Zombies… arms outstretched, in search of brains or flesh to fuel their awakened dead energy… that’s the stuff of classic zombie movies, but what are the best of the bunch? And can you think outside the walking dead stereotype to find an updated, fresher zombie flick? Here’s Movie Crunch’s list of the 10 best zombie movies:

10. Fido (2006)

Carrie-Anne Moss
Billy Connolly
Dylan Baker
K’Sun Ray

Fido is a newer entry in the zombie genre and one of the few zom coms (zombie comedies) done right. In Fido, we get the bland 50s American suburbia set in an alternate weirdness of life after a zombie outbreak. The contrast of squeaky clean post zombie war 50s with domesticated undead sets the stage for entertaining fun. It’s wicked and twisted, especially when little Timmy’s “Fido” zombie’s collar malfunctions and the idyllic Leave it to Beaver scenario takes a turn.

9. Re-Animator (1985)

Jeffrey Combs
Bruce Abbott
Barbara Crampton
David Gale

A little mad scientist action, hmmmm? Herbert West embarks on a mission to revive the dead – only, you know, things don’t go off as planned in this excellent zombie cult film. Campy, gory and funny. What more could you want in your zombie movie? A decapitated head performing oral sex? Yep, it’s got that too!

8. The Serpent and the Rainbow (1998)

Bill Pullman
Cathy Tyson
Zakes Mokae
Paul Winfield

The Serpent and the Rainbow scared the shit out of me – and is one I haven’t revisited since my first viewing. Bill Pullman stars in Wes Craven’s disturbing voodoo zombie flick, and maybe it’s just the claustrophobic in me, but the scene where he’s buried alive with a tarantula? More horrifying than the buckets of blood shed in some of these other films. Chill.ing.

7. Zombie/Zombi 2 (1979)

Tisa Farrow
Ian McCulloch
Richard Johnson

Italian director Lucio Fulci made himself one gory and cool movie with Zombie (or Zombi 2, as some refer to it), set on a mysterious Caribbean island inhabited by zombies. Most memorable for fans of this flick? An eye gouging scene that makes even the most stable of stomachs turn and a wicked fight between zombie and shark! Shark vs. zombie? C’mon!

6. 28 Days Later (2002)

Cillian Murphy
Naomie Harris
Noah Huntley
Christopher Eccleston

After Trainspotting and before Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle ventured into horror with this little ditty about genetic research gone awry – plagued ghouls run amok first in London and then, presumably, the world over. Zombie purists would argue that this is really virus-infected folks versus true blue zombies… and technically they’re right, but the rage virus is zombie-esque, right? Just try to dodge those blood splatters and keep from becoming infected. Not so easy.

5. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Duane Jones
Judith O’Dea
Karl Hardman
Marilyn Eastman

Night of the Living Dead, George A. Romero’s original zombie flick, kicks off the top 5 – because after all, it started the whole thing for a bajillion lovers of the genre. It’s old, it’s classic, it’s gross, it’s frightening. Romero was the genre’s pioneer, offering up the granddaddy of all zombie movies (although there were certainly ones made before it). Even the Library of Congress placed it on the National Film Registry, calling it “historically, culturally or aesthetically important.”

4. Zombieland (2009)

Woody Harrelson
Jesse Eisenberg
Emma Stone
Abigail Breslin

Zombieland seems to be exceeding people’s expectations, with great reviews and fan comments on the web, it easily makes its way into our top 5. With gore and humor combined, visual style and a winning cast in Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, this zomedy hits the mark. Zombie hunters battling for survival is nothing new in the zombie flick genre, but moviegoers are treated to a helluva lot of fun with their carnage.

3. Dead Alive (1992)

Timothy Balme
Diana Peñalver
Elizabeth Moody
Ian Watkin

This 1992 Peter Jackson gem features loads of gore and humor (c’mon, the priest who says “I kick ass for The Lord” is brilliant!). Campy and fun, Dead Alive (named Braindead for its original release, but renamed Dead Alive for North American release) makes it hard to believe that the future director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy helmed this. And oh-how-terrific is the idea to attack zombies with a lawnmower? Hell yeah.

2. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Simon Pegg
Nick Frost
Kate Ashfield
Lucy Davis

Shaun of the Dead gets top marks from us because, well, we love all things Simon Pegg (check out “Hot Fuzz” on our list of Best Action-Comedies). Plus, Shaun of the Dead is that brilliant mix of fun, camp and zombie genre love – funny and scary combos earn rave reviews from the masses, because it’s the perfect entertainment package. Gems like going through the record collection, deciding which records to throw at the attacking zombies? Excellent.
 

1. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

David Emge
Ken Foree
Scott H. Reiniger
Gaylen Ross

George A. Romero kind of has to dominate this list of best zombie flicks, don’t you think? And while many will dispute whether Night of the Living Dead or Dawn of the Dead is a better entry into the best of the bunch, you can’t argue there needs to be room for both. This time around, the survivors of the zombie apocalypse hide out at the local mall, offering up a deeper message about American consumerism, too. That’s Romero… keepin’ it real!