What I Liked Most

The exploration of man’s duality: good and evil living within the same being and the choice whether man indulges the “wrong” urges or denies them for the “right” ones. Perhaps this inner struggle is why people are so smitten with characters like Dexter Morgan and Hannibal Lecter, who are, by most definitions, “bad” people. Yet we can’t get enough of them or their stories. Why? We always hope, against all odds, the bad person can change – that they can be redeemed – and the “good” person we know is in there, will prevail. Plus, thanks to their writers, they’re likeable.

And John Wayne Cleaver is likeable with his sharp humor, witty observations and devotion to making the “good” choice.

What I Liked Least

First know, I’ve read this book twice because the below threw me for such a loop last year that I had to give the story another chance. Now I’m going to do for you, those who haven’t already read the book, what the author should’ve done:

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!

Yes, that’s right: The author spoiled his own surprise. And a really good one, I might add. For three chapters Wells builds mystery and suspense around the murders and the killer. But then, while John examines a victim’s body, Wells writes,

While we waited, I studied the slashes in the body’s abdomen. They were certainly animalistic, and one area on its left side had what looked like a claw mark — four ragged slits, about an inch apart, that extended nearly a foot toward the belly. This was the work of the demon, of course, though we still didn’t know that at the time. How could we? Back then, none of us even suspected that demons were real. I placed my own hand over the marks and guessed that whoever made them had a hand much bigger than mine. (Chapter 3, Page 52)

Uh, what?!

Not the best reveal ever and it seems to come from an omniscient source because in the next sentence John is guessing about the killer again. I was jolted out of the story by those three sentences; however, I kept reading. But Wells continued the story as if the above never happened. So, four chapters later on page 103, there was only mild surprise when, in what I assume was supposed to be the big TA-DA, the killer’s identity is revealed. It just wasn’t as exciting as it could’ve been had the above passage been cut.

Final Thoughts

Overall, as a debut novel in young adult literature, I Am Not a Serial Killer offers readers something different and entertaining. I have a soft spot when it comes to books for teens, especially in the horror genre, and I feel there’s potential with Dan Wells. He’s certainly not shy about splashes of gore here and there. I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. But please, no more spoilers!

Learn more about Dan Wells and his books at http://www.fearfulsymmetry.net/

And over the years I’ve discovered that foreign movies are largely overlooked by American audiences. Why? From what people have told me, what I’ve overheard people say, and what I’ve read in reviews the main reason is people don’t like to read subtitles. My film-loving heart breaks when I hear or read that: those people have no idea what they’re missing out on.

Therefore, I felt compelled to share a small sampling of my favorite foreign movies. I’ve included their English title, their original title and their original language as well as the genre and a very brief recap so you know why I love these films and why you should definitely get over the whole “I don’t want to read; I just want to watch a movie” thing.

Antibodies (Antikörper, 2005) German
IMDb | Netflix | Amazon

Written and directed by Christian Alvart, Antikörper is listed first for a very good reason: It’s awesome! I thoroughly enjoyed this film and rank it up there right after The Silence of the Lambs and Se7en. The acting was excellent and the last 15 minutes or so I was in complete nail-biting agony, nearly in tears, hoping for…well I don’t want to give anything away. Simply put, this is one of the best thrillers – American or Foreign – that I’ve seen in a long time.

NOTE: There is animal and child violence, a couple scenes are pretty graphic, too. However it is not gratuitous – it’s not violence for shock’s sake – and it keeps the tension and suspense at an almost unbearable level.

[Netflix Watch Instantly on 8/9/2008]

Voice (Yeogo gwae-dam 4: Moksori, 2005) Korean
IMDb | Netflix | Amazon

VOICE is an uber creepy film written by Ik-hwan Choe and Joon-Seok Sol, and directed by Ik-hwan Choe. I had such bad heebies jeebies after watching this one that I left my bedroom light on all night. My one piece of advice to you is to just enjoy the ride; don’t try to take pit stops along the way to figure out what this means or why that’s there and so on. It’s really not that hard of a movie to get if you’re patient and wait for everything to reveal itself. There’s a lot of jumping around in time, but again, just be patient.

NOTE: There is actually very little gore or onscreen violence. However, the one slightly gory scene did make me cringe but not for the reason you might expect.

