Aliens are a tried and true staple of sci-fi, an element that invites fear and horror, but which can open itself to wonder, discovery, and statements on the human condition just as readily. Alien movies over the years have approached the subject from many different angles. Sometimes it's a story of first contact. Other times, it's a tale of white-knuckle survival horror. Still other movies look for the humor in their encounters with extraterrestrials. But for all the sci-fi trappings, the best alien movies are about the human condition. Did your favorite films make the list? Here are the best alien movies of all time.
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00:00Alien vampires. Aliens who turn people into zombies. Aliens who are nice and just want
00:05to go home. Which of the greatest alien movies of all time have you seen? Keep watching to
00:11find out.
00:12A monolith crafted by unseen beings inspires humankind's prehistoric ancestors to use
00:18tools for the first time. Eons later, scientists discover a similar monolith buried beneath
00:23the moon's surface. While the pacing of Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi classic leaves some viewers
00:28cold, most see it as a seminal film for the genre due as much to the authenticity of its
00:33technical details as to its embrace of ambiguity. Kubrick and co-writer Arthur C. Clarke kick
00:39up the suspense with the inclusion of a rogue AI unit. But the core mystery revolves around
00:44the monolith and its creator's intentions.
00:47An underwater mission uncovers the unexpected when an alien craft is discovered on the ocean
00:52floor. With a storm crashing above and pressure building below, a small crew finds the fate
00:57of the world resting on their very wet shoulders. Many of the best genre films have a powerful
01:03human story at their heart, and this beautiful and thrilling epic is a great example of that.
01:08The still-simmering love between a divorced couple holds the key to humankind's future,
01:13and James Cameron embraces that emotion amid the trappings of an action sci-fi film. Suspense,
01:19heart and awe follow in a film that pushed its cast and crew to their limits.
01:23The small crew of a commercial spacecraft finds their ship infiltrated by a previously
01:28undiscovered alien species. It's not long before the creature begins hunting them down
01:32one by one. The Alien franchise is a rarity in that every entry succeeds at being something
01:38different. While later films ramped up the action, drama and science fiction, Ridley
01:43Scott's original is almost a sci-fi slasher that crafts suspense, scares and violent kills
01:48on its way to a final confrontation. H.R. Giger's creature design remains unparalleled
01:54despite the numerous imitators it followed.
01:57A biologist whose husband has gone missing is drawn into a secret mission that might
02:01be connected to his disappearance. No spoilers, but it involves aliens and some very ornery
02:07animals. Alex Garland's wonderfully trippy and atmospheric tale finds time for the expected
02:12thrills, but it has more thought-provoking ideas on its agenda. Grief and emotion are
02:18at the forefront here in a story that refuses to spoon-feed viewers a pat, closed-ended
02:22film and instead goes looking for more challenging destinations. Twelve large spacecraft appear
02:28at different locations around the globe, and humankind goes into a tizzy. Are they a threat?
02:34Do they come in peace? A linguist working to communicate with them might know the answer.
02:39Now that's a proper introduction. Okay.
02:45Denis Villeneuve's precise but affecting adaptation of Ted Chiang's short story is as interested
02:50in ideas and conversations as it is in visual effects and sci-fi wonder. The result is a
02:55smartly told tale weaving grief, understanding and the importance of communication into something
03:01truly special.
03:03Aliens have arrived in New Zealand, and they're after one thing. Meat for their intergalactic
03:08fast-food restaurant chain. A plucky group of government employees is all that stands
03:13in their way. Peter Jackson has long since left the indie genre world behind for Hollywood
03:17blockbusters, but his first feature remains a wild and weird reminder of where he started.
03:23Creative and copious splatter fills the screen alongside energetic camera work, fun action
03:28beats and a wonderfully inappropriate sense of humor. A meteor crash brings a colorful
03:34entity to Earth, and the more people it consumes, the bigger it gets. Remakes get a bad rap,
03:40but the first of three to make this list improves upon its predecessor by delivering big fun
03:45and some unforgettable practical effects along the way.
