Last weekend, as I was scouring through the new release section of Blockbuster, I noticed a lonely movie called Shaun of the Dead. On the cover, in front of a fresco of zombies similar to Dawn of the Dead, a small, skinny man in a sales manager suit was fondling a cricket bat with a smug grin on his face. According to the cover, it was a “romantic comedy…with zombies.” I couldn’t resist.

With lots of hype surrounding such comedies as Napoleon Dynamite and Dodgeball, I couldn’t understand why a movie like Shaun of the Dead could have been overlooked. It was one of the best movies I had ever seen.

The story follows Shaun: he’s nearly thirty, he has just been dumped by his girlfriend of three years, he’s stuck with a dead-end job, and is constantly badgered by friends about Ed, his lazy, console-crazed best friend. Shaun is so bummed that he doesn’t realize that London is slowly being taken over by bloodthirsty zombies. However, when one finally visits him personally at home, he and Ed must get off the couch and save the day.

The movie combines non-stop humor with all the thrills of a scary movie. During the movie, I often found myself laughing at one scene and jumping back at the next. All of the characters are believable and very well played, particularly Shaun and his buddy Ed.

Despite all of the light-hearted good humor, the movie does have its violent moments. It is a movie about London being taken over by zombies, and therefore there are some scary and bloody moments.

If you are looking for something to do with your friends or are just hanging out, Shaun of the Dead is an excellent movie choice. After seeing it, it is quite possible that you will want to watch it again. I know I did.