Michael Moore has a gift for maintaining two things that people easily lose in times of crisis: perspective and a sense of humour. The desperate conditions in Flint, Michigan, portrayed in his debut Roger & Me have been replicated across America. Back then, Moore's target was General Motors. Today it's the whole system. And he still hasn't lost his sense of humour. In Capitalism: A Love Story, Moore is working at the top of his game. The film explores a taboo question: what price does America pay for its love of capitalism? Moore takes us into the lives of ordinary people whose worlds have been turned upside down by the economy, and goes looking for explanations in Washington, D.C., Wall Street and elsewhere. He pays careful attention to the 2008 bank bailout that occurred during the waning days of the Bush administration. Was this really the best hope for America, or just another money grab by the nation's wealthiest? Moore has an established knack for finding a fresh angle on familiar headlines. But for all the harsh realities that he uncovers, his films have a way of empowering audiences. Thom Powers