The Ancient World Is Still Rolling the Credits

Greek mythology has been Hollywood’s silent co-writer for over a century. Sometimes it’s obvious — a sandal, a lightning bolt, a hero named Perseus. Other times, the gods slip in through the back door, wearing modern suits and speaking in corporate jargon. You’ve probably watched half a dozen of these films without catching the reference. That’s the point.

Here are six movies inspired by Greek mythology that are cleverer about their sources than you might think.

1. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) — The Odyssey in Overalls

The Coen brothers’ Depression-era comedy is the most open about its lineage. The title itself is a nod to Preston Sturges, but the plot is pure Homer’s Odyssey — three escaped convicts wander through Mississippi, meeting a Cyclops (a one-eyed Bible salesman), a Siren (a trio of seductive singers), and a suitor problem straight out of Ithaca.

George Clooney’s Ulysses Everett McGill even shares his name with the Greek hero. The film doesn’t just copy the structure; it translates it into Americana. Blind prophets, river crossings, and a flood at the end — it’s all there, reimagined with bluegrass on the soundtrack.

2. Ex Machina (2014) — The Pygmalion Myth, Rebuilt in Glass and Code

Before Alex Garland made Civil War, he wrote a chamber piece about a programmer who visits a reclusive CEO and meets Ava, an AI with a face. The setup mirrors the myth of Pygmalion, the sculptor who fell in love with his ivory statue, Galatea, after the gods brought her to life.

But Garland flips the story. In the myth, the artist’s devotion is rewarded. In Ex Machina, the creator’s obsession becomes his undoing. Ava isn’t a passive muse; she’s a survivor. It’s a cold, clinical take on an ancient fantasy, and it cuts deeper because of it.

3. The Hunger Games (2012) — Theseus and the Minotaur, Televised

Suzanne Collins has admitted that Katniss Everdeen’s journey owes a debt to the myth of Theseus. Every year, Athens sent seven boys and seven girls to Crete to be devoured by the Minotaur in a labyrinth. Panem sends its tributes to an arena designed for maximum spectacle.

The parallels are structural more than literal. Katniss is a tribute who refuses to be a victim, much like Theseus used the thread of Ariadne to find his way out. The Capitol plays the role of King Minos, demanding sacrifice to maintain control. The movie, directed by Gary Ross, keeps that political edge sharp.

4. The Truman Show (1998) — A Modern Prometheus, Trapped in a Dome

Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity, then spent eternity chained to a rock with an eagle eating his liver. Jim Carrey’s Truman Burbank is a subtler version of that rebel. His “rock” is a giant television studio disguised as a town, and his eagle is the relentless gaze of millions of viewers.

When Truman finally sails his boat into the wall of his artificial sky, it’s a Promethean act of defiance. He doesn’t steal fire — he takes back his own life. The film, directed by Peter Weir, asks what it means to be a creator who controls every detail of another being’s existence. That’s a question the Greek gods themselves might have pondered.

5. The Matrix (1999) — Orpheus in a Trench Coat

Neo’s descent into the underworld to rescue a captive love isn’t exactly Orpheus’s journey — but the echoes are unmistakable. Morpheus, the character who guides him, is named after the Greek god of dreams. The film’s hero, played by Keanu Reeves, must believe in the impossible to escape the cave of shadows.

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is the more direct philosophical ancestor, but the Orphic thread runs through the whole trilogy. Neo’s death and rebirth, his journey through the machine city, and his final sacrifice all carry the weight of ancient mystery cults. The Wachowskis were never shy about their influences — they just hid them behind bullet time and leather.

6. The Godfather (1972) — A Greek Tragedy in a Three-Piece Suit

Francis Ford Coppola’s mafia epic is often called a Shakespearean tragedy, but it owes just as much to the house of Atreus. Michael Corleone’s rise and fall mirrors Agamemnon’s — a man who sacrifices his family for power, then loses everything he tried to protect.

There’s even a direct nod to the myth of Medea. When Michael’s sister Connie goes mad with grief after her husband’s murder, her rage echoes the sorceress who destroyed her own children. The film’s structure — a cycle of revenge that consumes the avenger — is pure Greek tragedy. You don’t need a chorus to feel the doom closing in.

