James Cameron's Aliens turns 40

Katy27

Me every time I wake up and open social media for the first time that day (Present company excluded of course)

Spike Zee Esq.5

I couldn't open a closet door for about two months after watching it as a nine year old.

Michael Campbell4

Paul Reiser was so slimy as Burke that to this day I can’t accept that he was a sitcom dad on My Two Dads or even as a romantic lead on Mad About You. #Aliens

Nathan M Hurst4

Still my favourite movie… ever. Nothing has come close since. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #FiveStar #SciFi

Age Garton4

Aliens still stands up well today. The story, script and acting are first rate in any case - but the effects haven’t aged much. Still very watchable. Still the most badass female lead in movie history.

Scot Close6

Have you ever been mistaken for a man? No, have you?

Tara5

"Alright, sweethearts! You heard the man and you know the drill! Assholes and elbows!"

David (Dave)4

I saw Aliens when it came out in 1986. At “Get away from her, you bitch!”, the theater cheered.

AutumnBaum🟣🏳️‍⚧️🟣2

I believe it's the greatest film in the franchise, and I'll die on that hill.

mrbush.bsky.social2

"Yah, but it's a dry heat".

Brendan Mac3

I watched this on its original cinema release, knew nothing about it and was absolutely blown away

HansKI3

The first one was great. is still great... wonderful... a female hero... the Giger buildings... awesome.

alexander-sims.bsky.social1

Its like me having a son. It couldn't possibly be a better sequel than me 🤟✌️

janossitar.bsky.social1

James Cameron doesn't get enough credit for designing the alien queen seamlessly with Giger's aesthetic

Insignificant Human1

"I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

brockeyh (he/him/his)11

this is a great bit of writing. you're a good dad.

Michael Zeigermann7

FWIW, I saw the first two Alien movies aged 11 (who didn‘t?!) and was so enthralled I just knew I wanted to work in film, and nothing else. I now work as a film editor, and these films definitely played a big part in that.

Cool Hand Nuke LaLoosh6

What a fantastic piece. Never read it in 2015, but I’m glad I’m catching it now. As the father of a 10-year-old boy and a big fan of the Alien franchise and this film in particular, I’m baffled by all the judgmental scolding the piece originally provoked. People need to chill and be more thoughtful.

Odie Henderson5

Back when you wrote this, the controversy made me roll my eyes. Those people would have shit their pants over the stuff I saw IN THEATERS. DAWN OF THE DEAD at 9, ALIEN at 9, CARRIE at 7--hell, the first movie I ever saw was THE EXORCIST! (I was 16 when ALIENS opened) These are FAR worse than ALIENS.

Stephen Bowie5

If it balances things out at all, this reminds me of when a friend's conservative dad started fast-forwarding through parts of Tim Burton's BATMAN (which I had already seen in the theater with my father), and self-righteous 13 year-old me lectured the dad about the evils of censorship & stormed out.

Adam Mallinger8

I don’t give a flying fuck about the sentry guns and I thought I was the only one. I wish the theatrical cut had the stuff about Ripley’s daughter, but that aside, it’s my preferred cut too

James Van Fleet6

Theatrical cut better and you’re right to say it.

Mo Ryan6

incredible movie, one of my faves. Obv Sigourney and the writing, acting, ensemble, action, direction -- it's all is perfect, but Carrie Henn? So so so damn good. "...they mostly come at night -- mostly" a god-tier line reading. 🚀

That Guy Who Writes about Toys and Movies4

Much as I appreciate the Director's Cut, I'm with you about the Theatrical-with one caveat. The scene of Ripley about to head out to get Newt, with the "Dwayne.. my name's Dwayne." "Ellen." "Don't be late, Ellen." I wish that was kept; it's a quiet human moment - right before EVERYTHNG GOES NUTS!

Brett Baldridge2

Theatrical is definitely better WITH THE EXCEPTION of the short scene that explains about Ripley having a daughter in the DC. :)

Terancewright241

Not for me, Alien is scarier and a better movie in my opinion.

Seahawk1

Aliens was an awesome action film. Alien was a cultural phenomenon.

Dr AM Sardar1

A very different genre from the first, switching from Haunted House to Sands of Iwo Jima - if you weren't expecting it, it was a shock.

Jo is Afraid4

Shut up I just saw a 30th anniversary screening in what feels like the last two or three years.

Joe 🏳️‍🌈 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪☘️1

And to think we could have had Ripley, Newt and Hicks again but nooooooooo Ridley Scott had to get his shitty “not alien” prequels out first.

Steve Burnett3

And he's so well done in this, so instantly unlikeable and problematic in so little screen time - I didn't like him within the first minute of his first appearance onscreen and I doubt I'm alone in that.

Ian Mayor1

He’s really an ok guy.

Tim Stoltzfus1

Still amazes me that one of the best action movies of all time was "Mothers protecting their children" and Hollywood in general was like "Clearly they want more monsters and manly space marine men." Watchmen and Dark Knight came out the same year and were also wildly misinterpreted!

andimalloutofbubblegum1

I was too young. I saw it on a local Fox network in high school on a weekend afternoon right around the time Resurrection came out. Watching it in my movies anywhere account for it's 40th right now.