With ROMULUS out (which I have not seen yet, btw), I was thinking about which franchise - Alien or Predator - has been more satisfying. It’s a pretty close call for my tastes.

S - ALIEN is the masterpiece of the bunch. That’s pretty much a globally-held bit of cinema ranking, yes? Well, that’s my take anyway…so don’t come ‘round here with your ALIEN naysaying.

A - PREDATOR, ALIENS, and PREY are all exceedingly good.

B - PREDATOR 2 and PREDATORS are solid, consistent actioners that I would happily watch again, while ALIEN 3 is the second most intriguing take on these formulas (after PREY), even if flawed and not a favorite. I find it drab and the CG awful, but I get it.

C - These are mostly very flawed films, despite varying degrees of likability. I love the cast/characters and many of the scenarios within ALIEN RESURRECTION, while the finale is disappointing and it still, like ALIEN 3, doesn’t feel like there’s much of a point beyond sequel revenue. The first ALIEN VS PREDATOR film is actually great fun, if a bit watered down and cardboard thin…but I dig the cast, and there are some great moments throughout. Similarly, THE PREDATOR has a fun set of characters and some good action, but suffers from a very “fan-service”-y plot (that need to tie elements together in a neat bow) and a lot of wasted potential with its human characters.

Then there are PROMETHEUS and ALIEN COVENANT, which are lovingly-crafted films with solid casts. But they both suffer from a modernization that feels all wrong: the very premise of explaining origins (or creating lousy ones) is one thing, and the films convey a slick, often cruel and gruesome approach, and both just feel like Bad Choices.

D - Then we have AVP REQUIEM, which - while watchable - is a miserable and mean-spirited film. It conveys no sense of fun, no intrigue, and no hope. It is a losing bet, and the worst of the bunch regardless of your extraterrestrial favor.