How long are the films on this list?

Between 5 and 45 minutes. That covers classic festival shorts, animated shorts and mid-length films you can finish in a single sitting.

How are the shorts ranked?

By TMDB audience rating, with a minimum vote threshold so a short with three glowing votes doesn't outrank a widely seen one. The order refreshes every time the page loads.

Do short films count in my watch statistics?

Yes. Mark one watched and its runtime feeds into your Life Spent Watching total and your streak, exactly like a feature film.

Short film guide

Best short films to watch

Every film here runs under 45 minutes and is rated by a real audience on TMDB. Perfect when you want something complete in one sitting. Last checked 2026-09-21.

Live-action short films

1
Michael Jackson's Thriller
8.21983SHORT FILM
A night at the movies turns terrifying when Michael and his date are attacked by zombies. Released at the height of Thriller’s success, the short film redefined the music video, broke racial barriers, and became the first inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry.
2
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
8.22022SHORT FILM
The unlikely friendship of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse traveling together in the boy's search for home.
3
Scooby-Doo! Ghastly Goals
8.22014SHORT FILM
While on vacation in Brazil, Scooby-Doo and the gang encounter a mythical beast at a game of soccer.
4
Scooby-Doo! and the Spooky Scarecrow
8.12013SHORT FILM
Scooby-Doo and the rest of the ghost-busting gang visit a quiet farm town where everyone is preparing for the annual Halloween harvest celebration.
5
Piper
8.12016SHORT FILM
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.
6
Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter: The Great Calamity
8.12012SHORT FILM
A motion comic follow-up to a chapter from Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter novel where Abe's friend, Edgar Allan Poe, tells him the tale of historical Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory, often tied to vampire legends due to her brutality.
7
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Rollercoaster of Friendship
8.12018SHORT FILM
Rarity's friendship with Applejack is tested when Vignette Valencia hires her as her new designer for a theme park parade.
8
The Scooby-Doo Project
8.11999SHORT FILM
In the Fall of 1999, four teenage sleuths and their Great Dane got lost in the woods while in search of a mystery. This is their story.
9
Scooby-Doo! Adventures: The Mystery Map
8.12013SHORT FILM
When Shaggy and Scooby find a mysterious pirate's treasure map in their triple-extra-large Scooby snack pizza, the whole Mystery Inc. gang sets out from their treehouse to find the lost booty of Gnarlybeard and the Phantom Parrot, encountering some suspicious individuals along the way who are also involved in the hunt. The tale is told in brand-new way to see the Scooby-Doo series: entirely through puppets! Pilot for unproduced puppet series based on "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo", released direct-to-DVD.
10
Ghosts
8.11997SHORT FILM
In the town of Normal Valley, an eccentric magician named Maestro entertains the local children every day in his spooky mansion. One stormy night, the town's mayor leads a group of angry citizens to the mansion in an attempt to run Maestro out of town.
11
Duck Amuck
8.11953SHORT FILM
The short-tempered Daffy Duck must improvise madly as the backgrounds, his costumes, the soundtrack, even his physical form, shifts and changes at the whim of the animator.
12
Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays
8.12012SHORT FILM
Scooby-Doo and the gang participate in a toy store's holiday parade where they discover the abandoned haunted clock tower with a troubled past. A sinister snowman haunts the streets and accompanied with a large blizzard, threatens to close down the toy store for good.
13
Far from the Tree
8.12021SHORT FILM
On an idyllic beach in the Pacific Northwest, curiosity gets the better of a young raccoon whose frustrated parent attempts to keep them both safe.
14
How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming
8.02019SHORT FILM
It's been ten years since the dragons moved to the Hidden World, and even though Toothless doesn't live in New Berk anymore, Hiccup continues the holiday traditions he once shared with his best friend. But the Vikings of New Berk were beginning to forget about their friendship with dragons. Hiccup, Astrid, and Gobber know just what to do to keep the dragons in the villagers' hearts. And across the sea, the dragons have a plan of their own...
15
Strings
8.02013SHORT FILM
María's routine at school is altered by the arrival of a very special child. Soon, they become close friends.
16
All Too Well: The Short Film
8.02021SHORT FILM
Short film featuring the extended version of the song “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift. A troubled couple's romance blossoms before it eventually falls apart.
17
Sherlock Jr.
8.01924SHORT FILM
A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his meager skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend's father's pocketwatch.
18
Monster High: Why Do Ghouls Fall in Love?
8.02012SHORT FILM
Draculaura’s Sweet 1600th birthday is an extra special occasion to party at Monster High! But her high expectations lead to deadly results when she’s faced with the choice between practical boyfriend Clawd, and new vampire heartthrob, Valentine, a romantic blast from her past.
19
Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song
8.02015SHORT FILM
It’s Christmas Day on a remote human colony and the Doctor is hiding from Christmas Carols and Comedy Antlers. But when a crashed spaceship calls upon the Doctor for help, he finds himself recruited into River Song’s squad and hurled into a fast and frantic chase across the galaxy. King Hydroflax is furious, and his giant Robot bodyguard is out-of-control and coming for them all! Will Nardole survive? And when will River Song work out who the Doctor is? All will be revealed on a starliner full of galactic super-villains and a destination the Doctor has been avoiding for a very long time.
20
The Man Who Planted Trees
8.01987SHORT FILM
The story of one shepherd's single-handed quest to re-forest a desolate valley in the foothills of the French Alps throughout the first half of the 20th century.

