#-A–B–C–D–E–F–G-H-I–J-K-L–M–N-O-P-Q-R-S–T–U-V-W–X-Y-Z

A

A Quiet Place trilogy
Released: 2018-present
Synopsis: Beginning with A Quiet Place, in which we follow a family’s experience in a world that has come to a standstill due to the invasion of an alien species, the franchise follows the Abbotts to their discovery of the aliens’ weakness in A Quiet Place Part II, and a prequel, A Quiet Place: Day One, which gives a bigger overview of the day the aliens came to Earth.
Verdict: A solid trilogy (thus-far) that puts a unique swing on the alien invasion trope, with plenty of humanity injected into an otherwise frightening world of silence and scares.
Read the full A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place Part II, A Quiet Place: Day One reviews.

AfrAId
Released: 2024
Director: Chris Weitz
Synopsis: A family accept a trial period with a new, realistic-sounding AI system named AIA (voiced by Havana Rose Liu). AIA fully integrates herself into the family, at first being an asset, then becoming something much more sinister.
Verdict: Films revolving around AI have been around for decades, but they are becoming increasingly relevant, and filmmakers seem particularly focused on the dangers of AI. In the same vein as M3GAN, AIA spells trouble for the family she is assigned to but is also entirely predictable in her “actions”. Likewise, in the same vein as Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, it focuses on particular aspects rather than seeing the whole picture, having all the potential to take a more unique angle, only to build up then plateau and flatline. 2/5

Annihilation
Released: 2018
Director: Alex Garland
Synopsis: Biologist and ex-soldier Lena (Natalie Portman) unintentionally takes part in an expedition, led by Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh), into the ‘shimmer’, a strange electro-magnetic barrier that appears to be expanding, taking more and more land into its great unknown. Inside, strange creatures threaten the scientists as they work to discover the secrets of the ‘shimmer’.
Verdict: The mix of eerie sound, menacing cinematography and experienced direction all together create something that absolutely feels fresh in its execution, if not completely original in story. 4/5
Read the full Annihilation review.

Ash
Released: 2025
Director: Flying Lotus
Synopsis: Riya (González) wakes up on a distant planet with no memory of what happened to her. She soon discovers the fate of the crew was much more horrifying than she was led to believe.
Verdict: An interesting premise, though not executed to the best of its potential. Mostly monotonous up until the third act, where it picked up steam with some solid body horror, alien activity and general oddness. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Ash review.

Attack the Block
Released: 2011
Director: Joe Cornish
Synopsis: When aliens attack their council estate building on Bonfire Night, a teenage street gang must protect themselves and their neighbours, whatever the cost.
Verdict: A decent and at times humourous action film that lends itself a tense feeling of claustrophobia within a council estate block of flats. Lacks strong performances and a decent plot, but does well to make creepy creatures of the aliens. 3/5

B

The Blob
Released: 1958
Director: Irvin Yeaworth
Synopsis: In Steve McQueen’s leading role debut, a small gelatinous blob comes down to Earth and slowly begins to attack people, appearing to consume them. As it does, it dramatically grows in size. Two teenagers attempt to warn people, but struggle to get anyone to believe them before it’s too late.
Verdict: As a kid, this film was terrifying. As an adult, it still holds up pretty well, with great performances and quiet moments of suspense balanced well with shock and horror. Most of the terror happens in the final 20 minutes, but taking its time isn’t necessarily a bad thing. 4/5

The Blob
Released: 1988
Director: Chuck Russell
Synopsis:When a military satellite comes crashing down to Earth, it brings with it an organism that quickly begins to devour everything in its path. However, it is soon discovered that perhaps this mysterious “blob” has a stronger connection to Earth than it appears.
Verdict: Coming soon

Body Melt
Released: 1993
Director: Philip Brophy
Synopsis: The residents of a small town in Australia become the unwitting test subjects of a new drug that alters the body in gruesome ways.
Verdict: Humorous? Yes. Good? Not really. The body horror aspects are fairly strong and horrifying, but with weak scenes in between it’s a struggle to get to the end. 2/5

