There are certainly a lot of awards that films and people involved with films can achieve. Of course, the Oscars are the most famous of the awards, but they are not the only ones. There are awards to be won at film festivals such as TIFF, Cannes and Sundance. There are also smaller and less well-known festivals and award shows with prestigious prizes. However, not every award is created equally; in fact, there are some that most would prefer not to win. Â
While the media may be swarming about the Academy Awards, many are unaware the night beforehand is host to a celebration of misery. It is called ‘The Razzies’ and March 11 of this year will mark the event’s 43rd anniversary.
The Golden Rasberry Awards (more commonly known as the Razzies) are the inverse of the Oscars, awarding the worst that the prior year of cinema had to offer rather than the best. Awards include worst actor and actress, worst picture and worst director, among other injurious honours.
It’s easy to call the event mean-spirited, which it is, but one must also acknowledge the important role it plays in lampooning the Oscars. The Academy Awards have long been criticized for many reasons, be it for excluding deserving films, having controversial members of their academy, or last year’s ‘incident.’
Of course, the film industry is subject to plenty of ridicule and mockery. It seems in recent years, there are always select films that are universally panned and turned into widespread memes. The Razzies serve as a light-hearted reprieve to enjoy lampooning the film industries and the Oscars.
Despite being a niche award show, the Razzies have seen their fair share of iconic moments. Few of the nominees attend the Razzies, understandably so, considering it’s a show that actively criticizes their job performance. Halle Berry showed the world how to properly take a joke when she accepted her worst actress award in person. She ‘won’ the award for her performance in the 2004 flop Catwoman. Faking tears and proudly holding up her Oscar, she graciously accepted the Razzie, stating proudly, “My mother told me that if you couldn’t be a good loser, then there’s no way you could be a good winner.”
Last year LeBron James’ acting in Space Jam: A new legacy cleaned up at the Razzies, as he took home awards for worst actor and for worst couple combined with any animated character he shared the screen with. Worst picture went to the Netflix version of Diana the Musical.
This year, there is some intense competition at the Razzies for Worst Picture. Pinocchio, The King’s Daughter, Morbius, Good Morning and Blode all have a shot at the coveted Golden Rasberry. However, when it comes to worst actor I think the result will be a landslide; Jared Leto’s performance in Morbius is sure to be a slam dunk.
All award shows may not be created equally, but when it comes to finding the worst of the worst, few can compare to the Razzies.
