Ranking favorite movies is a difficult task. My personal list changes periodically as my mood changes, but always at the top of the list is "Alien," a 1979 sci-fi horror film that is one of the most influential films ever made and an undeniable masterpiece (even better than its sequel, "Alien"). even better than its sequel, "Alien.")

I have seen "Alien" countless times and was lucky enough to see it in theaters when it was re-released in 2019 for its 40th anniversary. It was a genuine pleasure to experience such a great film on a giant cinema screen, which is why I am so pleased that "Alien" will be back in cinemas in just a few weeks.

In honor of Alien Day (a celebration of the franchise held every April), "Alien" will return to theaters for a "limited time" beginning April 26, the official Alien account on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, has confirmed. The phrase "for a limited time" suggests that the film may be released for a longer period of time than just the day of Alien. Perhaps there may even be time to see it twice in theaters?

The return of "Alien" to theaters this year is even more timely, as the next film in the franchise, "Alien: Romulus," will be released in August. Directed by Fede Alvarez, "Romulus" hopes to get the sci-fi series back on track after the underperforming "Alien: Covenant" (I liked "Covenant," by the way), and its first teaser trailer suggests it is taking cues from the 1979 original I'm saying - this is a very smart move.

If you (somehow) have never seen "Alien," this theatrical re-release is the perfect excuse to fill in that cinematic blind spot. Even if you have seen it, trust me, you've seen it.

Set in the claustrophobic corridors of the deep-space mining vessel Nostromo, "Alien" is an intense thrill ride as the completely unprepared crew of the ship attempts to survive an encounter with extraterrestrials that have been perfected for the kill.

Notably, Sigourney Weaver's performance as the ship's officer, Ellen Ripley, also stars Tom Skerritt, Ian Holm, Veronica Cartwright, and John Hurt. In addition, Yaphet Cotto and Harry Dean Stanton deserve special praise for their portrayal of the engineering duo Parker and Brett.

Directed by Ridley Scott, the film would spawn one of the greatest science fiction franchises of all time, but numerous sequels have never surpassed the original; 1986's "Alien" is also excellent, but for very different reasons. It scraps the horror of the original and takes a more action-focused approach.

Whatever you do, don't miss the chance to see this brilliant sci-fi horror as it was originally intended, on the biggest screen possible. I promise you that "Alien" is even better in the cinema.