12 Nightmarish Sci-Fi Movie Scenes That Freaked You Out
9. Alien Footage - Signs
M. Night Shymalan's Signs is another mixed bag on the whole, with an ending that doesn't quite work. Aliens decide to invade Earth and are defeated by a natural substance on the planet surface (in this case water). It's a twist that's not quite as clever as it thinks it is.
The build-up to the invasion is much more satisfying though and the aliens themselves are much more effective when we see less of them, hidden in plain sight. It brings about one of the strongest moments in the film when Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix), trying to find out more about the extraterrestrials, watches a video of a child's birthday party where they seem have spotted something in the bushes. At that point, one of the aliens emerges after completely camouflaging themselves, giving the kids and Merrill a fright.
It's a real jump-scare - the ability to camouflage gives off the feeling that the aliens could be anywhere.