25 Great Alien Movies To Check Out
It’s movie night, and you’re jonesing for some extra-terrestrial entertainment—I mean who isn’t at ALL times of EVERY day? The question of what may be lurking among the stars is endlessly tantalizing, and it’s made for some damn fine films. If you’ve come to the web for guidance on this matter, then look no further!
Here are 25 movies based around aliens that are worth checking out...
25. Under The Skin (2013)
Under The Skin Trailer
A dark tale of seduction and other-worldly fear. Stalking the streets of Glasgow is a beautiful being with a terrible secret. There is a hunger she must satisfy, but could there be more to her existence than lust and death? Perhaps humanity isn’t only skin-deep...
Scarlett Johansson stars as the extra-terrestrial seductress.
24. The Signal (2014)
The Signal Official Trailer
When Nic wakes up in a mysterious lab with a damaged body and numbers tattooed on his wrist, he has more than a few questions for the people holding him. Although straight answers are hard to come by, he does learn that he and his friends came into contact with an alien force—something that profoundly changed them. But what exactly it did, as well as what truly happened to his friends, are questions that Nic may have to answer on his own.
The Signal focuses in on the human psyche and how it chooses to deal with different situations—whether it’s a failing relationship or an alien encounter.
23. The Watch (2012)
The Watch Trailer
All of humanity faces a terrible threat from beyond the stars; and only four men are paying attention. As the local neighborhood watch dedicated to the prevention of alien invasion, the fate of the entire world rests in the hands of these incompetent man-children. What could possibly go wrong?...
Four heroes. An alien plot for world-domination. Who holds the odds?...
22. Attack The Block (2011)
Attack The Block Official Restricted Trailer
It’s November 5th—a night of great celebration in the United Kingdom. This year, however, the universe has something else it wants to bring to the party. A rag-tag group of South Londoners find themselves defending their homes (within the titular apartment block) against an invading race of blood-thirsty aliens.
An unlikely group of survivors. Whatever their lots were in life before, it doesn’t matter now.
21. Men In Black (1997)
Men In Black Trailer
Turns out we humans have been intermingling with beings from beyond our planet for quite some time now. It also turns out there is a single good reason for no one having noticed: the black-clad G-Men of the M.I.B.
Only a select few have what it takes to join this agency.Freshly recruited, Agent J—under the supervision of Agent K—is about to find out exactly why some mind-shattering truths are best kept secret.
Agent K & Agent J. Not all aliens are bad—it’s the rotten apples that spoil the bunch. And they can REALLY spoil it!
20. The World’s End (2013)
The World's End International Trailer
When a group of old friends get together for a pub crawl in their hometown, they only hope to reconnect and set aside their differences. Finding out that everyone around them has been replaced by alien androids hadn’t really crossed their minds as a possibility. If they want to survive and get to the bottom of this mysterious threat, they’ll have to put aside their differences and kick some ass.
Friends may drift apart, but there’s nothing like a bit of extra-terrestrial violence and the odd pint of lager to bring people closer together.
19. Edge of Tomorrow
Edge Of Tomorrow Trailer
Humans are fighting a losing war against an incredibly smart and powerful race of alien invaders. Even our most advanced technology can’t quite match them. But when Major William Cage’s death seems to reset reality to the previous morning, it looks like they may have more time to cook up a strategy than they thought. With the help of fellow soldier Sgt. Rita Vrataski, they repeat the same events over and over again, hoping that they can discover the creatures’ weakness and turn the tide.
Sergeant Rita Vrataski and Major William Cage—a new generation of soldier on the European front.
18. Independence Day (1996)
Independence Day Trailer
Just in time for America’s 4th of July celebrations, an armada of massive alien ships arrive in orbit around the Earth. It’s not too long before the true intent of these visitors from space is discovered, and unfortunately for the occupants of Earth it does not fall under the ‘friendly’ category. Devastation erupts from the giant floating machines, and humanity begin to figure out a way to overcome this tactically superior enemy.
Independence Day’s most iconic scene—does not bode well for American politics...
17. ALIEN INVASION S.U.M.1 (2017)
ALIEN INVASION S.U.M.1 Trailer
Following near-extinction at the hands of an invading alien force, what remains of humanity is confined to heavily defended underground shelters. In an effort to begin expanding, one soldier (designated S.U.M.1) is tasked with securing and occupying a bunker outside the compound walls for 100 days, so that he may observe the outlying regions. When he comes into contact with people living in the unprotected wilderness, his perceptions begin to change...
Iwan Rheon stars as S.U.M.1, a loyal soldier forced to reconsider the matter of truth versus belief.
