The Best Short Movies and TV Shows

What it's about: A group of men travel to the moon by being shot in a capsule from a giant cannon. They are captured by moon-men, escape, and return to the earth. The film was the first film with a self-contained plot and was the beginning of the science fiction genre.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & Kanopy) & rent or buy from $0.99 on 2 services (Prime Video & PlayStation Store).

What it's about: A police officer faces a personal meltdown following a divorce and the death of his mother.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 3 services (iTunes, Google Play & Prime Video).

What it's about: Filmmaker Alain Resnais documents the atrocities behind the walls of Hitler's concentration camps.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a subscription service (The Criterion Channel) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 2 services (iTunes & Prime Video).

What it's about: A young boy makes a snowman one Christmas Eve, which comes to life at midnight and takes the boy on a magical adventure to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Vudu), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & Ameba) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: What starts out as a fun road trip for the Toy Story gang takes an unexpected turn for the worse when the trip detours to a roadside motel. After one of the toys goes missing, the others find themselves caught up in a mysterious sequence of events that must be solved before they all suffer the same fate in this Toy Story of Terror.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $9.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: An aging Chinese mom suffering from empty nest syndrome gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life as a lively, giggly dumpling boy.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: During a post-Christmas play date, the gang find themselves in uncharted territory when the coolest set of action figures ever turn out to be dangerously delusional. It's all up to Trixie, the triceratops, if the gang hopes to return to Bonnie's room in this Toy Story That Time Forgot.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $9.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: The clerk at the train station is assaulted and left tied by four men, then they rob the train threatening the operator. (They) take all the money and shoot a passenger when trying to run away. A little girl discovers the clerk tied and gives notice to the sheriff, who at once goes along with his men hunting the bandits.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a subscription service (Fandor & Kanopy).

What it's about: Pure fantasia, a race to save the world from a fatal heart attack, juxtaposed against a love rivalry between two brothers - a mortician and an actor playing Christ - for the heart of a scientist studying the earth's core.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a subscription service (Fandor).

What it's about: It takes two or three generations for the monarch butterfly to reach the Canadian breeding grounds, but it is one "supergeneration" that makes the 2,000 mile return trip back south into central Mexico. The documentary film covers Dr Fred Urquhart's interest in monarch butterflies, with perspectives of Urquhart as a child wondering where the butterflies went, his years of research and study into their life and migration, to his time decades-later as a senior scientist looking back at his investigations and discoveries about the insect's life pattern.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & Shout Factory TV) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: An urban office worker finds that paper airplanes are instrumental in meeting a girl in ways he never expected.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: One by one, a flock of small birds perches on a telephone wire. Sitting close together has problems enough, and then comes along a large dopey bird that tries to join them. The birds of a feather can't help but make fun of him - and their clique mentality proves embarrassing in the end.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: John Cazale was in only five films - The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather, Part Two, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter - each was nominated for Best Picture. Yet today most people don't even know his name. I KNEW IT WAS YOU is a fresh tour through movies that defined a generation.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a subscription service (Fandor) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Prime Video & 2 others).

What it's about: Born to Be Wild observes various orphaned jungle animals and their day-to-day behavioural interactions with the individuals who rescue them and raise them to adulthood. The film unfurls in two separate geographic spheres. Half of it takes place in the rain forests of Borneo, where celebrated primatologist Dr. Birute Galdikas assists baby orangutans; the other half takes place on the arid savannahs of Kenya, where zoologist Dame Daphne Sheldrick works with baby elephant calves.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $2.99 on 8 services (iTunes, Google Play & 6 others).

What it's about: During an unfortunate series of events, a friend of Kung Fury is assassinated by the most dangerous kung fu master criminal of all time, Adolf Hitler, a.k.a Kung Führer. Kung Fury decides to travel back in time to Nazi Germany in order to kill Hitler and end the Nazi empire once and for all.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $4.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Prime Video & 2 others).

