Sunday, July 24, 2005

Dry your eyes mate

Michael Bay and DJ Premier are like cornbread

I recently sat through the Island, which is the new clone/sci-fi/action/huge advertisement from fragmentalist Michael Bay. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000881/ Bay is constantly criticized for his over the top action and dizzying camerawork. His films are riddled with close ups and he doesn't have the ability to hold a scene for more than 30 seconds. He started off as a music video director, and this is quite obvious when you view his films. They feel like a 2 and a half hour rock/action opera, and the viewer is exhausted by the end. Take for instance the RIDICULOUSLY over the top Bad Boys II. Bay is outspoken when it comes to critics and has stated that he made this film as a big "fuck you" to all of those who shit on his style. He said he knew it would make 100 million no matter how overblown the whole thing was.
He took the style of Miami Vice, but updated it to today's standards. Every scene is overdone. The slow-mo shots...the sun constantly setting over the skyline...cars without blemishes...car chases that run for so long you end up looking into space. You never have to say to yourself "This is only a movie" Why? Because he makes movies.
Wes Anderson paints beautiful pictures of the lonely human spirit. Richard Linklater captures the essence of generations. Scorcesse ruins your mind with technicality. Michael Bay simply makes popcorn cinema, and it's a genre that is often disrespected. I am in no WAY comparing him the directors I mentioned above, but I think the Bay deserves some respect. He has a style that will always be noted. Compare it to hearing a beat by DJ Premier or the Neptunes. You loved them at first...you couldnt get their infectious sounds out of your head, but after a while the allure was lost. You knew it was a Premier beat when you heard the new song, but it didn't hit like it did for those couple of months before when you couldn't stop listening. When you heard the latest Neptunes beat you felt like you had heard it before, but it was just reworked for the latest rap act. Same goes for Michael Bay.
When the Rock came out viewers and critics were pleased. Even if you don't like action movies you have the respect the time that was put into filming that car chase in San Francisco in the beginning of the movie. It was nominated for a Best Sound Oscar, which is Hollywood's way of saying that we really liked the movie, but it would never EVER garner enough respect for one of the more serious nominations.
When Armageddon came out we were like OK...this is what this dude does. This is his thing, and he is sticking to it. I think the movie is LUDICROUS, but so does he, and he was hoping you would too. It was like that recycled Premier beat when you heard it 2 years later. You knew it was DJ Premier, you could hear the jazz influence, but it just wasn't the same. You didn't lose that initial respect though. You didn't forget that first time your ears thanked you all night long. Same goes for Mr. Bay here. You need to respect his style...he will continue to do it, and you will remember that first time you witnessed it. If you forget where you come from...you're never going to make it where you're going.

Does this dude look like her cares?:
http://www.imdb.com/gallery/granitz/2031/Events/2031/MichaelBay_Grani_1271171_400.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Bay,%20Michael

5 comments:

KC said...

thats what you get for writing about michael bay....CRICKETS

Kat said...

I really think he is quite undefendable. Ick. I can't think of a single movie of his that was good.

Thanks for the heads up that Bay directed The Island, I thought about going cause I like Ewen McGregor. Whew.

KC said...

ICK?

Kat said...

yes "ick," as in icky or its cousin blech, or other such visceral reactions.

erl said...

dj premier. yes.