03:49Co-writer Frank Darabont helps craft a story pitting small-town characters against a big
03:54gelatinous monster and military thugs. The result is even bigger B-movie fun, with special
04:00effects that bring the alien creature to glorious life.
04:03A mute alien tries to fit in on Earth while avoiding intergalactic bounty hunters, but
04:08the assimilation process for newcomers isn't always as welcoming as the Statue of Liberty
04:13might suggest. Science fiction has always been a home to allegory and metaphor, and
04:17this warmly funny comedy goes full tilt on the idea of an illegal alien trying to fit
04:23in with Americans. The alien's inability to speak mirrors the challenge of learning
04:27new languages, and Joe Morton's performance makes the most of it by focusing on expression
04:32and intent.
04:33A man's encounter with an alien craft sends him on a whirlwind journey. As he attempts
04:39to understand what exactly the visitors are doing here, he discovers that he is not the
04:43only one on that path. Steven Spielberg's film is a study in contrast. The intimacy
04:48of a couple in distress is paired with an interspecies meeting destined to change human
04:53history, and a smartly clinical approach to first contact is also a heartfelt look at
04:58the personal things that move us. But it's all wonderful. Sweeping visuals, engaging
05:04performances, and an iconic theme from John Williams all combine for a film that amplifies
05:10and applauds the human spirit.
05:12A scientist searching for alien communications is surprised to receive one detailing instructions
05:18for building an enormous machine. Things only grow more fantastical once the creation is
05:23activated. Carl Sagan's novel gets a smartly thrilling adaptation from Robert Zemeckis,
05:28and while the expectedly cool visual effects are present, it's the humanity at the film's
05:33core that makes it great. Faith is the central concept here, whether it be in a deity, yourself,
05:39or the things you believe to be true, and it makes a warmly interconnected pairing with
05:43a story about first contact between humans and an alien civilization.
05:48An amnesiac awakens to discover there are strange things afoot in the city he apparently
05:52calls home. It's always nighttime, he's the prime suspect in a series of grisly murders,
05:57and he's being hunted by aliens in trench coats. Love him or hate him, Alex Proyas'
06:04films can never be accused of skimping on dense plots, memorable characters, and eye-catching
06:08visuals. Dark City is a stylish puzzle box of a film that is heavy on foreboding and
06:13atmosphere that keeps its protagonist and viewers on their toes throughout.
06:19An alien craft lands in Washington, D.C., and its occupant is immediately shot. He reveals
06:24his purpose is to help Earthlings by guiding them towards peace, and unsurprisingly, he
06:29is later shot again. There's nothing subtle about this still-relevant cautionary tale.
06:34The visitor tries to understand humankind while promoting peace, and the response is
06:39as expected as it is depressing. As cynical as it is about humanity, there's an appealing
06:44lack of derision towards the alien's powerful robot friend. It's something that would change
06:49in the decades that followed, as we became more distrustful of the machines we built.
06:54Humankind has successfully rounded up all of Earth's giant monsters and moved them
06:58to the conveniently named Monster Island. The peace can't last, though, as aliens free
07:03the creatures and use mind control to make them attack world capitals. This late-60s
07:08gem understands that we watch giant monster movies for the giant monsters, and it shows
07:13us the beasts in both their downtime and at war. We get lots of city-stomping, but the
07:18back half ups the ante by pitting all of the monsters against a new alien visitor in
07:23the form of the three-headed King Ghidorah. This is the kind of movie Lazy Saturday Afternoons
07:28were made for.
07:30Alien refugees who arrived on Earth in 1982 have been kept in what amounts to government
07:35slums in the years since, but one extraterrestrial is planning an escape back home. District
07:40Nine is a film that's both specific to South Africa's history of apartheid and equally
07:45applicable to xenophobic attitudes the world over. It brings a subtext to the forefront
07:50while delivering action and fantastic visual effects. Racism and classism are layered onto
07:55its tale of humankind's inherent fear of the other, resulting in a movie that entertains
08:00even as it condemns a history we too frequently feel doomed to repeat.
08:05A stranded alien befriends a boy in need, and together they set out on an adventure
08:09to reunite the candy-loving visitor with his own family. A few of the films on this list
08:14might elicit tears from viewers, but none guarantee it like Steven Spielberg's 1982
08:20blockbuster. There's an honesty in the film's approach to a kid from a broken home connecting
08:24with another lost child, and Spielberg embraces the human interactions with the same energy
08:29and emotion with which he engages E.T. We laugh, we cry, we fear, and we cheer as the
08:35children help the alien because it's the right thing to do.
08:41There's a reason E.T. the Extraterrestrial has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score on
08:45this list. The world is at war with alien invaders called Mimics, and it's not looking
08:50good for humankind. One man trying to avoid the fight is instead drawn into it when he
08:56finds himself reliving a pivotal day of battle over and over.
09:00We've seen lots of Groundhog Day riffs over the years, but few have gone as big as Edge
09:04of Tomorrow. Tom Cruise takes the lead but avoids the expected heroics with some early
09:09cowardice, which instead lets a light shine on the film's true badass, played by Emily
09:14Blunt. Highly entertaining set pieces, surprising laughs, and sharp visual effects make Edge
09:19of Tomorrow one of the last decade's best blockbusters.
09:23A man goes missing from a logging site, and his friends share a wild story by way of explanation.
09:29They all claim he was abducted by aliens. Things only get stranger when he's found five
09:34days later. The most interesting element here is that the film is based on a true story
09:39that saw all of the men stick to the same outlandish version of events. It's a fascinating
09:44watch on that merit alone, but it's made most memorable and nightmarish by some truly unsettling
09:49sequences, detailing what the abducted man claims happened aboard the alien spacecraft.
09:55The cast of a Star Trek knockoff find themselves called into action when aliens who've seen
09:59their adventures and think they're real recruit them in a fight against a menacing intergalactic
10:04threat. There's no denying that this is a silly comedy, but it's arguably one of the
10:09smartest silly comedies you're likely to see.
10:11Well, you're just gonna have to figure out what it wants. What is its motivation?
10:16It's a D-Rockbuster! It doesn't have motivation!
10:20The film riffs on our pop culture awareness of Star Trek in big and small ways, through
10:25its characters, story beats, and expectations. Although the laughs are big and frequent,
10:29the film still offers up exciting action sequences and sci-fi shenanigans.
10:34The motley crew of Galaxy Guardians finds their greatest adventure yet when a celestial
10:38being named Ego reveals himself to be Star-Lord's father. Picking just one of the films in the
10:44Marvel Cinematic Universe as its best alien movie might seem daunting, but it really isn't.
10:50Aliens run amok throughout the franchise, but James Gunn's sequel to his own film delivers
10:54the best interactions between the species. Star-Lord is human and our connective tissue
10:59to the film's world, and his journey with alien friends and a celestial dad finds thrills,
11:04humor, and emotional peaks through to the very end.
11:08An L.A. detective partners with an odd FBI agent in trying to solve a strange string
11:13of violent crimes. So far, so normal, but the agent is hiding a secret. Jack Shoulder's
11:19fun, fast-moving buddy cop movie introduces viewers to an alien slug that loves drugs,
11:24flashy cars, and heavy metal music, and things only get weirder from there. The film does
11:30a great job balancing those genre oddities while also telling an engaging tale of begrudging
11:35friendship. Add it to the B-movie half of this list and play it loud.
11:39Alien spacecraft surround Earth and begin obliterating national landmarks and cities.
11:44A brave group of soldiers, scientists, and computer experts come together to defeat the
11:49enemy. Roland Emmerich has far better films on his resume, and the script is undeniably
11:53dumb at times, but there's no denying the pure pop entertainment and spectacle of this
11:58disaster epic. And you can't knock a movie that has the guts to make the U.S. president
12:03a hero.