The Brain
Released: 1988
Director: Ed Hunt
Synopsis: A television psychologist uses his show to brainwash people using a huge alien brain, until his operations are disrupted by a rebellious high school student.
Verdict: In typical 80s B-movie fashion, The Brain has little to no substance, unless you count all the blood. It attempts to make small commentary on the brainwashing that some people fear from television, but it’s really just a vehicle for some amateur visual effects and make up (and gratuitious nudity, which is often normal of cheap horrors). It’s a good film to have a giggle at over a beer or two, but don’t expect a lot from it. 2/5

Brightburn
Released: 2019
Director: David Yarovesky
Synopsis: In a story that throws that of Superman on its head, a childless couple in Kansas find a baby in a crashed spaceship and take him in as their own. As the boy grows to puberty he discovers he has powers, but his intentions are far from good, showing that he doesn’t believe in truth, justice or the American way.
Verdict: Brightburn has a slightly unoriginal story, however the directions the plot takes often makes up for it, along with a commentary not only on the human condition, but the current state of affairs in many places around the world. 4/5
Read the full Brightburn review.

C

Chronicle
Released: 2012
Director: Josh Trank
Synopsis: Three very different high school students form a bond when they gain telekinetic powers after encountering a strange object in a cave. They start to mess about with their powers, until one of them starts to take things too far.
Verdict: As most horror films of found footage framing are geared towards an adult audience, this one works well for a younger audience who want to become familiar with this subgenre. It’s mild with the frights but has plenty of thrills and suspense and adds depth to the lives of each of the three lead teens. The CGI leaves a lot to be desired, being not particularly convincing, but that can be forgiven for a film from 2012. The climax is decent and the performances are excellent, particularly from Dane DeHaan. 4/5

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Released: 1977
Director: Stephen Spielberg
Synopsis: Roy (Richard Dreyfuss) has an encounter with a UFO, as does single mother Jillian (Melinda Dillon), and it’s not long before authorities begin to catch on, too. When Roy and Jillian have visions of the same mountain, they both head there in the hope of finding some answers.
Verdict: With decent VFX, solid and at times hilarious performances, an epic and iconic John Williams score and a well-paced build-up, this Spielberg-written-and-directed feature is one of the all-time great alien movies for a reason. 4/5

Cloverfield series
Released: 2008-present
Synopsis: Over the course of three films, Manhattan is attacked by a huge monster and smaller, much more lethal creatures; some people attempt to hide while lying to others about what is really going on; and we are presented with the origin of the creatures.
Verdict: The series begins strong with the found-footage style Cloverfield, continues to impress with the more psychologically disturbing 10 Cloverfield Lane, but then takes a nosedive with The Cloverfield Paradox. The premise is good but has not been the strongest in execution. There is a chance for that to change in the upcoming fourth instalment.

Companion
Released: 2025
Director: Drew Hancock
Synopsis: On a weekend getaway with her boyfriend Josh (Quaid) and their friends, Iris (Thatcher) finds herself in a precarious situation that is further exacerbated after she learns a few truths from Josh, who may not be the doting boyfriend she believes him to be.
Verdict: Companion is not really anything new, particularly in its isolated setting and psychological themes, but if you’re looking for something that’s just a little bit more than your average murder caper, you may take some enjoyment from it. 3/5
Read the Tiny Tapes Companion review.

The Crazies
Released: 1973
Director: George A. Romero
Synopsis: When a biological weapon hits a small town, many of its inhabitants start to become seriously violent toward each other. The military steps in, but not necessarily to help the remaining unaffected townspeople.
Verdict: Although this film is often lumped into the zombie genre (mainly being a Romero flick), it doesn’t strictly involve any undead creatures. Instead, it features people losing it after becoming infected. The film draws comparisons between the craziness of the infected and the craziness of all the other people in the way they react, particularly those in a position of authority. It’s an interesting commentary on how society can crumble thanks to fear, but it does lack any real entertainment, the more shocking scenes being few and far between. 3/5

The Crazies
Released: 2010
Director: Breck Eisner
Synopsis: After many of their friends and neighbours appear to go violently insane, a group of four friends, who appear to be unaffected by whatever is causing the violence, band together to stay alive.
Verdict: Coming soon

Cronos (Spanish)
Released: 1992
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Synopsis: An elderly antiques dealer discovers a device created centuries ago by an alchemist who used it to gain immortality. As the dealer uses the device and begins to grow younger, he discovers that he’s not the only one after the gift of youth.
Verdict: As interesting as the premise is, the execution of the story is up and down, with moments of intrigue and gruesome body horror often followed by moments of blandness. Federico Luppi puts in a great performance as antiques dealer Jesus Gris, but Ron Perlman feels out of place in this mainly Spanish-speaking horror. 3/5

