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As overcoming the pandemic has proven to be a marathon and not a sprint, we have adapted to the new normal by looking for ways to continue pursuing our wanderlust, curiosity and gratification within the confines of home.
The following collection of four digital entertainment categories is our way of finding small joys.
1. Sweet streaming services
The way we consume entertainment has changed forever, spurring a competitive ruckus among the media giants. Hello, streaming wars!
Much as we are delighted with the array of streaming choices available to us, there’s no running away from the cost. Three subscriptions alone will burn an ugly hole in the pocket. There can never be just one to satiate all our requirements, but we can still judiciously whittle down the options.
Here are four that we like:
(Credit: Disney)
Disney+
Disney+ puts the squeeze on Netflix and other streaming players, drawing from its own enviable array of assets – and offering something for any mood you’re in. Sheer genius! And if you have kids, that’s a double dollop of genius.
Because Disney owns Marvel Entertainment and Lucasfilm, you can expect many, many, many new projects shooting off the much-adored Marvel and Star Wars franchises. We can just see avid fans frothing at the mouth. Grabbing the attention of critics and viewers is Marvel’s first Disney+ series, WandaVision, which features two Avengers, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). In another part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), wreaks havoc with his shenanigans, bringing with him a welcome touch of lightness.
Our penchant for feisty sea creatures, thanks to the The Little Mermaid and Ponyo, prompted us to put Pixar’s Luca on our must-watch list. If you grew up with classics like Beauty and the Beast and Toy Story, the allure of having Disney and Pixar’s entire catalogue of movies in front of you is utterly irresistible.
But wait, there’s more! In case you didn’t know or had forgotten, the superb National Geographic is in Disney’s stable of TV channels. With National Geographic comes Great Migrations, a breathtaking seven-parter on the gruelling journeys animals embark on to ensure their survival.
Free trial*: No
Sign me up!*: S$11.98 month or S$119.98 annually. When you successfully apply for an eligible Standard Chartered Credit Card and make one transaction, three months of Disney+ subscription and S$220 cashback*^ are yours! Should you continue the service after half a year, set up a recurring payment on your Standard Chartered Credit Card. This way, you’ll never miss out on either cashback or rewards for your subscription.
HBO GO
Everything available on HBO’s six channels can be accessed through the HBO GO app. Yes, that includes all eight seasons of the addictive Game of Thrones, prestige series like The Sopranos, Sex And The City and The Wire, as well as exclusive content made for HBO Asia.
It’s all right if you’re not quite feeling a rush. This just might kindle some enthusiasm: Plans are actively underway for HBO Max to replace HBO GO, although its debut date is still unclear (this year, we hope!). HBO Max is a pumped-up version of HBO, vying for a solid position in the streaming wars. The new experience will unlock (almost all of) HBO’s epic library of more than 10,000 hours of TV content, excluding soon-to-be-added movies and content. Friends, Sesame Street and Big Bang Theory are calling out to you. So are all six Lord Of The Rings movies.
But what really gives us the thrills are the inclusion of Studio Ghibli films. The move is the first time the much-loved Japanese animation studio’s legendary catalogue (all but one movie) is streamable. No more buying or renting individual Miyazaki films!
Free trial*: Seven days.
Sign me up!*: S$13.98 monthly but do check with HBO GO, Singtel and StarHub for promotions.
(Credit: Netflix)
Netflix
There’s a reason why Netflix has become a verb: It is the ruler of the streaming universe. It has a strong slate of all-rounded content but its ultimate weapon in the battle of the eyeballs is its original programming.
Shows like Queen’s Gambit, Sweet Tooth and Lupin have set the bar extremely high, complemented by palatable true-crime and food-related docuseries as well as stand-up comedy series. The prolific digital entertainment juggernaut does not seem to be letting up on its original content production any time soon!
Free trial*: One month
Sign me up!*: S$11.98 to S$19.98 per month. Subscribe at Netflix, Singtel or Starhub.
