5 Best Alien Movies Of The 21st Century, Ranked

At the dawn of the 20th century, the then-nascent film medium was already offering motion pictures concerned with alien life beyond the confines of Earth. Given how human beings had been gazing out at the stars and wondering what existed amongst the cosmos for centuries, it shouldn't be surprising that this fixation was translated into the motion picture world. From the days of "A Trip to the Moon" came a bevy of alien movies that spanned all kinds of genres and tones. Sometimes aliens could be friendly like in "E.T." Other times, they were imposing entities reminding humanity of its smallness against the larger galaxy, as in "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

The 57 best alien movies of all time exemplify the exciting creative potential ingrained specifically into the alien-centric movie, as well as showing how ubiquitous such features have become. Unsurprisingly, the 21st century has had no problem delivering further alien movies to captivate moviegoers. While sci-fi titles like "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and "Avengers" Endgame" are obvious moneymakers, what about the alien movies that exhibit tremendous artistic prowess? The five best alien movies of the 21st century (ranked below from "least best" to greatest based on the author's subjective opinion) are such titles.

These five films each display their own brand of impressive artistic success, as well as reaffirm why humans can't let go of the mystery of the alien.

John Krasinski's gone from waiting tables to being one of Time's most influential people, but for a moment it looked like his filmmaking exploits were heading nowhere. His 2016 indie directorial effort "The Hollars" was an abysmal project that wasted talented faces like Margo Martindale, Anna Kendrick, and Richard Jenkins on hokey storytelling and retrograde writing of women characters. If this was the best he could do behind the camera, then it might be time to hang up those ambitions. However, two years after "The Hollars," Krasinski took on a horror movie script from Bryan Woods and Scott Beck (which he eventually further polished) that propelled him to new levels of critical artistry.

The incompetence informing "The Hollars" gave way to excitingly precise visuals realizing a family who must live in an isolated, silent existence to survive intriguing, audio-dominant aliens that are running rampant across Earth. Krasinski and Emily Blunt played lead characters Lee and Evelyn Abbott, respectively, though the standout star of the movie was Millicent Simmons as the family's eldest daughter, Regan. Her gripping work informed the human elements that made "A Quiet Place" so engrossing. 

Meanwhile, Krasinski and cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen demonstrated a terrific sense of timing in realizing set pieces where people mustn't make a peep when aliens are inches away. The frights here were exquisite and salvaged Krasinski's once-doomed directorial career.

Amy Adams hasn't just been an exceptional leading lady. She's been a mesmerizing force of nature who can handle musicals, grounded indie dramas, heightened comedy, or any other material she chooses with aplomb. Amy Adams' best movie performances are legendary for a reason, and they crystallize her as a performer that's made 21st century American cinema infinitely better. One of her greatest works is anchoring director Denis Villeneuve's first time helming a major sci-fi film. Long before "Blade Runner 2049" and the "Dune" films, there was November 2016's "Arrival."

In this film, Adams played Dr. Louise Banks, a linguistics professor tasked with helping humanity communicate with aliens that have begun hovering above Earth's surface. Are these otherworldly visitors friendly? Dangerous? "Arrival" ponders this and other questions related to the very core of communication as Banks figures out how to cultivate conversations between aliens and humans. The cosmic creatures seen here (nicknamed Abbott and Costello) are imposing entities whose immense height makes them work as beings who would instill mixed, often fraught emotions in humans. Meanwhile, the script's willingness to not barrel through the struggle for communication makes the plot all the more realistic and its characters more nuanced.

Villeneuve's gift for evocative imagery, where he offers a tangible sense of scale, ensures "Arrival" produces many unforgettable shots that juxtapose alien ships and our recognizable Earth. None of these images, though, are quite as unforgettable as Amy Adams nailing her lead performance.

Jordan Peele resisting the allure of franchise filmmaking has been a boon for cinema. His three directorial efforts have been varying degrees of outstanding, with much of their success emanating from how they're not bound to franchise obligations or fulfilling pre-existing audience expectations. "Get Out" and "Us" are free to follow their own creative paths rather than worry about delivering fan-service moments or teeing up sequels. Even better, this has allowed Peele to explore different strains of horror cinema each time he steps behind a camera. That includes delivering an iconic take on sci-fi cinema with 2022's "Nope."

The small details you missed in "Nope" reflect how dense Peele's filmmaking is. He crams his work with so many layers of entertainment and commentary on human nature. What's especially fun with "Nope," though, is that he makes sure that the primary alien being (nicknamed Jean Jacket) actually looks out-of-this-world. Jean Jacket's climactic form is impossible to process, it looks more like a Biblically accurate angel than anything else. In an era where so many aliens are drab Xenomorph clones, Jean Jacket's distinctive and ominously abstract design is a breath of fresh (and eerie) air. 

Much like how Peele used doppelgängers and slasher movie tropes to explore class disparity in "Us," this filmmaker's foray into sci-fi horror is used to thoughtfully probe the tragedy of humans trying to control what we were never meant to control. "Nope" is another testament to Peele's cinematic visions.

Director Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's "Project Hail Mary," an adaptation of the Andy Weir novel of the same name, works like gangbusters on many levels. However, it's especially a joy as a demonstration of puppetry in regards to Rocky, puppeteered and voiced by James Ortiz. It's so wonderful that the "Hail Mary" creative team fully committed to making the alien look as otherworldly as the book described, with no discernible face or mouth. That's not only bold, it's impressive how compelling and endearing this cosmic fellow turns out to be.

Ortiz's voicework and masterful comic timing further accentuate just how delightful the "Project Hail Mary" scene-stealer is. His endless specificities and visual joys ensure that the blossoming friendship between human astronaut Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) and Rocky is so wonderful. There've been countless first contact movies about Earthlings and aliens who start out unsure of what to think of one another before becoming best buddies. However, "Project Hail Mary" feels like a one-of-a-kind experience, thanks to how engrossingly perfect Rocky is as a character. Few other movie aliens have been this soulful or been so moving in their bond with a human character.

The fact that "Project Hail Mary" is a masterwork on so many other levels (including its wondrous visuals and Daniel Pemberton's tremendous score) makes this a scrumptious cinematic feast for alien movie fans. It's a wonder Rocky's big adventure isn't at the top of this list.

It's hard to describe your emotions after watching "Under the Skin." In that sense, this Jonathan Glazer directorial effort is an outstanding approximation of an encounter with an otherworldly organism. It leaves viewers unsure of what to do, what to say, or even what they're looking at. One of the very best Scarlett Johansson movies, she plays a character known only as Woman, an alien that's taken on the physical form of a human lady. In her time on this planet, she lures men into a black void, where they're trapped and used for her own purpose. She's clinical, aloof, and uncaring even to the screams of babies or innocent bystanders.

Why would she respond? She's not of this Earth, she doesn't understand human-based ways of communicating pain or needing help. Johansson's fascinatingly streamlined performance exudes (in a fittingly understated manner) this reality, while also being equally compelling depicting a Woman growing increasingly intrigued by her body. "Under the Skin" won't work for everyone, but its outstandingly realized form, evocative aesthetic, and willingness to eschew so many standards of mainstream narrative cinema are laudable. It comes together in something as precisely realized as it is atmospherically unforgettable. 

Like its alien wandering among a gaggle of humans, "Under the Skin" immediately stands apart from typical examples of modern English-language cinema. The film is all the better for it, especially since its unique virtues ensure it's the peak of 21st century alien movies.