12 cutest movie aliens
From Ewoks to E.T., squids to Stitch, here are some adorable characters that are just out of this world.
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Ewoks, Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi
These babyish, teddy-bear-like creatures from the forest moon of Endor are often condemned as a too-cute addition to a franchise on its way to Jar-Jar Binks. Still, there's no denying that their help was critical to defeating the empire — not to mention the aww-inducing power of a baby Ewok. —Jackson McHenry
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Stitch, Lilo & Stitch
Also known as Experiment 626, Stitch is an aggressive blue creature designed to destroy everything in his path. But when little Hawaiian girl Lilo adopts Stitch, she ends up teaching him to be good: ''Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.'' —Jackson McHenry
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E.T., E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. is peaceful, he can heal people with the touch of a finger, and all he wants is to go home again. Not to mention that he has adorable blue eyes and can fit in a bicycle basket. —Samantha Highfill
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MAC, Mac and Me
Those eyes! Those ears! Whether communicating with his winsome whistle or whizzing down the streets in a miniature truck, this little guy just wanted to reunite with his family. —Lanford Beard
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Squid Baby, Men in Black
The name might not sound all that appealing, but even Agent J can't deny that the big-eyed, thumb-sucking Squid Baby is, as he puts it, "actually kind of cute." —Samantha Highfill
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CJ7, CJ7
The cuddly, big-eyed extraterrestrial from Stephen Chow's (Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer) family film appears to have been designed in a lab for maximum cuteness. —Keith Staskiewicz
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Echo, Earth to Echo
Who wouldn't be bowled over by this owlish little alien-bot? No one, that's who. —Lanford Beard
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Little Green Men, Toy Story
Sure, their three-eyed faces, teeny-weeny antennae, and chubby little bodies are all adorable. However, what really sends these claw game refugees over the top is the way they talk. Those chipper intergalactic chipmunk voices could make anything sound cute. Oooooooo. —Hillary Busis
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Meathead, Meatballs 2
As one of the many parodies/ripoffs/clones of E.T., the mushy grey alien from camp-comedy Meatballs 2 may look like a three-week-old meatloaf found in the back of the mess hall. However, he's pretty darn cute. Still no replacement for Bill Murray, though. —Keith Staskiewicz
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Trumpy, The Pod People
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Aliens, Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Of the more traditional, big-headed alien ilk, these UFO-travelers from Steven Spielberg's follow-up to Jaws were definitely more viewer-friendly than that shark. Their friendly faces even helped snag the film an Oscar nom for Best Visual Effects. —Lanford Beard
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Fix-Its, *batteries not included
Before bringing superheroes (The Incredibles) and rodents (Ratatouille) to Pixar, Brad Bird wrote this tale about otherworldly machines defending an elderly couple from street thugs. Cute and able to fly! —Lanford Beard