The Best Short Movies and TV Shows on Free Services

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 (Tubi & Vudu), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & Ameba) & rent or buy from $0.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Google Play & 2 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 watch free online (YouTube) & rent or buy from $4.99 on 3 services (iTunes, Prime Video & Vudu).

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 & PlutoTV), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video, Hoopla & Shout Factory TV) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Google Play & 2 others).

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) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Google Play & 2 others).

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 (Tubi) & stream on a subscription service (Fandor).

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: 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).

What it's about: Coral Reef Adventure follows the real-life expedition of ocean explorers and underwater filmmakers Howard and Michele Hall. Using large-format cameras, the Halls guide us to the islands and sun-drenched waters of the South Pacific to document the health and beauty of coral reefs. Featuring songs written and recorded by Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV), stream on a subscription service (Hoopla) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 2 services (Prime Video & Vudu).

What it's about: Journey into Amazing Caves is an extraordinary IMAX adventure into the depths of the earth to uncover the secrets to life underground.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV).

What it's about: From the banks of the Bahamas to the seas of Argentina, we go underwater to meet dolphins. Two scientists who study dolphin communication and behaviour lead us on encounters in the wild. Featuring the music of Sting. Nominated for an Academy Award®, Best Documentary, Short Subject, 2000.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: Ben is an art college student in London, whose imagination runs wild as he works the late-night shift at the local supermarket. What do he and his colleagues do to pass the long, endless hours of the night?

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Plex).

What it's about: Yamishibai is a picture-story style of animation whose motif is surrounded and based off the rumors, and urban legends throughout the history of Japan.

Where to Watch: 91 episodes (100%) are available to watch free online (Crunchyroll).

What it's about: A mob's punishment of a lone man proves cruel and unusual in this nightmarish short film.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 2 services (iTunes & Prime Video).

What it's about: Featuring the same charming animation style of the original, and new music by former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows, this sequel was created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Snowman (1982). A family, including young Billy and his elderly dog, is moving into the house from the original story, now in suburbia. As Christmas approaches, Billy stumbles across a box hidden by James, the boy from the original story. Night draws in, snow falls, Billy uses his new find, and a magical adventure begins...

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Vudu) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 1 service (Vudu).

What it's about: The film "Hurricane on the Bayou" is about the wetlands of Louisiana before and after Hurricane Katrina.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV) & stream on a subscription service (Hoopla).

What it's about: Australia: Land Beyond Time takes viewers on a breathtaking journey back in time to witness the birth and evolution of a mysterious land that harbors remnants of Earth's earliest life and many of it's strangest creatures that exist nowhere else on the planet.

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

What it's about: Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag follows American F-15 Eagle pilot John Stratton as he trains with some of the world’s best pilots. The movie depicts Stratton’s progression through the challenging and dangerous exercises of Operation Red Flag, the international training program for air forces of allied countries.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV), stream on a subscription service (Hoopla) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 1 service (Google Play).

What it's about: 12,000 feet down, life is erupting. Alvin, a deep-sea mechanized probe, makes a voyage some 12,000 feet underwater to explore the Azores, a constantly-erupting volcanic rift between Europe and North America.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV).

What it's about: Filmed in IMAX, a team of explorers led by Pasquale Scaturro and Gordon Brown face seemingly insurmountable challenges as they make their way along all 3,260 miles of the world's longest and deadliest river to become the first in history to complete a full descent of the Blue Nile from source to sea.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV) & stream on a subscription service (Hoopla & Xive TV).

What it's about: The Living Sea celebrates the beauty and power of the ocean as it explores our relationship with this complex and fragile environment. Using beautiful images of unspoiled healthy waters, The Living Sea offers hope for recovery engendered by productive scientific efforts. Oceanographers studying humpback whales, jellyfish, and deep-sea life show us that the more we understand the ocean and its inhabitants, the more we will know how to protect them. The film also highlights the Central Pacific islands of Palau, one of the most spectacular underwater habitats in the world, to show the beauty and potential of a healthy ocean.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: Comedian Jim Norton tackles the twisted state of the 21st century, including how modern technology affects everything from free speech to hooking up.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi, PlutoTV, Plex & 1 other), stream on a subscription service (Hoopla) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A man casually sets up for a fishing trip at the water's edge. Evening comes and a tug on his line presents him with the body of a woman.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi, PlutoTV & Plex) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Google Play & 2 others).