What it's about: A mother bird tries to teach her little one how to find food by herself. In the process, she encounters a traumatic experience that she must overcome in order to survive.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Five thought-provoking shorts imagine what Hong Kong will be like ten years from now. In Extras, two genial low-level gangsters are hired to stage an attack, but they’re mere sacrificial lambs in a political conspiracy. Rebels strive to preserve destroyed homes and objects as specimens in the mesmerizing Season of the End. In Dialect, a taxi driver struggles to adjust after Putonghua displaces Cantonese as Hong Kong’s only official language. Following the death of a leading independence activist, an act of self-immolation outside the British consulate triggers questions and protests in the searing yet moving Self-Immolator. In Local Egg, a grocery shop owner worries about his son’s youth guard activities and where to buy eggs after Hong Kong’s last chicken farm closes down.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 3 services (iTunes, Google Play & YouTube).

What it's about: A deaf 4-year-old girl named Libby lives in a world of silence until a caring social worker teaches her to use sign language to communicate.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a subscription service (Kanopy) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 1 service (Google Play).

What it's about: When Day, a sunny fellow, encounters Night, a stranger of distinctly darker moods, sparks fly! Day and Night are frightened and suspicious of each other at first, and quickly get off on the wrong foot. But as they discover each other's unique qualities--and come to realize that each of them offers a different window onto the same world-the friendship helps both to gain a new perspective.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Mysteries of the Unseen World transports audiences to places on this planet that they have never been before, to see things that are beyond their normal vision, yet literally right in front of their eyes. Mysteries of the Unseen World reveals phenomena that can't be seen with the naked eye, taking audiences into earthly worlds secreted away in different dimensions of time and scale. Viewers experience events that unfold too slowly for human perception

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $3.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Google Play & 2 others).

What it's about: Dignity. Poise. Mystery. We expect nothing less from the great turn-of-the-century magician, Presto. But when Presto neglects to feed his rabbit one too many times, the magician finds he isn't the only one with a few tricks up his sleeve!

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: Sea life in a whole new way. Deep Sea 3D, an underwater adventure from the filmmakers behind the successful IMAX® 3D film Into the Deep, transports audiences deep below the ocean surface. Through the magic of IMAX®; and IMAX 3D, moviegoers will swim with some of the planets most unique, dangerous and colorful creatures, and understand this inspiring underworld.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $2.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: An aging codger named Geri plays a daylong game of chess in the park against himself. Somehow, he begins losing to his livelier opponent. But just when the game's nearly over, Geri manages to turn the tables.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 4 services (Google Play, Prime Video & 2 others).

What it's about: A woman returning home falls asleep and has vivid dreams that may or may not be happening in reality. Through repetitive images and complete mismatching of the objective view of time and space, her dark inner desires play out on-screen.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a subscription service (Fandor & Kanopy).

What it's about: A young boy comes of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait. A big surprise awaits the boy as he discovers his family's most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions?

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 3 services (iTunes, Google Play & Prime Video).

What it's about: Everyone knows that the stork delivers babies, but where do the storks get the babies from? The answer lies up in the stratosphere, where cloud people sculpt babies from clouds and bring them to life. Gus, a lonely and insecure grey cloud, is a master at creating "dangerous" babies. Crocodiles, porcupines, rams and more - Gus's beloved creations are works of art, but more than a handful for his loyal delivery stork partner, Peck. As Gus's creations become more and more rambunctious, Peck's job gets harder and harder. How will Peck manage to handle both his hazardous cargo and his friend's fiery temperament?

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: Kari the babysitter thinks she's in for a night of routine babysitting. She's prepared to provide neurological stimulation with some soothing musical accompaniment for little Jack-Jack, the smallest member of the incredible Parr family. Little does she know that Jack-Jack will teach her a thing or two about babies with "special needs."

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: The magical tale of a mouse who takes a walk though the woods in search of a nut.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Google Play & 2 others).

What it's about: This Oscar-winning animated short film tells the story of one man's love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: Join the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity for an awe-inspiring journey to the surface of the mysterious red planet.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $2.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: The Tramp and his dog companion struggle to survive in the inner city.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (SnagFilms), stream on a subscription service (The Criterion Channel & Kanopy) & rent or buy from $0.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: Heavy Metal Parking Lot documents heavy metal music fans tailgating in the parking lot outside the Capital Centre (since demolished) in Landover, Maryland, on May 31, 1986, before a Judas Priest concert (with opening act Dokken).

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (SnagFilms & Tubi TV) & stream on a subscription service (Fandor).

