The Best Movies to Win the Razzie for Worst Picture

Since 1981, the Golden Raspberry Awards, or Razzies, have celebrated the worst films of the year. Each spring, truly terrible movies compete for a playfully bad prize: a $4.97 golden spray-painted statuette and the title of “Worst Picture.”

The Golden Globes are chosen by a secretive group, and the Oscars by an exclusive academy. But anyone can participate in the Razzies – just pay a $40 membership fee and vote! If you gather enough friends, you could even have a say in which movies win the ‘worst of’ awards.

The Golden Raspberry Awards, or Razzies, are a well-established part of Hollywood, having been around for nearly 50 years. They’re famous for announcing their winners the day before the Oscars. Surprisingly, some well-known directors have even taken notice – Sandra Bullock once showed up to accept her Razzie for All About Steve, and last year, Francis Ford Coppola posted a long acceptance speech online after winning one.

Coppola recently lamented the current state of filmmaking, criticizing the way art is judged like a competition. He feels the industry is too afraid to take risks, and despite a wealth of new talent, it’s unlikely to produce films that will still resonate with audiences in 50 years.

It’s interesting to note that some films initially ‘honored’ with the Razzie Awards for being the worst have actually become popular cult favorites over time. I’ve picked out 10 movies that won the Worst Picture Razzie, and while they’re certainly not great films, it’s debatable whether they were truly the worst movies of their respective years.

The Best Razzie Worst Picture Winners

10. Howard the Duck (1986)

In 1986, other nominees for awards included Blue City, Cobra, Shanghai Surprise, and Under the Cherry Moon. While many modern Marvel movies are enjoyable, Howard the Duck’s reputation as the worst Marvel film is no longer accurate. The current focus on a connected universe means Marvel is unlikely to create anything as surprisingly strange as Howard the Duck. It’s a bizarre, occasionally frightening (the villain, Dark Overlord, is more unsettling than Thanos!), and unexpectedly suggestive film – especially considering it’s about a small, talking duck. Even now, Howard the Duck remains the most unusual Marvel movie by a considerable distance.

9. I Know Who Killed Me (2007)

In 2007, other Razzie nominees included Bratz, Daddy Day Camp, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, and Norbit. While I Know Who Killed Me is strangely plotted and full of odd twists, it’s so bad it’s funny – perhaps one of the most unintentionally hilarious studio films in recent years. Despite its flaws, it’s still entertaining and bizarrely captivating. I’d happily watch it repeatedly over enduring another viewing of Daddy Day Camp or Chuck & Larry.

8. Mommie Dearest (1981)

In 1981, other contenders for the worst movie of the year included Endless Love, Heaven’s Gate, The Legend of the Lone Ranger, and Tarzan, the Ape Man. Considering the Golden Raspberry Awards’ tendency to target films that were easy to criticize and known for chaotic production, it’s surprising they didn’t choose Heaven’s Gate – a famously expensive and troubled Western. Perhaps even the Razzies recognized a strange beauty in it. Mommie Dearest, however, was a bizarre and confusing film where Faye Dunaway impersonated Joan Crawford at her most difficult. Based on a memoir, the movie portrays Crawford as a harsh and potentially abusive mother who took her frustrations out on her child, famously yelling about wire hangers. The result is a strange, disturbing, funny, and strangely captivating film. Unless you’re a devoted Joan Crawford fan, it’s arguably not the worst movie of 1981 – or any year.

7. Cocktail (1988)

In 1988, Cocktail was nominated alongside films like Caddyshack II, Hot to Trot, Mac and Me, and Rambo III. While it’s not considered one of Tom Cruise’s best movies – it’s fairly average and mostly known for its flashy bartending scenes – it’s hard to call it the worst film of the year. It did give us the Beach Boys’ song “Kokomo,” which many people dislike, but considering movies like Caddyshack II and Mac and Me were also released that year, Cocktail certainly isn’t the bottom of the barrel.

6. Under the Cherry Moon (1986)

In 1986, several films were nominated for the Worst Picture Razzie, including Blue City, Cobra, Howard the Duck, and Shanghai Surprise. Surprisingly, two films actually tied for the award: Under the Cherry Moon and another film. Under the Cherry Moon suffered from being Prince’s follow-up to the highly successful Purple Rain (which also had a much better soundtrack) and because it was Prince’s first time directing. The Razzies often criticize artists who try to do too much, and that seems to be what happened here. While Purple Rain is the clear choice for a Prince movie, Under the Cherry Moon is worth a watch—especially when compared to the nearly unwatchable Shanghai Surprise, starring Madonna and Sean Penn.

5. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012)

In 2012, some other contenders for worst movie included Battleship, The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure, That’s My Boy, and A Thousand Words.

It’s understandable why the trend of splitting popular young adult book series into two movies to maximize profits was so disliked in the 2010s. And the Twilight films were an easy target – they were incredibly successful, but the special effects weren’t always great, and the acting wasn’t top-notch.

However, the specifics matter. While many big-budget films are predictable and safe, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 was surprisingly unique and heartfelt, despite being made for a wide audience. Its themes – magic, destiny, and baby love – are admittedly a bit strange, but they’re presented with genuine intensity and sincerity. It’s no surprise that its fans are so passionate about it.

4. Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

In 1985, other films considered for the Worst Picture Razzie award included Fever Pitch, Revolution, Rocky IV, and Year of the Dragon. Sylvester Stallone was a frequent target of the Razzies throughout the 80s and 90s – both of his 1985 films received nominations for Worst Picture. He was nominated for Worst Actor a total of eleven times during those two decades, and even won Worst Actor of the 80s and Worst Actor of the 2000s. While Stallone certainly starred in some poorly received films, particularly 1993’s Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, naming Rambo the worst film of 1985 seems like an exaggeration.

3. Freddy Got Fingered (2001)

In 2001, other films nominated for awards included Driven, Glitter, Pearl Harbor, and 3000 Miles to Graceland. Tom Green, a quirky Canadian comedian, took a risk by turning his popular MTV show into a major movie deal with Fox. Critics weren’t impressed; Roger Ebert famously declared Freddy Got Fingered to be far worse than even the lowest quality film. The Razzie Awards (which honor the worst films of the year) agreed, showering the movie with nominations and five wins, including Worst Picture. While many hated it, I believe Freddy Got Fingered works as a large-scale joke aimed at Hollywood and anyone who willingly watched it. It’s certainly a messy, crude comedy, but as a deliberate attempt to shock and provoke audiences, it’s surprisingly clever.

2. Showgirls (1995)

In 1995, the other films nominated for the Razzie Worst Picture award were Congo, It’s Pat, The Scarlet Letter, and Waterworld. While Showgirls received a lot of criticism at the time, it’s gained a following over the years and might not be considered the worst of these five films today. (Though Congo probably doesn’t deserve to be on this list either!) It’s interesting to note how many of these Razzie “winners” have become cult classics – you could easily create a fantastic film festival with just those movies.

1. Cats (2019)

In 2019, other Razzie nominees included The Fanatic, The Haunting of Sharon Tate, A Madea Family Funeral, and Rambo: Last Blood. While some might consider Cats a bad movie, it’s actually a unique and strangely wonderful film for those who appreciate the unconventional. Years later, the movie still raises so many bizarre questions – why do some cats have human hands? Where are all the people? What is ‘hot milk soup’? Why is Jennifer Hudson always sniffling? Why does Idris Elba seem half-naked? And why is Taylor Swift wearing heels when everyone else is barefoot? These questions will likely remain unanswered forever, and that’s part of what makes Cats so endearing.

The Worst Razzie Nominees in History

1. Stanley Kubrick for Worst Director

The 1981 film is now considered a horror masterpiece. Ironically, that same year, Stanley Kubrick – yes, that Stanley Kubrick – was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award (the Razzies) for Worst Director. It was the very first Razzie Awards ceremony, a rather surprising start for such a prestigious (and infamous) event.

2. Thief for Worst Musical Score

Tangerine Dream composed the music for Michael Mann’s film Thief, and critics widely consider their atmospheric score to be one of the best of the early 1980s. Ironically, it was also nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Score.

3. Arnold Schwarzenegger for Worst Actor

As a film buff, I’ve always found Arnold Schwarzenegger’s history with the Razzie Awards a bit unfair. Sometimes, yeah, a movie wasn’t great, but a lot of the time, the Razzies just seem to target anyone who isn’t a ‘traditional’ actor – like TV stars, reality personalities, or athletes trying their hand at movies. Honestly, I think Conan the Barbarian is actually a surprisingly solid performance for him, especially considering he was a bodybuilder with a very distinctive accent. It’s almost like he was being penalized for being Arnold Schwarzenegger, not necessarily for a bad performance!

4. Danny DeVito for Worst Supporting Actor

In 1992, the Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies) nominated Danny DeVito’s performance as the Penguin in Batman Returns for worst supporting actor. I strongly disagree – I think he’s one of the greatest villains ever to appear in a comic book movie. It’s baffling how they could have gotten it so wrong!

5. Jim Carrey for Worst New Star

It’s surprising that Jim Carrey doesn’t get more recognition for his amazing 1994. In just one year, he starred in three huge hits: Ace Ventura, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber. It was an unbelievable run, and ironically, he was even nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst New Star!

6. Showgirls for Worst Remake or Sequel

It’s perfectly okay if you didn’t like Showgirls, or even think it deserves a Razzie award. However, nominating it for Worst Remake or Sequel just doesn’t make sense – it’s neither a remake nor a sequel, and the category is a misnomer.

7. Adam Sandler for Worst Actor

Adam Sandler’s made some questionable movie choices throughout his career, and sometimes he deserved a Razzie Award. While Happy Gilmore wasn’t one of them, the Razzies still nominated him for it – and also nominated him for Bulletproof that same year.

8. Anaconda for Worst Picture

The Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies) don’t always get it right when deciding whether a movie is unintentionally funny or deliberately silly. For example, they nominated the knowingly campy monster movie Anaconda six times, including for Worst Picture. It was also a mistake to nominate Jon Voight’s wonderfully over-the-top performance as a snake hunter – he really leaned into the role!

9. The Blair Witch Project for Worst Picture

This film fundamentally changed the horror genre, even spawning its own unique style. It also boasted one of the most successful and memorable marketing campaigns in decades. Despite being genuinely frightening, it surprisingly received two Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies), winning one for the Worst Actress.

10. Jennifer Lawrence for Worst Actress in mother!

Regardless of your opinion of the film mother!, Jennifer Lawrence’s performance wasn’t the issue. Even if the movie felt confusing, overly dramatic, or just didn’t work, Lawrence delivered a powerful and committed performance. At best, she gave a brilliant performance in a mediocre film. The movie certainly gained attention, partly due to the relationship between Lawrence and director Darren Aronofsky, which was heavily publicized. It’s disappointing that such a talented performance was overshadowed.

2026-02-04 00:29