Five Zombie Movies You Have To See

ZOMG, zombies! Zombies have been back in vogue these last few years in the movie theaters world wide. While the first zombie films, such as Béla Lugosi's 1932 cult classic "White Zombie" showed the undead, unkempt masses as mindless servants of necromancers, George A. Romero and co re-wrote the books with Night of the Living Dead.

Somewhere, in the recent flair-up of popular zombie culture there has been a tenancy to release below-the-radar masterpieces that everyone should see. Submitted for your approval, is a list of five movies I believe any movie buff, regardless of taste, will enjoy. Gory, mind bending, socially aware--and well acted, these movies herald in a renaissance of zombie culture.

Okay, this is the elephant in the room. This isn't quite "renaissance" level stuff here, but it is on the list for being the only "on a Plane" movie I'd ever recommend someone watch. It may not have Samuel L Jackson , but it's humorous, gory, and quite amusing to seasoned zombie aficionados. I'll be admit, I have yet to finish it--because I haven't quite had the time.

There is a level of gore and anxiety people can accept, but when your girlfriend isn't too fond of such fodder you make a list of priorities in life and seeing every gorific zombie movie to the end isn't quite up there.

Besides, I do have a natural fear of zombies. But that's another story...

This one is actually very good, despite issues with DVD play back. It's not that my copy is scratched, it's just been shot at a weird frames per second, or perhaps mixed and mastered down slightly different than other films.

Released by Showtime this is what happens when your average newly wed couple take a honeymoon trip to the Jersey Shore. When the husband to be is sleeping soundly on the beach his bride is busy drawing a picture when a man rises out of the sea like a zombie King Trident .

While virtually unharmed the husband gets some zombie puke in his mouth and it turns out to be mildly toxic. Anyway, he dies. Kinda. But he's not the mindless killing zombie type, he just likes people food.

This is why you never go to Jersey Shore, people.

Set in an alternative 1950s American family Nuclear style Fido tells the story of a boy and his "pet" zombie. You see, this space radiation came and people started dying and returning to eat the flesh of the living.

After a war, heavy losses, and medical breakthroughs a company named Zombiecon has perfected the ability to inhibit the zombie's need for the human flesh, creating the perfect slave. When this goes awry with Timothy Robert's zombie, Fido, he kills an older lady sparking a chain of events that will re-define everyone involved.

While some-what gory, and definitely campy, overall this is a cute movie. Yes, cute. I'd never thought I'd ever call a zombie cute. But I've gone and done it. And I hate zombies, so figure that one out.

These last two films are so great, I can't decide why I even ordered the list. Consider these last two..no, three , a tie between each other. Solely because they all eschew the traditional zombie film concept.

In Zombies Anonymous one young female has a crazy psychotic boyfriend who decides to shoot her. If that wasn't a bad enough day, she dials help only to find that the paramedics refuse to treat the undead.

Wait, undead ? That's right. Through the course of this movie you will find undertones of racial tension as humans and zombie alike duke it out between who is right and who is wrong.

Are they God's creation? The next step of evolution? Satan's minions? Who knows...

But they aren't mindless killing machines, either. They're just like you and me--'cept of course for a bad smell, taste for raw meat, and an ever decomposing body. Witness as zombies fight for their rights, all because our main character got herself killed. Or so her boyfriend feels.

Much like Zombies Anonymous American Zombie follows the convention that the undead aren't really crazy flesh eating monsters, they are--afterall--just you and me, only, you know, rotting.

Shot in a documentary-like format (think District 9) follow the exploits of one journalist interviewing a group of zombies in Los Angeles county, to shed light on the growing zombie sub-culture. As the journalist and his wife travel deeper into the world of the not-quite-living they will invariably find themselves at a Woodstock festival that makes Thriller re-enactments look pedantic.

Unfortunately, they discover something else, too. Something much darker than they ever expected. Can they keep what they know a secret, even though they shouldn't know? Or will those who don't want them to know find out they do know even if they're pretending they don't know?

Come on, you're still with me, right?

Zombies still continue to flourish in the cinemas and will even hit the small screen soon with a test pilot show shot for AMC called "The Walking Dead."

While I may hate, fear, and dislike zombies these films here provide often different views that help you feel more in touch with the world of the nonliving. I'll admit, if I ever come across a nice zombie I'll back off. As long as they don't try to eat me.

Have any zombie flicks you'd like to suggest for this list? Let me know, and I'll be sure to check it out!