What it's about: A man led by horrific visions to a mysterious cabin hopes to put a stop to his nightmares. An H.P. Lovecraft inspired film.

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

What it's about: We follow the Newman-Haas (Andretti) racing team through the process of building, testing, and racing for a season. This includes extensive race speed on-track footage, including some pre-race footage with a full squad of cars. From time to time, we check in with a small shop building/restoring one of the first roadsters Mario Andretti raced; the finale includes him taking it for a spin.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV).

What it's about: After losing control of his engines, bumbling spaceman Fripp finds himself at the mercy of his spaceship. A thrilling descent through an asteroid belt ensues, after which he finds himself marooned on a post-apocalyptic Earth. Without a working spacecraft, the interstellar time-traveler must dip into the dead planet’s history in order to find a way home.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Peacock).

What it's about: GREECE: SECRETS OF THE PAST, directed by two-time Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Greg MacGillivray, is the stirring story of how a Greek archeologist of the 21st century is uncovering the secret history of his ancient ancestors who forged a society that continues to astound the world today with its ideas, inventions and achievements. Set against the breathtaking, azure vistas of the Greek Isles, the film merges a contemporary archeological “detective story” with some of the most advanced and painstaking digital re-creations ever undertaken for an IMAX® theatre film, with scenes that restore such centuries-old spectacles as the original Parthenon and the volcanic eruption that buried Santorini in 1646 BC.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV) & stream on a subscription service (Hoopla).

What it's about: Trapped in a damaged cryogenic pod, a man is forced to watch a series of horrific science-fiction tales while his life support systems run out. Featuring eight intense stories of the unknown and other-worldly, equally wonderful and terrifying. Visit the GALAXY OF HORRORS, if you dare! Curated from Rue Morgue & Unstable Ground's Little Terrors Festival.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi & Vudu), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A Christmas Carol was a 1949 low-budget, black and white television special narrated by Vincent Price.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & Hoopla) & rent or buy from $9.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: Steal This Film focuses on Pirate Bay founders Gottfrid Svartholm, Fredrik Neij and Peter Sunde, prominent members of the Swedish filesharing community. The makers claimed that 'Old Media' documentary crews couldn't understand the internet culture that filesharers took part in, and that they saw peer-to-peer organization as a threat to their livelihoods. Because of that, they were determined to accurately represent the filesharing community from within. Notably, Steal This Film was released and distributed, free of charge, through the same filesharing networks that the film documents.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi) & stream on a subscription service (ConTV & Docurama).

What it's about: Bananya is a series about the secret life of kitties who live in bananas.

Where to Watch: 26 episodes (100%) are available to watch free online (Tubi & Crunchyroll). 14 episodes (54%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & Crunchyroll Premium).

What it's about: As midnight falls, all manner of terror invades the Earth. demons, cannibals, killers, ghosts and monsters swarm the world in these tales of the supernatural, the fantastic, and the just plain horrific. Featuring nine stories of horror.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi & Vudu), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: It is a story that's captivated the imagination of many generations. Mourning the death of Jesus, two first-century travelers were joined by a mysterious stranger. Over the next few hours, the stranger revealed mysteries hidden in the ancient Scriptures. Soon, the purpose of Jesus' life became clear... and the travelers' sadness turned to great joy. Now you can learn what they learned. Discover the key to life on the Road to Emmaus.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi), stream on a subscription service (Hoopla) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: While on a publicity tour in Switzerland, Benji, Cindy Smith, and Patsy Garrett convince Kris Kringle that his place on Christmas Eve is delivering presents to all "his" families all over the world.

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

What it's about: A sex toy mishap leads to a night in the emergency room, where a freshly broken-up couple are forced to confront their issues on love and relationships.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 3 services (iTunes, Vudu & FandangoNOW).

What it's about: Wonders of the Arctic 3D centers on our ongoing mission to explore and come to terms with the Arctic, and the compelling stories of our many forays into this captivating place will be interwoven to create a unifying message about the state of the Arctic today. Underlying all these tales is the crucial role that ice plays in the northern environment and the changes that are quickly overtaking the people and animals who have adapted to this land of ice and snow.

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

What it's about: Featuring ten-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater, The Ultimate Wave follows a quest to find the perfect wave-riding experience. Filmed in Tahiti and among the islands of French Polynesia, the film showcases dramatic giant screen surfing action in a unique Pacific paradise.

