| I have fond memories of waking up early on | | | | worth a look is Ifilm ( that offers the |
| Saturday mornings and softly tiptoeing out to the | | | | lower-bandwidth streams of films for free. Be |
| family room to watch early morning cartoons | | | | slightly wary here though as there is an |
| when I was in elementary school. Then in high | | | | uncensored section and occasionally some videos |
| school I became more interested in the | | | | will show up on the main page that aren't entirely |
| action-oriented TV shows in the evening. A little | | | | family-friendly. These two sites showcase |
| while later, I found that I just didn't have the time | | | | hundreds of short films, from animated to live |
| to dedicate an hour or so a day to sitting and | | | | action, from musical to martial arts. They host |
| watching mindless entertainment at a given time | | | | music clips and film festival winners as well as |
| slot, and so I no longer watched TV at all. Gone | | | | some non-professional but often still high quality |
| are my days of watching those humorous | | | | work.For the action fans there are a number of |
| cartoons and ridiculous heroes every week.I | | | | 'Stunt Crews' out there, risking life and limb for |
| recently discovered the online film scene, though, | | | | the sheer giddy thrill of looking really cool on tape. |
| and it's fantastic. Short films, up to about 20mins | | | | They'll have you wishing you were just half as |
| in length, just posted online for all to download. | | | | talented as they are. One particularly active and |
| Many of them are better than the professionally | | | | talented group goes by the name of The Stunt |
| produced, high-budget TV shows that stream so | | | | People ( They have a large number of videos |
| liberally to your TV box. Every one is a labor of | | | | available online, most running for about 20mins and |
| love, so even when the production values aren't | | | | almost all of them jam packed with martial arts |
| high you know that someone has poured | | | | and tricking entertainment. Of similar style, |
| themselves into the product, which brings | | | | although not quite as stunt-oriented, are Jabronie |
| satisfaction beyond that of watching some stale | | | | Pictures ( These films all contain some violence |
| TV show now into it's 19th series and just | | | | and occasionally some coarse language, so you |
| churning out the money makers.Cartoons were | | | | may want to screen them before showing them |
| my first port of call. It's been a long time since | | | | to younger children.There are those who claim |
| I've been awake and free early enough in the | | | | that TV can be used to keep up with the events |
| morning to watch some animated entertainment | | | | unfolding in the world, the people who watch the |
| (and besides that, the cartoons on TV now are | | | | news when the 'Simpsons' is on the other channel. |
| largely trash). A friend introduced me to my first | | | | For those socially minded folks, a quick search for |
| online cartoon, the enormously popular and | | | | 'News video streams' reveals a large number of |
| hilarious Homestar Runner ( This site is fantastic. | | | | pages, such as that contains a large list of |
| There are longish cartoons and games, with new | | | | streams, providing news updates on demand.So if |
| ones being added every now and then, but the | | | | you've got a little downtime and there's nothing |
| main reason to visit and continue to return is a | | | | on TV, try shifting on over to your computer and |
| lovably vicious character named Strong Bad. The | | | | basking in the wonderful entertainment provided |
| creators of the web site answer roughly one | | | | by many talented people who just want to share |
| email a week using this character that basically | | | | their creativity. Or, keep yourself current with |
| insults people in the most hilarious ways possible. | | | | happenings around the world. It's fun and free. |
| It's all quite family-friendly and is more than worth | | | | What more could you want?Daniel Punch |
| a bookmark.More animated wonders and filmed | | | | |
| entertainment can be found at Atom Films ( | | | | Daniel Punch spends far too much time looking |
| which has become a free service recently. Also | | | | for free entertainment on the internet. |