16. District 9 (2009)
District 9 Official Trailer
For nearly 30 years, a behemoth UFO has floated, dormant, above the South African city of Johannesburg. It’s occupants; a trapped population of incredibly intelligent alien beings—derogatorily nicknamed ‘prawns’—who have had no choice but to accept residence in segregated slums. Their ship is broken—unable to carry them home—and xenophobic humans want nothing more than to see them leave, or be wiped out. But when ignorant MNU employee Wikus van de Merwe tries to relocate the prawns to District 10, he is forced to relate to them on a level no other human possibly could...
The horrific realities of the racially-oppressive ’Apartheid’ are paralleled in District 9, serving as a humbling reminder of humanity’s ugliest traits—alongside insanely visceral action.
15. Pandorum (2009)
Pandorum Trailer
In a distant future where the Earth has finally reached its breaking point, humanity must set out into the darkness of space to find a new home. Waking up from hypersleep aboard this massive colonizing ship, two crew members find themselves seemingly alone—confused as to where the other 59,998 colonists could have disappeared to. Unfortunately for them, they aren’t alone after all.
An inhuman threat lurks not only around the surviving colonists, but also within them...
14. Sector 7 (2011) [Korean]
Sector 7 Trailer
Far off the coast of South Korea sits the Eclipse—an offshore oil rig operating within the titular ‘Sector 7.’ While the rig’s drilling efforts have been proving unsuccessful, none onboard were prepared for the horror it would drag up from the ocean’s depths.
Isolated on an oil rig in stormy seas, the crew must survive against a terrifying creature of unknown origin.
13. Beyond Skyline (2017)
Beyond Skyline Trailer
Each day is a constant fight for survival against the malevolent alien forces that have invaded the planet. Between Los Angeles and Laos, a group of survivors band together as a united front against the seemingly insurmountable threat. Police detective Mark fights to find his abducted son, not yet aware that he is on the path to becoming one of the entire world’s last hopes.
Since when have moon-sized monsters been a match for human courage and a little elbow-grease?
12. Venom (2018)
Venom Official Trailer
Enter one of the MARVEL universe’s most-loved anti-heroes. Eddie Brock, an investigative journalist looking into nasty rumors of human-experimentation by the Life Foundation corp. Unwittingly, he comes into contact with a recently discovered alien organism that latches onto him—resulting in the alien-human hybrid known as ‘Venom.’ Resistant at first, Eddie comes to appreciate the powers and abilities afforded to him by this symbiotic relationship, and hopes that he may use them to accomplish things with at least some semblance of being ‘good.’
Tom Hardy stars as the man consumed by this malicious entity. Pretty smile though...
11. Life (2017)
Life Official Trailer
Proof of alien life is discovered on Mars, and no one could be more excited about it than the scientists onboard the International Space Station. With a ‘safely’ isolated place to study it, it becomes clear that it is unlike anything known to man. Unfortunately for the station’s crew, the rapidly growing organism isn’t too keen on being examined—and what began as history’s greatest scientific discovery quickly turns into its deadliest.
It turns out there was life on Mars after all. Maybe we should have left it there...
10. Aliens In The Attic (2009)
Aliens In The Attic Trailer
When the Pearsons discover a scouting party of little green aliens in the attic of their summer home, the goal of the season shifts to ‘protecting the Earth from invasion’—instead of... whatever a family of teens typically get up to at a summer house. But there is one alien among them who isn’t so enthusiastic about the whole ‘invasion thing,’ and may just be willing to change teams...
The fate of the planet hangs in the balance—but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good laugh while saving it.
9. Pacific Rim (2013)
Pacific Rim Official Main Trailer
An unfathomable threat has emerged from the depths of our planet. Gargantuan monsters are storming the shores of human civilization to terrorize and wreak havoc. Our answer against these mountain-sized abominations? Fight size with size. Enter the Jaegers: giant mechs operated by two highly specialized pilots each, wielding immense firepower and strength. It’s become clear that they are our only real hope of overcoming these interdimensional beasts.
Inspired by the Japanese ’Kaiju’ genre, in which massive monsters terrorize society (ie, Godzilla).
8. Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
Battle: Los Angeles Official Trailer
Retirement gets put on-hold for U.S. Marine Michael Nantz when the skies over Los Angeles start raining UFOs. Emerging from the fallen pods are aliens hell-bent on war, forcing all able-bodied soldiers into battle on their very own home-front.
Initially thought to be a cluster of meteorites, the plummeting objects turn out to be containing creatures with little interest in diplomacy.