12:05Alien ships, massive explosions, and some punchy one-liners make for a fantastically
12:09good time.
12:10Welcome to Earth!
12:16Space seeds grow into pods with tendrils, and soon alien replicas of unfortunate humans
12:22crawl out from within. A small group of friends catches on to the unfolding invasion, but
12:27their numbers soon dwindle as the newcomers grow.
12:29Help! Help! They're coming! They're coming! Listen to me!
12:34Jack Finney's classic novel has reached the screen numerous times, but Philip Kaufman's
12:38late-70s version remains the best by a wide margin. Unsettling visual effects, a strong
12:44cast, and a terrifically crafted take on paranoia and conspiracy make it an all-timer. The ending
12:50alone takes your breath away, and you owe it to yourself to double-feature it with John
12:54Carpenter's The Thing.
12:56Alex, played by Lance Guest, is a bored high schooler living in a dead-end town. One of
13:01the few joys in his life is a video game called Starfighter. He defeats the game one night,
13:06and soon finds himself recruited into an ongoing intergalactic war.
13:10Everyone hopes for something more, and a chance to do something that matters. The last Starfighter
13:14plays on that universal theme beautifully, with an adventure pitting an everyday teen
13:19against alien marauders. It also partners him with a wholly different alien named Grig,
13:24who serves as a reminder about judging people for what they do, not who they are. And the
13:28result is a fun, satisfying adventure for all ages.
13:33Astronauts discover three humanoid figures inside a derelict spacecraft and make the
13:37mistake of bringing them back to Earth. Uh-oh, they're space vampires, and soon the trio
13:42has kicked off an apocalyptic plague. Give Tobey Hooper a real budget, and the result
13:47is the glorious B-movie thrills of Lifeforce. While many people think of it simply as the
13:52movie with the constantly undressed lady vampire, there's a lot more fun to be had here. It
13:57starts with a game cast and some gnarly practical effects, and gives a wonderfully chaotic third
14:02act that sees London descend into a panic-filled hell.
14:06An alien hides among us, to fund a mission to send water back to his home planet. But
14:11the perils of Earth threaten his efforts. And by perils, we mean women, alcohol, and
14:16human greed. Walter Tevis' novel comes to the screen as a bleakly pessimistic tale about
14:21the distance between ambition and truth, and it's no surprise that its artsy intentions
14:26failed to resonate with audiences at the time. Still, the methodical pacing and sharp observations
14:31are aided by David Bowie's otherworldly yet melancholic performance as the alien.
14:36A secret organization exists whose sole purpose is to protect Earth from alien threats, whether
14:41they be marauding monsters or miniature beings at war with bugs. A cop is the group's latest
14:47recruit, and he and his grizzled partner are the only hope humankind has left. This blockbuster
14:52kicked off a franchise with its combination of big laughs, wild alien creations, and thrilling
14:58action sequences. It also succeeds at utilizing both sharp CG visuals and fantastic practical
15:04creations from the mind of Rick Baker. All that and a hit title song from Will Smith
15:09make Men in Black a terrifically entertaining ride.
15:12You know, you're much too tense. You're a young man, you need to relax, learn to take
15:16some joy in your work.
15:17An alien unleashes a slug-like creature on Earth, and decades later, the slimy creatures
15:22have multiplied and begun turning people into murderous zombies. Only a group of plucky
15:27college kids and a cranky detective stand in their way. Aliens, zombies, axe-wielding
15:32psychopaths, anxious co-eds, and a nicotine-addicted cop constantly on the lookout for thrills
15:38make for a potent combination.
15:40The resulting film is a blast for genre fans. Tom Atkins' grumpy, guilt-ridden detective
15:45is a supporting player here, but he's the standout all the same thanks to some memorable
15:49one-liners.
15:50Get the 12-gauge out of my car. Now!
15:55A rescue mission in Central America hits a snag when an alien on the hunt comes looking
15:59for human trophies. Civilians and soldiers alike are no match for the skilled predator,
16:05but it's never met prey like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Director John McTiernan kicked off an epic
16:10film run with this exhilarating action-sci-fi effort, and none of its five sequels have
16:15come close to capturing its magic.
