Brother From Another Planet

Author: John Sayles

Perhaps the least-seen film on the list, Brother from Another Planet is a rare bird indeed. It's a quiet film of an alien who has escaped slavery by coming to Earth, trying to outrun other aliens determined to bring him back. Unlike many other treatments of the kind, it's not so much a film about an alien coming and disrupting our world, but an alien trying to hide who spends his time observing and trying to melt into it. Joe Morton gives an amazing performance. Without dialogue, he manages to give the film an emotional weight that is rarely seen from science fiction film, and his reactions with his face and body are unparalleled. Director John Sayles, in his only deep dive into science fiction, brings his trademark restraint with his direction, while giving us the ability to connect with a character who only gives us snippets, allowing us to fill in the gaps. That's the sign of a director who has utter faith in his audience. Why is it on the listThe performance from Morton alone makes it worthwhile, but the strength of editing and cinematography only makes this an even better cinematic experience.