Aliens

James Cameron, 1986 (suom. "Aliens - paluu")

One of the very few movie sequels that can make it work. Just like "Godfather part II", the theme stays the same but the directional style (and in this case also the director) needs to change. Whereas "Alien" is a slow, creeping, atmospheric horror thriller, this film is a pure action film that gets the benefit of using the wonderful monster, or this time rather a whole lair full of them. The visual and sound effects, like in the prequel, are highly innovative and contribute to an awesome sci-fi experience. Sigourney Weaver in the lead role is most excellent, I think even better than in the prequel. The action is very intense and keeps the viewer pinned down all the way throughout the film. The moment in the end of the film when the android Bishop gets pierced is one of my all-time favorites for the surprise moment and the sound effect he makes! The film is filled with wonderful sci-fi innovations and a revolutionary inspiration for all sci-fi action to come.

OK, the "Star Wars" trilogy has lots of wonderful elements in it and was my special favorite as a kid, but watching it now as a grown-up there's a thick layer of plastic all over it (and the new prequels just testify George Lucas' true nature all along). The human voice of C3PO having comical discussions with R2D2, the shiny-eyed Mark Hamill as Luke, the father-like Obi-Wan and Yoda... all the characters, despite being alien, are way too familiar human from a dramatic point of view to produce a sense of realism; not to mention the plot of each of the films, crafted to the max in Hollywood-style to appeal to everyone. The Mos Eisley bar joint in "Episode IV: The New Hope" is actually playing jazz, which is a style of our real music with black American roots, for Christ's sakes! The film doesn't lift a finger to take its viewer for serious. There's also been much wahoo about the originality of the film's special effects... okay, the light sabres are quite an innovation, but the space flight scenes in 3D have been made over 10 years before in 2001: A Space Odyssey (which would appear on this list if I didn't for some personal reason dislike Kubrick).

Not for "Aliens": the harsh language of the space marines, the brutal nature of the monster consisting solely of features countering human empathy... all the elements in the film really give you a sensation of being among the killing wipeout-mission the marines are sent in for (war really is no playground), rather than the comfort of reliving your childhood dreams among an imagination inspiring discovery fantasy. The reality depicted in the film just is out there without any underlining and making a big number out of all the small sci-fi innovations and the viewer can rather just take a look at it for himself, but in the end what lies there to be found is something so horrible one doesn't even want to see it but cannot help having to witness it. The sounds are terrifying, the world of color is dark, blue and sinister, and everything about the film is just about waiting for something very terrible to emerge out. That is what makes "Aliens" a great film.