Panties, push-up bras and ... Michael Bay?

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Who says the auteur theory is dead? You know before the credits have barely began to roll that you’re watching a Wes Anderson movie, or for that matter a film by Pedro Almodovar or Martin Scorsese. But when it comes to being a real auteur -- in the sense of having a uniquely discernible visual style -- is there really anyone who can hold a candle to Michael Bay?

If you think I’m exaggerating, just watch this new Victoria’s Secret commercial, which features pretty much every trick in Bay’s video arsenal. I’m talking the whole enchilada: the luscious, wind-machine blown supermodels, roaring motorcycles, shooting flames, hovering helicopters, throbbing metal music, gleaming sports cars, a fiery, sky-high explosion and the clincher, lots of lingerie-clad babes, lasciviously wielding pool cues.

I don’t know if this is really what the Cahiers du Cinema critics had in mind, but if you’re looking for pure sensation, no one does it better than Michael Bay. When it comes to selling suggestive schlock, he is the true auteur of our time. See for yourself: