaking of giant cojones, Bay even managed to squeeze a pair onto one of his robot stars. Big, metal, sentient being balls:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzJbizELHYQ
As well as giant alien robots absolutely walloping seven shades of metallic poop out of each other, we’re sure that the casting of a certain Megan Fox may have had something to do with the film’s appeal.
Bad Boys (1995)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOTXd-gqCIs
What a way to make your directorial debut. In 1995 Bay announced himself to critics and audiences alike with a fun and funny action-packed buddy cop film, complete with super slick visuals and, oh yeah, loads of those explosions we mentioned.
It helped that the inspired teaming of Will Smith and Martin Lawerence also worked a treat. Now there’s a sentence we never thought we’d write.
Check out the titular Bad Boys in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSMSvq_RW3U
Armageddon (1998)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg_jH47u480
Featuring an absolutely stellar cast for a stellar rescue mission, Armageddon is exactly the type of big-budget, big-bucket (of popcorn) blockbuster that Bay is reknowned for.
And come on, you know you want to join in with the absolutely cheese-tastic Aerosmith theme tune, ‘I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.’ The potential end-of-the-world has never been so emotional. Hankies at the ready everyone...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWd73bK9-zc
Pearl Harbour (2001)
Wise up. That’s not on the list.
In spite of all of the criticism that has been levied at George Lucas’ ex-intern (it’s true), the man is not completely without taste. He has, after all, cast up and coming Irish superstar Jack Reynor as the lead in the fourth Transformers film. Along with Mark Wahlberg. Boom, boom and more boom.
Pain & Gain is in Irish cinemas on 30th August with Previews on 24th and 25th August. Check out an exclusive clip from the film below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW2RKCbPmSM&feature=youtu.be
