Free Online Movies & Free Online Games

Movies and Games are my world...

...and I invite you to come visit my world. My lens is all about free online movies and free online video games. That is one of the great things about the internet. There are a ton of free movies online and also a ton of free online video games that anyone can find. But who has time to search all over the internet for them. That's why I created my website, Smokingstar.com and this lens; so people can find them all in one convenient location. Enjoy!

The better way to pass time.

Watching a movie or sitting down to play a video, both are entertaining ways to pass the time. Which way is the more popular way to kill some time?

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The History of Movies.

From silent animations to epic live action masterpieces.

In the 1860s, there devices called the zoetrope and the praxinoscope. These devices would change entertainment history. The mechanisms in these devices were used for producing artificially created, two-dimensional images in motion.

With the development of celluloid film in photography, it became possible to capture objects in motion in real time. A person was required to look into a viewing machine to see the pictures which were separate paper prints attached to a drum turned by a handcrank. The pictures were shown at a variable speed of about 5 to 10 pictures per second depending on how rapidly the crank was turned. Many of these machines were also coin operated. By the 1880s, the development of the motion picture camera allowed the individual images to be captured and stored on a single reel, and led quickly to the development of a motion picture projector to shine light through the processed and printed film and magnify these "moving picture shows" onto a screen for an entire audience. These reels were called "motion pictures." Early motion pictures were shots with no editing or other cinematic techniques.

Early motion pictures were purely visual through the late 19th century. Around the turn of the twentieth century, films began developing a narrative structure by stringing scenes together to tell narratives. The scenes were later broken up into multiple shots of varying sizes and angles. Other techniques such as camera movement were realized as effective ways to portray a story on film. Rather than leave the audience in silence, theater owners would hire a pianist or organist or a full orchestra to play music fitting the mood of the film at any given moment. By the early 1920s, most films came with a prepared list of sheet music for this purpose, with complete film scores being composed for major productions. In the 1920s, filmmakers were able to attach to each film speech, music and sound effects synchronized with the action on the screen. These sound films were called "talking pictures", or talkies.

The next major step in the development in film was the introduction of so-called "natural" color. While the addition of sound quickly eclipsed silent film and theater musicians, color was adopted more gradually as methods evolved making it more practical and cost effective to produce "natural color" films. By the end of the 1960s, color had become the norm for film makers.

Digital technology has been the driving force in change throughout the 1990s and into the 21st century.

THE HISTORY OF MOVIES, in 424 Images from Films.

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History of Video Games

Dots on a screen are now lifelike replicas of actual things (even the laser space monsters).

A video game is a game that involves interaction with a user and computer interface to generate visual feedback on a video or tv screen. The earliest example of a video game was in 1947, where the idea for a "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device" was made up by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann. The two filed for a patent on January 25, 1947. Inspired by radar displays, it consisted of an analog device that allowed a user to control a vector drawn dot on the screen to simulate a missile being fired at targets represented by drawings fixed to the screen. Alexander S. Douglas's OXO for the EDSAC in 1952, William Higinbotham's interactive game called Tennis for Two in 1958, and MIT students Martin Graetz, Steve Russell, and Wayne Wiitanen's Spacewar! on a DEC PDP-1 computer in 1961 are other examples of early video games. Each game had a different style of displaying the game: OXO used a graphical display to play tic-tac-toe, Tennis for Two used an oscilloscope to display a side view of a tennis court, and Spacewar! used the DEC PDP-1's vector display to have two spaceships battle each other.

Computer Space was released in 1971 and was the first commercially sold, coin-operated arcade video game. Created by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, it used a standard television and a game generated video signal for display. It was followed in 1972 by the first home console, known as the Magnavox Odyssey. It also used a standard television and game generated video signal. These systems were followed by two versions of Atari's Pong; an arcade version in 1972 and a home version in 1975. The commercial success of the arcade and home console versions of Pong spawned numerous Pong-clones and caused other companies to develop their own systems, spawning the video game industry. Today machines such as the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 can produce games so realistic, it's as if you are controlling live people.

Extended Edition || History of Video Games (37 titles added)

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Theater Vs. Home

Which do you prefer?