What it's about: Love and Sebastian meet each other by a coincidence at a street in the romantic Swedish summer night. They happen to share the same secret, but their encounter is going to cause severe consequences for the both of them. An innocent flirt soon turns in to a dangerously liaison.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi TV) & stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix).

What it's about: "Rakka" is the story of broken humanity following the invasion of a technologically superior alien species. Bleak harrowing and unrelenting, the humans we meet must find enough courage to go on fighting.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $4.99 on 1 service (iTunes).

What it's about: With one coin to make a wish at the piazza fountain, a peasant girl encounters two competing street performers who'd prefer the coin find its way into their tip jars. The little girl, Tippy, is caught in the middle as a musical duel ensues between the one-man-bands.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: The story follows the love story of two volcanoes, Uku and Lele. It features a song, "Lava", which is written by Murphy and performed by Kuana Torres Kahele and Napua Greig, who voice the two volcanoes.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: Armed with an arcane knowledge of the dark arts and a wicked wit, John Constantine fights the good fight. With his soul already damned to hell, he’ll do whatever it takes to protect the innocent. With the balance of good and evil on the line, Constantine uses his skills to face the supernatural terrors that threaten our world and send them back where they belong. After that, who knows…maybe there’s hope for him and his soul after all.

Where to Watch: 3 episodes (50%) are available to watch free online (CW Seed).

What it's about: Saw is an Australian nine-and-a-half-minute short subject horror film that was later expanded to a full feature film. The story is about David, an orderly at a hospital, who tells his horrific story of being kidnapped and forced to play a vile game of survival.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $2.99 on 2 services (Vudu & CinemaNow).

What it's about: On Anna's birthday, Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but Elsa's icy powers may put more than just the party at risk.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: The Once-ler, a ruined industrialist, tells the tale of his rise to wealth and subsequent fall, as he disregarded the warnings of a wise old forest creature called the Lorax about the environmental destruction caused by his greed.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu) & rent or buy from $9.99 on 3 services (Google Play, Microsoft & YouTube).

What it's about: Life on a shelf as a snowman trapped in a snow-globe blizzard can become wearing, especially when you're surrounded by knickknacks from sunnier locales. When the jaded snowman finally breaks free of his glass house, his vacation plans are cut short.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A wandering warrior finds an unlikely friend in the form of a young dragon. The two develop a close bond, until one day the dragon is snatched away. She then sets out on a relentless quest to reclaim her friend, finding in the end that her quest exacts a far greater price than she had ever imagined.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $0.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: When an overconfident teen alien gets behind the controls of a spaceship, he must attempt to abduct a slumbering farmer under the watchful eye of a critical instructor. But abducting humans requires precision and a gentle touch, and within a few missteps it's painfully clear why more humans don't go missing every year.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: Mr Hublot is a withdrawn, idiosyncratic character with OCD, scared of change and the outside world. Robot Pet's arrival turns his life upside down: he has to share his home with this very invasive companion...

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & Kanopy) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: During an opulent and luxurious banquet, complete with hordes of servers and valets, eleven pampered guests participate in what appears to be a ritualistic gastronomic carnage. In this absurd and grotesque universe, an unexpected sequence of events destabilizes the endless symphony of abundance.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a subscription service (FilmBox & The Criterion Channel) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Google Play & 2 others).

What it's about: Breaion King, a 26 year-old African-American school teacher from Austin, Texas - is pulled over for a routine traffic stop that escalates into a violent arrest. Dashcam clips intercut with verite scenes tell a story of racism in law enforcement through the eyes of one of its victims.

Where to Watch: Available to stream on a popular subscription service (HBO), stream on a popular TV everywhere service (HBO) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: The incredible true story of nature’s greatest explorers—lemurs. Through footage captured with IMAX 3D, audiences go on a spectacular journey to the remote and wondrous world of Madagascar. Join trailblazing scientist Patricia Wright on her lifelong mission to help these strange and adorable creatures survive in the modern world.

Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy from $2.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: Originally from Africa, Mari McGabe's parents were killed by local greed, corruption and wanton violence.But the orphaned Marl refuses to succumb to the terrors surrounding her.Inheriting her family's Tantu Totem, Mari can access the powers of animals - anything from the super-strength of a gorilla to the speed of a cheetah. As Vixen she fights valiantly to protect the world from threats like those that claimed her family.

Where to Watch: 3 episodes (25%) are available to watch free online (CW Seed).