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Razzie Awards: Rusty and Mel have done it again

The huge cast of Expendables 3 all received a Razzie nomination.

The huge cast of Expendables 3 all received a Razzie nomination.

Five Australians have made the shortlist for Golden Raspberry Awards as Hollywood’s “Gum Tree Mafia” pay the price for taking on high-paying, big-profile roles in not so great films.

Russell Crowe, Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman, Emily Browning and I, Frankenstein writer/director Stuart Beattie have all been recommended to voters in the annual celebration of the worst in cinema.

The list was dominated by critical flops – many of which made our Fizzer Awards list. Transformers: Age of Extinction drew the most mentions on the ballot with nine listings across only seven categories. It missed out in the Worst Actor and Worst Actress lists, somehow overlooking Mark Wahlberg’s efforts as a robotic genius, but grabbing two nods in each supporting category.

• Fizzer Awards: most disappointing films of 2014

Unusually it was not an Adam Sandler film, but Seth MacFarlane‘s stinker A Million Ways to Die in the West that drew the unfunny comedy ire with eight offerings across the nine categories, only missing out in the Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel category for which it did not qualify. (That said Sandler’s Blended did received three nods.)

The Legend of Hercules (the Hercules film last year that wasn’t the Dwayne Johnston one) also grabbed eight spots, missing out only in Worst Supporting Actress, presumably as the organisers felt no one else could be accused of acting in that bomb.

While those films would have been favourites for nomination the moment they were green lit for production, the six mentions of Transcendence highlight the broad disappointment with Johnny Depp’s much-hyped bomb.

Equally, Nicole Kidman is a surprise contender for Before I Go To Sleep, the only mention that film received.

nicole-kidman-before-i-go-to-sleep

Nicole Kidman in Before I go to Sleep.

Out of the other Australians, Russell Crowe is associated with two films in the list – Noah (four spots) and Winter’s Tale (two spots) – making the Worst Supporting Actor shortlist. He faces off with Mel Gibson who is proffered up for The Expendables 3 which has six listings, three of which are in that category alone.

Emily Browning is listed for Worst Supporting Actress, one of the five categories to include Pompeii.

The most lambasted Australian is Stuart Beattie, who wrote and directed I, Frankenstein, and thus must take some responsibility for all four of that film’s nods – Worst Film, Worst Screenplay, Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel and Aaron Eckhart’s listing for his portrayal of Frankenstein.

Awards tracking site Gold Derby has obtained the ballot paper for the Razzie Awards, which provides an insight into the process through which the now famous gongs are awarded.

Voting ends this Saturday (January 10) with the official nominations unveiled on Wednesday January 14, the day before the Oscar nominees are announced.

The list of nominees may still provide a few surprises as voters are able to add a “write-in” suggestion on their ballots as well as selecting five nominees in each category.

The ballot itself contains some additional insults in the wording of some listings.

The organisers feel that literally any two characters from Transformers: Age of Extinction rate a potential nomination for Worst Screen Combo, as do Kellan Lutz and “either his abs, his pecs or his glutes” for Legend of Hercules.

The category is often the Razzies most high-profile, often reserved for highlighting screen couples with terrible on-screen chemistry, however this year more unusual (and headline seeking) “couples” are suggested including the “Rock Monsters” from Noah as well as Johnny Depp and himself in digital form for Transcendence in a move that genuinely stretches the credibility of the category.

Australians have been fortunate to miss out on a few of the major candidates, with none of Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas, Atlas Shrugged: Who Is John Galt?, A Haunted House 2, Left Behind and Walk of Shame making it to Australian cinemas. Guaranteed instead to populate the discount bins on their home entertainment release instead.

2014 Razzie short list

Worst picture

Johnny Depp's 'Transcendence' was a universal flop.

Johnny Depp’s Transcendence was a universal flop.

Saving Christmas

Transcendence

A Million Ways to Die in the West

Atlas Shrugged: Who is John Galt?

Legend of Hercules

Sex Tape

A Haunted House 2

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Left Behind

The Interview

Transformers: Age of Extinction

I, Frankenstein

Worst remake, rip-off or sequel

Noah

Legend of Hercules

Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return

A Haunted House 2

Expendables 3

Atlas Shrugged: Who is John Galt?