D

The Day the Earth Stood Still
Released: 1951
Director: Robert Wise
Synopsis: During the Cold War, at the time of the nuclear arms race, a humanoid alien arrives on Earth to warn humans of their impending doom if they don’t come to peaceful terms, as they will be deemed a threat to other planets in the future.
Verdict: A timeless film, the message of The Day the Earth Stood Still sadly still resonates today. Its horror stems from the threat of humans exterminating themselves rather than the threat of extinction from extraterrestrials. The alien Klaatu delivers his message with an balance of matter-of-fact and haste, mostly thanks to Michael Rennie’s performance. Klaatu’s interactions with the boy Bobby also lends the film some innocence. Based on the short story Farewell to the Master by Harry Bates, the film deviates a lot to add depth and resonance. 5/5

The Day the Earth Stood Still
Released: 2008
Director: Scott Derrickson
Synopsis: Much like the 1951 film, an alien named Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) comes to Earth to warn of impending doom, only this time it is due to mankind’s destruction of the environment and the planet itself, rather than each other.
Verdict: If you watch the original film, you might be more forgiving toward this lesser version. However, if you do not, you might feel rather… empty, after. Reeves’s performance comes across as bland, however it’s not really explained as to why that was purposely done for the character (people often need a lot of on-the-nose explanations these days), and the ending also feels rather anticlimactic. It’s not a terrible expansion of Henry Bates’ Farewell to the Master short story, but it’s far from the best. 3/5

District 9
Released: 2009
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Synopsis: In 1982, over a million aliens become stranded on Earth in Johannesburg, South Africa. Over the following decades, the aliens barely survive in a make-shift camp that quickly becomes slum-like. When Wikus (Sharlto Copley) is ordered to help move the aliens to a new camp, he unintentionally becomes involved in their plight to leave Earth.
Verdict: A fantastic premise that mirrors many of our own real problems revolving around immigration and racism. The characters are interesting, aliens included, the story is solid and is framed well in its documentary style, with a mix of interviews, news footage, CCTV and found footage. 4/5

E

The Endless
Released: 2017
Director: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead
Synopsis: Long after they escaped a cult, two brothers return to it, only to suspect that perhaps the cult’s teachings may be more accurate and believable than they once thought due to the multiple strange events they experience.
Verdict: Quite a dialogue-heavy film, The Endless chooses suspense and intrigue over cheap thrills and jump scares, which works in its favour. The chemistry between the lead actors and the relationship between the brothers, particularly the banter, increases the audience’s ability to suspend their disbelief and makes the strange occurrences that much more creepy. It’s paced well and the suspense builds gradually to a decent payoff. 4/5

Event Horizon
Released: 1997
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Synopsis: When a missing ship, the Event Horizon, suddenly reappears in orbit around Neptune, a crew are sent on a rescue mission, but they soon come to find that the ship has brought back much more than they think.
Verdict: Although Event Horizon‘s influences are clear (Alien, Hellraiser, etc), it manages to combine science and religion to create something unique. It’s horrific (not as horrific as the original director’s cut, apparently) yet has moments of humour, the VFX and costuming/prosthetics are excellent, and it utilises suspense and fear of the unknown very well. This film wasn’t the summer hit it was supposed to be, but certainly has a cult following of its own now. 4/5

eXistenZ
Released: 1999
Director: David Cronenberg
Synopsis: A game designer is hunted down whilst playing her own virtual reality game, a game that is run through an organic pod that is biologically connected to the human body, and an amateur gamer is the only one who can help her stay alive.
Verdict: One of Cronenberg’s best films, eXistenZ mixes multiple genres to make something very unique about gaming VR before VR was a real thing in the game world. It’s unpredictable and culminates with a great twist. Jude Law’s American accent leaves a lot to be desire, and it does verge on a little too confusing on occasion, but it’s a fun ride through and gory and shocking world, never really knowing if it’s the real world or not (Inceptioning before Inception was a thing). 4/5

Extinction
Released: 2018
Director: Ben Young
Synopsis: Sometime in the future, Peter (Michael Peña) has visions of what appears to be an alien invasion on Earth. Soon after, war does indeed come to Earth, Peter resolves to protect his family, but when the truth of the invasion comes to light, everything Peter and his family believe is called into question.
Verdict: A very basic and, to be blunt, average job, Extinction tried to take something well-known and twist it up, but it could have done with more of that across the plot rather than baked within the twist. 2/5
Read the full Extinction review.

