$ (1971)

Brute Force (1947)

At a tough penitentiary a prisoner plans to rebel against the power-mad chief guard.

Relentlessly dark, tough and intense prison drama with a large cast of characters and subplots (including flashbacks) that never loses the focus to the main plot and its inevitable ending.

Halliwell**: "Vivid and rather repellent prison melodrama leading to an explosive climax; its savagery seemed at the time to break fresh ground."

Maltin***1/2: "Tingling, hard-bitten prison film with its few cliches puched across solidly."

Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)

 

 

A dedicated schoolteacher spends her nights cruising bars, looking for abusive men with whom she can engage in progressively violent sexual encounters.

 

Well-made movie with a male chauvinist message about promiscuous women, but worth the watch for Diane Keaton's outstanding performance.

Halliwell (no star): "Exploitative and very boring sex melodrama which doesn't even make one believe in its central character."

Maltin*1/2: "Sordid rewrite (by director Brooks) of Judith Rossner's novel begins as intelligent study of repressed young girl, then wallows endlessly in her new "liberated" lifestyle. Keaton's performance outclasses this pointless movie."