UFOs (or UAPs – “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena”) have been in the news as our military recently shot three different unidentified flying objects out of the skies over North America. That happened quickly on the heels of the now-infamous “Chinese Spy Balloon” that made its way over the country before that was shot down off the coast of North Carolina. Are all of these phenomena simply the discovery of advanced intelligence tech (most likely Chinese)? It’s certainly likely…but what if they aren’t? According to the website Live Science, the government investigated 366 unidentified objects in 2022…171 of which are still unidentified.

Of course, Hollywood has been telling us for years what these objects “truly” are–aliens. The flying saucer has been a staple of the movies since there have been movies, with the genre booming starting in the 1950s. While the flying objects have gotten more elaborate, the questions these movies ask have remained constant: Are we alone in the universe? And, if not, what do alien races want? With UFOs so in the news, this seems a perfect time to take a look at some of the best UFO movies of all time. Note: all of these movies are generally UFO-focused. The presence of aliens alone isn’t enough; we want there to be actual UFOs. The presence of spaceships isn’t enough; in spaceship movies, people know what the spaceships are. These movies all look to the skies, see that thing we don’t understand, and attempt to understand and respond.

5. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

The first truly great UFO movie. A flying saucer lands on some baseball fields near the National Mall. We respond as expected; surround it with a lot of weapons and a lot of people wanting to see what’s up. When a human-like being exits the ship and says we come in peace and good will and offers a gift, we respond as expected: we shoot him. That understandably upsets the being’s giant robot friend, who comes out and obliterates the weapons (not the people, mind you). The being, Klaatu, survives so that he can deliver the vital message that Earth is pretty terrible and we’re gonna be “eliminated” unless we change our ways. While early UFO movies tended to be B-movies, this one pulled out some big hitters: director Robert Wise (later a two-time Oscar winner), legendary composer Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane and all the best Hitchcock scores), future Oscar-winner Patricia Neal (Hud).

Mood: Judgy

4. The Thing (1982)

Okay, this one is kind of a cheat. There is a UFO, but it’s buried under ice the entire time. But it’s my list, so it still counts. An Antarctic research team discovers said ice-covered UFO, unleashing a creature that hides in plain sight by replicating human hosts. Kurt Russell has to get awesome to try to destroy the creature before it is able to get away and replace the entirety of sentient life on earth. Considered a bomb at the time, The Thing has grown in the estimation of the film community and is now considered director John Carpenter’s masterpiece. The makeup and special effects are still considered legendary. Plus, Wilford Brimley!

Mood: Paranoid

3. Independence Day (1996)

A bunch of UFOs enter the skies over many, many huge cities. We try to make contact with them, but they don’t want contact, they want us to die…. They blow up a ton of the world’s most iconic buildings, so we sic Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum on them. Add to that President Bill Pullman’s unforgettable “Today we celebrate OUR Independence Day!” speech, and they never stood a chance. Nothing on this list is anywhere near as cheesy as Independence Day, but thanks to really great CGI effects and a big scoop of can-do spirit, you can’t help but love it.

Mood: ‘Murica!

2. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

A number of people from all over the world experience an encounter with extraterrestrial life. From that day on, they are haunted by visions of…Devil’s Tower, Wyoming. They go there looking for answers…and find that our the governments of the world have already prepared for the aliens arrival. Jaws put Spielberg on the map, but Close Encounters showed that the sci-fi epic was like a second language to him. Richard Dreyfuss and Melinda Dillon provide exceptional lead performances, flawlessly capturing a mix of fear, compulsion, and amazement. John Williams provides not only the soaring score, but the language that transcends the universe. More than 45 years later, it’s still wondrous.

Mood: Awe-Inspiring

1. Arrival (2016)

Massive UFOs take up positions all across the globe. A team of specialists, including linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) are brought in to see if they can learn to communicate with the alien creatures onboard. As they start to comprehend the messages the aliens have, they may have discovered that the aliens offer an amazing tool for the good of mankind…or a weapon meant for its downfall. Adams’s performance is incredibly layered, as we often cut away to see scenes of her with a daughter who suffered and died from cancer, apparent memories she starts feeling acutely the more time she spends with the aliens. As she fights against the clock to prove that the aliens are here for our good, the story slowly but surely reveals exactly what their gift/threat can do. Beautiful in every way, from the staggering first shot we see of one of the ships over the fog-covered Montana plains to Louise’s realization of what the aliens have given her and how she chooses to live life with it. Absolutely breathtaking.

Mood: Devastatingly Hopeful (it’s a thing…)

(Photo credit: The History Channel)