In the early days going to the movie theater was more than just something to do, it truly was an experience. Family got dressed up and made a night of going to the local movie house. But with technology now a days, people can practically put a movie theater in their house. Big screen tvs, surround sound stereos, and other breakthroughs are having a lot of people wait until movies come out on DVD before they see them.

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The Almighty Arcade

Memories of a time forgotten.

Who doesn't remember going to the arcade? It was the place to go in my youth. When my parents went to the mall, I would spend the entire time in the arcade playing different games. Here are a few images of different arcades.

Arcade style video game [Street of Dreams] by arc blue

Atari Sanfrancisco Rush the Rock Arcade Video Game by pinguy

Old Video Games at the Manitou Arcade by ilovemypit

The Simpsons arcade game by Konami by Lost Tulsa

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Will arcades be as popular as they once were?

Or have they gone the way of the betamax?

The Early Days
Arcades catering to video games became popular in the late 1970s with games such as Space Invaders (1978) and Galaxian (1979) and became even more popular in 1980 with games like Pac-Man and Centipede. The central processing unit in these games allowed for more complexity than earlier discrete circuitry games such as Atari's Pong (1972).

During the late 1970s, video arcade game technology was fairly basic and so the success of a game had to rely on simple and fun gameplay. This emphasis on the gameplay is why many of these games continue to be enjoyed today despite having been vastly outdated in graphics and sound.

The golden age of arcade games came in the 1980s. This was the peak era of video arcade game popularity, innovation, and earnings. Color arcade games became more abundant and video arcades themselves started appearing outside of their traditional bowling alley and bar locales, with some businesses set up solely as arcades. Games were designed in a wide variety of genres while staying in the limits of available processor power and memory. Video arcade games started to appear in supermarkets, restaurants, liquor stores, bars, and gas stations.

1990s

By the 1990s, the number of video arcades in North America was decreasing. Arcades experienced a short resurgence of popularity in the mid-1990s, but soon began to decline again. This decline was due mainly to the fact that the technology of home video game consoles began to match that of arcade games. Also, the rise of the Internet offered many of the arcade games online. Many arcades still exist in the US, but not in nearly the large numbers of the early 1980s. However, video arcades remained popular in Japan, where they are called game centers.

What do you think, will arcades ever be as popular as they were back in the early days of arcade gaming?

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Are Video Games Bad for Kids?

Or are they helpful.

Many people debate that video games are bad for children, that it promotes being lazy. Other people think video games are good because they help a child develop hand eye coordination and logic skills.

Do you think video games are bad for children?

Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

Yes, there are more productive things a child can be doing!

No, video games can help children develop certain skills other mediums can't.

animal_lover79 says:

My 7-year old son plays video games in moderation. He does extremely well at school and has no behavioral issues. As long as children have balance between play and responsibility -- and loving parents -- video games should not pose a problem.

Posted April 28, 2008

Kristopher says:

I think video games can't hurt a kid as long as the parents regulate how time is spent playing them and what games are being played.

Posted April 26, 2008

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My musical intermission.

Get down and get funky!

I wanted to put a song on here and at the same time take a trip down memory lane. Being that I grew up South Florida I figured what better than some classic Miami Electro Bass. With that I present Dynamix II - 1,000,000 Mghz.

Dynamix II - 1,000,000 Mhz

Dynamix II - 1,000,000 Mhz Dynamix II Records - 1993 This is off the 'From 1995 to Present' 4x12" on Rephlex (1998)

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Action Dvds for Sale.

Some pretty good action movies that you should check out.

Explosions, high speed car chases, bullets flying; these are all the elements that make up an adrenaline pounding action movie. Some movies will go down in history as the most bad ass movies in cinema history. Below is a few of action movies available from amazon.com.

Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition

Includes all five Dirty Harry films: all special features on the Dirty Harry Special Edition and Deluxe Editions, plus additional special features and contents specific to the Ultimate Collector's Edition. Bonus Feature-Length documentary Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows; a 40+ page hardcover book; Wallet w/metal badge and removable laminated I.D. card; Five 5"x 7" Reproduction Lobby Poster Cards plus an exclusive UCE card; Scorpio Portrait of a Killer Poster-Sized (19" x 27") map of San Francisco detailing Harry's hunt for the killer; Never-Before-Seen Production Correspondence

Release Date: 06/03/2008

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Amazon Price: $55.99 (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $74.98
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Rambo [Blu-ray]

The next chapter finds Rambo recruited by missionaries to protect them during a humanitarian aid effort on behalf of the persecuted Karen people of Burma. After the missionaries are taken prisoner by Burmese soldiers Rambo gets a second impossible job: rescue the missionaries in the midst of a civil war.

Release Date: 05/27/2008

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Amazon Price: $22.95 (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $39.99
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The Adventures of Indiana Jones - The Complete DVD Movie Collection (Full Screen Edition)

This long-awaited DVD set of the Indiana Jones trilogy is a classy set built for the fan. However, the DVD-extras junky will be disappointed because there's not a bevy of extras: no storyboards, galleries, commentaries, or long-rumored deleted scenes. The three films are the real star here, restored frame by frame and--blessedly--unchanged from their initial release (the first movie has been retitled on the packaging only). Anyone who has grown up with TV airings will be amazed by what they see, as everything seems to glow. The three hours on the bonus disc are quite entertaining, and far warmer then your standard PR piece. The newly produced 127-minute documentary is put together chronologically through each movie, so it works as a good substitute for the lack of a commentary track. Lots of behind-the-scenes footage is laced with new interviews of every major living actor and crew member including stuntmen and even a bit player (Alfred Molina, talking about his first role in Raiders). They tell us many things we have heard, and many we haven't (like how the film company became a rat breeder for Last Crusade). And Spielberg enjoys showing us how an editor can save a scene or--ironically--how much creative fun went into special effects before the computer took over. Rounding out the extras are featurettes on the music, sound, and--too briefly--special effects, and stunts.

Release Date: 10/21/2003

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Rambo - The Complete Collector's Set (First Blood - Ultimate Edition / Rambo - First Blood Part II -Ultimate Edition / Rambo III - Ultimate Edition / Rambo - Special Edition)

Rambo - The Complete Collector's Set (First Blood - Ultimate Edition / Rambo - First Blood Part II -Ultimate Edition / Rambo III - Ultimate Edition / Rambo - Special Edition) (1985)

Release Date: 05/27/2008

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Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition [Blu-ray]

Includes all five Dirty Harry films: all special features on the Dirty Harry Special Edition and Deluxe Editions plus additional special features and contents specific to the Ultimate Collector's Edition. Bonus Feature-Length documentary Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows; a 40+ page hardcover book; Wallet w/metal badge and removable laminated I.D. card; Five 5?x 7? Reproduction Lobby Poster Cards plus an exclusive UCE card; Scorpio Portrait of a Killer Poster-Sized (19? x 27?) map of San Francisco detailing Harry?s hunt for the killer; Never-Before-Seen Production Correspondence.

Release Date: 06/03/2008

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Animation Dvds for Sale.

Animation is a timeless form of entertainment for kids and adults.

Check out these Animated movies available from Amazon.com.

Ratatouille

From the creators of CARS and THE INCREDIBLES comes a break-through comedy with something for everyone. With delightful new characters experience Paris from an all-new perspective. It's "terrific movie making" raves Leonard Maltin of ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT. In one of Paris' finest restaurants Remy a determined young rat dreams of becoming a renowned French chef. Torn between his family's wishes and his true calling Remy and his pal Linguini set in motion a hilarious chain of events that turns the City of Lights upside down. RATATOUILLE is a treat you'll want to enjoy again and again.

Release Date: 11/06/2007

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Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs

The thrilling conclusion to Futurama: Benders Big Score.Bender and the planet express crew must contend with a massive cosmic team that sends the world into panic.

