First contact movies and TV shows
The list contains the best, new and most relevant first contact movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out suspense, thought provoking, futuristic, weird, clever and tense films and TV shows about / with first contact, space, outer space, alien, ufo, alien invasion, extraterrestrial, dialogue, catastrophe and space and aliens plots mostly in Sci-Fi, Adventure and Thriller genres shot in USA, UK, Canada and other countries.
5382
TOP 10 movies tagged as first contact: Cosmos (2019), Arrival (2016), Prometheus (2012), The Abyss (1989), Nope (2022), Contact (1997), The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), Edge of Tomorrow (2014), Sphere (1998), The Arrival (1996).
Best films
New films
| Upload (2020) | 7.8 | |
| Oxygen (2021) | 6.5 | |
| Stowaway (2021) | 5.7 | |
| War of the Worlds: Annihilation (2021) | 2.5 | |
| The Signal (2024) | 6.0 |
List of first contact movies
Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: UK
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
Three astronomers accidentally intercept what they believe to be a signal from a distant alien civilization, but the truth is even more incredible than any of them could have imagined.
Style:
mind bending, philosophical, enigmatic, intellectual, clever ...
Plot:
astronomy, first contact, ufo, science, alien civilization, space exploration, scientific discovery, race against time, space and aliens, escapades, telescope, forest ...
Time:
future
Is relevant?
852K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 116 min.
Story:
Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat.
Style:
psychological, philosophical, intellectual, reflective, twist ending ...
Audience:
family friendly, teens, adult
Plot:
first contact, alien, female protagonist, linguist, ufo, extraterrestrial, alien contact, time, alien invasion, creature, science, alien race ...
Time:
year 2016, future, 2010s
Place:
montana, china, america, massachusetts, venezuela ...
Is relevant?
692K
Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
Style:
futuristic, scary, atmospheric, suspenseful, space horror ...
Audience:
girls' night, boys' night, adult
Plot:
space travel, androids, survival, alien, outer space, space and aliens, distant planet, robot, alien encounter, expedition, creature, alien life-form ...
Time:
future, year 2000, year 2012, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
scotland, seattle
Is relevant?
208K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 140 min.
Story:
A civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search and rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious ...
Style:
suspenseful, psychological, exciting, suspense, visually stunning ...
Audience:
kids, teens
Plot:
ocean, ufo, underwater, first contact, disaster, sea, submarine, space and aliens, survival, heroic mission, alien encounter, alien ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1989, future
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
312K
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Japan, Canada
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Plot unknown.
Style:
psychological thriller, suspense, disturbing, scary, psychological horror ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
massacre, alien, first contact, chimpanzee, alien monster, ufo, brother sister relationship, horse, childhood trauma, eaten alive, horse ranch, alien invasion ...
Time:
2020s, year 1998, future, 90s, year 1996
Place:
california, los angeles
Is relevant?
310K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 150 min.
Story:
Contact is a science fiction film about an encounter with alien intelligence. Based on the novel by Carl Sagan the film starred Jodie Foster as the one chosen scientist who must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and ...
Style:
inspirational, philosophical, cerebral, emotional, thought provoking ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
science, nasa, space travel, scientist, alien encounter, astronomy, first contact, religion, space and aliens, intelligence, alien contact, research ...
Time:
future, 90s, 20th century, distant future
Place:
puerto rico, new mexico, florida, washington d.c., usa ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 138 min.
Story:
After an encounter with UFOs, a line worker feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.
Style:
captivating, cerebral, breathtaking, atmospheric, mysterious ...
Audience:
kids, family outing, teens, pre-teens, adult ...
Plot:
ufo, alien, first contact, alien abduction, technology, alien contact, space and aliens, contact, flying saucer, extraterrestrial, chase, airplane ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1977, near future, future
Place:
wyoming, indiana, india, ohio, north america ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
A representative of an alien race that went through drastic evolution to survive its own climate change, Klaatu comes to Earth to assess whether humanity can prevent the environmental damage they have inflicted on their own planet. When barred from ...
