Though they're now associated with bloated, big-budget blockbusters, extraterrestrials have capturing imaginations and stretched the limits of cinematic creativity since the earliest days of movies.
Flashing tentacles, tails and teeth, aliens have invaded stories for purposes of terror, friendship and sometimes enlightenment. Like much science fiction, the best alien stories teach us what it means to be human. Other times, they just blow stuff up.
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Somehow, we whittled down a list of our favorite aliens to a respectable 20. Check out the graphic below to see a timeline that spans more than a century. But there are so many more. Which extraterrestrial is your favorite?
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Mashable infographic. Featured image: Mashable, Bob Al-Greene