Animated short films

1
Scooby-Doo's A Nutcracker Scoob
9.01984ANIMATED
The evil is set to damper another Christmas season for the children's home. Can the Scooby gang warm his heart?
2
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Spring Breakdown
8.52019ANIMATED
The Equestria Girls spend their spring break on a yacht. It's Spring Break and the Mane 7 are about to board the most glorious yacht ever for a relaxing cruise. But Rainbow Dash is convinced that Equestrian Magic is on the loose and won't let anyone rest until she finds it.
3
DC Showcase: Death
8.42019ANIMATED
Vincent, an artist with unresolved inner demons, meets a mysterious girl who helps him come to terms with his creative legacy… and eventual death.
4
Leave it to Kero!
8.42000ANIMATED
Following the events of Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card, Kero and Spinel share a plate of takoyaki (octopus balls). They get into a fight over who gets the last piece, and in the process send it flying out the window. They both chase the takoyaki, and each other, in a mighty effort to be the "takoyaki captor".
5
Shooom's Odyssey
8.42019ANIMATED
Shooom, a baby owl, hatches just as a storm turns the bayou surrounding her tree upside down. No sooner has she fallen from her nest, then the little fledgling totters off into the mangrove, pushing a second egg from the brood along with her. Come hell or high water, she’s determined to find a mother… even if that mom turns out to be an alligator or a raccoon!
6
Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt Menace
8.32013ANIMATED
Mecha Mutt, a revolutionary remote-controlled lunar rover resembling a large canine, goes rogue at Houston's Annual Science Expo. Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt Menace is the fourth in a series of direct-to-video short films.
7
Versa
8.32025ANIMATED
A young couple looking to start a family who experience emotions—from grief and loss to ultimate joy—as they embark on an ethereal, abstract, and imaginative cosmic dance of life.
8
Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie
8.32015ANIMATED
Scooby-Doo and the gang investigates a new ghost at a water park resort.
9
Once Upon a Studio
8.32023ANIMATED
Created for Disney's 100th anniversary, the short features Mickey Mouse corralling a gallery of legendary Disney characters for a group photo.
10
Scooby-Doo! Spooky Games
8.22012ANIMATED
Shaggy is selected to participate in the World Invitational Games in London, England.

Frequently asked questions

How long are the films on this list?: Between 5 and 45 minutes. That covers classic festival shorts, animated shorts and mid-length films you can finish in a single sitting.
How are the shorts ranked?: By TMDB audience rating, with a minimum vote threshold so a short with three glowing votes doesn't outrank a widely seen one. The order refreshes every time the page loads.
Do short films count in my watch statistics?: Yes. Mark one watched and its runtime feeds into your Life Spent Watching total and your streak, exactly like a feature film.