michael bay Tagged Articles at Cinematical
D.J. Caruso to Helm James Frey's Sci-Fi Version of 'Hiding Out'
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Family Films », Dreamworks », Remakes and Sequels »
As it turns out, Michael Bay will not be directing an adaptation of the upcoming young adult sci-fi novel I Am Number Four, which he bought the rights to last summer. Instead, Heat Vision reports that D.J. Caruso, best known for his Shia LaBeouf-headed Hitchcock homages Disturbia and Eagle Eye, will be at the helm. Sadly for comic book fans, this does mean another obstacle in the way of Caruso's long-planned film of Y the Last Man.But those of us who are fans of Jon Cryer's '80s classic Hiding Out can rejoice with this news. Because if you are indeed a fan of Hiding Out, it's probable that you'd also enjoy a science fiction version of the movie -- even one that's unofficially so. See, I Am Number Four, which was written by James Frey (of A Million Little Pieces infamy) and Joby Hughes, is about a group of aliens who escape their planet just before it's destroyed by other aliens and head to Earth. The title character (that'd be "Number Four") does his hiding out as a high school student.
'Transformers 3' Bayhem To Commence Filming in May
Filed under: Action », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Paramount », Dreamworks »
Funny how when you give up paying attention to a franchise, news on its future developments goes in one ear and out the other. I enjoyed the first Transformers, feeling it delivered an enjoyable blend of big budget action and whiz-bang effects, but absolutely hated Revenge of the Fallen. I could barely wait for it to end and by the time the credits signaled I could finally flee the theater, I had sworn off the series. Since then, I've only been paying vague attention to any progress on a new film, mainly because all news concerning said film seemed to revolve around the supremely untalented Megan Fox.I was kind of surprised when I came across a headline this morning at IESB that declared filming on the untitled part 3 was set to begin this May. I know I've been ignoring Transformers news for the most part, but I thought word that Michael Bay and company were all officially coming back would have stood out. Turns out it did not. But considering that those big, brawling robots are relevant to pop culture, I figured it was best I scan back and read up on where production stands.
- Michael Bay is returning to direct, despite initially saying he needed a year to recover from Revenge of the Fallen.
- Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have moved on and will not be returning to script part 3. Ehren Kruger, the man largely responsible for all of the bad things about Revenge, will take over writing duties.
- Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox are both signed on. Unfortunately for us, the studio probably won't let Bay kill off Fox in the opening scene.
- Bay wants this new film to focus more on the "characters", particularly the relationship between Sam and Bumblebee. He also wants his big budget action movie to have less action.
Paramount is still looking to stick to the July 1st, 2011 release date earmarked before Revenge of the Fallen even came out. With filming set to begin in May, we should start getting our first official glimpses of Transformers 3 late summer. Will 'less action, more characters' be enough to sway back audiences spurned by the assault on the senses that is Transformers 2? Only time will tell.
The Best of the Decade: Action Flicks
Filed under: Action », Foreign Language », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », Disney », Lionsgate Films », Magnolia », New Line », Paramount », Sony », Sony Classics », Universal », Warner Brothers », Focus Features », 20th Century Fox », Dreamworks », Tom Cruise », Steven Spielberg », Quentin Tarantino », Johnny Depp », Peter Jackson », James Bond », Lists », Miramax », Best/Worst », War », Daniel Craig »
Cinematical is about to launch into our best-of-the-'00s series, with a different writer tackling a different genre over these last few weeks of the aughts (or whatever it was we decided to call this decade). Yours truly has been tasked with sifting out the most exciting action flicks these years have had to offer, and in the list-making equivalent of flinching, I've decided to divide them up by superlative instead of ranking them in order of awesomeness.
Oh, and before you comment away about what's missing (which we do want), I have left off The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 2, X2: X-Men United and The Incredibles, so they may be included in any superhero or animated list to come. If those movies are left off those lists, then by all means, give them hell. I might even join you.
Watch This: Michael Bay's Obnoxious Victoria's Secret Commerical
Filed under: Fandom », Home Entertainment »
When famed undergarment emporium Victoria's Secret wanted to put a little oomph into its TV advertising, it knew where to look: in the ADHD-addled brain of Michael Bay, whose junior-high-school-level enthusiasm for scantily clad hot chicks is legendary. He's actually been shooting ads for Vicky for several years, but the latest one got a high-profile debut last week during The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which apparently was a real thing that was really on CBS.
