I have seen both films many, many times...but I find myself enjoying and appreciating Aliens more and more.
shareI love them both. Just great movies. Also, they both of exceptional film scores by Jerry Goldsmith & James Horner.
shareTwo very different films. Alien is a horror film and Aliens a straight up action movie. I don't see much point in comparing them. I think each should be judged separately based on the type of film it was intended to be. I'd rate Alien 10/10 and Aliens 9/10. It's probably an unpopular opinion, but back in the day I found Paxton's Hudson character amusing. Now I consider him more annoying than not, and an early example of Cameron's descent into bad writing and cliched archetypes.
shareAs opposed to archetypes that are not, y’know, inherently cliches?
Language says a lot about those who use it.
Almost every character you see in movies are archetypes. There are well-written ones and the badly written ones that Cameron has long excelled at. The badly written ones make the cliches underlying the archetype obvious, like basically every character in The Abyssmal. But hey, if you want to be a drudge about language go right ahead.
share> Almost every character you see in movies are archetypes.
Exactly, that's what movies are and how and why we relate to them.
I wish Cameron was still making the kind of movies he was making in the 80s and early 90s.
shareI feel the same way. James Cameron has made 2 excellent sequels that are on par, if not better than their already excellent predecessors. I don't think any other director on earth has accomplished such a feat. But now, he is content on only making avatar sequels for the foreseeable future.
shareBut now, he is content on only making avatar sequels for the foreseeable future.
Even worse, he's stuck with Sam Worthington.
Of course it is. No question about it. Alien was good too, because it was shocking and new, but it make little sense and was not really a science fiction story, more horror.
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Alien is a horror movie while Aliens is an action movie. Both are outstanding films.
shareThey are both classics. I prefer Alien's creepy atmosphere but Aliens has some scary moments to go along with the action. I can see why some like it more.
shareThere is no “maybe” about it. Alien is the trope of folks being trapped in a house with a monster. They tossed in the tag line, “In space, no one can hear you scream” to convince kids that this was science-fiction, not recycled and hackneyed horror. Being kids, they bought it. Hell, they bought Swatches, too, which gives you an idea of their lack of taste and discernment.
The studio passes Aliens along to James Cameron, who says “Fuck Sci-Fi. This is an ACTION movie,” and makes what will always be the best film in the franchise, with the best casting and script. “Vasquez, has anyone mistaken you for a man?” “No, Hicks, have you?”
Let’s put this in no uncertain terms: Aliens CREATED Ellen Ripley as the prototypical woman badass who is at once scared to death and strong and courageous as FUCK. We love her for her vulnerability. The Director’s Cut reveals her affinity for Newt and why she is so maternally FEROCIOUS. If you haven’t seen it, seek it out.