Why Hollywood Keeps Returning to These Myths

Greek mythology endures because it’s built on universal conflicts. Pride, revenge, love, sacrifice — these aren’t ancient concerns; they’re the same ones that drive every modern screenplay. Filmmakers don’t need to announce their sources. They just need to tap into the same emotional currents that made those stories last for millennia.

Next time you watch a movie about a reluctant hero or a doomed ruler, ask yourself: is there a myth hiding underneath? More often than not, the answer is yes.

More Cinematic Deep Dives

If you enjoyed this list, check out our breakdown of movies based on classic literature and films with hidden biblical references. You might be surprised by what’s lurking in your streaming queue.

Retro’s quiet $21M raise

The friend-focused photo-sharing app Retro has pulled in more than $21 million in Series A funding, according to an SEC filing spotted by Business Insider. The filing, dated August 19, sits under the startup’s legal name, Lone Palm Labs, and reveals the round actually closed back in December.

PitchBook now pegs the company’s valuation north of $100 million. Retro hasn’t commented publicly on the raise, and didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The money comes at a telling moment. Social media has become a firehose of creator content, algorithmically ranked and increasingly generated by AI. Retro’s pitch is almost contrarian: show photos to the people who actually know you.

Built by ex-Instagram engineers who saw the feed problem coming

Retro was founded by Nathan Sharp and Ryan Olson, two former Instagram product engineers. They watched the platform drift from a friend-sharing tool into a broadcast network dominated by influencers. Sharp told TechCrunch in December: “Something that has to be true and will be true is that people will still want to see more of their friends.”

His point cuts to the heart of the current social media malaise. The For You page is great for killing time, but it’s terrible for staying connected. Sharp again: “The photos and videos you take will need to find a place where they can reach the intended audience.”

Retro is that place. It strips away the algorithmic noise and puts the focus squarely on your inner circle.

From personal journal to shared photo space

Launched in 2023 as a personal photo journal, Retro has evolved. It now lets you privately share photos of your week with friends, create shared albums, view and share recaps, and even “rewind” to time-travel through old memories. The app has become a go-to for groups who want a shared visual history without the performance of posting to a public feed.

The growth numbers back up the concept. According to app intelligence provider Appfigures, Retro has been downloaded about 7 million times since launch. In-app spending has jumped more than 460% over the past 180 days — a sign that the people who do subscribe are sticking around and using it regularly.

No ads, just subscriptions

Retro’s business model is refreshingly simple: no advertising. Instead, the company offers in-app subscriptions that unlock features like video, GIF and sticker comments, more styles, unlimited history, and special app icons.

It’s a small subset of users who pay, but the company’s bet is that those who do are committed customers. The subscription model also aligns with the app’s ethos — your data and attention aren’t the product.

Who’s backing the anti-algorithm bet?

The investor list reads like a who’s who of tech and venture circles. Thrive Capital leads the round, joined by Figma CEO Dylan Field, Scribble Ventures, Box Group, Imaginary Ventures, Coalition, Conviction, Copper, Positive Sum, and a roster of angels.

The mix of strategic and financial backers suggests confidence in Retro’s vision. Field, who runs a design tool company, likely sees the value in a social app that prioritizes genuine connection over engagement metrics.

What Retro’s raise says about the future of social

The $21M round is more than just a milestone for one startup. It’s a signal that investors are betting on a future where social media returns to its roots — connecting real people with real friends. As AI-generated content floods mainstream platforms, the demand for authentic, private sharing spaces is only growing.

Retro isn’t trying to replace Instagram or TikTok. It’s carving out a niche for something more intimate. And with this fresh capital, the team plans to keep building features that make it easier to share moments with the people who matter most.

For anyone tired of doomscrolling through sponsored posts and AI slop, Retro’s photo-sharing app offers a quiet alternative. The question now is whether it can scale its niche appeal into something bigger. The early numbers suggest it’s on the right track.

