The Director's Series: Michael Bay, No. 1


Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey.

Bad Boys (1995)
Starring: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Tea Leoni
Director: Michael Bay
About: We're nearing the end of this exploration, which means hitting my favorite film from the directors on this list. This was not my entry to Bay, but it instantly became a personal favorite when I saw it the first time in college. Smith and Lawrence are great in these roles, and have been for four films. But this is where it started. It's the quintessential Bay film. It has some good humor. It has some good action. It has some over-the-top moments. And it has some incredible slow-motion shots. I could probably watch this movie once a week for the rest of my life and never get bored. People don't always love or respect Michael Bay, but I've always enjoyed his films. He makes a certain kind of art, and yes these are art, and they work beautifully for me. This is a great film.

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