I thought it was far from pretentious, a really charming down to earth film. I enjoyed the music references.

It's just the over-use of effects, formats, cult music/movie/TV references, and un-chronological montages.
That's usually what you get in a directorial debut.

Ambitious directional debut, I never thought of it as being pretentious. Really well made film, I expected a soppy love story and got something I could relate to.

I'm not saying it's bad.

It's just the stereotype for a directorial debut to literally do EVERYTHING you liked in your favourite movies, done by your favourite directors, and ever thought of doing or dreamed of including in any of your past projects.

There's nothing bad in that, it's natural, and that is the reason why I like to watch the student projects of my favourite directors. It's like they're still in this experimental melting-pot stage.

I just saw Crazy Heart. Loved it! Great actors, great story and the fact that Bridges played the songs himself blew me away, even with a touch of autotune :)

Aces, I'd rate it 9/10.

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I don't really "get" Coen Brothers comedies. I didn't like The Big Lebowski either. Their dramas, Fargo and No Country, were great though...

Agreed! Brilliant film :)

big lebowski didn't do much for me on my first watch. a year later it blew away.

La Horde (2009)
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After the fringes of the last French zombie film I saw (Mutants) dissolved from my subconscious far too quickly for my tastes, I went into La Horde with understandable trepidation. I was pleasantly surprised at this film and its delivery.
Very gory, fast paced (after the first 15 minutes or so), has a bit of humor, and a typical bleak French ending. (Which is something you come to expect anyway in this particular genre)
While I realize that the character development isn't exactly extensive, and the back story is lacking, and the story itself that incorporates the people into it isn't an award winner, the film does better in the first two regards if compared to 'Mutants'. But as any zombie flick fan knows, all that crap is secondary....

The high point of this film is really the kills and the absolute reckless abandon incorporated into them. For a zombie flick, this is something you want. Because it's something you'd do if you were in the same position, provided your head was sufficiently unscrewed enough to not be worried about ammo conservation or other logical things that would probably escape any normal person in the face of an apocalyptic zombie attack and an undead corpse who's staring at you with your own mother's jugular vein hanging from its mouth like a strand of spaghetti.

Overall, I think this film at least deserves a watch from any horror fan. For zombie fans, it's a must watch.
While I wouldn't compare it the 'weeks later' movies, it being in the same general style, I can say that it's not a total waste of time as a zombie flick.

My vote:
6 out of 10 shotgun shells

With all due respect, and I do mean with all due respect, how do you find French zombie movies and THEN decide you want to watch it?