Razzie-Nominated Movies That Are Actually Pretty Great

The Golden Raspberry Awards, or Razzies, founded in 1981 by publicist and movie fan John J. B. Wilson, poke fun at the worst of Hollywood’s output in a tongue-in-cheek award show. But sometimes, as made evident by some great Razzie-nominated movies, they get films that get it wrong, wrong.

If you feel like having your blood pressure rise due to sheer filmmaking injustices, check out these actually-great Razzie-nominated movies.

The Happening

To an extent, I understand why The Happening received a Worst Picture nominee in 2008. It is, objectively, not good. It is, however, “not good” in a calculated, confident, secure, and idiosyncratic manner that such basic labels do not mean anything. It’s a fever dream masterpiece, an orchestrated symphony of pure camp and silliness.

I’m not joking when I say it’s one of M. Night Shyamalan’s best movies.

Waterworld

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The decision to give Waterworld a Worst Picture nominee in 1996 functioned as a cultural punchline to an ongoing joke. Everyone knew Waterworld was drowning. Tempers flared, budgets ballooned, directors were disrespected. Giving it a Razzie nomination put a nice button on this story. However, it ignores the film itself, which is prescient, awe-inspiring in its iconography, and fascinatingly grimy.

What other action blockbuster opens with a dude drinking his own pee?

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

It’s absolutely unfair that Jim Carrey’s second take on the hyperactive pet detective received a 1995 Worst Remake or Sequel nominee. I’d argue this film ages better than its predecessor, with more memorable set pieces, visually inventive gags, and committed performances across the board.

I mean, watch Carrey crawl out of a robot rhino and try not to guffaw.

Speed Racer

After The Matrix, the Wachowskis just couldn’t catch a critical break. Case in point: They delivered a kinetic, propulsive, delirious, and frankly bananas vision in their wheels-to-the-wall adaptation of Speed Racer, only to be met with a 2008 Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel nominee. Watch a random racing sequence from the movie and tell me your socks aren’t knocked off.