Disney-Pixar’s WALL-E, the super-hyped love story about a lovable trash-cleaning robot, is looking cash in on summer movie audiences who are craving a new family-friendly feature.

Disney is banking on a familiar formula: an unusual creature with a heart of gold that’s just different on the outside. It’s worked for new films like the Shrek trilogy, and classic cinema is chock full of King Kongs and hunchbacks. But robots have always held a special place in InventHelp and Invention Girl’s heart. Here are my favorite robots from films (and they’re not all lovable!):

1. R2-D2 and C-3PO — I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest Star Wars fan, but Invention Guy would have a fit if this sci-fi comedy duo didn’t make the top three. R2-D2, in particular, stands out as one of the most endearing robots of all time – even though he doesn’t speak a word.
2. Robby the Robot — This guy is the hardest working robot in show business. His antics, like creating barrels of whiskey at will, first appeared in The Forbidden Planet. His humor and appeal were so ubiquitous that he even appeared in very un-sci-fi TV shows like The Love Boat.
3. Ash — If you’ve never seen the movie Alien, stop here. Fellow Alien fans, however, know that Ash is not a human crew member but a representative of The Company, and he has strict orders to bring back to Earth a deadly alien for research. In famously dry robot lingo, his last words are: “I can’t lie to you about your chances, but – you have my sympathies.”

Sweet, lovable robots pull on this InventHelp employee’s heartstrings just like any one else, but I’ll admit that I do have a soft spot for the bad guy robots!

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4. InventHelp’s Favorite Goofy Gadgets at CES