Perhaps due to the Netflix adaptation, many people are talking about the novel. “It’s trending,” a friend told me. Which is a good and bad thing. It’s good because more people are reading the original text and bad because, well, Hollywood is behind the 7-part series adaptation available now.

Five years ago, I published an article recommending 13 great films that you should watch even if you have to rent them. Today, I’m adding 13 more great films. While some great films have been released since then, I keep finding myself digging back into the past. Some are black and white classics and others are modern hidden gems. All are worth your time when you're in the right mood.

What stood out to me during the viewing were the set pieces. With no CGI or AI, the sets are things that actually exist, something a craftsman actually built. A little clunky and outdated at times, sure. But the aliens themselves, made from puppetry and everyday items, are terrifying, especially that queen!

After examining the structure of the story, the next step is to dive into the inner workings of the characters, especially the hero, which we will place on the illustration of God’s Story.

Like so many great films, All About Eve warns us about ambition, untamed it is a ravenous lion. And while we may stand taller than others for a moment, there is often another predator who is both taller and stronger than we are.

Western film and literature love the orphan. Peter Pan. Harry Potter. Anne of Green Gables. Oliver Twist. Jane Eyre. Luke Skywalker. Simba. Superman.

After identifying the plot and structure of the story, whether it is whole, bent, or broken, you can ask yourself and your students, what does the author portray in this story as good and as evil? Whatever the answer may be, you can write it in the space underneath the garden of New Creation.

The movie Backrooms (2026) proved that a 20-year old, Kane Parsons, with a small budget can make a more compelling film than Spielberg this summer. (Hint: don't bother watching Disclosure Day (2026)).

This is not a new storyline. Movies like Big (1988) or famous short stories like "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs follow similar plotlines. But this film’s cautionary message hit me hard: Human beings are terrible at judging what we really want and what’s best for us. The fallen heart often longs for things that will bring destruction. It's an argument for trusting God knows all things and is the embodiment of true, good, and beautiful.

A friend and filmmaker told me this week that "Project Hail Mary is the finest American film of the past two decades…" I was taken aback. Did we watch the same movie, I thought?