Style:
stylized, suspenseful, apocalyptic, visual, atmospheric ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
ufo, end of the world, alien encounter, alien, alien invasion, alien contact, evil alien, happy ending, first contact, robot, extraterrestrial, apocalypse ...
Time:
year 2008, future, 20th century, 1920s, 2000s ...
Place:
usa, washington d.c., virginia, new jersey, manhattan new york city ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Canada, India, Australia
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
Major Bill Cage is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously demoted and dropped into combat. Cage is killed within minutes, managing to take an alpha alien down with him. He awakens back at the beginning of the same ...
Style:
futuristic, mind bending, exciting, clever, captivating ...
Audience:
teens, boys' night, family friendly, chick flick
Plot:
time loop, time travel, alien invasion, alien, invasion, battles, space and aliens, changing the past or future, evil alien, soldier, repeated event, foreknowledge ...
Time:
future, near future, year 2014, 2020s, 2010s ...
Place:
united kingdom, france, paris france, europe, big ben london ...
Is relevant?
118K
Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 134 min.
Story:
The OSSA discovers a spacecraft thought to be at least 300 years old at the bottom of the ocean. Immediately following the discovery, they decide to send a team down to the depths of the ocean to study the space craft.They are the best of best, ...
Style:
scary, breathtaking, mind bending, atmospheric, psychological ...
Audience:
boys' night, adult
Plot:
ocean, underwater, alien, first contact, twists and turns, ufo, time travel, paranoia, psychology, survival, space and aliens, ghost ship ...
Time:
future, jurassic, 90s, 20th century, 80s
Is relevant?
Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Mexico
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
Zane Ziminski is an astrophysicist who receives a message that seems to have extraterrestrial origins. Eerily soon after his discovery, Zane is fired. He then embarks on a search to determine the origins of the transmission that leads him into a ...
Style:
suspense, suspenseful, exciting, serious, surprise ending ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
alien invasion, conspiracy, evil alien, extraterrestrial, space and aliens, disguise, investigation, ufo, alien, black hole, elevator, supernatural ...
Time:
90s, future, year 1996
Place:
mexico, latin america, central america
Is relevant?
154K
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
When paleontologist Kate Lloyd travels to an isolated outpost in Antarctica for the expedition of a lifetime, she joins an international team that unearths a remarkable discovery. Their elation quickly turns to fear as they realize that their ...
Style:
scary, suspenseful, suspense, atmospheric, serious ...
Audience:
date night, boys' night, adult
Plot:
monster, gory, alien, deadly creature, alien invasion, blood, evil alien, body horror, survival horror, chase, survival, alien encounter ...
Time:
2010s, 80s, year 2011, future, year 1982 ...
Place:
antarctica
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: UK
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
Set in 2019, The Beyond chronicles the groundbreaking mission which sent astronauts - modified with advanced robotics, through a newly discovered wormhole known as the Void. When the mission returns unexpectedly, the space agency races to discover ...
Style:
cerebral, futuristic, enigmatic, suspense, disturbing ...
Plot:
space exploration, found footage, first contact, alien invasion, spacecraft, trapped in space, robot, human in outer space, advanced technology, hi-tech, discovery, space program ...
Time:
near future, future
Is relevant?
275K
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
The six-member crew of the International Space Station is tasked with studying a sample from Mars that may be the first proof of extra-terrestrial life, which proves more intelligent than ever expected.
Style:
scary, suspense, apocalyptic, tense, tragic ending ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
monster, mars, space, space station, space travel, space exploration, astronaut, survival horror, alien life-form, alien creature, first contact, death ...
Time:
2010s, near future, year 2017, future
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story:
Ray Ferrier is a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. Soon after his ex-wife and her new husband drop of his teenage son and young daughter for a rare weekend visit, a strange and powerful lightning storm touches down.
Style:
exciting, suspenseful, futuristic, scary, serious ...
Audience:
girls' night, family friendly, teens, boys' night
Plot:
alien invasion, apocalypse, disaster, survival, end of the world, alien, invasion, space and aliens, evil alien, extraterrestrial, catastrophe, humanity in peril ...
