An unexpected little surprise awaited me this morning. The tricksy folks at the Razzies let these nominations slip out early (being announced late yesterday evening [Tuesday 21st January], rather than today) and- much like a fart at a dinner party- while the timing has caught me off guard, the stench of cinematic excrement is still very much present.
Here is the full list of nominees:
WORST PICTURE
Borderlands
Joker: Folie à Deux
Madame Web
Megalopolis
Reagan
WORST ACTOR
Jack Black (Dear Santa)
Zachary Levi (Harold And The Purple Crayon)
Joaquin Phoenix (Joker: Folie à Deux)
Dennis Quaid (Reagan)
Jerry Seinfeld (Unfrosted)
WORST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett (Borderlands)
Lady Gaga (Joker: Folie à Deux)
Bryce Dallas Howard (Argylle)
Dakota Johnson (Madame Web)
Jennifer Lopez (Atlas)
WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jack Black (voice only) (Borderlands)
Kevin Hart (Borderlands)
Shia LaBeouf (Megalopolis)
Tahar Rahim (Madame Web)
Jon Voight (Megalopolis, Reagan, Shadow Land, and Strangers)
WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Ariana DeBose (Argylle and Kraven The Hunter)
Lesley-Anne Down (Reagan)
Emma Roberts (Madame Web)
Amy Schumer (Unfrosted)
FKA twigs (The Crow)
WORST DIRECTOR
S.J. Clarkson (Madame Web)
Francis Ford Coppola (Megalopolis)
Todd Phillips (Joker: Folie à Deux)
Eli Roth (Borderlands)
Jerry Seinfeld (Unfrosted)
WORST SCREEN COMBO
Any two obnoxious characters (but especially Jack Black) (Borderlands)
Any two unfunny "comedic actors" (Unfrosted)
The entire cast (Megalopolis)
Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga (Joker: Folie à Deux)
Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller (Reagan)
WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF OR SEQUEL
The Crow
Joker: Folie à Deux
Kraven The Hunter
Mufasa: The Lion King
Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver
WORST SCREENPLAY
Joker: Folie à Deux
Kraven The Hunter
Madame Web
Megalopolis
Reagan
Joker: Folie à Deux leads the way with seven nods, with a four-way tie for second place between Borderlands (a film I'd forgotten had even been released, to be honest), Madame Web, Megalopolis, and Reagan all bagging six apiece.
In case anyone is wondering, Unfrosted is a biographical comedy-drama about the origins of... the Pop-Tart. Well, if they can do a movie about the origins of Flaming Hot Cheetos (which they have; it's called Flamin' Hot and was directed by Eva Longoria), then why not have one about Pop-Tarts? Just don't get any silly ideas about food-based franchises, Hollywood...
I was asked if there were any surprises in the nominations, and I had to say yes. The big surprise for me was the relative lack of nominations for both Kraven The Hunter and The Crow (limping off with three and two respectively). I guess three is pretty good (bad?) going for Kraven The Hunter as it was only released in December, but I was expecting more for The Crow. It's a wholly soulless, derivative and unnecessary remake. I think Bill Skarsgård can count his lucky stars that there were five more worse performances than his.
Quite a few expected film titles and performances included here. I was waiting to see how much Joker: Folie à Deux and Madame Web were going to have their metaphorical asses handed to them; their relative scores do not disappoint.
However, as usual, the Razzies throws up a couple of film titles I've got no idea about: this year's clutch of unidentifiable dreck includes Atlas, Shadow Land, and Strangers, the latter two forming Jon Voight's four-headed nomination. Well, given his new "ambassadorial" role to Hollywood, he might be too busy over the next year or so to keep churning out these [what sound like] painfully by-the-numbers straight-to-TV/DVD duds. Everyone's a winner, baby.
The winners of the coveted $4.97 spray-painted trophies will be announced in a video press release on Oscars eve (Saturday 1st March).
And as I've already been a little premature and posted my Oscar predictions (no need to be ashamed, lads, it happens more frequently than you'd think), my next post will be tomorrow afternoon to recap the Oscar nominations.