16:17You're one ugly motherf-----.
16:20Eye-catching special effects, a brilliantly designed alien courtesy of Stan Winston, and
16:25Schwarzenegger in his prime make for a fantastic action film with set pieces that still thrill.
16:31A couple heads to a creepy castle after car trouble leaves them stranded, but they're
16:36not prepared for what awaits them within. That, of course, being a mad scientist, free
16:41love, song and dance numbers, and the truth about the faraway planet of transsexual.
16:46The alien aspect of Jim Charman's madcap musical extravaganza is often overlooked in favor
16:52of its numerous other elements, but it's there. Of course, this is a film in which specific
16:56plot beats are far less important than the overall effect of watching it, whether at
17:00home alone or in a theater in one of its thousands of midnight showings around the world. Surrender
17:05to its charms, and you'll be more than satisfied.
17:09A widower, his two children, and his younger brother begin to notice strange events unfolding
17:14around their remote farmhouse, and they soon learn the cause. Aliens have invaded Earth,
17:19and the family is forced to confront the threat alone after being cut off from the outside
17:23world. M. Night Shyamalan makes an alien invasion personal, with a story about family, fate,
17:29and faith in the face of the unknown. The performances from the adults and the children
17:33alike are fantastic, the scares are genuine, and not even some hokey contrivances can dampen
17:38the film's emotionally thrilling effect.
17:41A meteor crashes with an alien egg aboard, and its parasitic contents are soon transferred
17:46to a local man named Grant Grant, played by Michael Rooker. It's not long before his slug-like
17:51spawn are slithering around town infecting more people.
17:55What the hell happened to you, Otis? Poison ivy out back, maybe?
18:00We're itchy.
18:02We can never have enough creature features utilizing practical effects, and James Gunn
18:06helps fill that need with this terrifically funny and wonderfully gooey genre mashup.
18:11The cast is perfect, ensuring stellar comedic delivery and a sincere approach to the monstrous
18:17mayhem unfolding around them.
18:19Scientists follow intergalactic instructions regarding the combining of alien and human
18:23DNA. The result is a murderous creature capable of morphing into a saucy blonde to seduce
18:29and destroy human males. Look, sometimes you want classy, thought-provoking sci-fi, and
18:33other times you're happy seeing Natasha Henstridge mate, kill, and elude government agents played
18:38by Alfred Molina and Forrest Whitaker. This B-movie hit scratches the latter itch, delivering
18:44thrilling set pieces and the return of H.R. Giger to the world of alien design.
18:49An alien probe threatens the Federation's safety, as it awaits communication from a
18:53particular species on Earth that has gone extinct. What's to be done, aside from sending
18:58the crew of the USS Enterprise back in time to the mid-1980s to retrieve a pair of humpback
19:04whales?
19:05All of the Star Trek films feature Earthlings interacting with aliens. Spock, played by
19:09Leonard Nimoy, alone counts on that front. But this fantastic franchise entry takes a
19:14more interesting tack. The Vulcan is a true alien in 1986, and the film finds both entertainment
19:20and conflict in introducing him to present-day humans.
19:24An alien visitor crash-lands on Earth and takes the form of a woman's recently-deceased
19:28husband. With government agents in pursuit, she finds the chance to say goodbye while
19:33attempting to get the being to safety. John Carpenter looked skyward two years after his
19:38The Thing floundered at the box office in 1982 in direct competition with E.T. But this
19:43time, he did so with an eye towards warmth, compassion, and empathy. The result is an
19:48affecting love story infused with wonder, suspense, and two truly affecting performances.
19:53Bingo!"
