Aliens have always been a fascinating subject for audiences. The idea that there is other life out in the universe is an intriguing and potentially unnerving idea. For science-fiction movies, it is a subject that has been explored endlessly, from the stories of friendly aliens interacting with humans, Like E.T., to evil aliens who want to destroy humanity, like Independence Day.

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The concept of aliens has been so popular in Hollywood that it has led to many franchises. Some original alien movies have spawned sequels while others have received the remake treatment. While many may be forgettable, there are more than a few that stand on their own as great alien movies.

Predators (2010)

Original Predator and New Predator fighting each other in Predators

Though the Predator franchise has struggled to live up to the promise of the first movie, Predators is actually an underrated sequel. It centers on a group of the deadliest humans on Earth being brought to an alien planet to be hunted for sport.

Adrien Brody might seem like an odd choice for the new tough-guy lead, but he is pretty solid in the role. He is also backed by a fun ensemble with the likes of Mahershala Ali and Walton Goggins. It makes for a fun and thrilling return to the series' roots.

Superman II (1980)

Zod confronts Superman in Fortress of Solitude

There are countless comic book movies that could qualify as alien movies, but Superman II is one of the rare ones to feature aliens as both the villains and the hero. Christopher Reeve returns as Clark Kent aka Superman who must deal with a trio of Kryptonian villains coming to Earth.

The recent passing of Richard Donner really makes these movies feel all the more special and his cut of Superman II is especially great. It features all the fun and thrill of the first movie while adding a fantastic foe with General Zod.

Star Trek (2009)

James Kirk Star Trek Chris Pine

J.J. Abrams's Star Trek managed the tricky task of being both a sequel and a reboot of the franchise. The movie follows younger versions of James T. Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew. But an encounter with a time-traveling villain sets them on a new timeline from the original Star Trek series.

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Chris Pine steps into the role of Kirk so wonderfully and the whole ensemble is great. It's also a lot of fun seeing these iconic characters coming together for their first mission together.

Bumblebee (2018)

Bumblebeen pats Hailee Steinfeld on head

Following some very lackluster entries from Michael Bay, the Transformers franchise looked to be in trouble. However, Transformers was soon revived with a much more charming tone thanks to Bumblebee.

Serving as a prequel spinoff, it follows Bumblebee's first adventure on Earth when he meets a lonely young girl, becomes her first car, and helps her fight back against the evil Decepticons. It takes a much smaller scale approach that works much better than the self-serious and bombastic Bay movies.

War Of The Worlds (2005)

Ray looking at his hand while in a basement

Steven Spielberg has explored aliens in the past, but this was the first time he decided to look at the idea of evil aliens coming to Earth. A remake of the classic alien invasion story, War of the Worlds stars Tom Cruise as a father trying to protect his family from this extraterrestrial attack.

It may not reach the heights of some of Spielberg's many other classics and the ending is a letdown, but Spielberg can be counted on to deliver some truly great set pieces in a sci-fi thriller that is certainly entertaining.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

10 Cloverfield Lane

10 Cloverfield Lane was a surprise sequel to the monster movie Cloverfield that further expands this connected universe. Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as a young woman who wakes up in a bunker with a mysterious man - played by John Goodman - who tells her that the world above is under attack.

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The movie brilliantly uses the threat of an alien invasion to tell a much more intimate and unsettling story. Winstead is a terrific hero while Goodman is chilling as the intense antagonist. It is a very different movie than Cloverfield but a lot more interesting as well.

A Quiet Place Part II (2020)

The Abbotts traverse the woods in A Quiet Place Part II

The premise of A Quiet Place made for an incredibly intense alien thriller that kept audiences on the edge of their seats. Director John Krasinski manages to keep that tension up for the recent sequel, A Quiet Place Part II, that expands the story without sacrificing what made it special.

The sequel takes things in an interesting direction with some thinking it is a better Quiet Place movie than the first. In any case, it proves the first movie was no fluke and this franchise still has a lot of protentional going forward.

Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)

Leonard Nemoy, Donald Sutherland, and Jeff Goldblum in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

The 1956 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a suspenseful and masterful thriller from the era. So it is even more impressive than the 1978 remake surpasses it. Set in a small town, it centers on a gradual invasion in which citizens are duplicated and replaced by aliens.

The movie makes great use of paranoia as the heroes find themselves slowly being surrounded by enemies at every turn. The quiet nature of the alien's invasion makes it all the creepier and it features one of the most unforgettable endings in horror movie history.

Aliens (1986)

Ellen Ripley pointing a gun towards the Alien Queen in Aliens (1986)

Ridley Scott's Alien was a smaller claustrophobic thriller with an instantly iconic movie monster. James Cameron wisely went in another direction for Aliens, making it an action-packed sci-fi adventure that still made great use of the xenomorphs.

Sigourney Weaver returned as Ellen Ripley and gave a terrific performance as someone who evolved from survivor to hero. There are plenty of other interesting characters and fun set-pieces that make this a sequel that some think may be the best of the Alien series.

The Thing (1982)

The Thing as seen in his spider form in the 1982 remake

John Carpenter's The Thing is another rare remake that is better than the original. The film is set in a remote arctic research facility where the crew becomes targeted by an alien who is able to mimic other organisms.

Carpenter is a master of suspense, and he uses the concept of "not knowing who to trust" terrifically. The monster designs for The Thing are also unforgettable, creating truly grotesque creatures that will haunt the viewers' dreams for long after the movie ends.

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