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