by Chris Channing

Consumers can't always make it to the cinema when a new movie comes out. After all, today's lifestyle is jam-packed full of errands, jobs, and other shortcomings. But thanks to the Internet, getting out to see a new movie isn't only not a problem- but getting to see it for absolutely no charge is also possible for those with Internet access.

The Internet is just one big directory of movies and TV shows ready to be searched. With a few searches, virtually any movie can be found completely free. Most of the free movies and shows are likely to be older, since directors are more likely to give out rights after the movie's fame has died down. There are alternate routes to get free online movies, but the consumer may have to be bombarded with ads.

One of the best examples of how a TV show can be made available online for free is the case of the cartoon hit "South Park." This series, which had a large following in its many years of ongoing episodes, was set loose on the Internet by directors. The catch: there are advertisements just like users would see when they watched the series on their TV sets. It isn't such a bad tradeoff, considering the series can be watched without charge.

There is also the opportunity to watch movies online when the site owner's home country has lax copyright laws. If there aren't sufficient laws in one's own country, they can legally upload movies online and have users watch them without repercussion. This can sometimes be illegal even to watch them in another country, so it's usually best not to do so unless one is fluent in his or her country's copyright laws.

There is also the possibility of getting free movie passes and subscriptions to online rental services thanks to Internet offers and filling out surveys. These can take a lot of time to complete, and sometimes will require giving out personal information. Nevertheless, this will give consumers free gifts and money they can use to view movies online for free. It's a nice tradeoff, since the consumer would be watching the movies online the legal way- and would have no fear of consequence.

As a last note, free movies can always be obtained among independent film networks. Independent films are a niche type of movie that are provided to the general public for free. While these may not star Hollywood's best actors, they do still serve as a free source of entertainment for those who enjoy movies. There are several independent film companies, as well as festivals to investigate. Best of all, many independent films don't even have annoying ads in between content.

Closing Comments

Watching free movies and TV shows online isn't such a hard task once one knows where to get them. As we can see from the previous examples, it's just a matter of knowing where to look and what to do. Just keep in mind that copyright laws can be very strict, and before engaging in anything that may seem illegal, consult a legal professional or review copyright laws in one's own country before continuing.

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