LOS ANGELES: A Mike Myers comedy that achieved nothing but a huge flop at the box office is leading the contenders for the annual Razzie Awards.

A day before the Motion Picture Academy releases the Oscar nominations- honouring the movie industry’s best, the Golden Raspberry Award foudnation revealed nominations for the Razzies, which recognise the worst films of 2008.

Myer’s comedy, in which he personally receives three “dishonours” for his acting, co-writing and co-producing roles, also picked up nods for worst picture as well as worst acting nominations for Jessica Alba, Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley and pint-sized “Austin Powers” star Verne Troyer.

John Wilson, creator of the Golden Raspberries or “Razzies” in 1980 said Myers had done “everything but make the audience laugh”.

The New York Times described “The Love Guru” as “downright anti-funny, an experience that makes you wonder if you will ever laugh again”.

Other films leading the race for the worst of the worst included “Disaster Movie” and “Meet the Spartans” – both featuring the same writer-directors and essentially the same cast – M Night Shyamalan’s eco-thriller “The Happening” and Paris Hilton’s “The Hottie and the Nottie”.

The hotel heiress drew three Razzie nominations overall, racking up worst actress in “The Hottie and The Nottie”, worst supporting actress for “Repo: The Genetic Opera” and as one-half of the year’s worst screen couple when paried with either “Hottie” co-star Christine Lakin or Joel David Moore.

“She really is neither a movie star or an actress,” Wilson said of Hilton.

M Shyamalan, one of the hottest directors of the 1990s following a string of successful films including “The Sixth Sense” and “Signs”, was guilty of “using the same gimmick over and over and over again”.

“In ‘The Happening’, the villain turns out to be plants. And it is every bit as ridiculous as that sounds,” Wilson said.

Meanwhile, German director Uwe Boll picked up four nominations and has also been singled out as a recipient of the most special category of the night – worst career achievement.

“Uwe Boll is the world-class movie director – anything he does is awful,” Wilson said.

“He was the overwhelming choice to receive our career achievement award.”

The Razzies are determined by 687 votes, a number eight times more than those who vote on the Golden Globes.

Winners, or more appropriately, the biggest losers, will be announced during a tacky ceremony at a Hollywood theatre on February 21, a day before the Academy Awards.

The nominees are usually nowhere to be seen, although Halle Berry sportingly showed up four years ago to accept her prize for “Catwoman”.

- CNA/jk

Channel News Asia