The 10 Best Alien Films Ever Made

PJ Media ^ | 12 Apr 2018 | Lauren Spagnoletti

[Rummyfan]

What is the first thing you think of when you think of an alien movie? Does Sigourney Weaver's bald head pop into your mind as you picture her battling extraterrestrials in Alien 3? Or do you think of something unconventional, like Cloverfield or District 9? The alien genre is one that has certainly evolved over the years as special effects and computer-generated images have improved far beyond anyone's wildest dreams. But the fact of the matter is that for an alien movie to be good (actually, for any movie to be good), it has to tell a really good story, have character development, and be entertaining. Even the most beautiful film can be terrible if you just don't care about the people (or aliens) that you're watching.

Here are my picks for the best alien movies—for various reasons—dating back to 1982. I don't believe that older necessarily means better, but I also don't believe that higher budget means better either. See what you think.

[Tawiskaro]

Alien, Cocoon, Mars Attacks!, The Thing (1982), The Thing (2011), War of the Worlds (2005), Prometheus, Alien Covenant, Super 8, and others come to mind.

[Spok]

Have we forgotten “Plan 9 from Outer Space”? Enthralling fiction.

[Zeneta]

As an INTP according to the Briggs/Myers personality test, I should be a big fan of Sci-fi. A trekie etc...

I’m not.

I do enjoy Sci-Fi, but it has to be at least possible.

There are very few science fiction movies that are done in a way that sparks any interest.

[Billthedrill]

So many great flicks to choose from -

10. Flesh Gordon
9. The Brain From Planet Auros
8. Mars Needs Women
7. Hardware Wars
6. The Three Stooges In Orbit
5. Santa Claus vs The Martians
4. Spaceballs
3. Lost Skeleton Of Cadavra
2. Robot Monster
1. Plan 9 From Outer Space

[OKSooner]

"This Island Earth" was the all-time greatest. "Earth vs. The Flying Saucers" was most excellent also, along with "Battle In Outer Space".

"Attack Of The 50' Woman" was fun also, with some risque undertones for the time, although the 50' woman was technically not an alien, she was an earth chick who got irradiated by an alien "satellite"...

Anyway This Island Earth was maybe my all time favorite... I must have seen it when I was in about the 5th grade because I noticed that Faith Domergue's spacesuit seemed most flattering in an unusual way...

Also I was impressed with how Exeter turned out to be such a cool guy in the end, especially considering he was, you know... an alien and all that...

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS
INVADERS FROM MARS (1953)
THIS ISLAND EARTH
KRONOS
THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS
THE CRAWLING EYE
DARK CITY
THE THING (1951)
VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1961)
FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH
THE THING (1980S)Kurt Russell version
PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES

[kaboom]

Predator, They Live, and any of the Riddick series should be on the list.

[max americana]

“The Thing (Kurt Russell version directed by John Carpenter)”

WTH is the Kurt Russell version? Was that the legendary scene where Childs grows a tentacle in the ending?

[Zeneta]

LOL

I love that movie because it makes fun of the assumption that aliens from another planet will have some superior intellect.

[Delta 21]

#1

[Puppage]

Avatar? That was was horrible.

[bramps]

The list should start at number 11. The remake of The Thing starring Kurt Russell has spots 1 through 10 locked up.

[trisham]

I didn’t care for it.

[AppyPappy]

The Thing From Another World. Because of the timing. 1951, they are still talking about WW2 in the movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044121/

[mad_as_he$$]

No Predator? Bogus list.

[Ikeon]

Not one honorable mention of ‘Mars Attacks’? I think Kurt Russel's version of “the thing” and ‘Alien Vs. Predator” that's the one where they go to the south pole??, ""Aliens" scared the cr@p out of me, didnt realize it was close to 3 hours until it was over...

[Flag_This]

"Have we forgotten “Plan 9 from Outer Space”? Enthralling fiction."

"They" want you to think it was fiction.

[henkster]

Obviously (see tag line) I think Forbidden Planet is one of the best sci fi movies of all time. But it didn't necessarily have to do with aliens among us. In fact, in Forbidden Planet, all the aliens were dead long ago. My favorite aliens movies:

War of the Worlds (the 1953 version)

The Day the Earth Stood Still (when someone told me it was an allegory for the story of Jesus, it all made sense).

Mars Attacks (Just for the campy humor)

Earth vs. The Flying Saucers (same, but it wasn't intended that way)

And finally, perhaps the best, This Island Earth.

Would you buy a used Interocitor from this man?

[Ikeon]

I forgot all about Heavy Metal - #1 I must have seen it 3 times at the drive in the first 2 weeks it was out. But me being 19, it probably took me 3 times at the drive in to see the whole thing. wink * wink*..

[Sheapdog]

I was really impressed with Pandorum (2009) when I saw it.