F

The Faculty
Released: 1998
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Synopsis: A group of teenagers begin seeing weird things happening at their high school, and they come to the realisation that their teachers are being taken over by an alien parasite.
Verdict: This film was certainly one of the favoured teen movies of the late 90s/early 00s, soon becoming a cult classic. The performances of many pre-stardom actors proved their upcoming talent, even if the story and some dialogue is quite cliche and a little cringe at times. 3/5

Fire in the Sky
Released: 1993
Director: Rob Lieberman
Synopsis: When Travis Walton (D.B. Sweeney) disappears in front of his friends one night, the police suspect his friends have done something to him, but they insist he was abducted by aliens. When Travis turns up five days later, everyone has questions that he is initially unable to answer.
Verdict: Based loosely on a true account, this abduction story drags with the dialogue and plot until it gets to the return of Travis and the story of what happened to him, with the third act being what people really watch this film to see. Some good performances, but overall a little stretched for what it is. 3/5

The Fly
Released: 1958
Director: Kurt Neumann
Synopsis: A newly widowed woman, Hélène (Patricia Owens), makes a phone call to tell a family friend that she has just murdered her husband. As the police investigate and interview the woman, they come to find that her husband was a scientist in the process of inventing a transporter, and when he tried to experiment with it, something went terribly wrong.
Verdict: Who knew a 1950s film about a man turning into a fly could be so good? The story is paced very well, the build-up done nicely to culiminate in a shocking and twisted end, and the performances are very good, played as seriously as Michael Caine with Muppets. 4/5

The Fly
Released: 1986
Director: David Cronenberg
Synopsis: Eccentric scientist Seth (Jeff Goldblum) invents telepods to transport live things. Growing impatient, Seth uses himself as a test subject after successfully transporting a live baboon. However, unbeknownst to Seth (but knownst to us), a common housefly also transports with Seth, causing serious repercussions.
Verdict: Another excellent film from Cronenberg that is further renowned for Goldblum’s balanced tongue-in-cheek yet engaging performance. The Fly fully embodies Cronenberg’s penchant for body horror and a fictional story that is fully rooted in realistic themes. Entertaining, shocking and very well designed, this film is truly special in the body horror and sci-fi genres. 4/5

The Fourth Kind
Released: 2009
Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Synopsis: In Nome, Alaska, psychologist Abbey (Milla Jovovich) treats multiple patients whow are having similar experiences. She comes to the conclusion that they were all abducted at one point or another, and the beings responsible are not yet finished with them, or Abbey.
Verdict: Before it was well-known that this was a pseudodocumentary-style film, many believed this to really be based on true events, thus rendering it all the more terrifying. Despite the truth of the film being revealed, it still stands as a pretty creepy hostile-alien movie, thanks to its realistic style. 3/5

Frankenstein
Released: 1931
Director: James Whale
Synopsis: Dr. Frankenstein decides to play god and reanimate a body thrown together with multiple body parts from different corpses in order to create the Monster. Without someone to guide him, the misunderstood Monster terrorises the locals until they set out to hunt him down.
Verdict: A horror classic that stands the test of time, if only for its brutal nature and dark tones (in both its visuals and its story) and the famous make-up on Boris Karloff. Staying more or less true to Mary Shelley’s famous novel, there’s a lot to be terrified of in this movie, and a lot to enjoy in its 1930s style. 4/5

Frankenstein (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein)
Released: 1994
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Synopsis: Victor Frankenstein (Kenneth Branagh) is hounded by the Creature (Robert DeNiro) he created and abandoned, discovering that playing God isn’t what he thought it would be.
Verdict: An excellent adaptation of the classic story with terrific performances and stunning (though at times horrifying) imagery, set designs, visual effects and make up. Almost like a stage play at times, it’s incredibly immersive and will leave you with more existential questions than answers. 4/5

Frankenstein
Released: 2025
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Synopsis: Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) becomes infamous for his work in reanimation, to the point where he is commissioned by arms dealer Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz) to speed up the process and reanimate a full body, resulting in the ‘birth’ of his Creature (Jacob Elordi). Victor comes to see his creation as an imperfect specimen, an abomination that must not be allowed to live.
Verdict: Fantastical but grounded in reality, subtle in some respects, overt in others, del Toro’s career has led up to this film, and it has totally been worth the wait, with astounding performances, terrifying visuals and incredible emotional depth. Pure gothic brilliance. 4.5/5
Read the full Frankenstein (2025) review.

