20 Best Alien Movies You Can't Miss!
The subject of aliens has long been a source of fascination, sparking intriguing discussions around the world. Numerous theories about the existence of these extraterrestrial beings have sparked thought-provoking conversations. Moreover, myths revolving around aliens have consistently piqued our curiosity.
It comes as no surprise that movies featuring aliens as a central theme have gained immense popularity. With the wealth of imagination and theories surrounding these enigmatic beings, the allure is understandable.
If you are genuinely curious about exploring hypotheses regarding aliens, Showpoiler is here to offer you some excellent movie recommendations. Curious to know what they are? Let's find out in the following recommendations!
1. Alien (1979)
Starring the legendary Sigourney Weaver, the iconic movie "Alien" was released in 1979 and has captivated audiences around the world.
The movie revolves around the crew of an interplanetary cargo ship called the Nostromo, who are caught up in a terrifying battle against invading alien creatures.
The story unfolds when the Nostromo spacecraft arrives at a space planet and picks up a strange radio signal that catches their attention on the way back to Earth. To their surprise, they discover the remains of a plane wreck that has become a breeding ground for an alien species.
One of the crew members becomes host to the creature's embryonic cells, leading to a rapid and terrifying transformation. The crew refers to this terrifying creature as the "Xenomorph".
Will they be able to overcome the deadly threat posed by these unforgiving creatures? This Oscar-nominated movie for Best Visual Effects comes highly recommended. Prepare yourself for an intense and unforgettable cinematic experience.
2. District 9
One of the movies that captivate the audience with its fantastic visual effects is "District 9" by moviemaker Neil Blomkamp. This movie features a different plot from most Alien-themed movies, as it has documentary format.
The narrative starts with a spaceship touching down in Johannesburg. Thousands of 'Prawns' have been relocated to a remote location called District 9. Residents are concerned about the effects of the translocation of these species, which has led to confrontation between the Prawns and the locals.
MNU, the organization in charge of the situation, promptly dispatched an officer by the name of Wikus Van de Merwe to successfully drive the animals away. You must watch this movie if you want to learn more about the situation in District 9 and how people 'get along' with aliens.
3. Arrival
Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is a linguistics professor who recently lost her daughter. While still in mourning, Louis and the rest of the world are shocked by the arrival of a super large alien craft that lands on American territory. Worried that aliens will invade Earth, the American government is desperate to initiate contact with the aliens.
This led Louise and her team to try to understand the intentions of the aliens' arrival to Earth and what the American government wanted so that communication could work. This movie has an unexpected ending and you must watch it. IMDB itself gives a rating of 7.9/10 for the movie!
4. Edge of Tomorrow
Cage (Tom Cruise) is bewildered about his sudden duty as a soldier in a large-scale conflict. Cage tried to stay away from those kinds of conflicts as he finds himself inexperienced and not very skilled at using weapons on the battlefield. During this situation, Cage can only wait for death to take him.
While other soldiers started firing and turned into snipers, Cage had no choice but to flee the alien' onslaught. This invasion makes every nation came together to deploy all of their available troops, thus explaining why Cage was chosen to serve as a soldier.
Being an easy target, Cage finally died after blowing himself up with the Alien who held him. However, strangely, Cage returned to life in time one day before the war began. And, every time he lost his life, he would return to the day before the war.
Knowing what things happened to Cage, a female soldier and sharpshooter named Rita (Emily Blunt) then helped him make use of this miracle. They devised a plan and worked together to stop the aliens.
5. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Undoubtedly, this classic film by director Steven Spielberg deserves a spot on any movie list. Released in 1982, this iconic movie with a scientific fantasy genre tells the story of the friendship between Elliot and an extraterrestrial commonly abbreviated as "The Extra-Terrestrial" or just "E.T."
"E.T." conveys the desire to return to his home planet through the power of telekinesis. As his human friend, Elliot is happy to help him. The thrilling adventure begins when government agents learn of the extraterrestrial's presence on Earth, Elliot and E.T. must undergo quarantine.
Following Elliot's return from quarantine, he, along with his family and friends, plan to free E.T. and help him return to his home planet.
Audiences are drawn to the film because of its humorous plot and the touching friendship between alien species. What makes this movie so exciting? You should see the movie for yourself to know the answer!
6. Avatar
For its time, it was one of the most futuristic films ever made. The movie tells the story of energy crisis on earth. To sustain human life, scientists look for resources from another planet called Pandora.
In Pandora, there is the largest energy source called Unobtanium. It's not easy to get Unobtanium because the air of Pandora is deadly to humans but not to the aliens who live there, who are known as Na'Vi.