Annie

Exodus: Gods and Kings

Endless Love

Pompeii

Transformers: Age of Extinction

I, Frankenstein

Cameron Diaz in Sex Tape.

Cameron Diaz in Sex Tape.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Worst screenplay

Transformers: Age of Extinction

A Haunted House 2

Pompeii

Legend of Hercules

Sex Tape

Endless Love

Left Behind

Expendables 3

Winter’s Tale

Saving Christmas

Atlas Shrugged: Who is John Galt?

A Million Ways to Die in the West

Noah

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Transcendence

I, Frankenstein

Worst screen combo

Any Two Robots, Actors (or Robotic Actors) – Transformers: Age of Extinction

James Franco and either Seth Rogen or Randall Park (Kim Jong Un) – The Interview

Kellan Lutz and either His Abs, His Pecs or His Glutes – Legend of Hercules

The Entire Cast – Expendables 3

The Entire Cast – Atlas Shrugged: Who is John Galt?

Charlize Theron in A Million Ways to Die in the West.

Charlize Theron in A Million Ways to Die in the West.

Seth McFarlane and Charlize Theron – A Million Ways to Die in the West

The “Rock Monsters” – Noah

Johnny Depp and His “Virtual Doppelganger” – Transcendence

Alex Pettyfer and Gabrielle Wilde – Endless Love

Kirk Cameron and His Ego – Saving Christmas

Cameron Diaz & Jason Segel – Sex Tape

Worst director

James Manera – Atlas Shrugged: Who is John Galt?

Jake Kasdan – Sex Tape

Darren Aronofsky – Noah

Seth McFarlane – A Million Ways to Die in the West

Jonathan Liebesman – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Renny Harlin – Legend of Hercules

Michael Tiddes – A Haunted House 2

Michael Bay – Transformers: Age of Extinction

Wally Pfister – Transcendence

Darren Doane – Saving Christmas

Vic Armstrong – Left Behind

The huge cast of Expendables 3 all received a Razzie nomination.

The huge cast of Expendables 3 all received a Razzie nomination.

Worst supporting actor

Shaquille O’Neal – Blended

Johnathon Schaech – Legend of Hercules

Kelsey Grammer – Expendables 3 and Transformers: Age of Extinction

Arnold Schwarzenegger – Expendables 3

Morgan Freeman – Transcendence

Jack Black – Sex Tape

Liam Neeson – A Million Ways to Die in the West

Russell Crowe – Winter’s Tale

Mel Gibson – Expendables 3

Kiefer Sutherland – Pompeii

T.J. Miller – Transformers: Age of Extinction

Worst supporting actress

Sophia Miles – Transformers: Age of Extinction

Jamie Pressley – A Haunted House 2

Susan Sarandon – Tammy

Brigette Cameron – Saving Christmas

Carrie-Ann Moss – Pompeii

Amanda Seyfried – A Million Ways to Die in the West

Cameon Diaz – Annie

Megan Fox – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Jane Fonda – This is Where I Leave You

Emily Browning – Pompeii

Nicola Peltz – Transformers: Age of Extinction

Kellan Lutz in Legend of Hercules.

Kellan Lutz in Legend of Hercules.

Worst actress

Charlize Theron – A Million Ways to Die in the West

Elizabeth Banks – Walk of Shame

Jennifer Aniston – Horrible Bosses 2

Cameron Diaz – The Other Woman and Sex Tape

Gabrielle Wilde – Endless Love

Nicole Kidman – Before I Go To Sleep

Melissa McCarthy – Tammy

Drew Barrymore – Blended

Gaia Weiss – Legend of Hercules

Lea Michele (Voice Only) – Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return

Worst actor

Seth McFarlane – A Million Ways to Die in the West

Johnny Depp – Transcendence

Adam Sandler – Blended

Seth Rogen – The Interview

Kellan Lutz – Legend of Hercules

Marlon Wayans – A Haunted House 2

Arnold Schwarzenegger – Sabotage

Aaron Eckhart – I, Frankenstein

Alex Pettyfer – Endless Love

Kirk Cameron – Saving Christmas

James Franco – The Interview

Nicolas Cage – Left Behind

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