And The Award For Worst Movie of the Year Goes to . . .

golden_raspberry_awardThe Academy Awards (also called simply “the Oscars“) are here again. This Sunday, February 26th, the Academy Awards will be given out (distributed) honoring (recognizing and celebrating) the best films of 2016.

Most people have heard of the Academy Awards, considered the most prestigious (respected) award a movie can receive in the United States. But do you know that there are also awards for the worst movies of the year?

Let me introduce you to the Razzies.

In 1980, a new set of awards was created called The Golden Raspberry Awards, commonly called “the Razzies.” These awards honor a completely different type of film: the movies from the past year that were absolutely terrible.

Why are they called the “Golden Raspberry” awards? A raspberry is a type of red fruit, but the name of the award is referring to “blowing a raspberry,” which is when you put your tongue between your lips and blow out air, making a noise that sounds like a fart or flatulence (gas coming out of the rear or bottom of your body). Blowing a raspberry is a (not very nice) way to show that you do not like something or that you feel that something is silly or ridiculous.

Nominations (proposing someone or something for an award) for the Golden Raspberry Awards are announced one day before the Academy Award nominations, and the awards are presented one day before the Academy Awards are given out.

In addition to the categories of awards that you might expect—such as Worst Actor, Worst Picture (film), and Worst Director—Razzies are also given out for things like the “Worst Screen Couple” to two people who are romantically involved in a film.

Another Razzie given out each year is the Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel. A prequel is a movie that occurs in time before another film that has already been made, giving the background or early story of the same characters. A sequel is a movie that occurs in time after another film that has already been made, telling the story of what happened after the first film ended. A remake is a modern version of an older film. A rip-off is an inferior (worse or lower quality) version of something, taking important parts of the original without giving it credit (saying where it came from).

The Razzies are given out tongue in cheek (as a joke) and are not taken seriously. Most people do not go to the award ceremony to receive the award. However, a few celebrities, such as Hale Berry and Sandra Bullock, both winning for Worst Actress, have done so to show that they have a sense of humor (ability to appreciate a joke).

Since there are more bad movies than good ones each year, in a way it is much harder (more difficulty) to win a Razzie than an Oscar.  There’s so much competition!

What are some of the worst movies you’ve seen that you think should get a Razzie this year?

~ Jeff

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* This post was adapted from “What Insiders Know” from Cultural English 209. To see the rest of the Learning Guide, including a Glossary, Sample Sentences, Comprehension Questions, a Complete Transcript of the entire lesson and more, become a Select English Member.
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16 Responses to And The Award For Worst Movie of the Year Goes to . . .

  1. Tania says:

    Hi,

    As I have told you, dear Emiliano, you are a real encyclopedia to me.
    I do not know if I have time to listen to so many songs mentioned by you.
    But I’ll try.
    Thank you.

    Best wishes,

    Tania

  2. Tania says:

    Hi,

    The Academy Awards festivity will be transmitted and on our TV channel.
    But late at night, so I can’t watch it. I am curious to see
    “and the Award goes to …”
    I have seen all the nominations in a magazine… but I was able to see
    no one so, I have no opinion this year.

  3. Tania says:

    Hi,

    Sequel, prequel… rip-off… difficult to me even if you have told us
    about them.
    New to me “Razzies” for the Golden Raspberry.
    I like Sandra Bullock very much, but indeed I have seen her in some very
    bad movies. I could not believe that she was.
    I have read that there are many troubles and in her personal life.
    To keep the sense of humor is a great quality.

    Thank you, dear Jeff. I am waiting for to see the winners.

    All the best for you,

    Tania

  4. Tania says:

    Hi,

    I have never seen the Golden Raspberry Award, just the Oscar statuette.
    Thank you for the idea to show it us.

  5. Tania says:

    Hi,

    Talking about Kurt Vonnegut… At the beginning of his book,
    Bagombo Snuff Box,there is an introduction by Kurt Vonnegut
    where he mentions his favorite American writers such as
    Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Flannery O’Connor,
    and a special appreciation for Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.
    But you have told us about all these writers in the English Cafe.
    I am glad to see that our English lessons are very useful for
    understanding the American literature.

  6. Tania says:

    Hi,

    And another surprise… Kurt Vonnegut mentions and War and Peace.
    By the way Dan, how are you ?
    Have you finished to read War and Peace?

  7. emiliano says:

    Well to me the best movie it is “Hacksaw Ridge” of Mell Gibson, and also
    Mel Gibson should be the best director.
    He is not a nice candidate to the Academy so sure he is not going to
    be rewarded.

    Sure the Academy could give the Oscar to La La Land that is also
    a very good movie.
    Another good movie it is “Manchester by the Sea” of Kenneth Lonergan
    and may be this film, the actor or the director could may have a reward.

    The actor Casey Affleck, is perfect in his role in the movie.
    He is Ben Affleck´s brother.

    Yes I have seen the three movies, even other that are nominated.
    Why?
    Because now emiliano is free to go to the theater as many times as he
    wants and as he likes Cine too much he is watching nearly all the Oscar
    Nominates movies.

