New on DVD and Blu-ray: Capitalism: A Love Story

Capitalism: A Love Story is typical Michael Moore fare: polarizing, manipulative, and an attempt to inspire people to get mad as hell and not take it anymore. Moore makes the film a lesson in presidential culpability, claiming that our current economic crisis is a direct result of Ronald Reagan's presidency, which blissfully shunned Jimmy Carter's pleas for a reduction in consumption. Reagan's sympathy for the rich was then aided later by the Clinton and Bush administrations' push for deregulation in banking, and now Obama is portrayed as the messiah who will make or break us as a nation.

While the film itself tackles one large hot-button issue, the extra features on the DVD and Blu-Ray are mini-lessons in all the satellite issues that revolve around our economy. Included are deleted scenes and extended interviews with economists, clergy, and experts, who all regard capitalism as -- surprise, surprise -- a weak system and are doing what they can to change it. Food writer Michael Pollan, unseen in the film, discusses how buying unprocessed, locally grown food can help the economy. (Being a locavore is the cure for every major health, economic and environmental crisis right now, isn't it?) There are also examples of a "communist" workers' unions of taxi drivers in Wisconsin, the "Socialist" state run Bank of North Dakota and there's a full version of Jimmy Carter's 1979 Crisis Of Confidence speech that resonates just as well in today's social climate as it did then.

It's slanted, but as an economic primer the film does a decent job explaining the basics of how our country has evolved since World War II and how we're currently unfazed by Wall Street's grip on Washington. Whether or not it will anger the country into action will, ironically, be determined by whether or not you want to spend your money on renting it and taking Moore's tactics to heart.

Buyer, Renter, Coaster?: Renter for those not already predisposed to disliking Michael Moore

**Special Features Include: **

Interview With Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren On How Wall Street Got Away With Murder

Sorry, House-Flippers And Banks -- You're Toast In Flint, MI

Congressman Cummings Dares To Speak The Unspeakable

NY Times Pulitzer Prize Winner Chris Hedges On The Killing Machine Known As Capitalism

The Rich Don't Go To Heaven (There's A Special Place Reserved For Them!)

What If, Just What If, We Had Listened To JImmy Carter In 1979?

The Omnivore's Dilemma? It's Capitalism - Interview with Michael Pollan

Commie Taxi Drivers - "You Talkin' To Me?" - In Wisconsin

How To Run The Place Where You Work - Interview With Prof. Tom Webb

The Socialist Bank Of -- North Dakota?

The Bank Kicks Them Out, Max Kicks Them Back In

Trailers

Amazon DVD Price: $17.99

Amazon Blu-Ray Price: $24.99