I don’t consider myself a “zombie fan”; I’m into the dystopian post-apocalyptic scenarios that zombies create, rather than the dead themselves. And despite the occasional request I’ve received for Walking Dead fanfic, I’ve never really thought zombies were relevant to this blog.

But we recently began watching iZombie —which is everything that made Buffy great with none of the crap, plus Rose McIver is the prettiest, funniest little thing in the world— and it prodded me to recall a couple movies that probably do merit a mention here.

First is Deadgirl, which is… well, let’s just cut to the chase. It isn’t a particularly good movie, but it definitely has a clear-eyed view of what would happen if an average teenage boy —that most depraved of all creatures— found a sexy, naked zombie strapped to a table in an abandoned basement. Wikipedia calls it a “black comedy horror”, but I don’t recall laughing; my response was more a combo platter of morbid curiosity, reluctant titillation, ethical perturbation, and a moment or two of stomach-churning disgust. It left an impression, to say the least.

The second is Make-out With Violence, which enters the same territory as Deadgirl —boy finds bound, beautiful zombie— and then veers off in a more creepily thoughtful direction. It’s pretty much Peak Mumblecore —don’t expect vibrant performances— but it’s pleasantly photographed, and it does an amazing job of capturing the vibe of a hazy suburban summer and the associated existential despair. Where Deadgirl is all about boys and the gross things they do with their dicks, M-OWV is about romantic entitlement: that feeling that the universe owes you the happy ending of your choice, and anything done in pursuit of it is justified. It’s an above-average indie, and worth tracking down, if you can.