The difference is that his was an exercise in vanity, or the vanity of celebrity. So many actors say they can't watch themselves in the movies they've starred in.
The "art" of it didn't appeal to me, the human side of it did.
Seeing him fall asleep during Transformers and even having to walk away after the third Transformers movie looking disgraced is quite humbling viewing, in regards to being a famous actor. I don't think many actors would be willing to seek out that kind of embarrassment.
Watching him finally smile and enjoy himself surrounded by non-celebrity strangers also laughing and smiling whilst watching the animated kid's film Surf's Up was, y'know, lovely.
And finally working his way back to his childhood in the Disney movie he was in as a kid, wiping away tears, on display to a cinema of onlookers and who knows how many watching live, seems massively cathartic for someone in the limelight who seems to be confused (angry?) about his place in the land of fame.
I dunno, I liked it. Watching Shia watching Transformers is better than watching Transformers.