The Day the Earth Stood Still

...is sufficiently different to stand alone and just as relevant in its concerns – as well as succeeding (arguably better) as a thriller.

The story skimps on the subtlety, but Klaatu compensates by wearing a look of paternal disappointment that suggests the cosmos knows we could do better if we tried a little harder.

This 1951 classic is memorable for the iconic image of the flying saucer on the White House lawn...