Watch movie critics passive-aggressively say nice things about director Michael Bay

Watch movie critics passive-aggressively say nice things about director Michael Bay
(Image credit: Jimmy Kimmel Live)

Film critics almost universally dislike director Michael Bay, but as his very lucrative (and somewhat formulaic) Transformers franchise proves, audiences love him — Transformers 4: Age of Extinction is pulling in cash hand-over-fist. Jimmy Kimmel noted this discrepancy between critical loathing and audience approval on Monday night's Jimmy Kimmel Live, then took it one step further, asking critics who've panned Bay films (a wide pool) to say something nice about the super-wealthy director.

It's actually kind of a sweet idea. And the prominent movie critics come in at different points on the "nice" scale — "Well, he seems to have great hair, and I hear he's above average in the height department," says the Chicago Sun Times' Richard Roeper in one of the more cutting compliments (but not the worst). A little passive-aggressive? Sure, but at least their hearts are almost certainly in the wrong place — and who is Bay to object to something with high entertainment value? --Peter Weber

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.