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Anthony Hopkins Calls Michael Bay a 'Genius' and 'Savant'

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duckroll

Member
Michael Bay is a really hardworking, smart, and responsible filmmaker who has brought joy and happiness to millions of people, while providing employment for thousands over the decades. He delivers great action films which are loved all the world over - from the US to Japan to China.

It continues to surprise me that in an industry where people worship at the commerialized god altar of Marvel Studios, where a child rapist gets a standing ovation, where racist wife abuser can get a second chance, that anyone can feel outraged at Bay. I stand with Michael Bay.
 

efyu_lemonardo

May I have a cookie?
Michael Bay is a really hardworking, smart, and responsible filmmaker who has brought joy and happiness to millions of people, while providing employment for thousands over the decades. He delivers great action films which are loved all the world over - from the US to Japan to China.

It continues to surprise me that in an industry where people worship at the commerialized god altar of Marvel Studios, where a child rapist gets a standing ovation, where racist wife abuser can get a second chance, that anyone can feel outraged at Bay. I stand with Michael Bay.

Child rapist and wife abuser? Who are we talking about here? Woody Allen?
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Just don't compare to Hitler or you get relegated to another kids cartoon show turned big budget action flick
 

DeathyBoy

Banned
Actually, he called it trash and hated the production IIRC.

odin.gif
 

Zen Aku

Member
Maybe Anthony Hopkins is secretly a gaffer and he know exactly how to get a reaction out of us.

Wait till next week for his comment on Snyder.
 

MattKeil

BIGTIME TV MOGUL #2
Michael Bay is a really hardworking, smart, and responsible filmmaker who has brought joy and happiness to millions of people, while providing employment for thousands over the decades. He delivers great action films which are loved all the world over - from the US to Japan to China.

It continues to surprise me that in an industry where people worship at the commerialized god altar of Marvel Studios, where a child rapist gets a standing ovation, where racist wife abuser can get a second chance, that anyone can feel outraged at Bay. I stand with Michael Bay.

It's not like Bay has a particularly golden track record with women, either. And "commercialized god"? Bay literally comes from commercials and music videos.

And people get outraged at Michael Bay for the same reason people give a pass to the terrible people you allude to: Because to the audience, the art itself is the biggest contributor to their opinion of the artist. Bay is technically proficient in the action and spectacle of cinema and completely inept at character and story, so almost every one of his films feels like a giant effects reel that is a missed opportunity at being something greater. He's a tremendously unsatisfying filmmaker in that regard.
 

DeathyBoy

Banned
It's not like Bay has a particularly golden track record with women, either. And "commercialized god"? Bay literally comes from commercials and music videos.

And people get outraged at Michael Bay for the same reason people give a pass to the terrible people you allude to: Because to the audience, the art itself is the biggest contributor to their opinion of the artist. Bay is technically proficient in the action and spectacle of cinema and completely inept at character and story, so almost every one of his films feels like a giant effects reel that is a missed opportunity at being something greater. He's a tremendously unsatisfying filmmaker in that regard.

Fincher comes from commercials and music videos too, are we really going to play that game?

Point stands that Bay is one of the most distinctive directors working today, who is involved in every aspect of production, has a unique visual style that has actually been copied numerous times to less effect, comes in on time and under budget (and in Transformers 2's case, he was writing scenes himself.)

And he has a lot of respect because guys like Joss Whedon get destroyed by the pressure of TWO big budget films. Bay did the first three Transformers back to back essentially. Guys like him, Snyder and Yates are fucking machines who are unfuckable in terms of stress.
 

Sulik2

Member
Bay is actually a really good visual director he knows how to make scenes look grandiose in a way few other directors do. He just also has no problems with making really really stupid movies. I love Dark of the Moon though. Last forty five minutes if that movie are some incredible action film making.
 

JB1981

Member
Fincher comes from commercials and music videos too, are we really going to play that game?

Point stands that Bay is one of the most distinctive directors working today, who is involved in every aspect of production, has a unique visual style that has actually been copied numerous times to less effect, comes in on time and under budget (and in Transformers 2's case, he was writing scenes himself.)

And he has a lot of respect because guys like Joss Whedon get destroyed by the pressure of TWO big budget films. Bay did the first three Transformers back to back essentially. Guys like him, Snyder and Yates are fucking machines who are unfuckable in terms of stress.

Who cares? This isn't sports, we aren't talking about stats and shit, we're talking about an artistic medium. Does he make good movies? No. Simple as that.

The Transformers movies suck! What am I reading?

And David Fincher? He wipes the floor with this guy.
 

duckroll

Member
And people get outraged at Michael Bay for the same reason people give a pass to the terrible people you allude to: Because to the audience, the art itself is the biggest contributor to their opinion of the artist.

ROFLMAO.

Thanks for the laughs.
 
Pure Hollywood speak. You're contractually required to talk up the projects you're on.

