People have been talking a lot about extraterrestrials recently. Is anyone—or anything—out there? And if the answer to that question is yes, would it spell the end of the human race as we know it?! The answer, according to these movies, is often horrifying, but occasionally wholesome. And they’ve all cemented their place in cinematic history, not only as some of the best alien movies ever made, but some of the best films made by the human race.
Predator (1987)
In Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger leads a group of badass, cigar-chomping soldiers deep into the jungle to rescue hostages. But suddenly, after discovering the remains of skinned human beings, they find themselves being pursued by a terrifying alien that hunts humans for sport. Predator feels a bit dated now (and I find Schwarzenegger’s performance very wooden; sorry, Arnie) but it’s still an all-time classic of the alien genre.
War of the Worlds (2005)
Yes, you probably know the ending of War of the Worlds already. There are no surprises in this movie. (Even the rather unrealistic thing that happens to Justin Chatwin’s character probably won’t be a surprise if you’re familiar with director Steven Spielberg’s favorite tropes.) But this is an excellent alien invasion film, made all the more frightening by its use of imagery that audiences at the time associated with the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Lilo and Stitch (2002)
One of Disney’s best and (until recently, at least) most underrated films. Lilo and Stitch tells the story of a young orphaned girl named Lilo, her older sister Nani, and the chaotic little blue alien that ends up becoming part of their lives.
Disney is remaking Lilo and Stitch in live action, but their casting choices have caused controversy. Chances are it won’t be anything as good as the animated version (boo!), but we’ll always have the original, which is perfect as is.
Aliens (1986)
The sequel to the iconic horror film Alien took a long time to, uh, gestate. It was stuck in development hell for a bit until Terminator director James Cameron was handed the reins (after an absolutely legendary sales pitch). 20th Century Fox didn’t believe the project would be successful … but boy, were they wrong. Aliens was a big hit and it cemented Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley as one of the best action heroes in cinema.
Attack the Block (2011)
Attack the Block would have been an incredible film anyway, but three things bump it up to “iconic” status. One: it stars John Boyega as the main character and his fantastic performance helped kickstart his Hollywood career. Two: a younger and brunette-r Jodie Whittaker, a.k.a. Doctor Who’s 13th Doctor, shows up. Three, this movie features some of the most creative and jaw-dropping alien designs I’ve ever seen put to film.
Prey (2022)
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane), this prequel to Predator follows a Comanche woman named Naru (Amber Midthunder) who finds herself going up against both a monstrous alien creature and the French colonizers killing the buffalo in the area. Prey was an instant hit on streaming and a very well-deserved one, considering the sheer amount of care and attention that went into it. And Midthunder rightly got rave reviews for her performance.
Annihilation (2018)
An incredible cast (Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, Tessa Thompson, and more) weave a profoundly disturbing tale of life and death in Alex Garland’s Annihilation. Let me cut to the chase: this is, no kidding, the most terrifying movie I have ever seen. Is it because of the body horror? Because it can be taken as a metaphor for the way cancer overcomes a body? Or the nature of depression? That damn mutant bear? I have no idea, but I do know I have pretty much never experienced a movie the way I experienced this one.
Alien (1979)
In space, no one can hear you scream. That’s the famous tagline for Ridley Scott’s Alien, the movie that kicked off an entire franchise and changed horror films forever. The Xenomorph (played by six-foot-10-inches tall Nigerian artist Bolaji Badejo in his only acting role) was like nothing anyone had seen before. And the “chestburster” scene is still one of the most disgusting body horror moments in film.
Arrival (2016)
This beautiful movie, directed by Denis Villeneuve and based on the short story “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang, follows Louise (Amy Adams) as she attempts to decipher the language spoken by a group of very alien creatures who have suddenly arrived on Earth. Arrival was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture—but there was no nomination for Adams’s incredible performance and I’m salty about it to this day.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
We’re going to end this list with a wholesome human-alien friendship story, no invasions here. Steven Spielberg’s E.T. is the blueprint for every “child meets alien” film that came after it, and it embedded itself into the consciousness of every kid who saw it on screens both big and small. Show of hands: who else used to point their finger upwards and go “El-li-ot” in an E.T. voice whenever the mood took you? I sure did!
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