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.

[Bernard Marx]

If you can find a showing of the 1967 movie Five Million Years to Earth it's worth a view -- I think there's one on-line. It's about the discovery of a strange object during excavation of the London Underground at a street called Hobbs End. The original English version was called Quatermass and the Pit.

The object turns out to be an ancient alien space ship and very old human remains are found buried along with it. I'm a lifelong SF fan and found this movie to be one of the best I've seen, along with The Day of the Triffids.

[yarddog]

I grew up in a one theater town.

I remember my school mates talking about “Day Of The Triffids”. They all thought it was great but from their descriptions it sounded too gross so I didn’t see it.

Something about pulling people’s backbones out.

[MarkL]

Agreed! I think Battle for Los Angeles might have been a made for TV movie, but I don't know. It was an awesome movie, though.

Mark

[Kartographer]

one of the VERY BEST exchanges on a TV show in the past 20 years:

Karen: “Next time you get on your knees could you see if the Big Guy can get us a operational B-2 Bomber loaded with nukes?”

Lourdes: “I don’t pray for God to give me things. I don’t think it works like that.”

Karen: “Then what do you pray for?”

Lourdes: “I ask God to show me what I can do for Him.”

[dfwgator]

You are worthress Arec Barrwin...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGeLnX3aj40

[Kartographer]

Oorah!

[agave]

“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1956) and (1978)
“Alienation” (1988)
“District 9” (2009)
“The Architects of Fear,” “Zanti Misfits,” “Controlled Experiment,” “A Feasibility Study” episodes of “The Outer Limits” (1963)

[MarkL]

"Falling Skies" was one of the few modern TV shows that actually showed respect for religious, in Lourdes' case, Catholic, beliefs. I remember the episode where the people have been starving, eating outdoors, and are finally able to sit at tables and eat a good meal, and she leads a prayer before they begin to eat.

The actress was an incredibly cute young lady, and her character was very impressive.

Mark

[redgolum]

The “There will be war” series is back in Ebook form!

https://www.amazon.com/There-Will-Be-War-I-ebook/dp/B00WONO0C0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523753952&sr=8-1&keywords=there+will+be+war

[wally_bert]

I liked The Invaders.

At times it was silly that the aliens used a lot of 1960s technology mixed in with their stuff.

It was 60s TV.

[clearcarbon]

"What about Marvin the Martian?"

Did Marvin do any Alien films?

[comebacknewt]

That particular story was called “The Road Not Taken” in case you are searching for it.

[Flag_This]

Thanks!

[Glad2bnuts]

THAT would not only be a good movie, but the start of a good series.

[TexasM1A]

I always liked Event Horizon.

[HighSierra5]

How about Cowboys and Aliens?

[henkster]

Col. Breen was a douchebag.

[killermosquito]

Edge of Tomorrow might be my favorite movie of all time

[5th MEB]

“I vote for outer space, no way these are local boys”

To quote Earl Bassett.

[windsorknot]

Say, isn’t that Paul Begala?