#5 - The Iron Giant, The Iron Giant (1999)

This may be the first animated film I remember seeing that I thought was a truly great movie. In the perfect setting, the title role was, surprisingly, also perfectly cast. Like most robot characters in movies, this is ultimately a fish-out-of-water story whose true beauty lies in its heart. Think E.T. -  if E.T. had gone nuts and defeated the Army.

#4 – HAL 9000, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001 speaks of the perils of technological advancements. Less a robot than a soft spoken computer, HAL 9000 is a great and haunting example of what can happen when the machine does not have the capacity to comprehend human emotion beyond its own artificial intelligence.

#3 – Optimus Prime, The Transformers: The Movie (1986) & Transformers (2007)

For all you geeks out there (such as myself), was there anything cooler than seeing the commander of the Autobots come to life on the big screen last year? Say what you will about the movie itself, but there is no denying the jaw-dropping action. And with a message that was little more than, “Can’t we all just get along?” it is hard to ignore Prime’s spot on this list. Plus, I don't remember seeing any other movie recently that made me want my truck to come to life and blow stuff up after I saw it.

#2 – the Terminators, The Terminator series (1984, 1991, 2003)

The T-101, a cyborg assassin sent from the future to kill the woman whose as yet unborn son founds a resistance against the machines. So it’s not a romantic comedy? The Terminator launched both actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and director James Cameron’s careers and may be solely responsible for the 80’s action movie as it were. Subsequently, it spawned one of the best movie sequels of all time and yet another special effect which was a marvel to behold, T-1000. Whether you're a fan or not, with the Terminator television series premiering in January 2008, it is hard to deny the relevancy and appeal of a robotic character who is almost 25 years old.

#1 – C-3PO and R2-D2, Star Wars trilogy (both of them)

Never have there been characters more iconic to a film's mythology than the two most beloved robots in the Star Wars franchise,  C-3PO and R2-D2. In spite of all of the science fiction and technology presented to us in these movies, isn’t the best part watching these two display their limitations? Aside from the primary task for which he was designed, which is communication, C-3PO is just  a clumsy oaf who hates the adventures he always ends up mixed in with. Conversely, at least once per film, R2-D2 finds a way to save the day. One without the other would not be as effective, and they are both used perfectly for comic relief when the tension begins to mount. Think of them as the Jay & Silent Bob of the Star Wars universe.