newjerseynewsroom.com

BY PAULA SCHWARTZ

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Rocky Mountain Pictures, the distributors of the anti-President Obama documentary, “2016: Obama’s America,” have a lot to crow about. The movie was number 2 at the box office on Monday, Aug. 27 according to Box Office Mojo.

The film has raked in an impressive total of $10.5 million since its release July 13. It opened wide on Aug. 24 and the numbers have been climbing since, getting added momentum from this week’s National Republican Convention. (Tuesday’s box office take was not available by the end of the day on Wednesday.)

The movie is being referred to as the Right's answer to Michael Moore. To put this in perspective, Michael Moore’s last film, “Capitalism: A Love Story,” released Sept. 23, 2009, earned $14.3 million total, which adjusted to today’s inflation, according to Mojo, is $15.1 million.  Mr. Moore's biggest moneymaker, "Fahrenheit 9/11," which earned $119.2 million, is $154 million adjusted for inflation.

“The Expendables 2” still leads at number 1 at the box office with total gross of $53.6 million but on  Monday its box office nearly tied with “2016: Obama’s America”: “Expendables” earned 1.36 million and “2016” earned 1.2.

Rocky Mountains specialize in films with inspirational messages. Their last release “Hardflip,” was about a skateboarder who learns to let go of his anger while pursuing a journey to find his estranged father. It stars Randy Wayne, Rosanna Arquette and John Schneider. It was released June 1 and grossed only $96,734 so far according to Box Office Mojo; it only played in 22 theaters. Another one of their flops was the documentary “An Inconsistent Truth,” which made only $69,394 since its release Jan. 27, 2012. That 2012 documentary film takes on Al Gore’s film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” where scientists are interviewed debunking Gore’s theories on the environment and global warming. It was written, produced and featured syndicated conservative talk show radio host Phil Valentine and was directed by Shayne Edwards.

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This conservative outfit of Rock Mountains has hit pay dirt with “2016: Obama’s America,” with the question remaining what that means for the outcome of the election.

“2016” producer Gerald R. Molen has been involved with blockbusters like “Jurassic Park,” “Twister,” Days of Thunder,” “Hook and “Minority Report.” He was also one of 7 producers for “Schindler’s List,” the primary producers being Irving Glovin and Kathleen Kennedy, and he is listed as a co-producer for “Rain Man.”  His non-inspirational films also include “Bright Lights, Big City” in 1988 about the coke-fueled days and nights of a young New York copy editor, starring Michael J. Fox. Mr. Molen didn’t include this film on his credits for “2016: Obama’s America.” "Schindler's List" and "Jurassic Park" were directed by Steven Spielberg, who is known to support Obama, so we can't imagine what he makes of "2016."

“2016” is inspired by a book by Dinesh D’Souza, “The Roots of Obama’s Rage.”  Mr. D’Souza was born in Mumbai and according to the movie’s studio info online, he is “living the American Dream.”  Mr. D'Souza is also a co-director of the film with John Sullivan. The conservative author worked for the Reagan White House as a policy analyst and his other books include “What is So Great About America” (2002), “What is So Great About Christianity” (2008), “The End of Racism” (1995) and “Letter to a Young Conservative” (2003), as well as his latest book, “God Forsaken” released in April of this year.

On this evening's "Nightline," during a segment on the film, Mr. D'Souza said he was a little uncomfortable being compared to Michael Moore.

"To me Michael Moore is a bit like the federal government - he's big, fat and out of control," he said, laughing. "I'm a little more like the private sector, lean and nimble."