    Ja,ja, you make me love Tania, yes I have listen to several country singers
    and like this kind of music so much.
    Another one incredible singer is Alison Krauss and Union Station (AKUS) but
    their songs are bluegrass-country music.
    I like she so much that I have nearly all her records.

    Enough,
    Thank you Tania you are always so nice with me as you ever had been.

    Take care of yourself and be safe and good soon, please.
    We all need you specially me.

  8. emiliano says:

    Sorry Jeff, I have not seen a bad movie lately as I am carefully when I choose
    a film to watch.
    On the last nine months I have watched nearly thirty or more, but not one
    really bad to be nominate.
    The one I liked more was the Mel Gibson´s movie as I said above and after
    Manchester by the Sea.
    La La Land was also a film I like very much but not to have 14 Oscar´s nominations, as by my modest opinion, but next Sunday we are going to see.

    Sorry again, I repeat that I have none to be nominate as the bad movie, actor and so on, all were good more or less.

    emilliano

  9. Tania says:

    Hi,

    In the book Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut I have found
    The Serenity Prayer. As I practice other religion, I do not know
    prayers from other countries.
    I think that The Serenity Prayer is a real philosophy of the life.

    The Serenity Prayer

    “God grant me the serenity
    to accept the things I cannot change,
    courage to change the things I can,
    and wisdom always to tell the difference.”

  10. Tania says:

    Hi,

    You can’t believe me if I tell you that I have the book In Cold Blood
    by Truman Capote in my book-case,
    In Cold Blood , A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its
    Consequences.
    I have seen that there is a movie “Capote” about Truman Capote
    and his book.
    I like The Anatomy of a Multiple Murder, Made In Cold Blood
    by Truman Capote from the beginning of the book.
    I’d like to share with you some quotes, but I have not found
    the English version of the book.

  11. emiliano says:

    Hi Tania, something interesting about Truman Capote and Harper Lee

    Do you know that they were close neighbor in the little village of Monroeville (Alabama)?
    Yes, beside they were friends along their life.
    Capote died young when he was 59 years old but Harper Lee died with 88 years.
    She wrote and published only a book “To Kill a Mockingbird” and she was rewarded with the Pulitzer.
    It is possible that she inspired one of the book´s protagonists in Truman Capote
    the boy with the nickname Dill.
    Despite for years has been tough she only wrote a book, now it is possible that
    she wrote another one.

    Margaret Mitchel also wrote only a book “Gone with the Wind” and it was more
    than enough.

    Cold-blooded. The only dedication it was shared: “For Jack Dunphy [Capote’s partner] and Harper Lee, with my love and gratitude.” Nothing else.

    So yes, they were good friends and being famous absolutely they live close
    together in a little village.

    Why I know all this?

    Easy, “In cold blood” has been one of my favorite movies the same as “To Kill a Mockingbird”, and after watching the movies I read the books and the life of the
    writers.
    There is also a movie titled “Capote” made few years ago and it is treated how
    Truman Capote was interested in the assassination of the family in Kansas.
    The actor was Philip Seymour Hoffman, that died or take his own life not long ago.
    The movie was really good, watched it, and took lot of rewards for the actor.
    This is more or less the plot of the movie and I think could be also real events
    and reasons explain why Truman Capote wrote this novel.

    “In November 1959, Truman Capote read a New York Times chronicle of the bloody murder of the four members of the Clutter family at their Kansas farm. Although similar events appear in the press every day, there is something that draws the attention of the writer and wants to use it to demonstrate a theory: in the hands of a proper writer, reality can be as exciting as fiction. Get the New Yorker to send him to Kansas with his friend Harper Lee to cover the case. His boyish voice, his mannerism and his peculiar dressing up arouse at first the hostility of the neighbors of the area, but Capote soon gains the trust of Alvin Dewey, the agent in charge of the investigation”.

    Just enough emiliano, sharing information about a subject I have been so
    interested it is just a pleasure.

    How are you Tania, so nice reading you again and could see you are
    also my inspiration to write.

    emiliano

  12. Tania says:

    Hi,

    It’s Saturday evening…nothing special to do…just watching on TV.

    Good night!

    Tania

  13. Tania says:

    Hi,

    I have just listened to the English Cafe 593 about The Righteous
    Brothers, the American singing group.
    Thank you for your trying to perform their songs.
    I recognized “Unchained Melody” as it is one of my favorite song.
    I thought that it was the Elvis Presley’s song.

    “Oh, my, love, my darling I’ve hungered for
    Your touch, a long lonely time
    ………………………………………….
    I need your love.”

    And the lyrics and the tune are very, very nice.

  14. Tania says:

    Hi,

    Thank you for the explanation of the words “hunger” and “to hunger”
    to understand better the lyrics of the song.
    I like many songs without to know the lyrics, the meaning.
    For instance “Lucille” by Kenny Rogers.
    I like the song. I have thought that it was a love song.
    In fact it is a very sad story.

  15. emiliano says:

    Tonight Tonight it is Oscar´s night, and the Oscar goes to:

    La La Land or

    Manchester by the Sea or

    Moonlight or . . . . . .

    Who knows?

  16. emiliano says:

    Yes, Tania, Lucille is a good song; I liked ti
    too.

    The lyric it is somehow complicated, but I don´t care
    I like the song anyway.

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