Dr. Grace (Sigourney Weaver) manipulates thoughts by using a Na'Vi body modified to respond to human commands. Is there hope for the scientists' mission?
7. The Predator
Who still remembers Arnold Schwarzenegger's movie against alien? There is no harm in looking back at the actor's cool action in "Predator". This movie tells the story of an elite force tasked with releasing hostages from a group of guerrillas in American forest.
However, in the midst of their mission, they find themselves confronted by formidable extraterrestrial creatures. These aliens possess the ability to detect body temperature and are as powerful as seasoned combat soldiers.
This iconic movie, which has been made into a sequel, has been a success after its release. For those who want to reminisce the actor's thrilling action against the Predator, this movie is one of the must-watch Alien movies.
8. Close Encounters of The Third Kind
The world is shocked by rumors of alien that will invade the earth. This time everyone took it seriously, so some scientists went to explore several places that might be the landing site of these creatures. The scientists went to Sonora region, a large desert in Mexico.
They were shocked to find out that many planes that had been reported missing for years, had reappeared, devoid of any defects or signs of wear, as if they were brand new. Knowing this, the scientists immediately provided information to the authorities.
Before the news could be processed by the higher-ups, a series of strange events started happening all over the city.
The power grid suddenly went down, plunging the metropolis into darkness. People witnessed the presence of glowing objects scattered throughout the urban landscape. The nature and origin of these luminous phenomena remained a mystery, leaving people to wonder: What could be the cause of these bewildering occurrences?
9. A Quiet Place
A Quiet Place is one of the few alien-themed fantasy thrillers that maintains a complete radio silence throughout the entirety of the plot—just like its title. In spite of that, the audience still gets the chills whenever these creatures, which prey on humans, are on screen.
Despite having relatively little dialogue, John Krasinski's movie is fascinating. The story follows the Abbot family as they travel through a hostile alien environment.
The movie succeeds in creating tension because of its straightforward plot and the actors' exceptional acting skill. The movie, which formerly dominated its own country's box office, is undoubtedly one of the best of all time.
10. Men in Black
Through this movie, we come to know that aliens can actually be friendly towards humans. In this film, the aliens live alongside humans and work just like regular office employees. However, there are still instances where some aliens are difficult to control.
To maintain harmony between humans and aliens, specialized security officers known as the Men in Black (MIB) are entrusted with this crucial task. Agents Kay (portrayed by Tommy Lee) and Jay (played by Will Smith) are MIB operatives assigned as law enforcers responsible for regulating extraterrestrial activity that violates Earth's laws.
They encounter various kinds of aliens, one of which is an alien that intends to destroy New York. It turns out that these alien plans to conquer Earth by attacking the major metropolis. Can Kay and Jay conquer these aliens? Watch the movie to find out!
11. Starship Troopers
The story takes place in the 23rd century, where giant insect-like aliens known as Arachnids invade Earth and attack humans. As a result, governments around the world have joined forces to prevent the extraterrestrial invasion.
Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien), Carmen Ibanez (Denise Richards), and Ace Levy (Jake Busey) are just a few of the soldiers fighting on the front lines. They decide to fight back against the monsters.
As combatting individual aliens becomes too hard, the army decided to attack Klendathu, the home planet of the Arachnids, as they believe the Arachnids would be easier to defeat on their own territory.
However, the Earth forces soon discover that their assessment was gravely mistaken. They severely underestimated the formidable strength and resilience of the Arachnids.
Upon learning that the Earth forces are attacking their home, the Arachnids become even more enraged, leading to a greater war.
12. Super 8
Directed by J.J Abrams, this movie tells the story of a group of brave kids who try to uncover mysterious events happening in their town, Ohio.
Set in year 1979, it starts with a group of teenage friends' adventure who accidentally find a scene of a train crash that carries a mysterious object. This incident happens while they are filming a Zombie-themed movie for school project. Joe and his friends, who want to use the train crash for a scene in their movie, face a situation they never imagined before.
They have to confront an alien creature that has been terrorizing the town. Super 8 is a light-hearted alien-themed movie with an intriguing storyline. The family drama intertwined within the adventure of these teenagers manages to evoke emotions in the audience until the end.
13. Cloverfield
Rob (Michael Stahl) has to move to Japan since he is being promoted. Upon hearing this news, Rob's friends intend to throw a farewell party. Initially, the party goes smoothly, although there is some drama when Beth, Rob's girlfriend, which is caught cheating.
Suddenly, a massive earthquake hits New York, causing everyone in Rob's apartment to evacuate and save themselves. Amidst the confusion, all New York residents are startled by the sight of the Statue of Liberty's head 'flying' and landing in the middle of the highway.