What he says is kept very abstract and unprovable. Notice what he didn't say. Nothing personal, no hard facts, no,

"He's a great director."
"I love his fims."
"I love (specific film)."

Kind of how John Malkovich described Bay as "Delightful". Or how James Cameron describes every Terminator movie as being amazing, before they come out and are actually dogshit.

Bay is an amazing photographer and visual stylist. But he's an intensely shitty, pandering, and obnoxious storyteller.
 

shintoki

sparkle this bitch
Justin Lin is the king of the big over the top dumb action movies. I feel like he has been out Michaeling Micheal bay for some years.

I'll say, Justin Lin is definitely doing better now(Fast Five and Star Trek Beyond being both the best action films of their respective years). Tokyo Drift and Fast 6 being great flicks too.

But it's hard to argue that Bay isn't the best in the business. He's been at it for 20 years and hasn't really had a misstep. His R rated efforts are more preferred, but his PG13 ones aren't bad either. But largely, he always seems to deliver. He comes in on time, it always looks good, and it's well shot.

I also see people shitting on him from the storytelling perspective, but he has a pretty underrated eye for it too. His movies are typically very well paced, in comparison to his next closest visual rival, Synder. Whose movies are normally poorly paced. The stories aren't strong, but outside of T2

Bad Boys 2 is still the most hype movie of all time/
 

Ronin Ray

Member
I'll say, Justin Lin is definitely doing better now(Fast Five and Star Trek Beyond being both the best action films of their respective years). Tokyo Drift and Fast 6 being great flicks too.

But it's hard to argue that Bay isn't the best in the business. He's been at it for 20 years and hasn't really had a misstep. His R rated efforts are more preferred, but his PG13 ones aren't bad either. But largely, he always seems to deliver. He comes in on time, it always looks good, and it's well shot.

I also see people shitting on him from the storytelling perspective, but he has a pretty underrated eye for it too. His movies are typically very well paced, in comparison to his next closest visual rival, Synder. Whose movies are normally poorly paced.

Bad Boys 2 is still the most hype movie of all time/

I feel like there has been a resurgence in action films the last 10 plus years and esipcally in r rated action movies but most of them are done on a smaller scale due to budget. I think Gareth Evans has shown an insane amount of talent. His car chase in raid 2 is great and has that frantic action feel and shows he can do more then just great fight scenes. Also what George Miller pulled off with fury road is more visually​ appealing then anything bay or Synder has ever done. So if Bay is a genius is Miller like a god ?
 

Vice

Member
Isn't every working director in Hollywood skilled at what they do? Skilled at what you do is really far away from the genius of Spielberg or Scorsese. Seems like Anthony Hopkins was just impressed by all his technical obsession with the effects and hands on nature with that, even though it lead to really crappy and fake as shit looking transformers.

I think it's kinda preposterous to compare him to Spielberg or Scorsese. He made a couple really watchable and enjoyable movies, but just because he impressed an old man with his knowledge of effects, don't mean he is Spielberg.
There is more than one way to be a genius, Bay being a genius ine one sense doesn't take away from the Spielbergs of the world. Pushing effects forward and being focuse don the technical aspects of a craft is good for the medium. In that sense, Bay is bit like Lucas in a way, but with a better sense of composition and balancing CG and real objects on screen. And, he has managed to do it while formthe most part only improving over time. With a movie out every 2-3 yesrs.


Who cares? This isn't sports, we aren't talking about stats and shit, we're talking about an artistic medium. Does he make good movies? No. Simple as that.

The Transformers movies suck! What am I reading?

And David Fincher? He wipes the floor with this guy.

As far as good movies go, thats entirely subjective. There is critical praise and all that, but people keep paying to see his movies. His style in emulated by others in the industry. He is constantly praised for his technical work. By every measureable way he appears to be considered talented by the public and industry. Except, critics don't like his movies.
 

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
People who liked Pain & Gain genuinely frighten me.
 

BruceCLea

Banned
I put Bay in the same category as Snyder: Ridiculous cinematography, their movies are usually basura and the lows in them are real low, but when they're cookin, holy shit

Also Transformers is a billion dollar franchise specifically because Bay can somehow crank these things out in 2-3 years with almost no breaks in between

Like I think 1 is actually a pretty decent movie and leans the hardest on Spielberg's Boy and his Car angle. 2 is shit and 3 is pretty dumb but just has absolute fuckin CA




wtf no fucking way


[url]https://youtu.be/cN-cIWazmkU


#3
 

JB1981

Member
There is more than one way to be a genius, Bay being a genius ine one sense doesn't take away from the Spielbergs of the world. Pushing effects forward and being focuse don the technical aspects of a craft is good for the medium. In that sense, Bay is bit like Lucas in a way, but with a better sense of composition and balancing CG and real objects on screen. And, he has managed to do it while formthe most part only improving over time. With a movie out every 2-3 yesrs.




