Movies about the first connection between humans and extraterrestrials tend to follow one of several standard routes. The "Alien," "Predator" and "Independence Day" series were alien-blasting jamborees. The early Superman movies, "E.T." and "The Iron Giant" built an optimistic tradition of friends from space and misunderstandings that could be overcome. Paranoid thrillers like "The Mist" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" showed earthlings helplessly outclassed by the new arrivals.
