This week marks the beginning of cool, stylish new French television series Rebound on Rialto Channel (every Wednesday night from 8.30pm).

It’s being described as a mix between Lost and Twin Peaks, and is set in a small picturesque Alpine village where several years earlier a school bus filled with students went off the road with all on board killed. Years later, as the community prepares to erect a memorial, the dead begin returning to their homes and live as if nothing has happened. Each episode focuses on one zombie’s story, and it’s easy to see why this series has been a smash hit in France. Understated, slick and creepy, only the French could make zombies look this good.

Zombies haven’t reached the same feverish popularity as vampires over the last decade but it’s still hard to keep a good zombie down. So, to celebrate the release of these Gallic zombies I thought I’d take a look at some of the best Zombie flicks released this century.

This week marks the beginning of cool, stylish new French television series Rebound on Rialto Channel (every Wednesday night from 8.30pm).

It’s being described as a mix between Lost and Twin Peaks, and is set in a small picturesque Alpine village where several years earlier a school bus filled with students went off the road with all on board killed. Years later, as the community prepares to erect a memorial, the dead begin returning to their homes and live as if nothing has happened. Each episode focuses on one zombie’s story, and it’s easy to see why this series has been a smash hit in France. Understated, slick and creepy, only the French could make zombies look this good.

Zombies haven’t reached the same feverish popularity as vampires over the last decade but it’s still hard to keep a good zombie down. So, to celebrate the release of these Gallic zombies I thought I’d take a look at some of the best Zombie flicks released this century.

In no particular order…

28 Days Later (2002)

OK, so some like to argue this isn't a real zombie film as it’s filled with living people infected with a virus that turns them into monsters rather than the ‘living dead’. Technicalities aside, it’s on my list. No longer did we have to wait for zombies to limp awkwardly towards their prey, in 28 Days Later they sprinted. With just a 10 million dollar budget, director Danny Boyle boxed above his weight, creating a post-apocalyptic story filled with memorable images of deserted streets, plenty of gore and a palpable sense of desperation and horror. 

[REC] (2007)

The [REC] series embraced the “found footage” visual style, where it seems you're watching a recording from someone's home video camera - yes, it’s one of those hand held shaky looking films. The [REC] series was created by Spanish directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza and the original film featured a television reporter and cameraman who followed emergency workers into an apartment building where were hunted by virus infected zombie like creatures. It was such a successful idea it was remade as Quarantine in the States in 2008. There are now three films in the series with a fourth due out next year – the finale, called REC 4: Apocalypse.

Zombieland (2009)

Not only is Zombieland known for finding new and extreme ways to kill zombies, it also features one of Bill Murray’s most famous cameo appearances. Murray is partial to turning up in movies like The Darjeeling Limited and, rather surprisingly, Get Smart. Zombieland though, is perhaps his most famous. Zombieland follows four characters (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone & Abigail Breslin) all of whom have survived the zombie apocalypse and are traveling to Los Angeles. On their way they decide to camp out at Bill Murray's mansion, only to discover Bill has also survived the zombie attacks. Or has he? While the characters and action looks to be inspired by video games, Zombieland thankfully also had a sense of humour. 

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Along with Hot Fuzz and The World’s End, this zombie parody makes up writer-director Edgar Wright and actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s Cornetto Trilogy, a group of unrelated British comedies featuring a reoccurring joke involving a Cornetto ice cream. Shaun of the Dead is what is now known as a ‘zom-rom-com’, a film that pays homage to the zombie/horror genre, while also adding a lot of laughs and a little romance. The idea for the film came from an episode of Pegg, Frost and Wright’s cult TV series, Spaced, in which Simon Pegg’s character hallucinated that his flatmate was a zombie after playing too much Resident Evil. Best scene - using a dubious record collection to destroy zombies. 

Resident Evil (2002)

Speaking of Resident Evil, it makes the list purely due to its popularity with gamers, and for its determination not to give up. There are now five films in the franchise, all starring Milla Jovovich and the last three were directed by her husband Paul Anderson. It’s a video game adaptation - so it’s loud, violent, formulaic and a little silly, but the kids love it. 

Warm Bodies (2013)

It’s not often you use the words cute and heartwarming when talking about a zombie film, but this post-apocalyptic zombie romance is far from normal. With cues from Romeo and Juliet, it’s the story of a zombie (Hoult) who begins to feel human again after falling in love with a human girl (Palmer). There’s plenty of zombie action, but mostly it’s a sweet story about the power of love, filled with dry wit and delivered in a deadpan style, no pun intended.

Dawn of the Dead (2007)

Director Zack Snyder’s film was a tribute to George A. Romero’s 1978 original film, which along with Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Day of the Dead (1985) made him one of the most iconic zombie directors ever. The main differences between the modern version, starring Sarah Polley and Ving Rhames, and the original is that the zombies run – which goes against the George A. Romero’s zombie rules. 

Land of the Dead (2005)

OK, so Romero didn't end his zombie series with Day of the Dead, he made one more zombie film in 2005, called Land of the Dead. Reception to the fourth installment was lukewarm, but it’s still got all the elements of a quality zombie flick. It was also the first time Romero used digital effects, and featured a cameo by Pegg and Wright as a couple of photo booth zombies. Apparently Romero was so impressed with their film Shaun of the Dead he asked them to appear, and they were only too happy to oblige the master! 

Planet Terror (2007)

In 1998 Robert Rodriquez was sure zombie movies were about to make a come back in a major way; he wrote the first 30 pages of Planet Terror when making The Faculty. Thirty pages were as far as he got, attached to other projects he had to watch the zombie comeback from afar. In 2007 he finally released Planet Terror, an over-the-top, entertaining and memorable film starring Rose McGowan with a machine gun attached to her leg, and with plenty of flying body parts. 

World War Z

World War Z completes the list purely because it’s the most expensive and family friendly zombie flick ever made…good on you Brad.

What have I forgotten? Let me know what else you think should make the list.