This being said, there are a handful of zombie movies that make my list.
Shaun of the Dead.
This movie has the one thing EVERY movie needs. A plot-holes comic at the end to answer the questions brought up in the movie.
Beyond that, it has 2 of the 3 main characters from Black Books in it, which we loved, and Simon Pegg is so darn funny.
Yes, there are some zombie dining scenes, but it's ultimately not the focus of the movie, so somehow it's not as gruesome.
The Serpent and the Rainbow
Creepy and that it's based on a nonfiction book by the same name does not hurt things. It could happen to YOU! However 'The film adaptation was vehemently derided by Wade Davis' (the guy who wrote the book). Once again, we have a Gustave situation where leaving the 27 foot long crocodile a mere (and accurate) 20 feet long would have still been just as scary. But, not as sensational.
The 28 series
There are 3 so far, they are all scary in that my original complaint about zombies are that they are slow. The zombies in these movies are freaky fast, use themselves as battering rams and have no qualms about stairs.
In this series, a virus is the blame and it creates rage and instant desire to maim and/or eat those nearest you. Despite the high body count and gore levels, this is about what I would expect from the human population if such a virus did get out.
I am Legend.
Don't gripe, it's not technically a zombie movie, but neither is 28. Both are based on humans screwing up the world playing with germs. With nearly the same results-instant rage-induced mindless attacking. The zombie aspect comes into play because both involve humans losing their humanity and, well, eating each other. That's pretty zombini.
This one was appealing, maybe ironically, because of the humanity. You felt for the guy, even knowing what you know about him.
Zombieland
Watch this one and Shaun of the Dead in the same night. Maybe round it out with Slither-which is not a zombie movie, but has Nathan Fillion in it and I love that man.
Zombieland has everything a zombie movie needs-it's creepy, overdone and so funny you have to hit pause for the laughing to pass. My favorite thing is his list of rules and how they show up through the movie, that is exactly how I envision life anyway.