[Netflix DVD rental on 7/25/2008]

House of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu, 2004) Mandarin
IMDb | Netflix | Amazon

Written by Feng Li, Bin Wang, and Yimou Zhang, and directed by Yimou Zhang this film may be a little out there for some moviegoers but I thought it was amazing. Visually stunning, imaginative plot, terrific acting — just a great story. There’s action (martial arts), adventure, fantasy, romance and mystery so I cannot really label it for you.

[Netflix DVD rental on 1/19/2006]

Evil (Ondskan, 2003) Swedish
IMDb | Netflix | Amazon

Based on the novel by Jan Guillou – screenplay written by Hans Gunnarsson Mikael Håfström and Klas Östergren – and directed by Mikael Håfström, this film will grip you from its opening scenes. Erik (Andreas Wilson) is a great character and he represents so many people, so many underdogs, fighting to survive in the world today that it’s nearly impossible not to empathize with him and hope for his future. Powerful themes are addressed and the violence really hammered home the story’s points. I loved this movie!

NOTE: The violence mentioned is not gory or gratuitous. It’s just realistic, brutal fighting.

[Netflix Watch Instantly on 1/31/2010]

The Devil’s Backbone (El Espinazo del Diablo, 2001) Spanish
IMDb | Netflix | Amazon

This is a superb film, written by Guillermo del Toro, Antonio Trashorras and David Muñoz, and directed by Guillermo del Toro, who – in my opinion – is one of the best directors in the world. His films, including this one, never feel like only one genre. There’s horror, fantasy, and mystery elements that work seamlessly together to create a film that will scare the bejeezus outta you but also touch you deeply. I’m embarrassed it took me seven years to finally watch this movie.

[Netflix DVD rental on 7/30/2008]

What’s your favorite foreign film? (any genre)

Side note: I’ve only watched the trailer, not the full-length movie, and these films are in various stages of production – from planning/fundraising to completed projects – so please show your support.

Death Movie (2011) UK

Written and directed by David Paul Baker, DEATH MOVIE is in the planning stage and needs our support to move forward into pre-production. Please visit the official web site for all the details then click here to show your support.

“50 young people are found scared to death in front of a drive-in movie screen. Forensic gather up video mobile phones at the scene, then begin to edit the footage to see what scared them to death.

We go back 48 hours to follow several characters video diaries. They got a mystery invite via the web, to view the scariest film ever made. We follow them from the previous day as they go on a road trip to this secret screening of “DEATH MOVIE.”

The story is told through the POV of two female characters However, most of the movies promotion will be told through the multiple cameras that the FBI recovered, and media spins, conspiracy theories.

You will have to see the main movie to find out what scared all these people to death!”

DEATH MOVIE on Facebook | Twitter | Blog

The Dobson Files (2010) USA

Written by Travis Opgenorth and directed by Marty Skibosh THE DOBSON FILES is an alien movie filmed in the style of The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield but with the atmosphere of Paranormal Activity. Join the filmmaker’s campaign to get this film distributed by filling out the “Demand It” form on the web site (see link below). Once you sign up you’ll receive weekly clips of never-before-seen footage and personal messages from Marty and other crew members.

“There are 270 million digital cameras and cell phones in use today. There have been 5 million reported alien encounters. It was only a matter of time before one was caught on tape. Click It. Watch It. Demand It.”

THE DOBSON FILES official web site

The Man Who Collected Food (2010) USA

Written and directed by Matthew Roth, THE MAN WHO COLLECTED FOOD has been at the top of my must-see list for ages. Recently, the film’s director won an award at the 2010 Indy Horror Film Festival, which has piqued my curiosity even more.

Please visit the official web site for all the details.

“Miguel Appet is a serious collector. He must have the color variants, the rarities, the 1950s originals: every food he can find–and keep–in mint condition. No one but his overbearing mother knows that his home, tucked in the quiet suburb of Cibuston, has become a massive museum to comestibles. His neighbors to the right, dad Horace and son Eustice, don’t notice a thing as they plot their next deer hunt. His neighbor to the left, Kelvin Green, is too busy searching for the alien he’s sure attacked him once. And Miguel eats…people. He has to, since eating his precious food is not an option. However, being a cannibal is not as easy as it seems, especially when you have a collection of food to take care of…”

THE MAN WHO COLLECTED FOOD on IMDb | Facebook | Twitter

Closed for the Season (2010) USA

Written and directed by Jay Woelfel, CLOSED FOR THE SEASON is set in an abandoned amusement park in Chippewa Lake Park, Ohio, where it was also filmed. So perhaps CLOSED is on my list for sentimental reasons as well as horror fandom.

