Matira, Matibay – Streaming Edition: If you can only subscribe to one platform

Streaming undoubtedly made films and TV shows easier to watch. There are still downsides to it though. The biggest of which is the content itself – sometimes it’s exclusive to one platform. That means what you can watch on Netflix cannot be seen on HBO Max. This results in us missing a few media because we only subscribe to one website. There are also those like me who’d rather subscribe to them all just so I don’t miss any – only it ends up being way more expensive than our cable subscription ever was. 

For a few months, I had subscriptions on major streaming platforms. Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. That’s around PHP 1,046 a month – way higher than our last cable bill at 499 – for the same amount of content catalog! Spending that much for leisure is indeed a luxury not everyone can afford so I’m here to help you think about what should be retained in your list. 

Netflix

The oldest streaming platform still has an edge over its more powerful competitors. They have better original and exclusive content not only in the US but in all regions. In the Philippines for example, there are titles like Sosyal Climbers, Hayop ka – the Nimfa Dimaano Story, Lolo and the Kid, Dead Kids, and Replacing Chef Chico. Comedy content has also become available with Red Ollero’s Mabuhay is a Lie and Alex Calleja’s Tamang Panahon. All of which you’ll definitely enjoy.

They also get good titles from the local circuit in both TV and film. You’ll usually be able to watch award-winning Cinemalaya entries here for a limited time, while new series – like Incognito – were made available immediately with a spontaneous release with ABS-CBN’s online platform. 

This pattern continues with what they present to us from other countries. K-Drama fans enjoy Netflix a lot because they get to see the most popular titles, even those from the not so distant past. Maharaja, an Indian film, went viral last year in social media because of its story and because it was available in our Netflix region. 

The only thing I really considered about my Netflix subscription is the price tier. For a long time, I was in the Premium tier because of the number of devices that can use the account simultaneously. I decided to remove my friends from my account, and so I didn’t need 4K anymore, so I downgraded to the Standard tier.

HBO Max

HBO has consolidated all their movies, acquired series, original content, and media from other publishers into HBO Max. They have the best movies and modern classics like Nolan’s Batman trilogy, the full Harry Potter series, Lord of the Rings, and many more. Variety was also a bit improved since they acquired content from Warnermedia (DC, CNN, Cartoon Network) so you can also see titles like Tom and Jerry, Rick and Morty, Aquaman, here. 

What put me off with HBO Max was their original content and the US-focus of their titles. You won’t discover other country’s gems here unless they win an Oscar or Palme d’Or from Cannes. Their original content is also very dark. I can understand why they made House of Dragons, but why do you have to do Penguin, The Last of Us, Dune Prophecy, and the dark comedy White Lotus. I get that they became known for such genres thanks to The Sopranos and Game of Thrones. However, there are a lot of times that I want to watch not to be immersed but to be entertained and with that, I want light-hearted content. My brain already hurts from my work, I don’t want it to hurt from complicated storylines as well. 

Amazon Prime

I only subscribed to Amazon Prime for 2 reasons – Initial D and Laugh Out Loud. I got to a moment where I want to watch Initial D legally but even Crunchyroll doesn’t have it. Then I remembered my wife was bugging me for a subscription because she wanted to watch Laugh Out Loud, a reality series hosted by Vice Ganda. 

As I explored their titles, I can sum up Amazon Prime as a ‘budget Netflix’ since they share a lot of similarities. Their movies are not as star studded as Netflix as you’ll find many titles that were not shown in the Philippines. Their TV series are good though as they are a mix of certified hits and new ones like Smallville, House, 2 Broke Girls, Young Sheldon, and more. 

They also feature good content from other countries, and have Filipino titles as well. There’s also anime which consist of good titles like Jujutsu Kaisen, Vinland Saga, Bleach, new Rourouni Kenshin, and all seasons of Initial D.

The content may not be top tier, but the value for money is. Amazon Prime is at PHP 149 monthly at 1080p resolution already. Compare that to Netflix that starts at PHP 149 mobile only and 480p, PHP 249 but 720p only (I’ve tried it and it’s pixelated on laptops and desktops), and has 1080p only at PHP 399. That’s PHP 250 more than Prime per month, or PHP 3,000 a year. 

Disney+

It took me a while to try out Disney+ because I was thinking “why would I subscribe to kid’s movies?” since I’m not a big fan of Marvel content. I didn’t realize that Disney is a powerhouse in the streaming space. Not only do they have Disney and Marvel content, they also have Nat Geo, Pixar, Star Wars franchise, and Star. They also have access to Hulu and ESPN+ exclusive content in the US.

Disney+ is great if you’re a Marvel, Disney, Star Wars, and Pixar fan. Even their latest movies get uploaded into the platform within a few months after its theater release (depending on how long they are in local theaters). There’s also a good variety with their series thanks to the Nat Geo and Star catalogs. 

But if you’re looking for variety in movies, you’d want to look somewhere else. Here, all you have are Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel movies. They have a few titles from other studios and countries but it’s not as high profile as what you’ll find in Netflix or HBO. As of writing, their highest profile title that’s acquired only would be Slam Dunk movie and Mr & Mrs. Smith

Despite that limited but vast catalog, there’s no doubt that Disney+ is the most family friendly platform right now. It has something for adults, teens, and kids – basically the whole family. 

What to retain

I was visiting all 4 platforms at least twice a week for a time. Weeks went by and I found myself decreasing my dosage of the others and now, I am only subscribed to one platform. 

The first to go was HBO. I simply do not have the luxury of time to be indulged with their good movies. Again, they have a good catalog but that means spending at least 2 hrs with them at a time – time I could have spent working. The same goes for the series. The only ones interesting to me are those from Cartoon Network – and I only watch those during ghost month or the holidays. 

If you’re on a budget, Amazon Prime has the most balance of titles to price and resolution ratio. As mentioned, it only costs PHP 149 for 1080p resolution already with a good mix of content from the US, Philippines, and other regions. They even have the American version of The Office which is pretty hard to find. The only downside with them is the lackluster original content and they’re not quick in acquiring new movies. But it’s hard to complain when it’s only PHP 149.

Just last week I ended my Disney+ subscription. The movies aren’t as blockbuster as HBO or even Amazon Prime, but I held on to it for the original Pixar and Disney movies. Sometimes, you just want to replay those feel good movies on an iPad while doing something else on the laptop or desktop. Disney+ isn’t releasing as many new movies though and so the titles you prefer would get old (again) pretty quick and soon, you’ll find yourself scanning and scanning and scanning for something new and interesting. If I have a kid though, Disney+ will be the one to stay as it is the most family friendly. But as we’re yet to have a kid, I had to say goodbye to it for now. 

And the winner for my ‘Matira, Matibay – Streaming Edition’ is Netflix. I admit though that it is painfully expensive at PHP 399. They make up for it by having a plethora of content – original and acquired, as well as a good mix of titles from different regions including ours. It’s perfect for those who want access to Filipino content mixed with US titles. Sometimes, you want to watch Solo Levelling, then stand-up comedy, followed by ABS-CBN’s Incognito – without switching tabs or websites. You can’t also deny that they have the best original content especially with hot topics and documentaries. 

You don’t have to follow what I did though. The beauty of streaming is you can switch from one to another easily. No calling the operator, no scheduling of technicians, no reconnection fees. Just simply deactivate one and subscribe to another, and you’re good for a month. Do that as much as you can.