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

What it's about: 14-year-old Emma struggles to hide her alopecia, a condition of rapid, unpredictable hair loss.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi & Vudu), stream on a subscription service (Hoopla) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 2 services (iTunes & Vudu).

What it's about: Wild Ocean is in an uplifting, giant screen cinema experience capturing one of nature's greatest migration spectacles. Plunge into an underwater feeding frenzy, amidst the dolphins, sharks, whales, gannets, seals and billions of fish. Filmed off the Wild Coast of South Africa, Wild Ocean is a timely documentary that celebrates the animals that now depend on us to survive and the efforts by the local people to protect this invaluable ecological resource. Hope is alive on the Wild Coast, where Africa meets the sea.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV).

What it's about: A Palestinian girl is smuggled into Jerusalem to become a suicide bomber, but first she has to convince her handler that although she is a woman she is ready to go all the way!

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video) & rent or buy from $3.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: By land, by air, and by sea, viewers can now experience the struggle that millions of creatures endure in the name of migration as wildlife photographers show just how deeply survival instincts have become ingrained into to the animals of planet Earth. From the monarch butterflies that swarm the highlands of Mexico to the birds who navigate by the stars and the millions of red crabs who make the perilous land journey across Christmas Island, this release offers a look at animal instinct in it's purest form.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV) & stream on a subscription service (Hoopla).

What it's about: The anime centers on a young female ninja named Chidori, whose dream is to help the Warring States-era warlord Oda Nobunaga to achieve his goals.

Where to Watch: 55 episodes (49%) are available to watch free online (Crunchyroll).

What it's about: After a horror play's final performance, The Vampire roams the theater.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Plex).

What it's about: Comedy Dynamics sits down with Bill Hicks’ brother, Steve, who tells old stories, squashes old rumors and reveals the brother and son behind the late comedian. Told amidst old and rare footage, it’s a must watch for any fan.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi), stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix & Kanopy) & rent or buy from $1.99 on 2 services (iTunes & Google Play).

What it's about: Nina, a 13-year-old pickpocket with a sharp and wise look, is checking the content of a man's wallet she has just stolen. She is staring at the unknown family pictures with curiosity and sadness - A little later, Nina is captured in her next attempt to steal. Surprisingly, the victim Yana refuses to surrender Nina to the police and decides to pay a little attention to the girl, taking her lunch.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi), stream on a subscription service (Hoopla) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 3 services (iTunes, Vudu & FandangoNOW).

What it's about: Waking up the morning after hosting a party, a man discovers a stranger passed out on his floor. He spends the rest of the day trying to convince her to leave.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi, PlutoTV & Vudu), stream on a subscription service (Hoopla) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A journey into the land of sharks. The old myth of swimming killing machines is put against the true nature of those rather peaceful hunters, whose evolution ended in biological perfection millions of years ago. We accompany expeditions of Dr. Eugenie Clark and Rodney Fox, who have studied sharks since the 1950's.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (PlutoTV), stream on a subscription service (Hoopla) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 2 services (iTunes & Google Play).

What it's about: What do people who have lost their mothers do on Mother's Day? And what about people who have Mothers' lost a child? Mother's Day is the story of two women who are trying to come in terms with different losses, and ultimately they change the course of each other's lives.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi), stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video & BritBox) & rent or buy from $2.99 on 1 service (Vudu).

What it's about: Aoi’s soaked by a sudden rainstorm and takes shelter at Rainy Color, a cozy café where the warmth of the staff compliments the sweet hot cocoa he’s served. When he falls into a job at the café he feels like things are finally looking up— until Keiichi Iwase, the man he couldn’t help but stare at on the train, shows up.

Where to Watch: 11 episodes (10%) are available to watch free online (Crunchyroll). 25 episodes (23%) are available to stream on a subscription service (Crunchyroll Premium & Funimation). 36 episodes (34%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: The "Evil Corps," led by Don, are on a mission to conquer the universe. They set out to invade Earth first, but they struggle as some quirky Earthlings stand in their way. Eventually Don's plan to invade Earth becomes distorted...?!

Where to Watch: 2 episodes (17%) are available to watch free online (Crunchyroll).

What it's about: Vincent has followed the woman he loves to New York. But they're not getting along anymore. Stubborn, he's going to try to do everything to get her back.

Where to Watch: Available to watch free online (Tubi & Vudu) & stream on a subscription service (FilmBox).