Please visit the official web site for more information, pictures and video.

Also, Shadowcast Pictures’ YouTube channel features webisodes with behind-the-scenes clips and interviews. I suggest that you start with CFTS Webisode 1: ‘What is Closed for the Season?’ and view each episode in order.

“Trapped in a forgotten amusement park, a young girl (Kristy) finds herself terrorized by the living memories of the park. She must break free from the park’s grasp before she becomes its next victim.”

CLOSED FOR THE SEASON on IMDb | Facebook | Twitter

Denizen (2010) USA

I’m always searching for horror films made by women so that’s how I found DENIZEN written and director by J.A. Steel. After reading the synopsis and watching the trailer for this Creature Feature I’ve added it to my “DVD Download or Buy” list. Please visit the official web site for cool stuff: trailer, plot, poster, characters and more.

“Peace gets shattered in a small town, when suddenly a mysterious creature starts to leave a bloody trail. The last hope for the residents to fight the terror and prevent the destruction by military forces rests on the courage and the resourcefulness of a small group of scientists.

Starring Julie Lisandro (Cheerleader Massacre), Glen Jensen (Fingerprints, Soul’s Midnight), Ben Bayless and Jody Mullins the latest J.A. Steel directed horror-action shocker DENIZEN will be accompanied later this year by a stunning comic tie-in, created by Lawrence White and White Eye Comics.”

DENIZEN on DVD | IMDB | Facebook | Twitter

Mass Acre Hill (2009) Canada

Written and directed by Dan Francis and Jamie Francis. Please visit the official web site for all the details.

“When a secret government aircraft crash lands on a remote hillside, two pilots Ben Boone and Coen Smith, find themselves alive but struggling to stay that way against a deranged cult, drug dealers and the living dead.”

MASS ACRE HILL on DVD | IMDb | Facebook | Twitter

Strigoi (2008) UK

Here’s another Creature Feature but this time with vampires and a little harder to slap with one specific genre. STRIGOI, written and directed by Faye Jackson, her first full-length film, has won a few indie awards and I cannot wait to see it. If I could buy it, I would.

Please check out the official web site for more information and be sure to read the interview with Faye Jackson.

“Vlad (Catalin Paraschiv) investigates a mysterious death in his grandfather’s village that raises questions about land ownership in the community. The trail points to ex-communist bully Constantin Tirescu and his wife, but when Vlad confronts them, he discovers that the richest landowners in the village have become real bloodsuckers.”

STRIGOI on Netflix | IMDb | Facebook | Twitter

If you’ve already watched any of these films, I’d love to hear your thoughts, opinions, or feedback.

For those who haven’t seen any of these films, which one would you most like to watch right now, if any?

———————————————————————————————————

Are you an indie filmmaker who needs fan support for his/her latest project?

Contact me and I’d be happy to check out your project. Horror films usually get preferential treatment but I’m open to all genres as long as the story is tight with clear direction.

4 stars out of 5

Remember when horror moviegoers used to pee their pants for movies with killers they didn’t know a thing about? Sometimes the killers wore masks and moviegoers never even saw the killers’ faces? And the mystery added to the film’s scariness and the villain’s badass factor.

Ah, the good old days.

Apparently, “modern” horror fans can’t be bothered to observe the characters, listen to the dialogue, pay attention to the setting and, if necessary, make an inference once or twice. When did it become a requirement for “good” horror movies to lay everything out on a silver platter and tie it all up with a bow at the end? Uh, hello, Michael Myers didn’t need a reason or a face–he was just evil. Period.

If you’ve read any other reviews then you probably saw something mentioned about plot holes in THE COLLECTOR. Well I disagree, to a certain extent. Sure, I had to overlook one bump in the plot, suspend my disbelief – just once – to stay in the story. But it was worth it.

The writers didn’t take shortcuts anywhere else in the screenplay so I can allow them one “quick fix” because it moved the story forward and plopped me down smack dab in the middle of the fire. I found the opening scenes were more than sufficient to give me the backstory on Arkin (Josh Stewart) and foreshadow the events to come. Around the 25 minute mark was when the action started and it didn’t let up until the credits.

Let me geek out over the writing for just a minute, okay?