It turns out that a newly awakened alien has emerged from the depths of the ocean. The authorities then implement a lockdown in New York. Rob, Beth, and their other friends must leave the city before it's too late.
14. Independence Day
The world is in a grave danger! Particularly in America, a massive alien spaceship hovers over the skies of California. At first, the military spaceship didn't take any action until they found the ship unleashed a destructive laser beam, scorching California.
Many people lost their lives, while some managed to survive by seeking refuge in tunnels and culverts. This incident indicated war. The most skilled soldiers were deployed, among the commanders was Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith). He was assigned to lead the other soldiers in the assault.
However, the alien's mothership was protected by an impenetrable shield, making it difficult for them to destroy the ship. How will they overcome this obstacle?
15. Signs
Released in 2002, the movie stars Mel Gibson as the main character, a man named Graham Hess. It tells the story of a former priest, Graham Hess who experiences mysterious events in his family's cornfield.
He thinks someone pulled a prank by making crop circles on his field. However, everything turns into a global issue when these signs start appearing all over the world.
What is the real mystery behind these crop circles? Does this phenomenon across the globe have any connection to alien activities? Find out the answer by watching the movie!
16. War of The Worlds
Rey Ferrier (Tom Cruise) is a widower who lives with his two children, Rachel and Robbie. Rey doesn't have a very good relationship with his kids, but everything changes when there is an attack from foreign warships that suddenly arrive, firing lasers and reducing all humans to dust.
Rachel and Robbie's vacation plans with their father turn into a life-and-death struggle against the invading aliens. The authorities have started fighting back, but they haven't discovered the aliens' weak spot to effectively defeat these towering creatures. In such dire circumstances, Rey, Rachel, and Robbie flee together and escape from the city.
17. Mars Attack!
The term "Martians" refers to the beings inhabiting the planet Mars. In an extraordinary turn of events, these Martians make their way to Earth. James Dale, portrayed by Jack Nicholson, serves as the President of the United States during this time, and he goes to Pahrump, Nevada, the designated meeting point for the Martians.
The event is broadcasted across all television stations, allowing people worldwide to witness the encounter. To facilitate communication, the President's team employs a translation machine. The Martians claim that they come in peace. Welcoming this, some people release doves as a symbol of peace.
Tragically, the act of releasing doves is misunderstood by the Martians as a declaration of war, leading them to kill many people nearby. The initial plan falls apart, and the Martians declare war on Earth, also intending to invade it.
18. The Thing
In winter of 1982, a foreign aircraft comes to Earth and buried in Antarctica. This prompts researchers from Norway, known as the "Thule," to come and study it alongside American paleontologist named Kate (Mary Elizabeth). During their research, they discover a mysterious creature frozen within it, making it a groundbreaking discovery.
While they are celebrating their findings from the foreign aircraft, they are unaware that the frozen body of the mysterious creature is slowly thawing and coming back to life, attacking everyone in the research facility.
The mysterious creature is highly intelligent, able to assume the form of humans within the research facility, making it challenging for Kate and the other researchers to defeat the creature.
19. The Invasion
"The Invasion" is a must-watch Alien movie in a lifetime. It stars the evergreen actress Nicole Kidman, who portrays a psychiatrist named Carol Bennet. Carol lives with her son from her previous marriage with her ex-husband, Tucker.
The story begins with a spacecraft crashing in a particular region, leading to the spread of an active virus during sleep. Those infected by the virus become completely controlled by the mysterious creatures. They are capable of manipulating human minds and eliminating human emotions.
Carol becomes aware of the behavior of the infected individuals. Thus she suppress her own expressions in the midst of these creatures that have almost taken over the entire city. Can Carol save her son from the hands of her infected husband?
Despite facing criticism from movie critics, this movie is still worth to watch due to its unique storyline.
20. The Fourth Kind
Milla Jovovich known for her action-packed roles with zombies, showcases her acting skills in a different genre in "The Fourth Kind". She plays the role of Abigail Tyler, a psychologist who confronts alien terror.
The movie follows Dr. Tyler's journey as she investigates the mysterious disappearances in Nome, Alaska. Milla's performance in this movie portrays a sense of frustration, offering a contrast to her usual fierce action-packed roles.
"The Fourth Kind" stands out for its unique approach. Director Olantunde Osunsanmi incorporates video footage to enhance the audience's curiosity and create a sense of belief in the existence of enigmatic creatures.
While the authenticity of the attached footage remains uncertain, the movie successfully captivates the audience with its intriguing storyline.
Well, that's a collection of must-watch alien-themed movies for you. If you have any other great recommendations for alien movies that are worth watching, feel free to write them in the comment section!