The X-Files had a huge influence over television and our culture when it comes to science fiction. It directly inspired other huge shows like Strange World, The Burning Zone, Special Unit 2, Mysterious Ways, Lost, Dark Skies, The Visitor, Fringe, Warehouse 13, Supernatural, and Gravity Falls. It has also been referenced in or parodied on shows like 3rd Rock from the Sun, Archer, NewsRadio, American Horror Story, The Big Bang Theory, Bones, Breaking Bad, Californication, Castle, Family Guy, Hey Arnold!, King of the Hill, South Park, and Two and a Half Men.
But what about movies? Those are less obvious in terms of any references or inspiration. However, there are feature length films that explore conspiracy, aliens, with a melding of horror and humor in the same way The X-Files did. Here are 10 films we think that X-Files fans would enjoy.
Signs
Made before M. Night Shyamalan became one of the most criticized directors of his time, Signs was rather well-received by science fiction and horror fans. It ranks only behind The Sixth Sense in terms box office success in Shyamalan films so it can be considered as one of his best works.
The movie is amazing at giving audience the feeling of apprehension. The information about the aliens builds up in a very unknown and frightening manner. Those who watched it still have not forgotten the Brazilian birthday party scene, which was an awesome scary movie moment. Like The X-Files, it does a good job at combining horror and humor. Also, of course, there are aliens.
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
Like The X-Files, this 1977 film created a legacy. It is known as one of the movies that lead to the reemergence of science fiction films. It has even been parodied in shows like Spaced, That ’70s Show, The IT Crowd, The Simpsons, and even The X-Files itself!
This film is a must-see for science fiction fans, as it has been voted the best of its kind in tons of polls and reviews. It was even selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. That is a big deal!
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
This 1978 science fiction horror film is based on a book of the name by Jack Finney. It is actually a remake of one that came out in 1956. So far, this story has four film adaptations! Many say the 1978 version is the best one though. The plot is about a health inspector and colleague who find out that humans are getting replaced by alien duplicates. They are the same in every way, except they do not have human emotions.
Like Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Invasion of the Body Snatchers has a pretty significant legacy. It is known as one of the greatest film remakes ever done and it is a great paranoid conspiracy thriller.
Arrival
This 2016 film is a rather unique twist on the alien narrative. The main protagonist is a linguist who is put in charge of figuring out a way to properly communicate with aliens as to why they have arrived on Earth. If she does not find a way to communicate with the alien in time, the various nations will open fire and attack the ships, so there is a lot on the line.
This angle on human and alien interaction is pretty refreshing and the alien language is very beautiful and unique. It is definitely an interesting film and is known as one of the best to come out of 2016.
The Thing
Based on the 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. novella Who Goes There?, 1982’s The Thing is another film on this list that created a major legacy in pop culture. The funny part is that it got incredibly negative reviews at first. When it was released on television and home video, though, it gained a cult following and was hailed as one of the best horror and science fiction films ever made.
Famous filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro, James DeMonaco, J. J. Abrams, Neill Blomkamp, David Robert Mitchell, Rob Hardy, Steven S. DeKnight, and Quentin Tarantino have mentioned The Thing as a movie that inspired them.
Independence Day
This science fiction action film from 1996 has won a ton of awards including, Best Visual Effects, The Most Successful Movie In Cinemas, Best Director, Best Science Fiction Film, Outstanding Film Editing, Best Writing, Best Score, and more. It is known to have highly influenced Hollywood blockbuster films in terms of showing large scale disasters, which we still get a lot of in movies to this day.
In fact, the scene of the destruction of the White House became known as one of the most memorable film scenes from the 1990s. It also came out during the science fiction resurgence, which definitely helped with its popularity.
District 9
District 9, like Arrival, takes a pretty different angle on the narrative between humans and aliens in film. In this movie, the aliens are more like prisoners on Earth. They are put into camps, which is strikingly familiar to both refugee and concentration camps.
The protagonist is a very flawed character too, which is good. He gets into trouble and finds the only people who can help him are the aliens. The movies touches on themes like racism and xenophobia. It definitely takes itself a bit more seriously than The X-Files, however, the aliens do eat cat food. That is pretty goofy.
Interstellar
This 2014 science fiction film is about astronauts who are looking for a new home for humanity. Films that influenced it include Metropolis, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, Star Wars (1977) and Alien.
That makes it unique is that it tries to be as scientifically accurate as possible. Obviously, it wasn’t perfect but it was a big deal since most science fiction films often throw the science part straight out the window.
Men In Black
This 1997 science fiction comedy allows you to be in on the alien conspiracy. The main characters are secret agents of an organization that deals with extraterrestrial life on Earth. The movie won awards such as Best Science Fiction Film, Best Music, Best Make-Up, and Best Supporting Actor.
In the film, the government makes first alien contact in 1961 and the aliens disguise themselves as humans. Its the job of the main characters to police the aliens, protect the earth, and memory-wipe anyone who sees the aliens that are not part of their organization.
Stargate
Most science fiction fans are familiar with the theory that aliens have already visited Earth numerous times and have had major influences on human civilization. That is the basis of Stargate, which connects ancient Egyptian constructs to evidence of aliens.
The film was a winner for Best Special Effects, Best Costume, and Best Science Fiction Film. It is known as a campy genre classic.
