OTHER TECH

Fox Grade: C With a variety of 2008 releases still to come, Fox still has a lot of baggage to shed before they can compete with other studios. Consumers have railed on message boards about Fox's pricing ($38.98 is their go-to MSRP), hit-or-miss picture quality, and insistence on using DNR to "clean up" classic films like Patton and The Longest Day. The studio has also made a habit of withholding definitive versions of a title - presumably so future releases can milk more cash out of rabid fanbases - while editing or cutting DVD featurettes and documentaries to avoid producing a 2-disc release. More distressingly, Fox seems perfectly content with the underwhelming video transfers they've slapped on beloved releases like Predator and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Master and Commander.

Thankfully, the studio has shown some promise this year. With The Sand Pebbles and Batman: The Movie, Fox proved they could produce strikingly remastered classics (sans DNR). And with 27 Dresses and Deception they showed they're able to offer gorgeous new releases. And with blaring actioners like I, Robot and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem they demonstrated they could pair reference-quality video and audio together. It helps that Fox has dabbled (with titles like Sunshine, Batman: The Movie, and Independence Day) in exclusive high-def extras, snazzy interactive experiences, and unexpected surprises. With some more work and BD-Live exploitation, their discs could be a blast.

Ultimately, it's a shame Fox is so schizophrenic - if they could squash their shrewd, transparent business practices and invest their efforts into the preservation and presentation of every film they release, they would earn serious respect among Blu-ray fans and quickly become the studio to beat in 2009.

Lionsgate Grade: C+ Lionsgate may not seem like a Blu-ray power player with just twenty releases in 2008 but, when it comes to high-definition audio, the little studio that could has really led the charge this year. Every Lionsgate release has included uncompressed PCM or lossless DTS-HD Master Audio tracks - even their TV seasons, straight-to-video animation, and catalog classics. To further sweeten the pot, the vast majority of these BDs also boast 7.1 surround sound. Admittedly, the quality of a few tracks (on catalog titles in particular) have been called into question, but it's nice to see a studio fully embrace hardware potential and give consumers something to get excited about.

Unfortunately, even though Lionsgate has made great strides in overall picture quality from 2007, too many titles still hit the market with haphazard transfers and underwhelming supplemental support. For every 3:10 to Yuma or Rambo that features an excellent transfer and a generous helping of high-def extras, there's a Black Mask or Belly that hits with mediocre video and lackluster standard extras. As it stands, if Lionsgate could infuse their passion for high-def audio with every aspect of a release, they'd be a true industry leader.

MGM Grade: F Seeing as MGM has only released 5 titles in 2008 (distributed by way of Fox), the late-October lure of a half-dozen Bond titles is the only thing earning the studio any serious attention. They tried classic war films with A Bridge Too Far and Battle of Britain, but their uneventful DTS-HD Master Audio tracks and spotty video transfers didn't score them any points. More recently, they took a shot at classic horror with Carrie and The Amityville Horror, but had the same mixed audio/video results. And just to be annoying, MGM inexplicably left every DVD supplement available for these four titles on the cutting-room floor. If I didn't know any better, I'd think MGM hates its own films.

In fact, their lone, semi-respectable release of 2008 was a straight-to-video Stargate tie-in, but it's hardly worth mentioning. With little more to offer than a decent technical presentation and a slim collection of extras, a niche title release like Stargate: Continuum reveals how insignificant a force MGM has become in the high-def market. Still, mark my words: If the studio manages to turn water into wine with their upcoming slate of Bond flicks (and starts dipping into the wealth of catalog classics at their disposal), MGM may finally be able to stand alongside Blu-ray's more aggressive studios.

Paramount / Dreamworks Grade: B+ Of all the shakeups that occurred during the BD/HD war, Paramount's business strategy was perhaps the most embarrassing. In August 2007, the studio shocked high-def enthusiasts with the news that they were switching to HD DVD exclusivity and abandoning the Blu-ray format. Imagine their surprise when Warner jumped ship first thing in 2008 and left HD DVD in a death spin. So it was, with few options and little to brag about, that Paramount took some time off to recuperate and plan for the future.

Well, for a studio that could have whimpered back with its tail between its legs, Paramount seems to have reemerged with a mission. First, the studio reinstated all its previous BD releases that had been pulled from the market. Second, they hit film fans with a one-two combination in the form of Cloverfield and There Will Be Blood - both of which benefited from exceptional video and audio presentations. Finally, they unleashed a steady avalanche of oft-requested titles like The Godfather Collection (which was actually re-mastered at Warner Bros.), Transformers, Bee Movie, Iron Man, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, all of which have looked and sounded phenomenal. Through it all, Paramount has forged ahead with BD-Live connectivity, exclusive online featurettes (instead of the usual trailer collection other studios offer), and an enthusiasm for delivering bonus content to make each release worth every penny.

My only complaint: Their catalog releases aren't as faithful or impressive as they could be. Face/Off and Sum of All Fears suffer at the hands of heavy DNR, Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger are hindered by technical mishaps and poorly remastered prints, and some older releases are plagued by contrast inconsistencies. Regardless, everything looks to be on track for an exciting future. If all continues as promised and the studio overcomes its catalog woes, Paramount will be a Blu-ray juggernaut come 2009.