G

The Gorge
Released: 2025
Director: Scott Derrickson
Synopsis: American Levi (Miles Teller) and Lithuanian Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) are both snipers tasked with guarding either side of a gorge for one year, Levi for America, Drasa for Russia. Despite contact between them being forbidden, they form a relationship and soon find themselves in danger from what lies within, and without, the gorge.
Verdict: Part action, part horror, part sci-fi, part love story, The Gorge hits many genres to keep tensions and emotions running high throughout. The premise is interesting and Derrickson does a good job of pulling the audience in, but due to the closeness of Levi and Drasa’s relationship and the investment we’re expected to make in it, it becomes somewhat predictable. 3/5

I

Independence Day duology
Released: 1996/2016
Director: Roland Emmerich
Synopsis: Aliens arrive to threaten all life on Earth in the lead-up to the United States’ Independence Day, and technician David (Jeff Goldblum), Captain Steven (Will Smith) and President Whitmore (Bill Pullman) are pulled together to hatch a plan to defeat the invaders. When Earth is once again threatened twenty years later, a similar group come together to thwart another invasion.
Verdict: Frankly, the first film stands perfectly fine alone, proving to be a terrifying and entertaining movie with a great cast and performances (5/5). While the sequel does have an interesting premise in that humanity are working toward a global defence program, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the ’96 film (2.5/5).

Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Released: 1956
Director: Don Siegel
Synopsis: When strange alien spores begin to identically replicate and kill humans, Dr. Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) attempts to find a way to stop and eradicate the spores and their pods with the help of his girlfriend, Becky (Dana Wynter).
Verdict: As a post-WWII film, this one certainly delves into themes of colonisation and indoctrination, of sorts. On a less serious note, it continues to work very well as a terrifying horror that feels more and more stifling as the ‘body snatchers’ close in on all the people of the town. The story and dialogue still hold up and the performances have endured the test of time, too. 4/5

Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Released: 1978
Director: Philip Kaufman
Synopsis: When Elizabeth (Brooke Adams) finds a strange flower, it appears to change her boyfriend. She talks to her friend Matthew (Donald Sutherland), a health inspector, and they come to find that the flower is of alien origin. They come upon pods that are duplicating and replacing humans, and Elizabeth, Matthew and a couple others race against time stop this apparent alien invasion.
Verdict: Other than some character changes, this film doesn’t really deviate from the ’56 film. Its strength lies in its body horror and a handful of shocking scenes, but its lulls are rather a bore – the performances and dialogue are quite monotonou, and so it relies on swinging from shock to far-between shock. 3/5

The Invisible Man
Released: 1933
Director: James Whale
Synopsis: After a secret experiment turns him invisible, Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) seeks refuge in a room he rents in a village. Wearing only bandages and dark glasses, he seeks out his colleague, who discovers how insane Jack has become, informing him of Jack’s desire to commit heinous crimes.
Verdict: Quite an entertaining film for the time, The Invisible Man blends horror and comedy quite deftly. Jack’s actions are, at times, hilarious, but his ultimate goal through it all is a sobering reminder of how frightening he really is. Great performances and a solid storyline that doesn’t let up. 4/5

The Invisible Man
Released: 2020
Director: Leigh Whannell
Synopsis: After leaving her abusive boyfriend Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and moving in with friends, Cecelia (Elisabeth Moss) begins to work on healing herself mentally. After she hears about Adrian’s death, she begins to experience strange events that lead her to believe Adrian is still alive and harrassing her.
Verdict: With a fresh angle on a classic story that’s laden with well-crafted suspense and held up by great performances, Whannell’s retelling of H.G. Wells’s 1897 novel and the 1933 film suffers a little from plot holes but overall holds up as a terrifying story of stalking and abuse. 4/5
Read the full The Invisible Man review.