Writers are always instructed to throw everything AND the kitchen sink at their characters, especially the main character. We’re taught, if something bad happens, look at the bad thing and make it even worse. Take your character to the brink, dangle him over the edge, then he either saves himself or dies trying. Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan did just that when they wrote the screenplay for THE COLLECTOR. And what they did even better than that was to keep you engrossed in the story and invested in the characters’ survival so that you didn’t sit there looking for what they could do or what might happen next.

You had no choice – you just had to wait and see.

Well I’m not really great at the whole “patience” thing; I just fidgeted in my seat at first and mumbled a bit. But as the tension grew so did my anxiety. It wasn’t long before I yelled comments like “Go! Go! Go!” All the while tapping my foot and teetering on the edge of my seat. I’m not sure the last time I’ve been that anxious and tense. The Strangers (2008) comes to mind but surely there’s been something else since then? (My memory is on vacation at the moment.)

I do know you won’t find too many other horror flicks with as good a match up – protagonist versus antagonist – as this one. Arkin makes smart choices, albeit mostly defensive ones, that really test The Collector (Juan Fernández). It’s quite fun to watch their cat and mouse game; although, in this case, it’s more like a cat and cat game. Good times!

Trailer:

Synopsis:

Desperate to repay his debt to his ex-wife, an ex-con plots a heist at his new employer’s country home, unaware that a second criminal has also targeted the property, and rigged it with a series of deadly traps.

Solid writing and genuine acting combined with an excellent use of light, sound effects and music all work together to create a top-notch seriously intense flick that horror fans will enjoy. It’s important to note, however, if you cannot stomach in-your-face gore then you might want to skip THE COLLECTOR. Also, there’s some brief nudity during a sexual situation.

Do you ever talk to or yell at a character during a movie?

Web Resources

The Collector official site | on IMDb | on Netflix | Purchase the DVD

(DVD viewed on 5/5/10)

4 stars out of 5

Watching THE SIGNAL I experienced every emotion known to man except disappointment. There were some really bloody, violent scenes that made me cringe. Then there was a good 20 minutes or so where I thought I’d pee myself from laughing so hard — the scene with Clark and Lewis, “not Jim Parsons…” was friggin’ hilarious whilst being an excellent way for the writers to show us just how deranged some people might be in that situation.

I didn’t realize THE SIGNAL was directed by three different people until after I’d already watched it; however, that totally explains the three sequences and their almost bipolar variances in dialogue, tone and atmosphere. I enjoyed the basic plot of the film: a signal broadcast over the TV and radio causes people to go homicidal (“Do you have the crazy?“) but not in the traditional zombie sort of way.

The love story / love triangle, which had me pulling for Mya and Ben until the very end, was vital to the film’s success. Had the writers not given me someone to care about before the darkness set in I might not have connected with the story. And hands down, without Anessa Ramsey, Justin Welborn and AJ Bowen, I would not have enjoyed Mya, Ben and Lewis quite as much.

Despite repeated views, I’m not quite sure I get the movie or its ending, but I was definitely entertained. Like I wrote earlier: a love it or hate it flick, for sure. Oh yeah, the brief nudity mentioned in the rating is a quick shot of Justin Welborn’s butt at the beginning of the film.

Very weird movie; check it out for yourself.

Do you ever question the effects of all the signals zooming around us every day? Or what would happen if someone manipulated those signals?

WEB RESOURCES

The Signal official site | on IMDb | on Netflix | Purchase from Amazon

(Watched Instantly on 6/14/08)

3 1/2 stars out of 5

Okay, if I’m being completely honest, a few of those 80 minutes I wasn’t entertained; hence, only 3 1/2 stars. But when the writing dulled or the plot holes threatened to swallow me whole, either the great soundtrack or the chunks of gore saved the day. Or, Nathan’s best friends, Henry and Diggs, dropped some comic relief, which caused me to laugh and overlook the not-so-stellar moments.

Since BOY EATS GIRL was released in 2005, I have to think the filmmakers attempted to follow in the footsteps of Shaun of the Dead (2004), which is just fine except those are wicked big footsteps. SHAUN was the first RomComZom (romantic comedy with zombies) and thus far, the best. BOY grasped the concept and took an impressive bite out of the premise but fell short of its mark in the overall scheme of things.

The love story resembled My Boyfriend’s Back (1993) while the relationship dynamics were closer to those in Dance of the Dead (2008); Neither of which was close to the awesomeness that is SHAUN OF THE DEAD. Plus, not only did the zombies in this movie run (and snarl), but they were the result of a mother’s incorrectly performed Voodoo ritual to resurrect her dead son, who then transmitted the condition to others through a bite. Hmm… And these zombies could be cured by — wait for it — a snake bite.