Release Date: 06/24/2008

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Futurama - Bender's Big Score

Proving that you just can't keep a good animated series down, Bender's Big Score revives the Futurama crew in a full-length feature (reportedly, the first of four which will later be broken down into individual episodes for television broadcast) chock full of the satiric touches that made the Matt Groening series a cult favorite among sci-fi and animation fans. In true Futurama form, the plot of Big Score is proudly ridiculous: At its core, it's about alien telemarketers with a plan to steal Earth's most valuable historical objects, who use e-mail viruses to cripple Planet Express and take control of belligerent robot Bender; the latter carries out their scheme via a time-travel code tattooed on Fry's backside. This allows for all manner of subplots involving Fry's return to the 20 th century, romantic confusion between Fry and Leela (Katey Sagal), and a host of cameos ranging from Kwaanza-bot (Coolio) and Zapp Brannigan to Al Gore (voiced by the real former vice-president, who once again displays an offbeat sense of humor).

Bender's Big Score also features a staggering amount of extras that reflect the show's sense of playful anarchy. Most valuable to longtime fans is the feature-length commentary by Groening, writers Ken Keeler and David X. Cohen, director Dwayne Carey-Hill, and cast members Billy West (Fry), DiMaggio, and Phil LaMarr, which provides a wealth of information on the film's production as well as plenty of laughs from the voice actors. "Futurama Returns!" is a live comic book reading by the cast in front of an enthusiastic convention audience, while "A Terrifying Message from Al Gore" is a short animated promo featuring the ex-veep in an animated promo for his Inconvenient Truth documentary (Gore's commentary for this short is worth the DVD's sale price alone), and "Bite My Shiny Metal X" is an amusing, tongue-in-cheek lesson on the mathematics used to deliver the show's futuristic touches. Perhaps the oddest extra is a full-length episode of Everybody Loves Hypnotoad, a sitcom based around the bizarre title creature that will provoke equal amounts of laughter and exasperation. A small battery of deleted scenes, new character design sketches, and a five-minute promo shot for Comic-Con round out the extras.

Release Date: 11/27/2007

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Amazon Price: $21.99 (as of 07/19/2008)
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Boondocks - The Complete Second Season

Popular Adult Swim show on Cartoon Network! Based on Aaron McGruder's comic strip which was distributed in 350 newspapers nationwide. Granddad sneaks the boys into the movies to be cheap. Sarah's obsession with Usher after meeting him threatens her relationship with Tom. Riley and Granddad refuse to talk with cops about two local thieves, even after Granddad's car is stolen. Stinkmeaner's spirit possesses Tom and he tries to get revenge on Granddad. Riley joins the basketball team, and the boys fight over who will be boss while Granddad's on vacation.

Release Date: 06/10/2008

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Amazon Price: $37.99 (as of 07/19/2008)
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Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY STORY and MONSTERS, INC. (2001, Best Animated Short Film, FOR THE BIRDS), it's FINDING NEMO, a hilarious adventure where you'll meet colorful characters that take you into the breathtaking underwater world of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Nemo, an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken to a dentist's office aquarium. It's up to Marlin (Albert Brooks), his worrisome father, and Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a friendly but forgetful regal blue tang fish, to make the epic journey to bring Nemo home. Their adventure brings them face-to-face with vegetarian sharks, surfer dude turtles, hypnotic jellyfish, hungry seagulls, and more. Marlin discovers a bravery he never knew, but will he be able to find his son? FINDING NEMO's breakthrough computer animation takes you into a whole new world with this undersea adventure about family, courage, and challenges. Take the plunge into FINDING NEMO, a "spectacularly beautiful animated adventure for everyone"

Release Date: 11/04/2003

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Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 07/19/2008)
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Comedy Dvds for Sale.

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 07/19/2008)
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Wii Games from Amazon.

Showing why Nintendo has been around so long.

Wii

Wii Fit

Mario Kart Wii with Wii W...

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Official Nintendo Wii Whe...

Xbox 360 Games from Amazon.

Pass the time away with these Xbox 360 games.

Grand Theft Auto IV

Battlefield: Bad Company

Xbox 360 Elite System Con...

Halo 3

Xbox 360 Wireless Control...

Playstation 3 Games from Amazon.

PS3 games that you will enjoy.

Metal Gear Solid 4

Playstation 3 40GB

Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ra...