J

Jurassic Park/Jurassic World series
Released: 1993-present
Synopsis: After reviving dinosaurs and creating a park to make money to further fund ‘research’, humanity soon suffers the consequences of ‘playing god’, but, funnily enough, nobody learns from it.
Verdict: A series that starts off strong then has a few wobbles on its journey through ‘parks’ and ‘worlds’, but one thing’s for sure: the ‘saurs never get any less terrifying (at least, not the carniverous ones).
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Jurassic Park.

L

The Lair
Released: 2023
Director: Neil Marshall
Synopsis: An RAF pilot is shot down over Afghanistan and soon finds herself teaming up with US soldiers after she discovers a hidden bunker containing creatures developed from human experimentation.
Verdict: In a word: awful. The performances are average to poor, the basic plot pretty much a copy/paste of Marshall’s own Dog Soldiers, and although I appreciate the effort to use practical effects rather than entirely CGI for the monsters, they do not look good. Waste your time at your peril. 2/5

Life
Released: 2017
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Synopsis: A space probe returns to Earth’s orbit from a mission to find evidence of life on Mars. On arrival at the International Space Station, the crew discover that the probe brought back a cell that quickly grows into an organism that threatens the crew on the ISS.
Verdict: Basically Alien on a smaller scale, Life has its moments of suspense and surprise and good acting, but it lacks in the way of frights and actual terror, including the claustrophic feeling that usually accompanies a creepshow on a space station. The ending is rather predictable, but no less harrowing at the same time. 3/5

M

M3GAN duology
Released: 2022/2025
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Synopsis: An orphaned girl, Cady (Violet McGraw), lives with her roboticist aunt and is given a child-like robot named M3GAN as a friend, with M3GAN eventually acting as a guardian for Cady. As M3GAN’s AI grows, so does her overprotectiveness of Cady, with M3GAN becoming a threat to anyone but Cady. In M3GAN 2.0, M3GAN returns to continue her reign of terror.
Verdict: The first is a fun if not original film, but at least its creators seemed to be aware of that and did what they could to add things that made the movie self-aware, ironically, considering its commentary on the risks of AI. (3/5) A review of the second film is coming soon.
Read the full M3GAN review.

Mimic
Released: 1997
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Synopsis: When entomologist Susan (Mira Sorvino) genetically engineers a bug to eradicate cockroaches in New York City that are spreading a disease that is fatal to children, it is a huge success. But, in spite of engineering the bugs to starve to death, some apparently survive, and have even evolved to become a bigger threat than the cockroaches.
Verdict: Featuring some creepy animatronics and a dark atmosphere and tone, this early del Toro film showcased the famous horror director’s ability to create not just something visually terrifying, but psychologically disturbing, too. 3/5

N

Nope
Released: 2022
Director: Jordan Peele
Synopsis: A pair of siblings who hail from a famous family of Hollywood horse-wranglers come under attack from an UFO as it takes away their horses. They attempt to capture it on film as proof, but with others also interested in the UFO, it proves a difficult, and dangerous, task.
Verdict: Nope isn’t one of Peele’s better projects, rushed and even messy at times, confused on what Peele actually wanted it to do, but it does have its moments, and it does have potential to become more of a cult classic. 3/5
Read the full Nope review.

P

Predator franchise
Released: 1987-present
Synopsis: The Predators (or ‘Yautja’) are an alien species that enjoy hunting other lifeforms for sport, particularly humans, and also appear in the Alien vs. Predator crossovers.
Verdict: Much like the Alien franchise, Predator began strong, quickly dipped, muddled along for a while, then began an uptick, thus far culminating in 2025’s Predator: Badlands. However, it’s worth sticking with to get to better storylines and character evolution for the Predator race themselves.
Check out DOTT’s Film Club – Predator and the full The Predator and Predator: Badlands reviews.

