Worst2First: My Top Ten Favorite Alien Invasion Films
Worst2First:
My Top Ten Favorite Alien Invasion Films
Ever since the birth of cinema, there's been the alien invasion movies. The first one was 1902's "A Trip to the Moon," and has been followed by corny, downright laughable films ("Plan 9 From Outer Space," "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars," "Fire Maidens of Outer Space," and "Have Rocket, Will Travel" are just some of them), as well as some cult classics and crowd-pleasing epics.
With the upcoming sequel to "Independence Day" hitting theaters this Friday, I compiled a list of my personal top ten favorite alien invasion movies, Worst2First.
**There will be no spoilers.**
#10
They Live
The film has amassed a cult following since its release, but it's far from a perfect dramatic piece - then again, that's not the point here. The film, starring the late wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, centers around a nameless drifter who learns that the upper class is actually aliens who hide their identity, and makes people spend money and accept the status quo. Written and directed by horror icon John Carpenter, the film has found its way to social popularity, thanks to street artist Shepard Fairley (who also originated the "Hope" art for Barack Obama), who used the film's tagline "OBEY" for his artwork. Also, the now classic line "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum" is listed as one of the top 100 quotes according to the American Film Institute.
#9
Mars Attacks!
Director Tim Burton re-ignites the classic B-rated alien invasion films of the past with his satirical comedy "Mars Attacks," about an invasion from Mars as they go up against a very inept government (led by the hilarious Jack Nicholson as the President). The film is a fun throwback to the classics, and doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes it all the more hilarious. Plus there was a venerable who's who of Hollywood stars including Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Borsnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Tom Jones, Lukas Haas and Natalie Portman. Nicholson's line "We still got two out of three branches of Congress, and that ain't bad!" is one of the funniest lines in any movie.
#8
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The classic film about aliens invading earth and taking on the form of humans, completely devoid of emotion, has been a mainstay since 1956 (it was based off a book written by Jack Finney), but it's the 1978 remake that's considered the best, even listed as one of the greatest remakes ever. Boasting a fantastic cast including Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy, the 1978 version is the one you should see (and completely disregard the disastrous mess that was "The Invasion" with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig).
#7
Men in Black
Will Smith (who will appear later in this list, spoiler alert) and Tommy Lee Jones take the buddy cop comedy to an intergalactic level with Barry Sonnenfeld's take on the famous comic book series. Smith and Jones play agents of a secret organization that supervise aliens who live among us, as well as protects Earth from hostile invaders. Their use of the memory erase stick is classic, and the comradere between the two leads is infectious and effortless. The film spawned two sequels - the second one was great, the third not so much - and included great classic monster effects from the famous Industrial Light and Magic, and even won an Oscar for Best Makeup.
#6
Slither
#5
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
An alien race that resembles clowns invade small town America in order to capture, kill and harvest humans in order to survive. As a kid I always hated clowns (and still do), so this film has a special place in my heart - it's supposed to be a comedy, and it is in its own right, but I'm still freaked out by it. The film has some dazzling costumes, set designs and alien designs, and is considered a cult classic today.
#4
Attack the Block
A gang of tough British youth are all that stands between an alien invasion and the takeover of Earth. The film is already garnering a cult following, and features some amazing performances, a perfect blend of social commentary, laughs, and scares, along with several accolades including over fifteen award nominations. The film also boasts a tremendous youthful cast including Nick Frost, Luke Treadaway and the first appearance of "Star Wars" star John Boyega as the leader of the hoodlums.
#3
Cloverfield
The found-footage genre has been overplayed, and when it was announced that producer J.J. Abrams was bringing another FF movie to the big screen, it was first met with ire and disdain. Then the film came out, and became an instant classic. The story is a unique one - six New York City friends battle the city to get to one of their own as an unknown (and relatively unseen) creature attacks the city. The camerawork is rather shaky, so if that affects you then this isn't the film for you, but if you can stomach it, "Cloverfield" is a thrilling tale of survival and friendship set against the backdrop of utter destruction. The scene of the Statue of Liberty's head rolling down the road still sticks with me long after seeing it. The film was so critically acclaimed that the series now has a franchise, with "10 Cloverfield Lane" being just as amazing as its predecessor, but one I consider more a drama than an alien invasion.
#2
Monsters
Gareth Edwards, the director of the much-debated "Godzilla," made his feature film debut with the low-budget "Monsters," about Earth having already been invaded by large tentacled creatures. It's been years since they've invaded, and humanity has learned to live with them. The film follows American photojournalist Andrew Kaulder, who is sent to Mexico to bring back his boss's daughter, Samantha, by traversing through the dangerous "Infected Zone" where the creatures live. It's not the classic alien invasion movie with lots of fighting, action and things blowing up, but rather it's an intimate look at a changed world through the eyes of two individuals, who were actually also dating in real life, which only adds to their emotional turmoil. "Monsters" is probably a film you've never heard of, but one you should see.
#1
Independence Day
Back in 1996, Roland Emmerich created one of the first alien invasion epics with "Independence Day," where aliens invade Earth in hopes of conquering it. Many images are still indelible today, including the destruction of the White House, and the film boasts an amazing performance by Will Smith (whose absence in "Resurgence" might affect its popularity). Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch and Vivica A. Fox round out a tremendous cast with dazzling effects, world-ending destruction and dry, satirical humor, and also won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Finally, the film boasts one of the best rousing speeches in any film since "Braveheart" by the President, played by Bill Pullman:
"'Mankind.' That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. We are fighting for out right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared with one voice: 'We will not go quietly into the night!' We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"
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