Time:
year 2005, future, jurassic, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
new jersey, new york, usa, boston, los angeles ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
From the producers of Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and Sinister comes Dark Skies: a supernatural thriller that follows a young family living in the suburbs. As husband and wife Daniel and Lacey Barret witness an escalating series of disturbing ...
Style:
scary, psychological, serious, twist ending, spooky ...
Plot:
supernatural, alien abduction, alien, danger, disorder, extraterrestrial, bird, ufo, abduction, family in danger, paranormal activity, evil alien ...
Time:
year 2013, year 2000, future, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
After NASA picks up a trio of mysterious signals from within our own solar system, astronaut Roger Nelson is dispatched on a multi-year solo mission aboard the Magellan spacecraft to investigate the sources.
Style:
unusual plot structure, exciting, suspenseful, disturbing, suspense ...
Audience:
boys' night, chick flick
Plot:
alien planet, artificial intelligence, mission, planet, alien contact, suspended animation, nasa, space, astronaut, saturn the planet, chess, scientist ...
Time:
future
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 145 min.
Story:
On July 2, a giant alien mothership enters orbit around Earth and deploys several dozen saucer-shaped 'destroyer' spacecraft that quickly lay waste to major cities around the planet. On July 3, the United States conducts a coordinated ...
Style:
exciting, entertaining, tense, suspenseful, suspense ...
Audience:
kids, teens, family friendly, boys' night, family outing
Plot:
alien invasion, extraterrestrial, invasion, end of the world, ufo, space and aliens, evil alien, first contact, survival, alien encounter, alien, creature ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, future, year 1996, jurassic
Place:
new york, washington d.c., usa, bombay india, london ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
835K
Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 137 min.
Story:
When Ripley's lifepod is found by a salvage crew over 50 years later, she finds that terra-formers are on the very planet they found the alien species. When the company sends a family of colonists out to investigate her story, all contact is ...
Style:
futuristic, scary, suspense, space horror, atmospheric ...
Audience:
kids, chick flick, manly, boys' night, adult
Plot:
alien, strong female character, space travel, creature, female warrior, survival, space and aliens, outer space, monster, space, creature feature, spaceship ...
Time:
22nd century, 20th century, year 1986, future
Place:
space western
Is relevant?
748K
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: South Africa, USA, New Zealand, Canada
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
Aliens land in South Africa and, with their ship totally disabled, have no way home. Years later, after living in a slum and wearing out their welcome the 'Non-Humans' are being moved to a new tent city overseen by Multi-National United ...
Style:
serious, biting, suspense, tense, breathtaking ...
Audience:
chick flick, manly, boys' night, adult
Plot:
alien, extraterrestrial, distopia, space and aliens, alien encounter, metamorphosis, mutation, ufo, alien invasion, first contact, social commentary, transformation ...
Time:
year 2009, future, 2000s, year 2000, year 1982 ...
Place:
africa, south africa, johannesburg south africa
Is relevant?
411K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
A family living on a farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields which suggests something more frightening to come.
Style:
suspense, twist ending, creepy, suspenseful, atmospheric ...
Plot:
alien invasion, ufo, alien, alien encounter, single father, faith, first contact, survival, loss of faith, death of wife, extraterrestrial, natural disaster ...
Time:
2000s, future, year 2002, 21st century
Place:
philadelphia, pennsylvania, usa, north america, mexico ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: United Arab Emirates, USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Hoping to alter the events of the past, a 19th century inventor instead travels 800,000 years into the future, where he finds humankind divided into two warring races.
Style:
futuristic, atmospheric, serious, stylized, exciting ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
time travel, time machine, steampunk, dystopic future, apocalypse, escapades, changing the past or future, utopia, destiny, chase, time warp, post apocalypse ...
Time:
future, distant future, 2030s, victorian era, near future ...
Place:
usa, new york, egypt
Is relevant?