We've got the ad after the jump. Even if we hadn't told you, you could probably guess it was directed by Michael Bay. The central image is women's breasts -- just as in the Transformers movies, only this time it makes sense. Some malnourished ladies walk around in their unmentionables, occasionally pausing to straddle a chaise lounge or bend over a pool table, while behind them a helicopter flies around, because hey, why not? Then there is an explosion, also because hey, why not? I do not know if it is the helicopter that explodes or if it is something else, perhaps something that the helicopter shot at. I don't know who the good guys and bad guys are here. Oh, and one of the ladies throws some knives at another lady. Both ladies exhibit no emotion whatsoever, so, again, I don't know whom we're supposed to be rooting for. It appears the editing was done by a monkey injected with amphetamines, which is to say it was edited to look like a Michael Bay film. The commercial is 90 seconds long and has, by my count, 80 cuts.
Watch the highly persuasive ad after the jump. Women, be prepared to feel like buying a lot of underwear!!!
Watch This: How James Cameron Scored the Effects Cash for 'Avatar'
Filed under: Comedy », NSFW », Trailers and Clips »
Fair warning right out of the gate: the below video is A) Not Safe for Work, unless you conduct business in a place in which no one has ears, and B) targeted for a very specific group of people.
If you've been eagerly anticipating James Cameron's Avatar for years, if you think the man who delivered to the world Terminator, Aliens, and True Lies can do no wrong, and if the backlash to the unveiling of Avatar's colorful aesthetics baffles you, you may want to stay clear of Landline TV's spoof on Cameron's addiction to big budget special effects, which portrays the famous director as little more than a CGI crackhead. It's too silly to call mean spirited, yet it's also too acute to call playful ribbing, but those movie geeks among us who are growing tired of a Hollywood that makes grandiose promises but only ever delivers familiar campaigns of supersaturated digital shock-and-awe might get a kick out of what it takes for Cameron to get his motion-capture fix.
However, even if you're a big supporter of Cameron and the bold approach he's taken to bringing us a new, original science fiction property (as I will readily admit I am), a special little cameo by Michael Bay should put a smile on your face. It's crude, but it's short; and what day isn't complete without a little bit of YouTube fun, anyway?
Discuss: Who Would be the Most Profitable Director if ...
Filed under: Fandom »
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What if a new movie was coming out and the only information we had was the name of the person directing? This was a discussion my friend and I had over the long holiday weekend, where we pondered a situation where a heavily-marketed film was coming out, and in the TV spots, trailers and billboards, all we were told was the date the film was arriving in theaters alongside the director's name. We then began to wonder which director would not only create the most buzz, but would also make the most money. Whose name is the strongest commercially right now -- is this person also the most talented, and if not, then what does that say about us and why we choose to spend most of our money on a weaker product?
Of course the first three names we spit out were James Cameron, Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg. In our opinion, these three men would make the most money at the box office if all we knew was the simple fact that they were coming out with a new film and nothing else. Seeing as Spielberg can go either small or large, we then narrowed it down to Bay or Cameron -- mainly because both are known for event-type films. My friend ultimately chose Cameron, whereas I went with Bay only because I feel he's a little more relevant at this moment in time and for this specific generation (though Avatar may certainly change that).
A second tier of names included Quentin Tarantino and the Wachowski Bros., though keep in mind the marketing cannot mention the other films these folks have directed -- only their name and the release date. For argument's sake, we're giving it a rating of PG-13 (just to take that off the table).
So, then, have at it. In your opinion, given the circumstances, who would be the most profitable director?
Megan Fox's Scratched SNL Hitler/Michael Bay Joke
Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy », Fandom », Newsstand »
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If you have a few minutes today I'd strongly recommend reading this fascinating five-page New York Times Magazine story on Megan Fox called The Self-Manufacture of Megan Fox. I know, you're not really interested in reading another "OMG, she said that!" article on the overly hyped, sexified actress, but this one is a little different. Yes, it touches on just about everything controversial that's crossed her plate -- from her much-publicized spat with Michael Bay to her longterm off-screen relationship with Brian Austin Green -- but it also digs beneath the surface and exposes the way in which she's sort of self-manufactured her own image depending on where she is and who she's speaking to in order to expand her brand, which, she'll admit, isn't the most glamorous or family-friendly, but it's what's keeping her working.
Fox admits that she got herself into the whole Michael Bay mess, and wonders why no one came to her defense when that nasty crew letter surfaced online ("I think it's because I'm a girl. They left me out there to be bludgeoned to death"). Another interesting fact was that they were going to include a Hitler/Michael Bay joke when Fox hosted Saturday Night Live, but dropped it because it wasn't appropriate. Fox explains, "They wanted me to do a Q. and A. with the audience for the opening monologue. And Hitler is in the audience. Hitler stands up and says, 'Why did you compare me to Michael Bay?' " Fox laughed. "Which is funny, but we can't do that."
