Movies that lean on the mystery/wonder/terror of UFOs themselves -- watch these first:
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
- Arrival (2016)
- Nope (2022)
For UFO-centered alien movies as baddies:
- Mars Attacks! (1996)
- Signs (2002)
- Edge of Tomorrow (2014) / All You Need Is Kill (2025)
- Fire in the Sky (1993)
- Invaders from Mars (1953) / Invaders from Mars (1986) -- very different movies, but both valid
For UFO-centered alien movies as buddies:
- E.T. (1982)
- District 9 (2009)
- Flight of the Navigator (1986)
- *batteries not included (1987)
Lesser-known but noteworthy entries from deeper in the stacks:
- Landscape with Invisible Hand (2023) -- A curious social satire that gets a bit bogged down by its message but features a unique tone that left a lasting impact
- Penguin Highway (2019) -- A hard-sci-fi core hiding within a cheerful kids movie