As is the custom in Hollywood, the nominations for the Golden Raspberry Awards (or The Razzies as they are more commonly referred to) were announced this morning, one day ahead of the announcement of the Academy Award nominations (which come out tomorrow). As you may or may not know, the Razzies attempt to honor (or, dishonor, as the case may be) the worst films of the previous year by handing out awards in the categories of worst acting (male and female), screenwriting, songwriting, directing and films. Leading the pack of worst noms for 2008 is Mike Myers‘ horrid flop The Love Guru, which scored seven nominations … including the big one, Worst Film. But The Love Guru was not alone in securing lurve (hate?) from the Golden Raspberry Award nominating committee, other films like The Happening, The Hottie and the Nottie, Disaster Movie and more join the field of contenders for Razzies this year:

Voters for 2008′s worst movies love Mike Myers. They really love him. Myers’ comedy flop The Love Guru led the field Wednesday for the Razzies with seven nominations, among them worst picture and worst-acting slots for Myers, Jessica Alba, Verne Troyer and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley. The number of nominations for Love Guru was appropriate given what a personal project it was for Myers, who not only starred but also co-wrote and produced the movie, said John Wilson, founder of the Razzies, an Oscar spoof that dishes out “dis-honors” for the lousiest stuff Hollywood dredged up the previous year. “This is one of those auteur-of-the-awful situations,” Wilson said. “I think people are tired of him in general. He hasn’t really made a good movie in quite some time.” The other worst-picture contenders were Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans, Hollywood spoofs that shared a nomination for a “badly beaten dead horse of a concept”; the fright flick The Happening ; Paris Hilton’s romantic comedy bomb The Hottie & the Nottie ; and the sword-and-sorcery fantasy In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. Razzie “winners” will be announced Feb. 21, the day before the Oscars. Hilton had three nominations, worst actress and worst screen couple alongside her co-stars in The Hottie & the Nottie, plus worst supporting actress for Repo! The Genetic Opera. Eddie Murphy, named worst actor, supporting actor and supporting actress last year for multiple roles in Norbit, has two nominations this time, as worst actor and screen couple alongside himself for dual roles in his sci-fi comedy dud Meet Dave. Cameron Diaz also picked up two Razzie nominations for the romance What Happens in Vegas, as worst actress and worst screen couple alongside co-star Ashton Kutcher. Along with Kingsley, Oscar winner Al Pacino had a worst-actor nomination for his crime thrillers 88 Minutes and Righteous Kill. The stars of the remake The Women— Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith and Meg Ryan — shared a worst-actress nomination. Joining them, Alba, Diaz and Hilton in the worst-actress category was Kate Hudson for Fool’s Gold and My Best Friend’s Girl. Besides Murphy, Myers and Pacino, worst-actor nominees were Larry the Cable Guy for Witless Protection and Mark Wahlberg for The Happening and Max Payne. In the Name of the King filmmaker Uwe Boll had three nominations for 2008 movies, worst director for that flick and 1968: Tunnel Rats and Postal, supporting actor for playing himself in Postal and screen couple alongside “any actor, camera or screenplay.” Boll — whose movies include such horror or action tales as Bloodrayne,Alone in the Dark and House of the Dead— also was selected by Razzies voters to receive a special prize for worst career achievement as “Germany’s answer to Ed Wood,” the legendary bad filmmaker responsible for Plan 9 From Outer Space. “It’s pretty insulting to Ed Wood. Although Wood didn’t understand how to splice two frames together, there was a joy of incompetence in his work,” Wilson said. “Uwe Boll’s like our Meryl Streep. As long as he continues to work, he will get nominated, just like Meryl Streep does with those other awards.”

OY! I tend to block out horrid movies that I make the mistake of seeing in theaters (like The Love Guru) so this list of Razzie nominees is kinda of like a cold slap in the face. I had forgotten that so many shitty movies came out last year … and this reminder is not a welcome one. I would absolutely cast my vote for The Love Guru as the Worst Film (Mike Meyers still owes me money for that travesty) but I did not see The Happening (which I hear is pretty horrrrrrible) so that might be a serious contender as well. Paris Hilton should be a shoe-in for Worst Actress and I’d put money on Eddie Murphy picking up another Razzie Award for his work in Meet Dave (did *anyone* see that movie?). The Razzies are a fun way for Hollywood to honor its own … each year, there are gads of horrible movies … and they, at least, deserve some recognition, I think. Being the best of the worst is something, right? I can’t wait to hear which films and “actors” will take home the Golden Raspberry Award when the “winners” are announced next month.

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