Watch the actual monologue and read more after the jump.
Michael Bay on 'Transformers 3': Less Action, More Emotion
Filed under: Action », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Paramount », RumorMonger », Fandom », DIY/Filmmaking », Home Entertainment », Remakes and Sequels », Trailers and Clips »
I didn't think it was possible for any movie to be too big for Michael Bay, especially not a Transformers movie. But judging from this candid DVD extra, even Bay thinks Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen veered on excessive, and he's promising to scale back when he tackles #3. As we speak, Bay is combing through the Transformers lore that Hasbro has sent him and pondering who or what will be smashing crap up in another installment. Just the way he says "Transformers lore" makes me want a story centered on Bay exploring ancient catacombs to uncover the missing Transformers arcana with Megan Fox as his sidekick. (She'll be packing a Ph.D in Hasbro lore because she's not afraid to be smart and sexy.)
As Bay ponders how to go sideways from Revenge (his words, not mine), he does have a few ideas in mind. He wants more Bumblebee, and to explore the powerful relationship he has with Sam. He wants more characters, and more emotion. He wants it to be "more undercover" and "less exposed" which might be difficult for our transforming pals when they destroyed the Great Pyramid of Giza.
At the end of the video, Bay decides to abandon plot ideas and offer a cash reward. Then he says "Just joking!" because come on, the man has to eat, and Fallen didn't make a kajillion dollars, just a few hundred million. However, maybe a few of you more skilled in Transformers lore than he is can make use of the address, and write him with what you want to see in #3.
Check out the video of slippery promises below the jump.
'Transformers 2' Blu-ray Examines Successes, Missteps & Spectacle
Filed under: Paramount », Celebrities and Controversy », Fandom », Home Entertainment »
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has become something of a calling card for my writing in 2009, and an albatross around my neck at the same time. There's little else I wrote this year that got as much attention, and yet it's by far the most misunderstood of my many, many reviews, primarily because one sentence published on Rotten Tomatoes, and later, literally one word used in the its advertising was employed to characterize my feelings about the film. Mind you, I'm not complaining, but it's made for a sort of fascinating study among my friends and colleagues, some of whom took me at those words and those words alone, while others read the actual review I posted here on Cinematical, and for better or for worse, agree or disagree, at least understood where I was coming from.
This week, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen arrives on Blu-ray, and in the interest of thoroughness, I decided to revisit the film to see (a) how I personally felt about the film a second time, and (b) if any of the objections of its critics were explained, justified or otherwise corrected in the bonus materials. After perusing the content on both discs of the Collector's Edition Blu-ray, I'm unsure whether or not its detractors will be any more appreciative of its artistic merits; but watching it again on the small screen and augmented by the thoughts and comments of the folks responsible for the film, I at least feel as if I know where the sources of some of those problems lie.
Five Ways For Michael Bay To Kill Megan Fox in 'Transformers 3'
Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy », Remakes and Sequels », Lists »
Michael Bay has a lot to atone for. He's become the cinematic whipping boy of bad, over the top, explosion-filled movies, which are of course also his forte. But he could rectify most of that in one fell swoop, and it's by doing something that he's already considering: killing off Megan Fox. Okay, to be fair, we mean killing off her annoying character Mikaela in Transformers. It might not make us forgive everything, but it's huge step in the right direction.
There's no love lost between Bay and Fox. She called him "Hitler" and said you had to be a genius to understand Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (was she watching an unseen Criterion cut of the film?). He had his own words to say, and had several cast members rally to his defense in a letter-writing flurry that detailed how bitchy and hard to work with Ms. Fox was. Things have escalated to a level where he's reportedly considering killing her off in the next Transformers film. At this point we're surprised he'd be bringing her back at all, because a simple "Ever since Mikaela left for that mechanics study course in Germany" line and she's out of the film.
But the fact that he's considering killing her off is deliciously evil, because it means he wants to bring her back just to kill her off onscreen. Not since Paris Hilton got waxed in the House of Wax remake have people been anticipating the demise of a celebutart. We're ready to get Halloween rolling by including Michael Bay among our best villains and suggesting some creative ways he might take care of the problem. Read on after the break and find out how Megan Fox might bite it in Transformers 3.
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'Big Top Pee-Wee': The Original Benicio Del Toro Wolfman
Spin-ematical: New on DVD and Blu-ray for 2/9
Watch This: Brilliant Oscar-Nominated Short 'Logorama'
Chris Nolan to Lead 'Superman' Reboot!?
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