Romero’s latter-day zombie sequel celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025 to little notice, same as this excellent, prescient movie received when it came out. With its cast of talented actors (John Leguizamo, Asia Argento, Dennis Hopper, Robert Joy) going beyond the call of duty, this late Romero has proven over time to be as dead-on about American society as his earlier zombie masterpieces became. I consider it one of the best American films of the 21st century. 

Land of the Dead is actually quite a beautiful film. There’s the fireworks, which they call “sky flowers.” But also built into the film is an interesting criticism of spectacle that isn’t so present in his others, which are each more focused on the news media, consumerism, things like that.

In Night of the Living Dead, it’s the violence of American life. When I think of that film, I always think about the Black militant Rap Brown: “Violence is as American as cherry pie.” I love that he chose cherry pie instead of apple pie. Because it’s red, you know?

—A. S. Hamrah