S

Scanners
Released: 1981
Director: David Cronenberg
Synopsis: Telepathic psychics known as ‘scanners’ are sought out by a private military company for their own ends due to the often violent abilities of the scanners. One scanner takes it upon himself to find out the truth behind the company, discovering a rogue scanner is targeting other scanners, but he finds out more than he initially bargained for.
Verdict: With an interesting premise and some good VFX, Scanners has some depth to it while also providing some decent shocks. The dialogue is a little drab at times, and the performances rather hammy, but it’s worth sitting through if only for the final ten minutes of revelation and gore. 3/5

Signs
Released: 2002
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Synopsis: Former priest Graham (Mel Gibson), who has lost his faith after the death of his wife, discovers crop circles in his cornfield. With the help of his brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix) and two children, they come to find that hostile extraterrestrials are the cause of the crop circles.
Verdict: Shyamalan films that are of the horror genre are very hit-and-miss. Fortunately, Signs is at the more successful end of the scale. Although the very end of the movie spoils the illusion somewhat, the glimpses of the aliens and the overall terrifying atmosphere of the film mixed with its themes of mortality and faith go a long way to make this a true horror film. 4/5

Slither
Released: 2006
Director: James Gunn
Synopsis: When an alien parasite comes to a small town and begins taking over peoples’ bodies, it’s up to Sheriff Bill (Nathan Fillion) to put an end to the infestation.
Verdict: Coming soon

Species
Released: 1995
Director: Roger Donaldson
Synopsis: An alien-human hybrid female named Sil (Natasha Henstridge) escapes a government facility and is hunted down by a ragtag group of scientists and agents. They intend to destroy her before she mates with a human male and produces children with the potential to destroy humanity.
Verdict: Despite being mainly infamous for being based on sex and an abundance of nudity, Species does have its genuine moments of decent gore and action. Not to mention, with the hybrid itself designed by the Xenomorph’s own H.R. Giger, there’s something to be said for this alien creature feature at the end of it all. 3/5

Splice
Released: 2009
Director: Vincenzo Natali
Synopsis: Two young scientists working on the splicing of animal genes decide to experiment by adding in human genes, creating an animal-human hybrid. As the hybrid grows, it starts to become a danger, and even comes inbetween the scientists themselves.
Verdict: Much like the movie Species, which was a likely source of inspiration for Splice, this film derives much of its ‘horror’ from the idea of creating something using human genes, something that becomes a threat to humans. It certainly has its weird and grotesque moments, at times maybe taking things a little too far, but it does a decent enough job of showing the risks and consequences of ‘playing God’. 3/5

Sputnik (Russian: Спутник)
Released: 2020
Director: Egor Abramenko
Synopsis: In 1983, the Soviet military hires a doctor to assess the wellbeing of a cosmonaut who has recently returned to Earth after a strange accident in space, an accident that has left him with a dangerous organism living inside his body.
Verdict: The claustrophobic settings help to make not only the organism feel more intimidating, but being set mainly in a suffocating military compound of some kind makes it also feel like its encroaching on the audience’s comfort. The story itself is a little bland, as are the characters, and the film doesn’t really have much in the way of originality, but it works just fine as a basic horror film. 3/5

Swamp Thing
Released: 1982
Director: Wes Craven
Synopsis: When his lab in a swamp is attacked and he is doused in a chemical he created, Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise) becomes the monsterous Swamp Thing. He wishes to exact revenge on the mastermind behind the attack, as well as protect Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau).
Verdict: As a film, Swamp Thing has a lot to offer in the way of adventure and intrigue, but as an adaptation of the graphic novels, it falls short of the novels’ depth and the Swamp Thing’s own internal journey, as well as adding odd scenes that don’t really make a lot of sense for either Holland’s or Swamp Thing’s character. 3/5

T

They Live
Released: 1988
Director: John Carpenter
Synopsis: Nada (Roddy Piper) is drifter who arrives in L.A. looking for work. After a church is raided due to its links to a group of hackers who proclaim that aliens are controlling humanity, Nada finds a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see subliminal messages and who is human and who is not. As he is hunted down, Nada and his acquaintances try to find a way to stop the aliens.
Verdict: The premise of this film is quite fun, but honestly, its execution is a little boring. Carpenter’s clear messaging surrounding his stance on politics of the time is hard to miss, and although he presents it in a sort of tongue-in-cheek manner via an alien invasion, it leaves much to be desired. 3/5

The Thing From Another World!
Released: 1951
Director: Charles Nyby
Synopsis: In the Arctic, a spaceship is discovered by US Air Force crew members and scientists, along with a frozen humanoid body. After taking it back to their base, the body is accidentally thawed out and turns out to still be alive, and it begins an attack on the crew and scientists.
Verdict: If you watch John Carpenter’s The Thing before this iteration, it can be hard to get enjoyment from the ’51 film due to its dialogue-heavy, more psychological style. While there is the presence of a creature, it doesn’t have quite as high a scare-factor as the body horror-style of the ’82 film. It does however have a strong group of performers that make the story somewhat interesting. 3/5

