Films that revolve around aliens don’t always have to follow the same formula. Here are five outstanding films in which aliens play a role – but differently than expected.
At least since Ridley Scott’s “Alien – The Uncanny Creature from a Strange World” from 1979, Hollywood has discovered the pleasure in fear, or even disgust, of extraterrestrials as a profitable business model. Since then, no cinema season goes by without a sci-fi or mystery blockbuster that revolves around extraterrestrial beings. However, they usually follow the same, long-worn pattern – and the aliens are usually depicted as monsters. This is also the case in Steven S. DeKnight’s rather mediocre “Pacific Rim: Uprising,” for example.
These five alternatives are recommended to everyone who is fed up with the same old plot or can’t actually do anything with aliens as a film subject. Aliens also play a significant role here – but in a completely different way.
5. “Interstellar” (2014)
Due to a persistent global food shortage, humanity is on the verge of extinction. Only a secret research team led by scientist Brand (Michael Caine) could avert their fate. They start an expedition through a wormhole with ex-NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) and Brand’s daughter Amelia (Anne Hathaway) on board. Their goal is another solar system – in the hope of finding habitable planets and alien life there.
The fact that Christopher Nolan’s film has been compared to Stanley Kubrick’s monumental “2001: A Space Odyssey” says a lot about the epic proportions of sci-fi. And in fact, “Interstellar” impresses not only with its visual gloss, but also with its complexity. Each landing also raises the question of whether they will encounter living creatures on the next planet.
4. “Arrival” (2016)
When aliens land in several places on Earth at the same time, Colonel Weber puts together a team of experts to find out more about the extraterrestrial species. These include, among others, physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) and linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) – together they should find a way to communicate with the aliens. A truly mammoth task, and under enormous pressure. The complex characters must be deciphered as quickly as possible in order to prevent worried politicians from going to war.
The best thing about Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival” is probably that the Canadian director cleverly uses the idea of an alien species arriving to tell the story of people and their behavior in crisis situations. Amy Adams shines in this context without any showmanship.
3. “The Fifth Element” (1997)
There has never been an alien like her again since: Leeloo Minai Lekatariba-Lamina-Tchai Ekbat De Sebat (Milla Jovovich) aka “the fifth element”. In the film of the same name by Luc Besson, she is sent to Earth by the Mondoshawan to stop the evil that is racing towards the world as a comet. But her arrival in 23rd century New York doesn’t go as planned and she soon finds herself in the taxi of former officer Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis).
Editorial recommendations
Admittedly, the script of the sci-fi classic gets tangled in the second half. However, thanks to its bizarre and likeable characters and the numerous bizarre situations in which they find themselves, “The Fifth Element” quickly became a cult film.
2. “ET – The Extra-Terrestrial” (1982)
Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi hit is the only film on this list in which viewers encounter an alien as something monstrous – at least in terms of appearance. In fact, the ET who was accidentally left behind on Earth by his fellow creatures is an extremely lovable alien. Ten-year-old Elliott (Henry Thomas), who discovers him in his family’s shed, promptly befriends him. Together with his siblings Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and Gertie (Drew Barrymore), they experience some adventures – but ET is plagued by homesickness and it is becoming increasingly difficult for Elliott to keep the existence of the extraterrestrial visitor a secret.
If aliens had always been portrayed as friendly as in this cult classic from the 80s, humanity would probably be less worried about actually encountering extraterrestrial life at some point. “ET” scores above all with the charm of its titular protagonist and has secured a permanent place in film history with iconic quotes such as “Phone home”.
1. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975)
A plea for sexual liberation, a parody of horror B-movies, a kitschy rock musical: “The Rock Horror Picture Show” combines all of this. The story is no less grotesque than the characters it carries: The fairly conservative fellow students Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) and Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) get engaged and want to follow their mentor Dr. Tell Everett Scott (Jonathan Adams). However, on the way to him they get caught in a storm, their car breaks down and they decide to ask for a telephone in a nearby, eerie castle. A bizarre party is currently being celebrated on site – and their eccentric host Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) has no interest in letting them go.
Some choice of words may no longer be contemporary. Nevertheless, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a spectacle that surprisingly made it into the mainstream after its release in the mid-seventies, paving the way for similarly crazy and revealing film projects. A spectacle in which the fact that both Frank-N-Furter and his party guests are aliens is almost lost. He was actually sent to earth to fulfill a mission, but then devoted himself entirely to worldly pleasures.