Ever feel like escaping to another world for a couple of hours? We’ve got just the ticket. Buckle up, because we’re about to take you on an intergalactic journey through some of the best alien flicks ever made. Whether you’re in the mood for a sci-fi classic, an action-packed blockbuster, or a campy B-movie, this list has something for every extraterrestrial enthusiast.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream at the screen in terror. By the time the credits roll, you might even find yourself questioning humanity’s place in the universe. So grab some popcorn, kill the lights, and prepare to be abducted by 10 alien movies that are out of this world.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a sci-fi classic for good reason. This 1977 film from Steven Spielberg is a cinematic masterpiece that will pull you in from the very first scene.
In the movie, strange things are happening in Indiana as people report UFO sightings and encounters with aliens. Meanwhile, Roy Neary, an everyday electrician, has a close encounter of his own that changes his life. His quest for the truth leads him on an adventure he never imagined.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
This 1982 classic from Steven Spielberg is one of the most beloved alien films of all time. When a lonely boy named Elliott befriends an extraterrestrial, dubbed “E.T.”, he has to keep it hidden from others.
Elliott and his siblings help shelter E.T. in their home, sharing adventures and bonding with their new alien pal. But soon, government agents start searching the neighbourhood, trying to locate the alien visitor. Elliott and his friends must devise a plan to get E.T. back to his spaceship so he can finally go home.
Alien (1979)
The 1979 sci-fi horror classic Alien set the standard for extraterrestrial threat movies. Directed by Ridley Scott, this unsettling film follows the crew of the cargo spaceship Nostromo as they investigate a distress signal from a derelict alien ship.
With its claustrophobic setting, bursts of shocking violence, and a terrifyingly hostile alien, Alien delivers a chilling vision of humanity under threat.
The alien creature itself, designed by Swiss surrealist H.R. Giger, has become an iconic figure in science fiction. Between its stealth, acidic blood, and gruesome means of reproduction, this “xenomorph” is a formidable menace.
The Thing (1982)
The Thing (1982) is a sci-fi horror classic directed by John Carpenter. Set in Antarctica, the movie follows a group of American researchers who discover an alien life form that can perfectly imitate other organisms.
Paranoia and tension rise as the researchers are picked off one by one by the shape-shifting creature. Not knowing who is human and who is the “thing” leads to chaos and violence. Kurt Russell stars as a helicopter pilot who tries to figure out how to stop the alien before it escapes Antarctica.
Aliens (1986)
The 1986 sci-fi action horror film Aliens is the sequel to Alien (1979) and the second instalment in the Alien franchise. Set in the year 2179, Ripley, the sole survivor from the first film, is asked to return to the planet LV-426 to establish contact with a colonist group that has dropped out of contact.
When Ripley and a team of space marines arrive, they discover that the colony has been overrun by the dangerous Xenomorph creatures. The group soon finds themselves in a deadly battle for survival against hordes of these menacing aliens.
Independence Day (1996)
Independence Day is the sci-fi action blockbuster that redefined the alien invasion genre. When enormous spaceships appear and position themselves over major cities around the world, the question of their purpose looms large. Unfortunately, their intentions prove to be hostile, and mankind finds itself in a desperate struggle for survival against the advanced alien forces.
As the massive ships begin destroying entire cities with powerful energy beams, the US military scrambles to mount some kind of defence. Pilot Steven Hiller (Will Smith) and scientist David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) team up in a last-ditch attempt to defeat the invaders and save humanity from extinction. They devise a plan to upload a computer virus and disable the alien ships’ force fields so that a squadron of fighter jets can attack the main vessels.
Arrival (2016)
The science fiction film Arrival, starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, provides a thought-provoking take on first contact with an alien civilization.
When 12 mysterious spacecraft appear around the world, linguistics professor Louise Banks is tasked with interpreting the alien language to determine the reason for their arrival. As she learns their unique circular writing system and complex linguistic structure, she starts to grasp their unconventional perception of time.
The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
The Day the Earth Stood Still is a science fiction classic that still holds up today. In the film, an alien named Klaatu and his robot companion Gort land their spacecraft on Earth on a mission of goodwill. However, their arrival sparks global tensions and Cold War fears.
Klaatu comes in peace but is shot shortly after landing. While recovering, he befriends a widow and her son. He tries to deliver a message that Earth must stop its violent ways and join other space-faring worlds in peace. But distrust and hostility abound.
District 9 (2009)
District 9 is a science fiction film that provides a unique take on the alien invasion genre. In the movie, an alien mothership comes to Earth and hovers over Johannesburg, South Africa. Eventually, the ship opens and releases hundreds of alien refugees, called “prawns” by humans, who are malnourished and sick.
The South African government confines the aliens to a military-enforced slum called District 9. The story follows Wikus van de Merwe, a government agent tasked with relocating the prawns to a new camp. During his mission, Wikus becomes infected with an alien biotechnology that begins altering his DNA and body. He is hunted by the organization he once worked for and turns to the very aliens he was relocating for help.
War of The Worlds (2005)
This remake of the H.G. Wells classic novel brings the alien invasion story into the modern day. Set in New Jersey, the film follows Ray Ferrier, a dockworker and less-than-perfect dad, as he struggles to protect his kids during an attack from intelligent extraterrestrials.
When freak electrical storms start happening all over the world, Ray soon discovers the cause – massive three-legged war machines that are vaporizing everything in their path with advanced heat rays. As the invaders ruthlessly destroy major cities, Ray flees with his kids in a desperate attempt to find refuge from the alien onslaught.
The special effects are terrifyingly realistic, bringing the massive alien tripods and their devastating weapons to chilling life. The movie has a darker, more sombre tone compared to the 1953 original, focusing on how humanity comes together in the face of a catastrophic threat. If you like alien invasion thrillers with compelling human stories and big blockbuster set pieces, War of the Worlds is a must-see.
There we have it, our list 0f 10 best alien movies. What do you think about our picks? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below: