GREAT DIRECTORS: Danny Boyle

It is (probably) a well-established fact amongst the movie fraternity that Danny Boyle is a cinematic genius and quite possibly the most diverse director working today. Over a 17 year career he has made some of the modern classics of today, and his subject matter spans from slumdogs to zombies; beaches to canyons. Despite his globetrotting and storytelling he is a local boy from 'up north'.
Born in Manchester, England and attended college in Bolton. His down-to-Earth demeanour and humble interviews portray a very articulate and genuine man, bullet-proof from the arrogance and show-boating that often goes hand in hand with Hollywood fame. This humility is evident in his works, which more often than not feature the everyman, the people living normal lives everyday - not city slickers, crack assassins, corrupt cops and superheroes, but instead the people living on the periphery; the addicts, street kids and working men. He likes stories of redemption, with life affirming endings; he was once quoted saying "I don't want to make pompous, serious films; I like films that have a kind of vivacity about them."
His feature debut was Shallow Grave in 1994, and since then he has made a string of gems, including Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary,The Beach, 28 Days Later, Millions, Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours. You certainly couldn't place him within the confines of a genre, or five. Although he has only recently garnered the adoration and attention ubiquitous with Oscar success, he has such a complete and brilliant portfolio that his works overlooked by Oscar and BAFTA are in fact superb films, only appreciated later down the line. Before Slumdog Millionaire Joe Public didn't know Danny Boyle like they do now, his name was always a lingeringt doub,t 'I've heard of that guy, wait, don't tell me, It'll come', whereas now he is unanimous with the best Hollywood has to offer.
His films have had prolific response from the public, and have set standards amongst modern film-makers: Trainspotting is without a doubt the film to define the nineties; The Beach did wonders for the tourism in Thailand and shot DiCaprio into the adult world; 28 Days Later proved that zombies can run, and are a hell of a lot more frightening as a result, giving birth to a wave of similar flicks; Sunshine was revered by sci-fi geeks everwhere (including yours truly), and 127 Hours has proven that great direction can usurp plot - he demonstrates great wonders with the camera, igniting tension from monotony. His works are excellent and slot him firmly into the 'Great Directors' series, and to comemorate his newest feature, written below are his top five films:
1. Trainspotting
2. 28 Days Later
3. Slumdog Millionaire
4. Sunshine
5. 127 Hours