Sigourney Weaver is an undisputed science fiction icon. From her rise to fame playing Ellen Ripley in 1979’s Alien to portraying the no-nonsense scientist Dr. Grace Augustine in 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, the actress has appeared in numerous films and television shows, earning more accolades than we can count in the process.Â
To celebrate the actress’s 74th birthday, make sure you watch her most critically acclaimed movie roles, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Alien (1979) – 98%
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt
Official synopsis: Alien follows the crew of a spaceship who stumble upon a terror they couldn’t envisage. While exploring a distant moon following a distress call, they encounter a hive of unknown creatures.
Aliens (1986) – 98%
- Director: James Cameron
- Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn
Official synopsis: Ellen Ripley returns in Aliens, joining a squad of marines to face off against the monstrous creatures, now ruling a moon colony. As they fight to survive against overwhelming odds, Ripley forms a bond with the colony’s sole surviving child.
Dave (1993) – 95%
- Director: Ivan Reitman
- Starring: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella
Official synopsis: Dave is an irresistibly charming comedy where an average Joe becomes the President. Dave Kovic, an unlikely lookalike of President Bill Mitchell, is asked to step in when the latter falls into a coma. But with a sinister plot brewing and unexpected popularity, Dave’s temporary position might last longer than planned.
Ghostbusters (1984) – 95%
- Director: Ivan Reitman
- Starring: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver
Official synopsis: Experience the rollicking adventures of the original Ghostbusters, a trio of zany scientists turned ghost capturers. After losing their university jobs, they start a ghost-trapping business, inadvertently discovering a gateway to a malevolent dimension. With their quick wit and paranormal expertise, they’re the only hope to rescue New York City from a supernatural menace.
The Cabin in the Woods (2011) – 92%
- Director: Drew Goddard
- Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison
Official synopsis: The Cabin in the Woods is a mind-bending horror ride where nothing is as it seems. When five friends venture to a secluded cabin, they step into an eerie world of relics and zombies. This is just the beginning of an unraveling truth that takes them deeper into the spine-chilling unknown.
Galaxy Quest (1999) – 90%
- Director: Dean Parisot
- Starring: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman
Official synopsis: The cast of a beloved space opera TV show suddenly find themselves enlisted by aliens in need, thrusting them into a real-life intergalactic adventure. Suddenly their acting skills become crucial in defending Earth and their new alien friends from a menacing reptilian warlord.
The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) – 88%
- Director: Peter Weir
- Starring: Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hunt
Official synopsis: The Year of Living Dangerously is a gripping tale of love, friendship, and politics in tumultuous Indonesia. Journalist Guy Hamilton navigates the heat of President Sukarno’s reign, a fervent love affair, and a transformative friendship with his photographer Billy Kwan. As the political landscape boils over, so do personal allegiances and morals.
A Monster Calls (2016) – 86%
- Director: J.A. Bayona
- Starring: Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones
Official synopsis: A Monster Calls is a moving tale about Conor, a troubled young boy grappling with his mother’s illness and life’s cruel challenges. A monster visits him, demanding to know the truth. As Conor battles internal demons, bullies, and heartbreak, we’re left wondering if he’ll find the courage to confront his reality and speak his truth.
Cedar Rapids (2011) – 86%
- Director: Miguel Arteta
- Starring: Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche
Official synopsis: In this comedy film, Tim Lippe is a small-town guy plunged into chaos when he’s sent to represent his company at an insurance convention in the titular Cedar Rapids. Under the unconventional tutelage of three convention pros, Time goes on a wild, hilarious ride.
The Ice Storm (1997) – 86%
- Director: Ang Lee
- Starring: Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver
Official synopsis: A typical suburban family is jolted out of their everyday lives during a fateful Thanksgiving weekend. The Hoods encounter relationship struggles, teenage wanderlust, and disillusionment, all intensified by a looming ice storm.
Gorillas in the Mist (1988) – 84%
- Director: Michael Apted
- Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Bryan Brown, Julie Harris
Official synopsis: Gorillas in the Mist brings to screen the inspiring true story of Dian Fossey, a woman who dedicated her life to saving the gorillas of Rwanda and Uganda. Amidst the wild, she forms a deep bond with the animals while confronting the deadly threats they face from poachers.
Working Girl (1988) – 83%
- Director: Mike Nichols
- Starring: Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver
Official synopsis: Working Girl is a delightful tale of ambition, wit, and determination. Tess McGill, a striving secretary in New York’s corporate jungle, takes matters into her own hands when her boss’s skiing mishap leaves a vacancy. As she collaborates with the charismatic Jack Trainer on a significant deal, Tess’s path to success becomes a charmingly tangled affair.
Call Jane (2022) – 88%
- Director: Phyllis Nagy
- Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver, Chris Messina
Official synopsis: Call Jane explores the struggles of a pregnant housewife battling a lethal illness. Denied the necessary treatment of an abortion, she discovers an alternative in a clandestine group assisting in illegal terminations.
Death and the Maiden (1994) – 82%
- Director: Roman Polanski
- Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, Stuart Wilson
Official synopsis: Paulina Escobar, once a victim of a tyrannical regime, believes she’s come face to face with her tormentor. As she captures him to confirm her suspicions, a complex web of memory, denial, and justice entangles her, her husband, and their unexpected guest.
Avatar (2009) – 81%
- Director: James Cameron
- Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver
Official synopsis: When former Marine Jake Sully takes his late brother’s place in a mission on distant Pandora, he’s entwined in a conflict over the planet’s precious resources. As he connects with the indigenous Na’vi and falls for the captivating Neytiri, he’s drawn into an epic fight for the survival of this alien paradise.
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