The Movie
Writer/producer/director Michael Moore enjoys pushing people's buttons, and he's done it again with his spin on our troubled economy in Capitalism: A Love Story. It's a topic that affects us all in some way or another, and his crew manages to capture moments with power brokers in Washington, D.C., victims of foreclosure at the moment of eviction and, somewhere in between, the "condo vulture" who gleefully picks up the pieces for a tidy profit.
Blending theatrics and at least half the facts of his case, Moore presents the less obvious history of capitalism itself, the definitions and ramifications, tendencies to cater to the rich and break unions along the way, plus a litany of just plain sleaziness that apparently goes on unchecked to this day.
The movie takes a while to get around to the still-unfolding mortgage crisis, and the disturbing details might come as a revelation even to folks who have already done their homework on the subject. It's hard not to feel something as he selectively documents the tradition of haves and have-nots in this country, and hints at the mighty wind a-blowin' since the election of "socialist" Barack Obama.
Be sure to read David Kempler's review of Capitalism: A Love Story, too.
The Picture
The crisp, high-bitrate 1.78:1 image, here in AVC format, was captured on video so there's still the usual streaking on screen. In keeping with Moore's usual style, footage is culled together from a variety of sources, from old newsreels and educational films to recent news footage and even Hollywood movies, so the quality of the source material will range quite a bit. Colors in the new scenes are strong, with clear focus that delivers surprisingly good detail. There's some noise in the shadows, some visible compression in the backgrounds, and some rare flicker on fine lines, but in general the quality here is solid.
The Sound
Moore fancies himself an entertainer, and he uses every trick in the book to amuse his audience. Cleverly chosen pop songs are used throughout Capitalism, and they, in addition to the original score, have been remixed for Dolby TrueHD 5.1. He'll throw in a bass thump for a crash or explosion or clap of thunder, for over-the-top emphasis, some absurd sound effects, or put a hypnotist's voice into the rear channels, all to make the proceedings more engaging, and it works.
The Extras
The eleven bonus features are mostly deleted or extended scenes shot for the movie but ultimately trimmed, showcasing everyone from food experts to journalists to professors to priests to congressmen. They provide interesting backstory to elements from the film, as well as entirely new angles on the alleged evils of capitalism. Also here, and the longest of the extras, is Jimmy Carter's prophetic July 15, 1979 speech to the nation, which was actually chock full of sound advice. This video content, including a segment exclusive to Blu-ray, totals more than an hour and a half, in a high-bitrate MPEG-2.
Disc Two is a DVD-ROM containing a Windows Media Digital Copy of the film.
Final Thoughts
Love him or hate him, no one can deny that Michael Moore has a knack for pissing off people on both sides of argument, and that's a good thing in a free society. Despite its playing on almost 1,000 screens last year, chances are you missed Capitalism: A Love Story at your local multiplex, so this enhanced high-def disc is your best bet to see what all the fuss is about.
Product Details
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