Last Updated on August 5, 2021
This weekend sees Earth once again being defended from alien invaders in MEN IN BLACK INTERNATIONAL starring Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, and Emma Thompson. While it remains to be seen how the film fits into the genre as a whole (and even the MEN IN BLACK franchise), there has been a long history of alien invasion movies. Here is our ranking of the ten best ones to check out before you see MEN IN BLACK (or instead of, if you would rather stay in this weekend). If you thnk we missed one, let us know in the comments below.
MEN IN BLACK INTERNATIONAL is now playing.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Roland Emmerich's blockbuster summer movie may have had a lesser sequel and his follow-ups may have paled in comparison, but INDEPENDENCE DAY is a rousing and patriotic action flick that never takes itself too seriously and just has a lot of fun. From Bill Pullman's iconic speech to Will Smith's countless one-liners, the destruction porn on display rivaled anything we had seen on the big screen and set the benchmark for studio films for decades to come. Few movies can match the pumped up action of seeing humans band together to repel our alien invaders than INDEPENDENCE DAY.
THEY LIVE
John Carpenter makes our list a second time for a very different alien movie, but one that instills just as much paranoia. THEY LIVE showcases one of the best street fight scenes in movie history, but that pales compared to Roddy Piper's one-liners and the wholly unique way that the sunglasses show the subliminal world right under our noses. It is amazingly prescient and foretold a lot of the themes of privacy and social media invasion we deal with today. A small scale yet globally haunting tale that shows what if the invasion has already taken place.
ATTACK THE BLOCK
Joe Cornish's feature debut is the lovechild of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, THE GOONIES, and WAR OF THE WORLDS. Led by John Boyega, this is a brilliantly British film that defies genre convention while whole-heartedly embracing what elements make alien invasion movies so good. Crass and fun, ATTACK THE BLOCK heralded Cornish's talents as a filmmaker, something I expect we will continue to enjoy for years to come.
DISTRICT 9
Neill Blomkamp's 2009 Best Picture nominee remains a brilliantly unique take on themes of class warfare, immigration, and human rights. All of that is told through the genre lens of an alien invasion that was less about combat and more about sanctuary. Current events still fall in line with Blomkamp's story which resonates more powerfully in 2019 that it did a decade ago.
SIGNS
Some look down on M. Night Shyamalan's follow-up to THE SIXTH SENSE and UNBREAKABLE, but I still love it dearly. By barely showing the aliens and forcing us to listen to sounds and stare at shadows, thereby scaring ourselves stupid, Shyamalan achieved a level of horror some filmmakers can't come close to matching. Plus, Mel Gibson's understated performance is a standout in a film that works just as well almost two decades after it debuted.
THE THING
Another remake that ratchets up the paranoia and chills, John Carpenter's remake of THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD turns the alien antagonist into an invisible body horror menace that is disturbing and really gross. Few films can touch the masterful blend of score, special effects, and directing that Carpenter achieved with THE THING and that alone makes me question any time I see a dog by itself during a snowstorm.
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
In the annals of science fiction, some movies get remade and retold multiple times, but it is the 1978 version of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS that stands the test of time. The perfect blend of paranoid storytelling and genre convention, this film delivers a classic performance by Donald Sutherland anchored by that chilling final shot that remains one of the most memorable in all of film history.
MARS ATTACKS!
Tim Burton's underrated homage to the scifi cinema of the 1950s, MARS ATTACKS! is a hilarious romp through the B-movies of a bygone era replete with cheesy special effects and an all-star cast chewing the scenery like it was bubble gum. Most audiences didn't realize exactly what they were getting themselves into which hurt the box office of this movie, but years have been kind to the cult status of this fun acton comedy.
THE FACULTY
When SCREAM writer Kevin Williamson teamed up with ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL director Robert Rodriguez, many were likely expecting something very different than the teen alien movie THE FACULTY. Taking it's cue as a blend of Dawson's Creek crossed with INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, THE FACULTY features an all star cast including Salma Hayek, Jon Stewart, and Famke Janssen along with up and comers Josh Hartnett, Clea DuVall, and Usher Raymond for a fun little B-movie. This is a clever and pop culture reference packed flick that does for scifi what SCREAM did for horror.
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
Of the three films in the CLOVERFIELD series to date, 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE may be the most unrelated to the main story but that also allows it to be the most original and exciting. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is excellent as the trapped woman who cannot tell if her captor, played by the always good John Goodman, is crazy or knows what is really happening above their bunker. By the time you get to the end twist, you may find yourself bought into whatever insanity comes next. But, it is quite a twist in it's own right and I would love to see what came next.
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