‘Pixels’ and ‘Paul Blart’ Lead 2016 Razzie Nominations
Nominations for the 36th Annual Golden Raspberry Awards were announced on Wednesday morning, and the critically derided likes of Jupiter Ascending, Fifty Shades of Grey, Pixels, Fantastic Four, and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 will vie for the top dishonor at the February ceremony that’s meant to celebrate the worst of the year in movies. Each of the Worst Picture nominees were recognized in six different categories of failure, save for Fantastic Four, which managed a comparatively terrific five.
The Oscars of awfulness, the Razzies are the one Hollywood award that nobody wants to win, and — as per usual — this year’s nominees have been culled from a small handful of major studio disasters. (Kudos, then, to gross-out indie Human Centipede III, which merited consideration for both Worst Director and Worst Remake). And as per tradition, at least one of them stars Adam Sandler, who landed his 13th Worst Actor nomination for his roles in Pixels and The Cobbler (Chevy Chase was similarly recognized for his work in both Hot Tub Time Machine 2 and Vacation). The most amusing nods could be found in the Worst Screen Combo category, in which Paul Blart star Kevin James was nominated alongside “EITHER His Segway OR His Glued-On Mustache.”
Several of this year’s major Oscar contenders managed to pick up Razzie nods as well, as Johnny Depp (Mortdecai), Eddie Redmayne (Jupiter Ascending), and Rooney Mara (Pan) were each recognized for their other performances from 2015. For some other respected actors and filmmakers, the nominations even brought some surprisingly good news: One Hollywood talent will walk away as this year’s Razzie Redeemer, a coveted distinction awarded to the celebrity who best pulled themselves out of their creative tailspin over the last 12 months. This year’s nominees are Elizabeth Banks (Love & Mercy), M. Night Shyamalan (The Visit), Will Smith (Concussion), and Sylvester Stallone (Creed, for which he could potentially win an Oscar and a Razzie for the same performance).
Visit the official site of the Razzies for a full list of nominations. The winners will be determined by an online vote, and formally announced on Feb. 27th at 11 p.m. ET/8 PT. The Razzie committee consists of 900 people, and can be joined at the cost of a $40 membership fee.