The Film Stage have put together a good cross-section of Michael Bay's early work in music videos and commercials. I link to it even though it's hitwhoring one page of content over five pages.

Yes, he directed The Divinyls' "I Touch Myself", Meat Loaf's "I Would Do Anything for Love", and even the indelibly good "Aaron Burr" Got Milk ad.

I'm not surprised to see a bunch of movie sites turning this week into "Bay Appreciation Week", and treating him like a misunderstood auteur. I don't condone everything he's done, but he is an auteur. He is also not misunderstood and some poor guy needing artistic pity. He's a mega-millionaire with live lions guarding his office who screams at actors and crew on movie sets.

Pain and Gain looks like the culmination of everything he's ever tried to do with cinematic language.