'Arrival' to 'Edge of Tomorrow': Hollywood's must-watch alien invasion films
What's the story
It's aliens time!
The allure of extraterrestrial beings has fascinated humanity for ages and thanks to the magic of sci-fi movies, this obsession remains as potent as ever.
The out-of-the-world cinemas allow us to envision these out-worldly creatures that defy our wildest imaginings—all from the comfort of our beds.
From Avatar to Arrival, let's take a look at Hollywood's enthralling universe of alien movies.
#1
'E.T. the Extra Terrestrial'
Acclaimed filmmaker Steven Spielberg has given the world some of the most mind-blowing cinematic masterpieces, and one among them is E.T. the Extra Terrestrial.
Featuring Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore, the film weaves a heartwarming story around a young boy Elliott who befriends an extraterrestrial creature stranded on Earth.
The heart of the film lies in the beautifully portrayed bond between Elliot and E.T.
#2
'Avatar'
From Titanic to Avatar, James Cameron's diverse range of storytelling has truly taken the world by storm!
Released in 2009, Avatar stands as a monumental achievement of visual spectacle and incredible storytelling—which also became the highest-grossing film of all time.
Led by Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana, in Avatar, the aliens are actually humans who are bent on conquest and cultural exploration.
#3
'The World's End'
If you're someone who doesn't like alien invasion clubbed with mind-bending concepts, we recommend adding The World's End to your watchlist.
Taking a unique spin on the alien invasion trope, the film—helmed by Edgar Wright—follows a group of childhood friends who reunite to recreate a memory; however, their adventure takes an unexpected turn when they discover their hometown has been infiltrated by some uncalled-beings.
#4
'Arrival'
The 2016 sci-fi drama Arrival is one of the best and probably the most unique alien invasion films out there!
Helmed by Denis Villeneuve—the film takes inspiration from Ted Chiang's novella Story of Your Life—and follows the journey of linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) who is entrusted with the task of deciphering a complex alien language, when a mysterious spacecraft suddenly arrives on Earth.
#5
'Edge of Tomorrow'
Let's conclude this list with Tom Cruise starrer Edge of Tomorrow.
It stands out for several compelling reasons—not least of which is the incredible performances by Cruise and Emily Blunt.
The film revolves around Major Cage who gets trapped in a time loop—following his death in battle. With each successive loop, Cage acquires new skills, eventually evolving into humanity's last hope against alien invaders.