Teeth

It's not surprising that a bold movie like Teeth didn't get wide distribution, opening only in a handful of theaters in the US last winter. It's not exactly the kind of movie that's cineplex-friendly. But it's destined to live on forever as a cult classic instantly earning a spot among revenge classics like I Spit on Your Grave and Last House on the Left. But unlike those darker films, Teeth doesn't take itself too seriously. In fact, it's billed as a horror/dark comedy. It's one of those few films that will make you cringe and laugh out loud at the same time. I could be more specific, but that would only ruin the surprises. The story is based on a myth that I first heard of while in one of the my German film classes during our discussion of Fritz Lang's Metropolis...go figure. The fact that someone had the cojones to make a film about this deserves praise. But what surprised me was the quality of the script and cast, especially given the low budget. What could have been a crude and dirty Troma-like movie actually feels more like a respectable indie flick. After all, it won the special jury prize at Sundance in 2007. Anyway, if the premise sounds intriguing, it's well worth a look. Especially if you hate Matt McNamara from Nip/Tuck.