As far as good movies go, thats entirely subjective. There is critical praise and all that, but people keep paying to see his movies. His style in emulated by others in the industry. He is constantly praised for his technical work. By every measureable way he appears to be considered talented by the public and industry. Except, critics don't like his movies.

Which directors of repute in the industry are emulating his style? Also what was the last movie he made that wasn't Transformers that actually put a lot of asses in the seats? 13 Hours? Pain n Gain? Pearl Harbor?
 

JB1981

Member
Where's the trolling? Nolan is yet to make something as good as Armageddon, I'm just stating facts.

Just because he's churned out a bunch of shit over the last decade doesn't change the fact he made Bad Boys, The Rock and Armageddon one after another.

Thanks for the laugh.
 
Which directors of repute in the industry are emulating his style? Also what was the last movie he made that wasn't Transformers that actually put a lot of asses in the seats? 13 Hours? Pain n Gain? Pearl Harbor?

Well to be fair, it's actually really fucking hard to get an action movie out the door, much less with the amount of heavy setpieces he loves to chuck in

And that's not a fair shake considering he's been on Transformers since 07, and any non-movies he made were smaller affairs
 
People who liked Pain & Gain genuinely frighten me.

What's wrong with the film?

Do you not realize the film sole purpose is to be a satire and ridicule the expectations of the American dream and the implications of such a preposterous ideal.

In fact this movie cemented Bay reach beyond the usual bombastic stuff he usually gets flak for, and that he is more than capable of crafting a more personal and thoughtful film.
 

Vice

Member
Which directors of repute in the industry are emulating his style? Also what was the last movie he made that wasn't Transformers that actually put a lot of asses in the seats? 13 Hours? Pain n Gain? Pearl Harbor?

I feel Peter Berg, 2000s and later Roland Emmerich, McG, Justin Lin's action work, Bryan Singer and Brett Ratner emulate Bays style. WithSinger and Lin being better overall filmmakers for the most part and the others being worse than Bay.


As far as influence in action, then I feel that TDK and TDKR from Nolan have an attempt at Bay-like action in their vehicle scenes, but you can see his action influence in the majority of summer blockbusters to some degree.

As far as recent non-transformers movies? The Island did well, Pain and Gain did well for its budget and while 13 hours didn't do as well as one would expect in theaters it was a huge hit on home video.
 

Dopus

Banned
Where's the trolling? Nolan is yet to make something as good as Armageddon, I'm just stating facts.

Just because he's churned out a bunch of shit over the last decade doesn't change the fact he made Bad Boys, The Rock and Armageddon one after another.

The Rock is the only half decent movie there. Let us know when he makes something half as good as the Prestige or Memento. You know, actual movies, instead of pornography. I mean, do you actually think he would be capable of making something like Insomnia?

His writing is juvenile, his characters are flat. Is there a single character in the Transformers universe you care about? Benghazi was a hot mess, just a pathetic film altogether. Bad Boys are movies for teenagers. His attempt at a war drama... Armageddon... Pain and Gain... I mean come on. One good movie. That's it. Critically, Nolan is leagues beyond Bay. It's not even debatable.
 

caliph95

Member
Pain and Gain is Bay's best film, but still it's about a half hour too long.

Micheal Bay needs to learn a bit of restraint while i didn't love the movie i didn't hate it either but after a while i wished the movie would just end i don't remember Bad Boys or The Rock that much but his last Transformers had the same problem were it felt too bloody long. Didn't help that whole third act only exists to sell the movie to china.
 

duckroll

Member
Nah he plays one of the creator of the Transformers and an architect of the new scenario

Nope. I have it on good authority that he's playing the father of all Transformers, betrayed by his own adopted son, turned into a human with no memory of his true self, and left wandering the Earth.
 
Where's the trolling? Nolan is yet to make something as good as Armageddon, I'm just stating facts.

Just because he's churned out a bunch of shit over the last decade doesn't change the fact he made Bad Boys, The Rock and Armageddon one after another.

This is one of the craziest things I have read, I'm not even a big Nolan fan.
 

mxgt

Banned
TIL there are people that aren't trolling when they think Armageddon is anything other than complete trash.

Then again there's a thread about Sucker Punch being a good movie on the front page so it's clear how utterly terrible some peoples taste in movies is.
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
Man the amount of people calling Bay "idiot" and the like.

Creating movies that profit hundreds of millions not once, not twice, but multiple times, you just don't do that kind of thing through only luck, you know.
 

neorej

ERMYGERD!
Micheal Bay needs to learn a bit of restraint while i didn't love the movie i didn't hate it either but after a while i wished the movie would just end i don't remember Bad Boys or The Rock that much but his last Transformers had the same problem were it felt too bloody long. Didn't help that whole third act only exists to sell the movie to china.
It helped in WW gross. Gotta get that China money.
 
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