The Projector Plus
A digital offshoot of The Projector, a Singaporean independent cinema, The Projector Plus offers challenging foreign films, indie flicks and cult classics: An Impossible Love, Canción Sin Nombre / Song Without A Name, Who You Think I Am…you get the idea.
Free trial*: No
Sign me up!*: Create a Projector Plus account and start renting. All films are priced at S$10 for a 48-hour period. Check for promotions.
2. Gaming excitement
The recent digitalisation of the games industry has led to a stampede by a whole slew of players to get products and services out there in a bid to gain consumer share. We’re talking cloud gaming as well as downloads of games from specific developer libraries, which can be streamed to your screen a la Netflix.
Some examples:
(Credit: Apple)
Apple Arcade
Apple Arcade is a playground of premium mobile games. Arcade originals, classics and App Store hits deliver gorgeous, complex mobile gaming experiences. The end result of more than 100 games, ranging from kid-friendly to better-for-adults, creates a very compelling subscription service for anyone looking to dip their toes into gaming.
Sign me up!*: S$6.98 per month at the App Store
NVIDIA GeForce® NOW™
GeForce® NOW™ allows you to play the games from your own Steam, Epic Game Store and Uplay libraries across mobile devices, computers and TVs. In 1080P and at 60FPS, too! Here’s a tidbit to tantalise Fortnight fans: The cloud gaming service is currently the only way to play the wildly-popular Fortnight on an iPhone or an iPad.
Sign me up!*: Register your interest with StarHub.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
All Microsoft’s Xbox services are bundled into one offering with the Game Pass Ultimate. Xbox Live Gold, which you need to play Xbox titles online with others. Check. Access to PC games. Check. Console games? Check. (Not all the games – but more than 100 is pretty decent!)
Sign me up!*: S$19.99 per month
3. Cocktails of countries, culture and cuisines
Our lives may have mostly shrunk to our own four walls and Singapore, but we can still travel the world through virtual experiences. These extended reality experiences offer us the chance to appreciate eclectic destinations and experiences without ever getting off the sofa.
We’ve dug out a few favourites from our trove.
Pretend you’re in Japan
That Japan trip you’ve been yearning for will have to wait as the world slowly unfurls itself once again to global travel. Meanwhile, capture the spirit of an always fascinating country through a traipse to spots throughout Japan, spanning Hokkaido to Kagoshima, that are believed to be sources of inspiration for the films of Studio Ghibli, the animation house behind Spirited Away and the much-loved Totoro.
Or take part in a tea ceremony, an act of preparing and serving tea to a guest which is at once steeped in simplicity and culturally rich. For greater immersion, you can even opt for a tea package to be sent to you before your session!
For an hour, you just might feel like you really are in Japan!
Look through a window into the underwater realm
Live cams at Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of America’s largest marine sanctuaries, offer a glimpse at sensually prancing jellyfish (these are our jam!), menacing sharks and charming penguins, among other marine life. There are otters, too, but probably not as many as Singapore!
The aquarium also houses a living kelp forest where sardines, leopard sharks, wolf-eels and other fish species frolic among fronds of kelp, exactly like how they do in the wild.
You won’t derive a thrill from watching the live cams. Instead, bathe in their soothing calm, the perfect antidote to unexpected frissons of anxiety.
There are countless options for digital entertainment but with a Standard Chartered Credit Card, you will not only get a six-month subscription to Disney+ but also receive up to S$280 cashback^! Click here to apply now.
*Prices and subscription details are correct at the time of writing.
^Terms and conditions apply.
* Click here for the Standard Chartered Credit Card Sign-Up Promotion Terms and Conditions.
^ Click here for the Credit Card Additional Cashback Promotion Terms and Conditions.
Click here for the Unlimited Cashback Credit Card Terms and Conditions.
Click here for the Rewards+ Card Promotion Terms and Conditions.