At any rate, despite its flaws, rabid zombie addicts will get a kick outta this movie. If for nothing else than to see a young man gettin’ head from a zombie chick.

Yeah, that doesn’t end so well for the young man.

Or his penis.

Here’s the trailer:

Here’s the synopsis:

A boy declares his love for his girlfriend, only to die the same night. He is brought back to life by his mother as a flesh-craving zombie, who sires more teen undead while trying to control his, er, appetite for his beloved.

One more thing: There was a scene that had to be an homage to Dead Alive (aka Braindead, 1992) and that scene was all kinds of gorelicious fun so give this flick a chance.

Are Voodoo zombies more plausible than the virus variety? Why?

WEB RESOURCES

Boy Eats Girl on IMDb | on Netflix | Purchase from Amazon

(Watched Instantly on 3/12/2010)

4 stars out of 5

Whether the audience connected with this movie rested almost entirely on whether they liked Sam and cared about his relationship with Hanna. While I wasn’t given a lot of time to emotionally invest in Sam before the bad stuff happened, Bishop did an adequate job later on through hearsay and flashbacks that showed me why I should care.

The story had a strong plot and the twist on whodunit was fun and fit the movie’s theme and atmosphere. With a steady pace and a fair amount of violence, action fans shouldn’t be disappointed. Where the film could fail, for some, was how fast it dug into the action without much character development and, at times, the editing felt choppy. Also, there were a couple scenes that came across a little like info dump.

Oh, and I wasn’t really feelin’ what happened with Oz in the cemetery, but it’s more of a subjective observation, so I won’t taint the review with my feedback there.

Without a doubt, the coolest thing about the whole movie was the Reapers. An interesting concept and, with the money available, they looked rather intimidating and badass. The main male Reaper reminded me of a demon version of the Terminator or the Mummy, not his appearance, his abilities. There was only a momentary bout of disapproval: when the female Reapers were introduced, scantily clad. However, the fems had some wicked kills, and technically they were demons in possession of a body, so I overlooked their lack of clothing.

When I caught sight of the male reaper with the black hat (after he switched), I said out loud, “Ben? From The Signal?” Sure enough, it was Justin Welborn. He doesn’t last long, which was disappointing, but I was happy to see him nonetheless.

Side note: I need to post my review of The Signal – watch it if you haven’t already. Justin’s range is impressive when you compare Ben to, say, Carter in The Final Destination.

There are probably hardcore action or horror fans who will hate this movie, if for nothing else, then definitely because of its ending. I was a little surprised by it but also sad whilst being satisfied.

Here’s the trailer:

Here’s the synopsis:

Award-Winning Writer and Director Gregg Bishop delivers a fast-paced supernatural thriller about Samuel North (Nathan Mobley), who has just been murdered and sent to Hell. There, in “the Pit,” two other damned souls on the run help Samuel escape back to the world of the living to be reunited with the girl he loves. But now, Samuel has Hell to pay: the Netherworld has sent 3 REAPERS (invincible bounty hunters from Hades) to hunt and kill each of the escaped men. Samuel must solve his own murder and fight for his soul’s redemption in order to escape THE OTHER SIDE.

Do you think a person, who lived a “good” life, should be condemned to Hell for a one-time lapse in judgment or crime of necessity?

WEB RESOURCES

The Other Side official site | on IMDb | on Netflix | Purchase from Amazon

(Watched Instantly on 3/12/2010)

Described as “a war movie with zombies,” The 4th Reich is written and directed by Shaun Robert Smith and stars Sean Pertwee, Tom Savini, Doug Bradley, and Craig Conway.

As soon as a trailer is available, I’ll edit this post and embed the video.

Here’s the synopsis:

An exaggerated true story closely based on the consequences of the Third Reich’s disease testing experiments in Europe during World War Two. The 2nd Lincolnshire Battalion was one of many British divisions to land in Northern France on June 6th 1944 (D-day). It was their discovery that brought the world to its knees, and could spell the end of mankind.

The 4th Reich is a wartime horror. A dark analysis into the effects of war and the Third Reich’s attempt to create a master race…click to read the rest on the official site.

Do you think you’ll watch this movie? Why?