19:54Giant, marauding bugs are the prime threat to the survival of the human species, and
20:00the only hope we have rests with Earth's military, no matter how many poor grunts get slaughtered
20:05along the way. Ten years after Paul Verhoeven gave the world RoboCop, he returned with another
20:10masterclass in satirical sci-fi action filmmaking. Using Robert Heinlein's best-selling novel
20:16as a starting point, the film tells an epic tale about war, fascism, and how you can't
20:21have one without the other. It's a gory, ridiculous, and over-the-top delight.
20:26An alien scientist, unable to stave off his planet's impending destruction, sends his
20:31infant son to Earth as his only chance of survival. The baby grows up to become a man
20:36ā a Superman, if you will. No matter which side of the Marvel-DC debate you land on,
20:41you'd be hard-pressed to discount Richard Donner's late-70s gem as one of the most accomplished
20:46superhero films.
20:47Christopher Reeve embodies Superman as the best of us ā a pure soul, someone whose
20:52desire to help others can sometimes put his own needs on the backburner. And he makes
20:56us better in the process. A research team working at an isolated outpost in Antarctica
21:02discovers an alien craft frozen in the ice. Unfortunately for them, one of its occupants
21:07thawed out first. John Carpenter's horror-sci-fi masterpiece had to make the list as one of
21:12the best alien movies of all time.
21:15Suspense is the name of the game here as the alien takes human form, but Carpenter doesn't
21:19neglect the visceral, as he and makeup effects master Rob Bottin unleash practical effects
21:25oozing with creativity and slime on the way to one of the genre's great endings.
21:30A construction worker discovers an alien conspiracy that's furthering the class divide, and he
21:35decides to stand up against the odds.
21:38The last of John Carpenter's three alien films to make the list is the least traditional
21:42of the bunch. It stars a professional wrestler, features an unforgettable fight scene, and
21:47is a very clear condemnation of GOP policies in the 1980s. It's also a highly entertaining
21:53slice of action sci-fi that sees a cheerworthy hero blasting his way through some ugly aliens.
22:00An alien being takes the form of a human female and begins luring men to an inky doom,
22:05but her time among us leads to an unexpected awakening. While most of the films here follow
22:10humans who cross paths with an alien, this adaptation of Michel Faber's novel instead
22:15puts viewers in the alien's shoes. We watch the being lead men to their deaths, but we
22:19also see her learning and becoming curious. It's an incredibly haunting journey, leading
22:25to an intense and ambiguous finale that captures a nihilistically honest view of the human
22:30condition.
22:31Two friends in 1950s New Mexico begin to suspect something bizarre is buzzing their small town
22:37after hearing strange sounds on the radio. Andrew Patterson's debut feature feels reminiscent
22:42of Darren Aronofsky's Pie or Shane Carew's Primer. They don't share story beats, but
22:47all three mark the clear arrival of intelligent, creative filmmakers telling fascinating science
22:52fiction tales on a minuscule budget. The film, while engagingly cinematic, also carries
22:57the atmosphere of an old-fashioned radio drama. Its power to transport just might make a believer
23:03out of you.
23:04A working-class father-of-two sees his weekend with the kids cut short when an alien invasion
23:09strikes Earth. H.G. Wells' 1898 novel has been adapted for the screen numerous times,
23:15but Steven Spielberg tells a story through the POV of the family at its heart, while
23:19delivering one thrilling set piece after the next. Large-scale spectacle and harrowing
23:24sequences of suspense share the screen with an average Joe's unwavering efforts to protect
23:28his children. Add in a not-so-subtle commentary on America's response to 9-11, and you have
23:33a film that manages more than mere blockbuster beats.
23:37Five friends trying to recapture the magic of their youth attempt an epic pub crawl,
23:42but their night is interrupted by an alien invasion. The final film in Edgar Wright's
23:47Cornetto trilogy ups the ante with its blisteringly choreographed action scenes, while delivering
23:52a blend of sci-fi and comedy that has some surprising emotional beats. The alien presence
23:57is limited to a disembodied voice, but the film has some wild fun with the alien-built
24:02androids that are replacing humans. Wright also finds a smartly entertaining twist with
24:07the aliens' intentions.
24:08This is the world's end, man!
24:10I know!