My Top Five Zombie Movies

I love zombie movies! This is a subject that I can really enjoy. When I was a child, the commercials for the undead movies were so cool and so scary. I so wanted to see them, but my parents would not let me, as they were afraid I would have nightmares. Well, as an adult, I can see their point. I loved the scene in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" where the zombies danced with him. It was creepy, but it was cool. I loved that kind of scary. Today, I like to hunt for zombie flicks, and I've found some funny ones, some scary ones and some that are just pathetic. However, my top five zombie movies are the ones that made me laugh, made me jump or just gave me the creeps.

The original Night of the Living Dead (1968) by George Romero was an excellent flick in the genre of horror films. I still believe this one is the creepiest. There is something about black and white films that gives the story a good ambiance. This film is still enjoyed by many. There have been other versions, but I personally prefer the original. I really liked how Romero chose a black man, Duane Jones, as his main character. Mr. Jones was an excellent choice. Also, for the time period, this was ground-breaking, and it made the story more realistic. I found the end tragic, but it is seemed to be the most likely scenario.

The more recent version of Dawn of the Dead (2004) was definitely scary in the beginning. I nearly jumped out of my skin at how fast the zombies were in this film. I was prepared for the usual slow-moving, shambling undead who had to catch people by surprise to get a nibble. After the characters settled in the mall, I began to find it hilarious. A mall? It is a sad commentary on our times when a mall is considered a safe haven. I do love Ving Rhames, though, and I would feel completely safe with him. The best part of the movie is the soundtrack. I love the jazz version of Disturbed's "Down With the Sickness" by Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine. I thought I was going to pass out from laughing so hard. I thought the ending was sad, though.

I consider 28 Days Later (2002) to be a zombie film. Yes, they're infected with rage, but they are chasing the uninfected people and seem to have no ability to reason. They also don't seem to do much else unless they see somebody who is not infected. To my mind, that is basically a zombie. I know, zombies have to have their heads removed or destroyed, but it seems more likely to me that if you shoot or injure a human body nothing is going to reanimate it. Yeah, that could take some of the fun out of our original zombie films, but I do like this movie. I can easily believe that two groups of people who think they are doing something for the good of the world will release some bio-hazard that will kill us all. I think the creators really researched their pandemics, and in the extra features on the DVD, they explain where they got their information. There are also some extra scenes and an alternate ending. When I want a likely picture of what could possibly happen, I watch this one.

Now, I was a late-comer to the Resident Evil movies. When my husband discovered this lack, he made a quick trip to the local super-store to get them. I really cannot say which of the movies is my favorite, so I lump them together as chapters in a saga. I love Milla Jovovich, and I think Michelle Rodriguez is too awesome. I liked Sienna Guillory and Ali Larter in the second and third films respectively. Oded Fehr is a serious babe, but I really like how the female characters are strong and resourceful. In other words, they kick some serious behind. That is a much better role model for young girls, although they are a little violent. I enjoyed the plots of all three chapters of this saga and fully recommend them. I love the continuity. I never just watch one of them. I watch all of them in a row. I never get sick of them.

By far, my favorite zombie movie is Shaun of the Dead (2004). It is billed as a "romantic zomedy," and that billing is perfectly accurate. I love all of the things that are happening in the background that Shaun is too oblivious to see, or when he sees something, he gets distracted and just goes on. When Shaun and Ed are walking home from the pub and the zombie gets to join in the song, I nearly fell off the couch laughing. All of the characters were so much fun, and I loved how the same phrases would be used in other situations. The phrase, "I'm sorry, Shaun," gets used a lot in my house, too. This movie is the most fun zombie movie I have ever had the pleasure of watching. If you have not seen it, then run! Don't walk! You need to see it.

Well, these are my favorite zombie movies. There are other zombie flicks that I have enjoyed, but if I have to narrow my list to five, these are the movies I would recommend. I love the ones that make me jump, scare me with the possibilities or just make me laugh. If you love that, too, then these movies are for you.

Source: IMDB.com for dates and personal experience for the rest.