The Best Movies About UFOs

Ranker Film
Updated September 13, 2023 7.5K votes 802 voters 51.5K views
Over 800 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Movies About UFOs
Voting Rules
Vote up the best movies about UFOs and alien contact.

Nothing is more fascinating and horrific than the thought of life on another planet coming down and invading the earth in a shiny spaceship. Every kid obsesses about the thought of aliens and whether they’re friendly, flat out want to kill us, or even worse, intend to transport us back to their mother ship. It’s no wonder so many films have been made about UFOs and aliens. What are the best movies about UFOs? Vote up the best films and see where your favorites rank!

The movies on this list all tell a UFO story of some kind. Many are very dramatic, action packed and make us really think about how threatening an alien invasion could be. Others take a humorous approach, making us feel a little disgusted and glad that we’ll never have to find out what an alien invasion might be like!

This list features the best movies about UFOs including, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Independence Day, Contact, The War of the Worlds, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and The Abyss. Vote up the best UFO film below. The be sure to check back for the latest and great new UFO movies as they are the released.

Most divisive: Alien 3
Ranked by
  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind
    1

    Close Encounters of the Third Kind

    Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Teri Garr
    338 votes
    • Released: 1977
    • Directed by: Steven Spielberg
    In the gripping science fiction classic, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, everyday man Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) experiences a close encounter with an unidentified flying object. This encounter triggers an obsessive quest for answers, pushing him towards the inexplicable. Parallel to his journey, government scientists led by enigmatic Lacombe (François Truffaut) grapple with their own bewildering experiences. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this film won an Oscar for Best Cinematography and was nominated for seven others including Best Director. A tale of intrigue and discovery, it weaves a narrative that is as mysterious as it is compelling.

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  • Alien
    2

    Alien

    Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt
    275 votes
    • Released: 1979
    • Directed by: Ridley Scott
    In Ridley Scott's 1979 movie Alien, the crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo, led by Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), encounter an unknown life form after being awakened from stasis to investigate a distress signal from a distant planet. This sci-fi horror film, known for its atmospheric tension and iconic creature design, takes the audience on a harrowing journey through the claustrophobic confines of a spaceship. As the alien organism infiltrates their ranks, survival becomes paramount, and no one is safe. The film won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, testament to its groundbreaking cinematic visuals.

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  • Predator
    3

    Predator

    Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura
    240 votes
    • Released: 1987
    • Directed by: John McTiernan
    In the heart of Central America's jungle, Major Alan Dutch Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) leads an elite special forces team on a rescue mission. His comrades, including the stoic Mac Eliot (Bill Duke) and the wisecracking Blain Cooper (Jesse Ventura), are no strangers to danger. But they're not alone. An extraterrestrial hunter lurks in the shadows, stalking them with alien technology and ruthless precision. The Predator, as it comes to be known, turns Dutch's mission into a desperate fight for survival. In this sci-fi thriller, man becomes the hunted in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

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  • The Thing
    4

    The Thing

    Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter
    249 votes
    • Released: 1982
    • Directed by: John Carpenter
    In the frost-bitten isolation of Antarctica, a team of American researchers find themselves under siege. Their adversary? An alien life-form with an unnerving ability to assume the appearance of its victims. The team's helicopter pilot, R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell), steps up in defense of his comrades, igniting a nerve-wracking battle of paranoia and survival against their shape-shifting foe. This is The Thing, a chilling blend of science fiction and horror directed by John Carpenter. The movie, released in 1982, stands as a testament to practical effects, expertly designed suspense and a hauntingly desolate setting that amplifies the terror within.

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  • Aliens
    5

    Aliens

    Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn
    247 votes
    • Released: 1986
    • Directed by: James Cameron
    In the science fiction thriller Aliens, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), survivor of the spaceship Nostromo, returns to confront her nightmares. Waking up 57 years later, she discovers a human colony has been established on the alien-infested planet she once escaped from. Accompanied by a squad of marines, Ripley must face her fears and the extraterrestrial menace once again. Directed by James Cameron, this sequel boasts an Oscar-winning visual effects team that brings the terrifying creatures to life. With suspenseful twists and thrilling action sequences, Aliens is a cinematic masterpiece in its genre.

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  • Contact
    6

    Contact

    Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, James Woods
    221 votes
    • Released: 1997
    • Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
    In Contact, Dr. Eleanor Arroway (Jodie Foster) is a dedicated scientist, steadfast in her search for extraterrestrial intelligence. She toils away at the SETI program, scouring the cosmos for signs of life. Her relentless pursuit finally pays off when she intercepts a mysterious message from outer space. Matthew McConaughey stars as Palmer Joss, a spiritual man who challenges Arroway's scientific worldview. As Arroway deciphers the enigmatic communique, she embarks on an extraordinary journey that tests her faith in science and humanity. This gripping sci-fi drama directed by Robert Zemeckis was nominated for multiple awards including an Academy Award for Best Sound.

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