The Best Movies About Alien Invasions

A short time ago, I wrote a not-so-glowing review of the classic science fiction movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. Shortly after, I had someone send me a message asking, if I didn't like that one, what science fiction movies did I like.

That message got me thinking because there are so many; I could never narrow them down to a list. So, today, I decided to focus on one subject of those science fiction films; those relating to alien invasions. The reason I chose this subject is these movies are perfect for either the upcoming Halloween season or they can just be put aside for everyday watching.

Before I get into my list, I should take a minute to mention my criteria for a good alien invasion movie.

First, the special effects need to be decent. You'll notice I have a couple older sci-fi films on this list and, when I decided on those, I kept in mind the special effects might not be as good as they are on newer films but were still pretty good for the time the movie was made.

Second, there has to be a feeling of hopelessness. The aliens that are attacking need to be so powerful, it looks like they will succeed in enslaving the human race.

Last, the aliens don't necessarily need to attack in armies. They could simply be landing in small groups with the intention of a covert invasion. The plot has to be somewhat unique for this to work though.

Keeping those criteria in mind, here is my list of the five best alien invasion movies that are sure to entertain and even frighten you.

Independence Day (1996) - What can I say, you have flying saucers appearing over all the major cities in the world and, within a couple of days, they have wiped out almost everyone on Earth while the humans have only succeeded in killing one of them and even our strongest nuclear weapons can't dent their technology. Combine that with great special effects, including the destruction of the White House and you have the best alien invasion movie ever made.