To think that Danny Boyle’s trek into the film industry would be started by watching Apocalypse Now isn’t too much of a stretch, but considering the kind of movies he’s directed you can’t help but think that it was more of a kick start than any literal inspiration. With that being said it’s easy to recognize just how his passion for filmmaking has become something that has gone on to inspire and entertain many others that have thought about getting into the business or who have simply marveled at the contributions he’s made. Some of his movies are a bit out there and hard to really connect with, but a handful of them at the very least can be called true masterpieces that have shown just what he can do and what kind of vision he can bring to the big screen. It’s also indicative of the fact that he’s not completely stuck to one genre, and that’s nothing short of fantastic.
Here are the five best movies he’s directed.
5. Yesterday
This is kind of like a long version of a masterclass on why plagiarism is a bad thing. That might seem a bit simplistic but the idea that the world could ever fully forget the Beatles seems more possible after a nuclear fallout or worldwide extermination that leaves only the youngest individuals with limited knowledge of pop culture alive. The lesson finally concludes at the end when the lead character admits that he did take the songs that no one remembered and made them his own, which means it ends on a moral high note as he finally decides what he wants to do with his life and goes for it.
4. 28 Days Later
Zombie movies have been the rage for a long time now and this one was delightfully different since it was quick, it was brutal, and it was done in a way that didn’t so much turn the humans into zombies as it did ravening rage monsters that could still be killed. To think it all came from a monkey bite though is a bit of a stretch, but the outbreak portion and the mass panic does seem like something that would absolutely happen since human beings are known to act like frightened sheep when something threatens them in such a manner. In fact this was one of the better zombie movies of its time to be honest. Jacob Stolworthy of the Independent actually has more news about this story.
3. 127 Hours
Hiking, climbing, and enjoying the great outdoors is a favored pastime of many people, but it’s usually a good idea to tell someone where you’re going so that if anything does happen they have a good idea of where to look. Aaron found this out the hard way when he was pinned by a boulder and had to eventually leave a part of himself behind, literally, in his bid to escape. A lot of people would look at this and rightly assume that it’s about the will to survive and what an individual can do in order to see the next sunrise. But then again there are those of us that might go ahead and state that it’s kind of less than advised to simply go off without letting anyone know where you are. Patrick Barkham of The Guardian has more to say on this subject.
2. Slumdog Millionaire
Who would ever guess that a lifetime of knowledge, even one that’s not complete, would be able to win a person a fortune? You might be surprised at how many people could possibly win the million just based on their life experiences and how much information they’ve taken in throughout their lives, but this movie was about more than that. It’s about redemption, love, and what some might want to call destiny, which is fitting since a lifetime spent as Jamal has lived is one that tends to need some type of closure and therefore a happy if not one hundred percent perfect ending that can give people some kind of hope.
1. Trainspotting
This has to be one of the strangest movies ever made and yet it became a fan favorite after a while despite the content and how disturbing it really got. Ewan McGregor and Johnny Lee Miller were without a doubt two of the biggest highlights in the film while the others were just flat out nuts, but something about this movie and its rampant drug use and imagery was great enough to make it into a cult classic and even grant it a sequel, though it would seem that the sequel didn’t do quite as well as the original, which is rather typical. With this movie though Danny seemed to really cement his reputation as a filmmaker, and if nothing else, it showed that he was willing to go to lengths for a story that were kind of hard to stomach at times but were still pretty fun to watch.
Some directors just go there, and it’s great.
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