WEB RESOURCES

Official site | IMDb | Dread Central

4 1/2 stars out of 5

The plot is nothing new: a group of college students trek to a secluded cabin in the snow-covered mountains of Norway only to discover the area’s sordid history which includes torture, murder, and zombies. But not just any zombie. Nope. These are Nazi zombies!

There are reviews with remarks about the “boring first half” of the film but I disagree. I wasn’t bored for one minute of the entire 92-minute movie. I think the pacing works well and I am given enough exposition to leave me feeling like I am in-the-know before the brains hit the floor. However, once the kills begin, it’s a breakneck pace until the end.

The dialogue is cheesy but there are references to some of my favorite American horror films – like The Evil Dead (1981) – and a few scenes are obvious homages to those movies so that let me know the writers (Tommy Wirkola and Stig Frode Henriksen) weren’t going for anything deep when they penned the script. Plus, the editing definitely reminds me of Shaun of the Dead (2004) and the buckets of gore are comparable to Dead Alive (aka Braindead, 1992), which, again, lets me know what sort of film it aims to be.

The zombie-in-charge scares me. He could think and command his minions. Shivers. The kills are wicked and imaginative. And the grossest part of the whole movie has nothing to do with zombies. It involves sex in an outhouse. That’s all I’ll say because the surprise is half the fun, er, repulsion.

Oh, for all you zombie / horror purists, these Nazi zombies do run, and they run fast!

Lastly, if you don’t like to read subtitles, I believe the DVD does offer English dubbing. Personally, I avoid dubbing at all costs, but to each his own. If you do watch this movie with the subtitles, they are well done: short lines and the font is easy to read.

Are there any other Nazi zombie flicks you suggest I watch?

WEB RESOURCES

Dead Snow (Død snø) official site | on IMDb | on Netflix | Purchase from Amazon

DISCLAIMER: This was my first experience with the Nazi zombie subgenre of horror films.

(Watched Instantly on 3/5/2010)

4 stars out of 5

It’s so rare to find a movie both touching and disgusting, funny and sad, comedic and horrific. I was laughing one minute and nauseous the next.

You could extract just about whatever message or moral from this story that you wanted to, but from my viewpoint, Teeth dealt mostly with the teenager’s struggle with body image and sex and all their intricacies.

The production value and high caliber performances took me by total  surprise. Often times, one or both is sacrificed in “indie horror.” Kudos to the producers for spreading the wealth, so to speak, and giving moviegoers a well-rounded picture. Also, I cannot stress enough how much Jess Weixler’s performance contributed to the film’s success. She made Dawn frightening and intimidating while maintaining her innocence and believable vulnerability.

The ending – Dawn’s evolution into self-acceptance and beginning to embrace the power she has - left me cheering yet slightly afraid of the movie’s heroine. If there’s a sequel, I wonder, will Dawn abuse her power or will she continue to play fair and only act in self-defense?

Be warned: Teeth was packed with sexual situations – dialogue and intercourse, some of which is incestuous – as well as violence and gore involving male genitalia. For a specific group of movie fans, this will be a sickeningly, sweet hit. For mainstream American audiences, this movie will repulse them. For every man who watches, you will cross your legs and groan on more than on occasion. You’ve been warned!

In closing, I made the mistake of getting involved in a debate on a forum for Teeth, so I feel it necessary to add the following to, hopefully, head off any hate mail:

Before anyone posts a comment that I must be a feminist since I enjoyed this movie, let me clarify that it’s not what happens to the men, or even the portrayal of men, in this movie that I loved. The film’s theme of coming to accept who we are and embracing that individuality, and the sense of empowerment one receives from that acceptance is what I loved. Not the penis-munchin’ vagina. Yes, vagina dentata was an interesting concept, but like I noted above, the movie would’ve failed had it relied solely on that concept and not developed the characters and plot to their fullest.

Synopsis

High school student Dawn works hard at suppressing her budding sexuality by being the local chastity group’s most active participant. Her task is made even more difficult by her bad boy stepbrother Brad’s increasingly provocative behavior at home. A stranger to her own body, innocent Dawn discovers she has a toothed vagina when she becomes the object of violence. As she struggles to comprehend her anatomical uniqueness, Dawn experiences both the pitfalls and the power of being a living example of the vagina dentata myth.

WEB RESOURCES

Teeth official site | on IMDb | on Netflix | Purchase from Amazon

(DVD viewed on 5/7/08)