279K
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
For the past 60 years, a space-traveling smart-ass named Paul has been locked up in a top-secret military base, advising world leaders about his kind. But when he worries he’s outlived his usefulness and the dissection table is drawing ...
Style:
funny, entertaining, unusual plot structure, parody, sexy ...
Audience:
teens, kids, date night
Plot:
alien, road trip, benign alien, chase, first contact, ufo, alien encounter, space and aliens, space travel, buddies, friends, disorder ...
Time:
year 2011, 1940s, year 2009, future, 80s ...
Place:
nevada, arizona, austin texas, usa, england ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, France
Duration: 88 min.
Story:
A teen gang in a grim South London housing estate must team up with the other residents to protect their neighbourhood from a terrifying alien invasion.
Style:
horror comedy, horrifying, dark comedy, bleak, unusual plot structure ...
Audience:
date night, manly, family friendly, boys' night, teens ...
Plot:
gang, alien invasion, space and aliens, deadly creature, chase, creature, alien, violence, first contact, brutality, children, teenage life ...
Time:
year 2011, future, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
london, england, somalia
Is relevant?
1.1M
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story:
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs ...
Style:
scary, suspense, futuristic, suspenseful, frightening ...
Audience:
kids, manly, adult
Plot:
monster, alien, space travel, outer space, space and aliens, heroine, survival horror, evil alien, spaceship, female protagonist, creature, alien monster ...
Time:
future, 22nd century, 20th century, year 1979, distant future
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
When astronaut Spencer Armacost returns to Earth after a mission that nearly cost him his life, he decides to take a desk job in order to see his beautiful wife, Jillian, more often. Gradually, Jillian notices that Spencer's personality seems ...
Style:
psychological, suspenseful, surprise ending, suspense, scary ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
woman in danger, outer space, astronaut, alien, husband wife relationship, nasa, alien abduction, space, pregnancy, mission, danger, space and aliens ...
Time:
90s, year 1999, future
Is relevant?
114K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story:
Mulder and Scully, now taken off the FBI's X Files cases, must find a way to fight the shadowy elements of the government to find out the truth about a conspiracy that might mean the alien colonization of Earth.
Style:
suspense, suspenseful, cerebral, scary, neo noir ...
Audience:
boys' night, teens
Plot:
conspiracy, ufo, alien, conspiracy theory, first contact, chase, evil alien, twists and turns, alien abduction, fbi, obsession, alien possession ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, prehistory, prehistoric times, future
Place:
london, washington d.c., usa, europe, tunisia ...
Is relevant?
496K
Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Mexico
Duration: 107 min.
Story:
Dutch and his group of commandos are hired by the CIA to rescue downed airmen from guerillas in a Central American jungle. The mission goes well but as they return they find that something is hunting them. Nearly invisible, it blends in with the ...
Style:
suspenseful, suspense, scary, cult classic, tense ...
Audience:
manly, boys' night, adult
Plot:
alien, monster, survival, jungle, creature, military, chase, deadly creature, alien invasion, hunting, gory, special forces ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1987, future
Place:
latin america, south america, central america
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
This 1986 Disney adventure tells the story of 12-year-old David who lives with his family in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. When he awakens from being accidentally knocked out in the forest near his home, he finds that eight years have passed. His family is ...
Style:
futuristic, feel good, entertaining, exciting, stylized ...
Audience:
family outing, pre-teens, kids, teen drama, preschool
Plot:
time travel, ufo, flying saucer, benign alien, space and aliens, nasa, outer space, space travel, robot, alien, alien abduction, childhood ...
Time:
year 1986, year 1978, 90s, 20th century, 80s ...
Place:
florida, miami, miami beach, tokyo, japan ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
A high school senior, Alex Lainey, has an encounter with mysterious lights that appear over her small town. She soon develops dangerous, supernatural abilities and turns to her childhood friend Sean Terrel. The authorities target them and a chase ...
Style:
light, sweet, futuristic, romantic, realistic
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
teenage girl, transformation, bullying, supernatural, relationships, teenager, strong female character, fish out of water, teenage love, female protagonist, shark, cadet ...
Time:
future
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
