Shaun of the Dead

You don’t have to be a fan of the zombie epics of George Romero to enjoy this supremely engaging and jaw-droppingly (literally) hilarious British "romantic comedy … with zombies," but it couldn’t hurt. Shaun of the Dead is one of the best stand-alone horror films of the past 10 years and is also, oddly enough, the funniest comedy from just about anywhere in longer than I care to remember. To top it off, it’s a winning tale of friendship and true love that actually gets it all right for once. The lessons to be found here – the power of friendship, love, and loyalty in the face of overwhelming odds – are not what you might expect from a film that features shotgun blasts to the face and excellent jokes at Dire Straits’ expense, but that’s key to Shaun of the Dead’s runaway success in the UK.