While you are "right" about showing the aliens - it was in the tradition of "War of the Worlds".
Then there was "Dirty Harry" - remember that part? Which kind are you? Do you see signs? Or are you just lucky? Well punk?
"The Natural" of course.
"Poltergeist" - the TV and the girl.
"ET" - the field and the swings.
The music - pure Bernard Hermann in "Psycho".
The enclosed space and the bad night - "The Thing".
"Home Alone" - the frail boy is on top of things.
"Catch-22" - the recurring flashback to a horrific moment.
"Fargo" - the somewhat distracted top cop - a woman in a prowler.
I am just blown away. The camera motion is on the same level as Scorcese. The sense of dread and apprehension is worthy of Hitchcock. I was really scared by this movie. The plot "holes" are irrelevant - this movie is about faith and fear and making it.