7. Starship Troopers (1997)
Starship Troopers Trailer
A race of insectoid aliens threatens everything that humanity stands for! When the war against the ‘bugs’ hits too close to home, Johnny Rico commits himself fully to the Mobile Infantry and finds himself on the distant planet Klendathu, face-to-face with the creatures themselves. Maybe exposure to the horrors of combat will allow him and his friends to reflect on just exactly who is invading whom?
The movie is loosely based on Robert A. Heinlein’s 1959 novel of the same name.
6. The Thing (1982)
The Thing Official Trailer
In Antarctica, scientists discovered something preserved deep beneath the polar ice. Something not of this world... When the organism is thawed out and makes its way to a neighboring research station, all hell breaks loose. This thing can alter its form, inhabiting the bodies and personalities of its victims. A new level of paranoia sets in as distrust grows between the station’s dwindling inhabitants. Who could it be?...
John Carpenter’s 1982 remake is particularly renowned for its ground-breaking, gruesome practical effects.
5. The Thing (2011)
The Thing Official Trailer
A prequel to the aforementioned 1982 film (of the same name), this Thing follows the original Norwegian research team that discovered the entity. At first unearthing a massive ship of sorts beneath the ice, they happen upon its ‘pilot’ nearby (also frozen). It is clearly a remarkable discovery, but its form and biological structure have the scientists perplexed. Unfortunately for them, the thawing of the specimen’s icy cage means they soon get to experience its capabilities first-hand.
This story ties directly into the very beginning of John Carpenter’s original, answering some questions while raising others.
4. War Of The Worlds (2005)
War Of The Worlds Trailer
Witness the ultimate alien invasion. When towering tripods appear and start disintegrating and abducting people, Ray Ferrier has to do whatever it takes to keep himself and his two children alive. In the blink of an eye, everyday American life is transformed into a hellish battlefield with too few places to hide. No one knows why these beings are waging this unprovoked war, but nothing is without a weakness—it’s just finding it while staying alive that’s the problem.
Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film is one of many adaptations of H.G. Wells’ 1898 novel ’The War of the Worlds’—considered one of the most influential sci-fi stories of all time.
3. Predator (1987)
Predator 'Throwback' Trailer
Dropped into the jungles of Central America, what begins as a relatively routine hostage-rescuing operation, for 7 elite commandos, quickly turns into a deadly confrontation with an unseen foe that only just arrived on our planet. As skinned corpses and skeletal trophies soon make it clear that this thing is hunting for sport, Dutch’s unit of bad-asses have no choice but to hurl everything they’ve got at this jungle stalker. Yes, it can see in thermal vision. Yes, it has active camouflage. Yes, it has crazy high-tech weaponry.
But ya know what it doesn’t have?... Dutch’s muscle-bound brain.
It had already been established that Arnie could demolish any human specimen, but what about alien specimens?...
2. Predators (2010)
Predators Official Trailer
When 8 people regain consciousness falling through the sky with parachutes on their backs, the possibility that they were no longer on Earth had not yet occurred to them. Realizing that they are each ‘killers’ in their own ways—whether a black ops commando, a cartel enforcer, or a murderer on death row etc.—it’s not long before they understand that they were selected for a singular purpose: to be hunted.
Stranded on a game-preserve planet by an alien race of sport-hunters, these humans will have to embrace their own violent nature as predators.
Intended as a rebooted direct sequel to the original, the title ’Predators’ refers both to the aliens and the humans themselves.
1. ALIENS (1986)
ALIENS "It's War" Trailer
“They mostly come at night... Mostly...”
Following the horrific events of the original, Lt. Ellen Ripley finds herself face-to-dome once more with the creature that haunts her dreams—only this time each side has a few more friends. Hoping that her knowledge of the beast can help save the colonists of LV-426, she accompanies a platoon of well-armed Colonial Marines back to where it all began.
Not long after arrival, it becomes brutally clear that not only were they too late for the colonists, but extreme firepower—it turns out—won’t be enough to guarantee anyone’s safety. As their numbers rapidly dwindle, so too do their hopes of ever leaving this nightmare. But Ripley’s come too far to go down without a fight.
ALIENS, while maintaining a lot of the original’s central horror theme, opted for a more action-oriented approach through the introduction of gun-toting marines and WAY more aliens to kill.
And that's 25 for ya...
Although Yoda-knows there are many more titles that belong here, hopefully you’ve been able to find a number of suggestions for getting that much-needed alien fix. While the tone in these movies varies from the more humorous and light-hearted to the straight-up horrifying and nightmare-inducing, it pretty well represents our limitless imagination when thinking about what else might be out there in the cosmos. Whether or not we really want to find out is the million-dollar question...
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