Just as I had given up all hope that Hollywood would ever produce another original movie, in walks Zombieland.

The buzz was small but impressive, and as I arrived at the theater, my excitement became wily. After the audience did a thorough job at laughing at the extended New Moon trailer, the movie started off with a cinematic bang, and I barely had time to catch my breath.

A beautiful, slow-motion action sequence bled into the introduction of the narrator, voiced to perfection by Jesse Eisenberg. One can almost always expect to be slightly mocked by movie narration. Most writers struggle to use this plot device effectively to explain their story to the audience without making them feel like they are incompetent, but that is where Zombieland differs.

The writing is contemporary, witty, snarky, and accessible. After spending some alone time, we make our way over to meet Woody Harrelson’s Tallahassee, and then the real fun begins.

A friendship is created amidst the post-apocalyptic world these unlikely chums are forced to inhabit, where a deadly disease is turning everyone into the flesh-eating undead. There are certain rules you must always follow in order to survive, and sometimes you may be forced to break a few.

Harrelson demonstrates the lunatic charm we all love to see from him while Eisenberg dons his nerd crown effortlessly. The zombie journey continues and we are introduced to a pair of ass-kicking sisters — played by Emma Stone (Superbad) and Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine)—  hellbent on familial survival. The story takes a shift at this point, but it’s not for the worse. Twists, turns, and a brilliant cameo ensue, and I left that theater with a giant smile on my undead face.

I can confidently say that Zombieland is now my favorite movie of 2009 so far. Beautifully shot, written and acted, I was so overwhelmingly entertained that it’s jarring. I suggest that if you’re heading out to the cinema, you give this movie your box office dollar. You will not regret it.