Why Your Pixel Home Screen Deserves a Second Look

Google’s Pixel phones are stuffed with exclusive features. That’s not hyperbole—it’s practically the brand’s identity. But here’s the thing: many of those features are hiding in plain sight, tucked inside apps you’ve probably swiped past a hundred times.

I’m guilty of it too. I’d buy a Pixel, marvel at the camera, then completely forget about the software tricks that make the phone genuinely useful. So I did something about it. I moved five overlooked Pixel apps to my home screen. Now I actually use them.

1. Recorder: The App That Transcribes Everything

You know that feeling when you’re in a meeting or lecture, and you desperately wish you had a transcript? The Pixel Recorder app does exactly that—and it’s been on Pixels since the Pixel 4.

It’s not just a voice recorder. It transcribes audio in real time, even when you’re offline. You can search for specific words in a recording, which is a lifesaver when you’re trying to find that one action item from a two-hour call.

I added it to my home screen because I kept forgetting I had it. Now, whenever I’m about to take notes on a conversation, I just hit record instead. The transcription is shockingly accurate, and it’s one of the most underrated Google Pixel features.

2. Now Playing: Your Personal Shazam, Always On

Every Pixel has a feature called Now Playing. It listens in the background and identifies music playing around you—no app needed. The catch? It’s buried in the settings, and most people never turn it on.

Here’s what I did: I added the Now Playing history shortcut to my home screen. It’s a widget that shows a list of every song the phone has recognized recently. Tap a song, and it opens in YouTube Music or your streaming app of choice.

Why does this matter? Because you won’t have to pull out your phone and open Shazam every time you hear a tune you like. The Pixel does it silently, and you just check the history later. It’s one of the best Pixel exclusive apps you’re not using.

3. Digital Wellbeing: More Than Just a Timer

Digital Wellbeing sounds like a guilt-trip app, but it’s actually a goldmine of hidden tools. The app tracks your screen time, sure, but it also has a Focus mode that silences distracting apps when you need to concentrate.

What really sold me, though, is the Wind Down feature. It shifts your screen to grayscale at a set time, which makes doomscrolling feel less appealing. I put a shortcut to Digital Wellbeing on my home screen because I kept forgetting to set it up properly.

Now I use it every evening. It’s a small nudge, but it’s genuinely changed how I wind down. If you’re looking for Pixel productivity tips, this is a good place to start.

4. Files by Google: The Cleanup Tool You Actually Need

Files by Google isn’t exclusive to Pixel, but it comes pre-installed and is deeply integrated. It’s not just a file manager—it has a smart cleanup feature that suggests old photos, memes, and unused APKs to delete.

I used to ignore it because I thought it was just a boring file browser. Then I checked the “Clean” tab one day. It found 2 GB of junk I didn’t know existed. That was the moment I moved it to my home screen.

The app also lets you share files offline with nearby devices, which is handy when you’re in a dead zone. If you’re tired of “storage full” notifications, this is the overlooked Pixel app you need.

5. Google Lens: The Visual Search Powerhouse

Google Lens is technically part of the Google app, but it deserves its own spot on your home screen. It’s a visual search tool that can identify plants, translate text in real time, and even solve math problems by pointing your camera at them.

I kept forgetting it existed because it’s hidden behind a few taps in the Google app. So I added the Lens shortcut directly to my home screen. Now, when I’m at a museum and want to know more about a painting, or when I’m trying to read a menu in another language, it’s one tap away.

It’s one of the most versatile hidden Google Pixel features, and it’s free. No reason not to use it.

How to Add These Apps to Your Home Screen

Adding any of these to your home screen takes about ten seconds. Here’s how:

• Open your app drawer and find the app you want.
• Press and hold the icon.
• Drag it to your home screen.
• For widgets like Now Playing, press and hold an empty spot on your home screen, tap “Widgets,” and search for the app.

That’s it. You’ll actually see them every time you unlock your phone, which is the whole point.

Don’t Let These Features Collect Dust

Pixels are packed with Google Pixel tips and tricks, but they only help if you remember they exist. Moving these five overlooked Pixel apps to my home screen was a small change that made a big difference in how I use my phone.

Try it. You might be surprised at how often you reach for them.