THE DANMAN CAN

Simon Of The Desert   (1965) was the last of three films that  Luis Buñuel  made with  Silvia Pinal , the first being  Viridiana  (1961) ( review ), the second being  The  Exterminating Angel   (1962) ( review ). Claudio Brook plays the overly pious Simón—considered a saint (based on  Simeon Stylites ) by his devotees—who has lived atop a tall pillar, praying, in the desert for six years, six weeks, and six days. Pinal plays the devil (deliciously), who attempts to seduce him down to earth three times in three different forms.  SOTD  finds Buñuel in full-on surrealist, controversy-courting mode and tapping into (and satirizing) religious themes, which caused scandal (not the first or last time for the director) with the Vatican and the government. The performances, atmosphere, black & white cinematography, and anachronistic ending are all wonderful. Luis Buñuel Films Ranked

The Decline Of Western Civilization: Surrealist Edition Luis Buñuel Films Ranked

The first of three films (one being a short) that  Luis Buñuel  made with  Silvia Pinal ,  Viridiana  (1961) was considered by some to be blasphemous and it was banned in Spain, only seeing release there in 1977 when Buñuel was 77 years old.  Viridiana  has a lot of bold symbolism and sexually suggestive imagery and dialogue. It feels like Buñuel at his most  Bergman esque. It has a protagonist whose piety is taken advantage of at every turn, by both strangers and relatives alike. As a piece of filmmaking that presents human beings as realistic, complex, and sometimes base in nature, it's a masterwork. Luis Buñuel Films Ranked

Reindeer Games (2000),  John Frankenheimer 's final theatrical feature film may be convoluted, implausible, and could have used a better lead, but it's a helluva fun actioner, stylishly shot, with a lot of replay value, and a solid gold supporting cast.  John Frankenheimer Feature Films Ranked