Favourite Alien Movie?

[Arterial Spray]

I adore the trillogy but I lean towards A3 for four reasons:
1) The soundtrack. The previous two were good, the third is phenominal.
2) The feeling of vulnerability. Compared to the first two films Ripley is SO vulnerable. No pulse rifles, no flame throwers, no laser pistols, no motion trackers, no friends.
3) The enviroment: The rundown industrial look of the first film was incredible, and echoed by the simultaniously practical and alien space in Aliens. But A3 presented such an odd mix of fine decor, ruined industrial and practical workspace. The individual elements are all recognisable but they combine into such a wonderful "worn in" and "evolved over time" feeling which the previous sets (and the majority of other sci-fi sets) understandibly lack.
4) Mobility. A3 is the first time we really see an alien move. In the first two films we almost entirely see static shots or very brief clips of shadowed movement. The alien lunging into the lift in Aliens is incredible, but it is the only real movement we see. Then in A3 the critter is much more dynamic and active. Even with the dodgy blending (and the questionable spider style wall walking rather then previous climbing along pipes etc) it is fascinating to watch.

The film is flawed, all three are, but it has some of the stand out highs which I find myself drawn back to again and again.

[The1PerfectOrganism]

1. Alien: Director's Cut
2. Prometheus
3. Alien-3: Assembly Cut
4. Aliens: Extended Cut

My personal preferences, not what I actually view to be superior just in terms of enjoyability.

Alien, nothing really needs to be said it is the best and a masterpiece.

Prometheus is flawed but less-so than Alien-3 IMO, I love what was opened up.
I adore the Engineers and a darker no-win scenario. Editing is my only gripe with this film, sure it runs the smoothest of all Ridley's films but it doesn't give you all the time to admire the answers to the questions which are primarily visual.
The answers are still all there, of course apart from the obvious ones that Shaw asks at the end.
I love this film to bits, it's so close to what I want the Alien franchise to be. A mix of this and elements from Alien and I think Paradise will be perfect.

Alien-3. Golic, Dillian, Morse the emotional moments, the speeches. Awe-inspiring and this clearly has the most gore of all the films. I love how they even bothered to make the Alien more animalistic. Almost like a lesser son to Alien but never-the-less fantastic in it's own right. And I love the sacrifice and then the sun curving around the planet. This film's a great conclusion to Ripley's story (I don't consider Ripley 8 to be the same person) especially the Assembly Cut.

Aliens is great, but like in the way Terminator 2 is great it is not great in the way that I prefer the cold brutality of the original Terminator. I like it and I see no problem with it, but I don't believe it should be the focus of the series.

And as for Resurrection, it's a fun Dark-Comedy and I enjoy a couple of characters but thank cuss nothing in it matters in the end.

[Henriksen]

To me, the first 3 Alien movies are like the first two Superman films, meant to be interpreted as one epic rather than a series of standalone films. Resurrection is the only one that feels "tagged on" for me, but I still enjoy it.

[drsmuts]

Alien is a classic....loved since I was a teenager. Great direction, performances, design and probably the greatest horror film ever made, an easy 10 out of 10 for me.

Aliens would be an 8.5, Alien 3 a 6 (it was just so bleak on first viewing, but I have warmed to it now).

AR is probably a 3....I don't find much in it to enjoy sadly. I'm not a fan of Prometheus either.

[RobThom]

Can I twitch vote like a 13 year old?

[Vrastal]

I always enjoyed Aliens, Alien, Alien3. I love the hive concept .

[Gash]

To me, the first 3 Alien movies are like the first two Superman films, meant to be interpreted as one epic rather than a series of standalone films. Resurrection is the only one that feels "tagged on" for me, but I still enjoy it.

If only Richard Donner hadn't been booted out I'd probably feel the same way about Superman 1 and 2. But the Lester tone is so different that it never quite has the same oomph.

Likewise with ALIEN, there was a greatness that was never recaptured.

[DwayneHicks]

Alien and aliens are my favorites of the series.

[Randomizer]

 Alien 3 . I liked Alien also , so that's why it has the second place after the 3rd movie . Alien 3 felt more nice and the atmosphere was good ! 

[NickisSmart]

Alien

I can literally watch it over and over. It feels perfect, and a lot of the crews' behavior can be justified with a little bit of creative thought. Maybe Ripley should've left the cat, but I like that scene, because if you'd never seen it before, it's supposed to make you think that Ripley might've just pulled a Brett (looking for the cat = death). Meanwhile, Parker and Lambert are together and armed (and Parker is the toughest of the crew) so it seems more likely that they would be less likely to be the ones that the crew would attack (from a certain point of view). Granted, you could also say that they were making more noise and were a bigger target than Ripley. I like the scene in retrospect because it really could go either way and until Jones jumps out and the scary music starts to play, you're not really sure who's going to buy the farm.

The movie's biggest head-scratcher as far as I'm concerned is the company and its behavior. But given that we have no direct contact with them, we're left to draw our own conclusions. Ultimately I guess it doesn't matter too much, but I wonder why they'd have to resort to such a gamble. All part of the movie's charm, and the company as far as I'm concerned is all the more mysterious and evil because we're so disconnected from them.

Why else do I love Alien the most? 1) Biggest, best sets. Great costumes and art design. 2) Small cast. 3) Dark, unromantic view of the future melded with a Gothic, mysterious view of an unexplored universe. 4) The best music (the original score as well as Jerry's Freud and the classical pieces used) heard in the series. 5) Also, the alien itself is my favorite in this one, in terms of how he looks and his behavior as a creature. 6) Ash is the best android (to be fair, the only Android I don't like is Call in Resurrection); there's a payoff with his character's behavior, with him breaking down in glorious fashion, whereas the other droids never really do. 7) Lens flare that doesn't make me want to pull an Oedipus. Low budget, but it looks like a million bucks: Real sets, Animal gore. Miniatures and models. The Derelict here and the way it is lit on the inside is perfect. Those glittering bones! 9) The Who's blue laser. 9) No guns. 10) Psychological depth, hidden themes, and complexity under the ostensibly "simple" action. Or, this film is pure art and can be interpreted a lot of different ways depending how you look at it.

I love Alien. : )

[Darwinsgirl]

^^^^

Well said 

If you haven't seen the 9th disc of ALIEN Quadrilogy. You will enjoy all the features....especially the extras from Laser Disc. It has multiple videos on the special effects...interviews of Ridley by Don Shay and one by Giger's girlfriend (at the time) Mia Bonzanigo.

[razeak]

Alien is my favorite, then Aliens and down the hall a bit is Alien 3.

AR is just a cartoon. I probably would like it more if it didn't have xenos and was just another monster flick(Deep Rising etc.)

AVP was pretty meh and AVP2 is complete trash.

I liked Prometheus, but it's held back by the slackjawed characters. "Oh look a Cobra analog on a planet I've never been to! Let's pet it!" etc.

[donger29]

You know, Aliens Resurrection was the best movie in the series, followed closely by AVP2.

[FiorinaFury161]

You know, Aliens Resurrection was the best movie in the series, followed closely by AVP2.

[predalien48]

Well I'm stuck between aliens and alien. Alien 3 wasn't that great but was ok,and resurrection was a ok movie but I have to stick with one of the two classics.