I wouldn't call Aliens perfect, but I get why people love it. Several years ago I had a huge Ripley poster on my wall, so it's not like I don't like it. Let's just say I'm more into Ridley Scott movies than James Cameron movies.

The first one is perfect in terms of cinematography and style. I could watch the intro sequence before everyone wakes up or the landing sequence over and over just for the audio and visuals. Alien is a straight up beautiful piece of film making.

EDIT: Not touching the first part of your statement :P ... But it is interesting that the only other person I know who agrees than Alien is better than Aliens, is the only film-geek I know.

I know. I'll never get tired of the first forty minutes or so of the movie, right up to and including the chestburster scene. A lot of people bitch about the slow pacing, but again, substandard intelligence. The first half of the movie is even more tense than the majority of the second TBH, and it would be a brilliant straight up sci fi short film.

No it's not. It's a lot of fun, but I rarely feel much tension during the movie. The characters (being in an action movie) are also much more shallow, so you never really feel immersed on their behalf, unlike the *******s from the Nostromo who feel like real people.

The slow pace is pretty much necessary for the atmosphere of the movie. I don't feel like the movie ever drags on since there's always some small thing that makes it interesting. The sets, the light and shade, the body language of the characters. Even small things like that scene where the dude that says "yep" all the time looks up and washes his face with the dripping water. Details like that make it more human and memorable. I'm straining to avoid sounding pretentious.

And of course it goes completely forgotten that Ripley was kind of a different character in the first movie, and I don't think that's entirely down to character development. You never would have guessed that she'd be the last survivor, as relatively equal time is given to many of the characters and Ripley herself isn't exactly the most likeable character ever. She's a calm, competent badass and all, but she's far more grounded and not just a really good action movie hero.

Many people watching it in theaters in the 70's probably had Dallas pegged as the last survivor.

EDIT: But yeah, definetely. Ripley is just doing what she needs to do. When everyone else freaks out she's pushed to take charge. In the final scenes, she doesn't really do much except dodge the alien. I also love how she tries to shut down the self-destruct mechanism again, then freaks out a bit when she can't.

Substandard intelligence <3 love you too

I enjoyed the first movie a lot, but.. well, it was a different kind of experience really (and for the record, I enjoyed all 4 aliens movies to some extent at least :D). 1st was full of mystery, tension and desperation. I also liked how there was no focus on Ripley from the beginning, the crew as a whole was the main character. Someone completely ignorant of the series might be surprised as to who the final survivor is.
2nd was this s-f military porn done right, an adolescent fantasy filmed with the attention it needed. There was tension, but it's a different kind of tension if you're carrying a smartgun and have a marine backup, not a homemade flame thrower and a bunch of hippies :P . Plus I have to say, I liked the crew of the Sulaco more than the crew of the Nostromo ;) Even Bill "I'll keep yelling" Paxton.

:beer:

Director's Cut of 3 makes it even better too.