5 Alien movies to watch before Roswell, New Mexico returns
By Mads Lennon
4. Independence Day (1996)
- Directed by: Roland Emmerich
- Starring: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, Margaret Colin, and Mary McDonnell
- Where you can watch: It’s currently available to stream on Hulu, or you can rent it through Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, Vudu, and on-demand.
As the title suggests, Independence Day takes place on the Fourth of July, which the aliens choose as the perfect time to unleash an attack on planet Earth. But an unlikely group of people will have to work together to prevent the end of the world.
Will Smith shines in this action blockbuster. It is considered a classic alien invasion movie and plays on a loop every Independence Day. A sequel to the film was made which is also available to rent or purchase if you’re interested.
3. Arrival (2016)
- Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
- Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma, and Mark O’Brien
- Where you can watch: It is available to rent through Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, Vudu, and on-demand.
Amy Adams stars in this 2016 movie as a linguistics professor who is charged with attempting to communicate with an invading species of extra-terrestrials. One day, twelve massive spaceships touch down in various places around the world. Their unexpected arrival puts every country in the world on edge.
Before the intergalactic war can break out, Louise Banks and her team must try to figure out why the aliens have come and what they want. Arrival was nominated for several Academy Awards and won the Oscar for Best Sound Editing.