One of the newer streaming services comes to us via AT&T/Time-Warner. That service is HBO Max, which launched May 27, 2020. It is the streaming home to:
- HBO Feature Movies
- Portions of the DC Universe
- TCM (Turner Classic Movies)
- An [Adult Swim] Collection
- Studio Ghibli
- A Cartoon Network Collection
- The Sesame Street Workshop
- Looney Tunes
- Crunchyroll Collection
At $14.99, it is one of the more expensive streaming services and frankly, it may not be worth it for some viewers. This post is not an ad for HBO Max, but if you can find it in your budget to get the service, there are some nuggets hidden there.
Lone Wolf and Cub
All six Lone Wolf and Cub movies are available on HBO Max. Why is this significant? Because the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, has been compared favorably with this Japanese manga based movies series. It follows Itto Ogami, who is the Shogun’s executioner. He is framed for treason and after his wife is slain by ninjas from the Shadow Clan, he escapes with his 3 year old son, Daigoro. He is forced to take the road of the assassin. The movie series follows his quest for justice and the restoration of his clan honor. There are six movies in the series:
- Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance
- Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx
- Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades
- Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril
- Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons
- Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell
The bond that Itto Ogami and his son Daigoro have in these movies is duplicated by Din Djarin and Grogu in The Mandalorian. However, the movie series is seriously violent and gory, sometimes for no other reason than shock value. That said, if you’d rather own the series after streaming it, it is available from Criterion on DVD or Blu-Ray for $79.96 plus shipping.
The Batman Takeover
Unfortunately, this is not something that is directly searchable within HBO Max. However, if you go to the DC portion of HBO Max, you’ll see 16 animated Batman movies and series representing the work of Bruce Timm, James Tucker and Glen Murakami to include:
- Batman: Under the Red Hood
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Parts 1 & 2)
- Batman Beyond (the series)
- Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
- Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
- Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
- Batman: Death in the Family
- Batman: The Animated Series
- Beware the Batman (the series)
There are other animated and live action Batman movies and series on the site that I haven’t listed, but are worth watching. But, I must add there is one Batman movie not worth watching. The movie is Batman: Ninja. I can’t stress enough how bad this animated movie is. Watch at your own risk.
Samurai Heaven
Besides the Lone Wolf and Cub series mentioned above, HBO Max has an extensive library of some of the best samurai movies ever made. Besides the Akira Kurosawa masterpieces like Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, Rashomon, The Hidden Fortress and others, the site has Toshiro Mifune’s excellent 1954 Samurai Trilogy. It also has 47 Ronin (Parts 1 & 2), Hanzo the Razor and one of my personal favorites, Lady Snowblood.
The bottom line is that the HBO Max library is very deep and is worth investigating if you have the time (and money).
