With late summer nights coming up, there is no better time to look up and admire the night sky. And who knows maybe there will be more than just stars up there, maybe … aliens! I don’t know about you, but summer always has me thinking about UFOs and space, which is why this list is full of alien movies you should watch right now.
“NOPE“
“Nope” is a 2022 sci-fi horror film, directed by, popular filmmaker, Jordan Peele. Jordan Peele has already made some great horror films such as “Get Out” and “US,” and “Nope” is no different. This film is beautifully shot and is a breath of fresh air in this overcrowding film era of remakes and sequels.
“PLANET 51“
“Planet 51” is a 2009 animated children’s movie about an alien, Lem (Justin Long), whose life gets turned upside down when NASA astronaut Captain Chuck Barker (Dwayne Johnson) lands on his planet. This movie is such a light and fun watch. Overall, it’s easy to put on and just relax. It is also packed full of other alien movie references, such as “Alien” and “E.T.,” two movies that are — ironically — not on this list.
“THE THING“
Now, in my articles, I try to avoid repeats in my lists. Even though I do recommend watching the original “The Thing” from 1982, I also recommend watching its 2011 prequel also titled “The Thing.” Not only does this movie have a well-written female lead, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, it also has a few good scares. Honestly, it is a well-written prequel.
“ALIENS IN THE ATTIC“
“Aliens in the Attic” is a hilarious 2009 family comedy that has personally been ingrained in my mind for years. This movie is such an odd watch, with an even weirder cast. The cast has actors ranging from J.K. Simmons to Josh Peck to Elvis — I mean Austin Butler. There is also an intense fight scene between the grandma and the boyfriend character, which is just so iconic. It is something I believe everyone needs to watch at least once in their lifetime. Is this movie good? Not exactly. Do I still recommend this movie? Yes, whole-heartedly.
“PHOENIX FORGOTTEN“
“Phoenix Forgotten” is a 2017 horror movie. Surprisingly, it has extremely impressive special effects — especially for a found-footage film. The acting is so natural and believable that sometimes you forget it isn’t real. The movie at some point does turn from found-footage to documentary style, which was surprisingly well done. I haven’t actually seen a lot of movies that successfully pull off a format like this, but for this movie, I think it really works and adds to the story.
“SIGNS“
“Signs” is a 2002 M. Night Shyamalan film that really has no dull moments. Everything is just so well thought out, and nothing in this film is unintentional. I will admit, the CGI definitely doesn’t hold up and can look a bit silly sometimes, but you do have to cut the film some slack considering it’s from the 2000s. This film is truly a classic and, if you’re going to watch any film on this list, this should be the one.