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Dawn (Jess Weixler) is an ordinary teenage girl who firmly believes in preserving her virginity until marriage, much to the displeasure of her predatory stepbrother (John Hensley). But Dawn’s growing attraction to a new boy in school (Hale Appleman) leads to a surprising discovery about her body—her vagina has teeth and it’s not afraid to use them.

Big question: Is this indie film spin on the “vagina dentata” myth as ridiculous as it sounds?

Catch it: The story of a girl afraid of her own sexuality blossoming into a woman who learns to yield it as a powerful weapon, “Teeth” is only as silly as it needs to be. Weixler (who won a prize at Sundance for her performance) is lovely, and brings a real conviction to her role that helps sell the film’s shifts between arch satire and grrl powered coming of age story.

Skip it: If the name Lorena Bobbitt still gives you shivers. The gruesome results of Dawn’s unique method of self-defense are on full display here—in all their icky prosthetic glory.

Bottom line: Writer-director Mitchell Lichtenstein’s pop culturally aware blend of horror, comedy, teen exploitation and ‘50s monster movies comes off like an unholy alliance between John Waters and Todd Haynes. It’s gross, funny and inspired, with a heroine worth rooting for.

Bonus: Lichtenstein got his start as an actor, with roles in films by Ang Lee (“The Wedding Banquet”) and Robert Altman (“Streamers”) and even an episode of “Cheers.”

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