The Thing
Released: 1982
Director: John Carpenter
Synopsis: In Antarctica, a group of scientists are besieged by an alien lifeform that can imitate anyone or anything, leaving the scientist in danger of it, as well as each other.
Verdict: One of the best body horrors ever made, The Thing adeptly uses the claustrophobic and isolated setting to instill fear into the characters and the audience from the off, building to frightful and gruesome transformations caused by the extraterrestrial organism. 4/5

U

Under the Skin
Released: 2013
Director: Jonathan Glazer
Synopsis: An extraterrestrial Woman (Scarlett Johansson) preys on men in Scotland, but as she witnesses different sides of human behaviour, her icy attitude towards humans begins to thaw, which means putting herself in danger, too.
Verdict: A bizarre yet heavily themed film that has much in the way of social commentary while also being shocking and disturbing. Johansson’s performance is tremendous and a far cry from her usual Hollywood roles. She does have a few nude scenes, but none feel particularly sexual nor gratuitous – they all build the alien character and her actions. A strange yet intriguing film. 4/5

W

The War of the Worlds
Released: 1953
Director: Byron Haskin
Synopsis: When hostile aliens come to Earth, Dr. Clayton Forrester (Gene Barry) must figure out their weakness, as well as stay alive, before they destroy all of humanity.
Verdict: Although this movie deviates from the book to modernise it (for the 1950s), it still retains much of its dialogue-heavy scenes, thus making it a little bit of a slog now and then. However, there’s still plenty to be frightened by in this classic, particularly scenes involving the aliens in any capacity. It might not be the most terrifying thing to 21st century audiences, but for fans of classic cinema, this one is a must-see. 3/5

War of the Worlds
Released: 2005
Director: Steven Spielberg
Synopsis: Dead-beat divorced dad-of-two Ray (Tom Cruise) has his young daughter and teenage son staying with him when alien beings come down to Earth and activate ancient buried machines to attack humans. Ray must find a way to keep himself and his kids alive and get them back to their mother.
Verdict: Spielberg has proven himself adept at alien films, and he once again hits the nail on the head with this modernised version of the 1898 H.G. Wells novel and 1953 film (as well as the infamous 1938 radio program). From the design of the alien machines and the creepy sound design to the John Williams score and spot-on performances, this is an excellent film in the pantheon of alien movies. 4/5

War of the Worlds
Released: 2025
Director: Rich Lee
Synopsis: Widowed Will Radford (Ice Cube) works for the Department of Homeland Security and has a strained relationship with his two adult children. When the Earth is attacked by alien ‘tripods’, Will is apparently tasked with saving the world almost single-handedly from behind a computer.
Verdict: In four words: Don’t waste your time. A rare one-star rating from DOTT. 1/5
Read the Tiny Tapes War of the Worlds (2025) review.

The World’s End
Released: 2013
Director: Edgar Wright
Synopsis: Five school friends reunite in their hometown and embark on a pub crawl that ends at the famous World’s End pub. However, they come to find that something has changed in the town, and nothing is as it seems.
Verdict: If you’re a fan of Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy (including Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), then you will likely enjoy this final entry. It has a lot more of that sarcasm and dry wit as well as humour in the face of danger. It’s certainly a fun and weird romp, although both this one and Hot Fuzz don’t really come close to how good Shaun of the Dead is. 3/5

X

Xtro
Released: 1983
Director: Harry Bromley Davenport
Synopsis: Three years after he was abducted by aliens, Sam (Philip Sayer) returns to find his wife has moved on with another man and his son suffering from strange nightmares. As the four try to navigate their new situation, they come to find that Sam has certainly changed for the worse since his disappearance.
Verdict: A bizarre entry in to the British library of horrors, it features some solid visual effects and prosthetics work, but is weak on story and score (which may remind Brits of a certain age of children’s television music, with the trumpet and tuba sounds). It’s fun, though not particularly creepy or scary after the intial fifteen minutes or so, a timeframe that features its most vomit-inducing gore that is also quite a spectacle. 3/5