Every Alien Movie Directed By Steven Spielberg, Ranked

Steven Spielberg might be best known for "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park", but it's aliens where Spielberg seems to keep returning. Despite a huge roster of movies, "E.T". and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" still remain some of his most iconic contributions to cinema. His next movie, "Disclosure Day", is also teasing that it might be another return to critters from space. The legendary director has been making movies since he was a child since his directorial debut in 1964 with "Firelight," which now partially lost. This is unfortunate, as "Firelight" became the basis for "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", and it would likely rank amongst his other greats that focused on aliens.

That film apparently follows two scientists trying to connect the disappearances of locals, a dog, and soldiers to aliens. While it'd probably be a hard watch now, it'd be great if the full film were found one day, but only a few clips are available online. So far, "Disclosure Day" has only released a teaser trailer, in which Emily Blunt begins emitting an extraterrestrial-like clicking, which sets off a chain reaction. There are lots of poignant phrases said to modern trailer music, mostly about the truth, and it might one day find itself ranking near the top of Spielberg's alien movies.

Did you think that this list was going to be three movies and a bit of discussion about "Disclosure Day"? After fending off the Soviets in an eclectic mix of elderly action, Harrison Ford's tired delivery, and Shia LaBeouf, the titular hero uncovers crystal skulls that connect back to an alien culture. It was a rotten end to a rotten movie in 2008, and it still stings as Indie and company watch a giant, '50s-style saucer emerge from the ground.

The conversations around "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" have persisted for nearly two decades now, and it's never a fun conversation. Unlike the previous movies, which were all brushed with mysticism and God itself, the turn to a sci-fi twist never landed. It's due in part to the dip in quality after the heroes leave America, but it's also due to the fact that it becomes a thin nostalgia fest that suddenly pivots into grazing the 1950's era sci-fi, rather than jumping in head first.

It's by no means Spielberg's worst film (that goes to sci-fi nostalgia mashup Ready Player One), but it certainly has its own spot in the pantheon. In hindsight, it's also a weird signal of what was to come in modern media, as production houses have seemingly committed themselves to legacy sequels. "Top Gun," "Scrubs," "Star Trek: Picard," and more have all leaned on the nostalgia factor to create something "new." For the first time, "Indiana Jones" might have been first to something, rather than digging it up after.

Tom Cruise in the classic story of "War of the Worlds" is perhaps one of the most 2000s movies around. Rather than the ethereal, almost disconnected feeling when experiencing previous versions of "War of the Worlds", Spielberg brings it way down to that up-close-and-personal style he's become known for. It's a much more gritty affair, which, for a sci-fi story born out of 1898, bridges the gap between what was scary then versus now.

A good majority of the film is a fairly by-the-numbers romp, with Cruise looking sweaty, dirty, or out of breath. Where the film is hugely successful is in its portrayal of the aliens themselves. It goes beyond what was described, with a modern sensibility that cuts through the rather airy dread of the original material. It doesn't hold up so much now, but the scene where the characters have to hide in the basement while a probe seeks them is still good fun. Even if you can see where the CGI stops and starts, as 4K versions have appeared.

Ultimately, it's also just one of those Spielberg films that got forgotten amongst the mix of excellence that he was directing on either side. When you watch "War of the Worlds," and then hop to his other movies of the time, "Catch Me if You Can" or "The Terminal", it's a night-and-day difference in terms of quality.

Spielberg's first major writing credit and his follow-up to "Jaws," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" is a legendary sci-fi movie and an impeccable film about aliens. Set in 1977, the film focuses on the first contact between two different species, humans and the aliens aboard the incredible flying saucer. While "Jaws" set the stage, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" permanently altered how a Spielberg film looks on screen. No longer burdened with a minimal budget, Spielberg and his crew craft a world that shows like "Stranger Things" or directors like J.J. Abrams have tried to recreate, to some success.

What makes "Close Encounters" second on this list is that it's still grounded in science. It was still the '70s, and the overtly flashy films that followed in the '80s hadn't appeared yet. Instead, it's a close-knit feeling film, spending large portions with the family, only teasing what on Earth the aliens could be. Are they friend or foe? Unlike the common trope seen in '70s movies, it's not so cruel as to end on a miserable twist; it just likes to play with the danger.

It culminates with the government trying to communicate with the spacecraft, using musical notes. Once you've heard it, whenever the words "Close Encounters" pop up in your brain, the tune will probably follow. The enormous craft, dwarfing those below it, is still a spectacle to behold and one that should be experienced as large as possible with a projector.

Arguably Spielberg's most iconic movie, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" still stands as one of the director's greatest films. The adventures of the half-pint alien and Elliot have aged like fine wine, with it still the perfect Sunday night watch. Everything from the cozy '80s atmosphere to the E.T. suit itself is superb all the way through.

What makes "E.T." so special is that, despite being a sci-fi movie by all accounts, it feels like magic. If you're a fan of "Doctor Who," Steven Moffat's era (11 and 12) feels directly inspired by that energy. This is a fairytale, but there are aliens, a glowing finger, and spaceships. Every movie that has followed it about a child and their mystical creature has never met the quality (movies like "Nukie" or "Mac and Me") or never quite hit the same vibe, outside of something like "Gremlins."

Its combination of hyper-realistic practical effects and heart-touching story still makes "E.T." feel special, even after it's been technically outdone in special effects. Nothing will make a fresh watcher well up more than seeing E.T.'s little corpse in the surgery scene. It's unafraid to be a kid's movie, but it's still directed by the guy who made "Jaws" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark", with that imminent sense of danger lurking around every corner.