Close encounters of the alien kind

The Alien franchise is returning to our cinema screens with the release of Alien: Romulus. Edwin Mcfee recommends eight out-of-this-world movies to get you in the mood

MOVIES about entities from beyond the stars have dazzled audiences for decades and today sees the long-awaited return of the biggest and best extraterrestrial-based franchise of them all — Alien (sorry, Predator fans).

First hitting screens in 1979, this iconic series has shocked and awed millions and, along the way, given birth to a myriad of imitators.

Alien: Romulus, the seventh movie in the franchise, marks the start of a bold new era and fans are as excited as a Facehugger spotting a fresh new batch of humans to feast on.

To celebrate the resurrection of the Xenomorphs, we recommend you pop open a bag of Space Raiders, put on that song by Babylon Zoo and check out these eight movies that every scifi lover simply must see.

Under The Skin (2013)

Loosely based on Michel Faber’s 2000 novel of the same name, this seductive slow-burn tells the tale of a mysterious, vampire-esque creature, played by Scarlett Johansson, who stalks the streets of Glasgow late at night searching for men. Why does she want a bunch of pie-eyed, bevvied-up blokes, you ask? Well, I won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just say she isn’t taking them to the chippie for a pastie bap and a chat about Love Island.

Featuring a cast made up of mostly non-actors, Under The Skin is a bleak but beautiful movie about self-discovery, alienation and absolutely terrifying extraterrestrials. Pro tip: if a Scarlett lookalike asks if you “fancy a lift?” in her van after you’ve stumbled out of the pub, run in the opposite direction.

Grabbers (2012)

Ever wondered what an alien invasion would look like closer to home? Well, ponder no more, as sci-fi comedy Grabbers shows you just that.

When something sinister arrives on the shores of Erin Island, two chalk-and-cheese cops must team up to protect the locals from the giant, bloodsucking, tentacled aliens that prey upon them. Their only weapon, they discover, is booze, and if they want to survive the invaders’ onslaught, everyone has to get absolutely hammered. Starring Derry’s Bronagh Gallagher and Newry’s David Pearse, the rib-tickling Grabbers gives new meaning to the phrase last orders.

Species (1995)

Featuring some trademark eye-popping designs courtesy of German artist HR Giger (best known for his work creating the creatures in the Alien franchise), Species is a deliciously cheesy slice of 1990s sci-fi that’s served with a chunk of tongue-in-cheek.

When a US government-backed project, called the Search For Extra Terrestrial Intelligence, intercepts a transmission detailing alien DNA structure, along with a handy set of instructions on how to splice it with human DNA, the assembled scientists decide to do as they’re told and create a hybrid called Sil, played by Natasha Henstridge. Proving that the more you learn the more you don’t know, at one point head boffin Ben Kingsley famously says, “We decided to make it female so it would be more controllable and docile,” while he surveyed the now-escaped and rampaging Sil’s wake of destruction. It’s believed that the scene caused so many face-palms when Species was first screened in cinemas that it made buildings shake.

Also starring heavy-hitters such as Forest Whitaker, Alfred Molina, Michelle Williams and Michael Madsen, Species is a fun addition to the ‘Good For Her’ subgenre.

The Thing (1982)

No list of alien movies would be complete without mentioning arguably the greatest of them all.

Based on the novella Who Goes There? and the 1951 B-movie The Thing From Another World, director John Carpenter pulled off the unthinkable when he created a remake that was actually better than the original.

Set in Antarctica, the movie centres around a group of research scientists who adopt a dog who is much more than he seems. Starring a magnificently maned Kurt Russell, and boasting some still stunning and wild--

ly inventive special effects, The Thing was a box-office flop when it was first screened but found its audience on the then-fledgling home video market and has since become a bona fide classic.

Chilling and thrilling, the film’s blend of Agatha Christie-style whodunnit and boke-inducing creatures continues to capture new audiences with each passing generation. The Mary Elizabeth Winstead-led 2011 prequel (also imaginatively dubbed The Thing) is well worth a watch too.

Psycho Goreman (2020)

This unhinged oddity is recommended for those of you who reckon “they don’t make them like that any more”.

Released in 2020, Psycho Goreman is about a brother and sister who unwittingly resurrect an ancient extraterrestrial overlord who ends up being part of the family.

Written and directed by Steve Kostanski, this hilarious hybrid of sci-fi, horror and comedy is a crowd-pleasing homage to 1980s classics like Monster Squad and Critters.

Featuring some incredible practical effects and creatures, as well as plenty of fights and frights, the irreverent Psycho Goreman is a ridiculously quotable romp that teaches us that not only do genocidal aliens have hearts, but they quite like “hunky boys” too (watch it and see).

Sadly lost in the shuffle due to pandemic lockdown, this movie has since gathered a cult following and we’re keeping our tentacles crossed for a sequel.

Possession (1981)

Banned for nearly two decades (along with many other ‘video nasties’ of the era), this unforgettable movie’s viewers often categorise their existence in two ways: life before Possession and life post-possession.

Starring Isabelle Adjani, who won a Best Actress award at Cannes for her show-stopping performance, and Omagh’s own Sam Neill, Possession, without ruining the movie’s many bizarre twists and turns, is about a woman, who has an affair, and her husband, who completely falls to pieces, metaphorically and literally.

A defiantly Marmite movie about body horror, divorce and much more, Possession is a sometimes misunderstood monster crammed with deliberately OTT performances and scenes that will scar you for life. It’s enigmatic, uncompromising and multi-layered; you’ll have to watch it for yourself (if you’re brave enough) to find out how this ties into the aliens subgenre.

The Faculty (1998)

This often overlooked 1990s gem from director Robert Rodriguez is a classic. Fusing the paranoia of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers with the savvy sarcasm of Scream, The Faculty should have been a box-office smash but was sadly hobbled by Hollywood execs who decided to release it in cinemas on Christmas Day.

Featuring an all-star cast, including Josh Hartnett and Elijah Wood, this gleefully gory movie is for those of you who thought your school teachers were from another planet…

The Fourth Kind (2009)

Taking influences from the likes of The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, this 2000s chiller claims to be a dramatic re-enactment of true events that occurred in Nome, Alaska.

Milla Jovovich, who was recently seen hanging out in Newry (yes, really!), stars as Abbey Tyler, a psychologist who uses hypnosis to uncover memories of alien abduction from her patients and ultimately finds out that some things are best left hidden. Well worth a watch if you’re a found-footage fan, The Fourth Kind is a wonderfully creepy space oddity.

Alien: Romulus opens in cinemas today