The Anti-Academy Awards

Twilight sweeps the Razzies (courtesy of Yahoo)

On Saturday, the worst films and cinematic performances of the year were “honored” in what can only be described as the anti-Academy Awards: the 33rd annual Golden Raspberry Awards.

Most people just call them the “Razzies.”

Originally conceived by American publicist John Wilson in 1981 and inspired by the comedic act of “blowing a raspberry,” the Razzies precede the Academy Awards and celebrate terrible films rather than great ones. It’s all in good fun and, in most cases, the people being honored are good sports, but that isn’t always the case.

After all, who wants to be known for dropping a bomb at the box office?

The sad fact is that for every awesome, chart-topping film and stellar acting or directing performance, there are dozens of others that stink up the screen and make the producers who “green lighted” them scratch their heads.

And this year was no exception.

At the top of the list of 2012’s worst films is the final installment of the hit teenybopper series Twilight. With seemingly endless nominations in multiple categories, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn–Part 2 more-or-less swept the Razzies. By the end of the night, the vampire love fest was named Worst Film and received awards for Worst Ensemble Cast, Worst Director (Bill Condon), Worst Supporting Actor (Taylor Lautner), Worst Actress (Kristen Stewart) and Worst Onscreen Couple.

Stewart actually split her Worst Actress honor among Twilight and another weak performance, Snow White and the Huntsman.

The coveted award (courtesy of Razzies.com)

“Acting should involve having an expression on your face, and she is blank” Razzies founder John Wilson said of the young actress. “Kristen Stewart is so expressionless she might as well be a brick wall.”

I couldn’t agree more, but at least she’s cute.

Other Razzies went to Rihanna (Worst Supporting Actress for Battleship) and Adam Sandler (Worst Actor for That’s My Boy), who is no stranger to the anti-award. His flop Jack and Jill was last year’s Twilight, sweeping the show with a total of ten Razzies.

In his acceptance speech, Sandler thanked his public school teachers for helping him reach his “dream of making movies that critics all over the planet despise with unreasonable fury but that you, the people, seem to enjoy.”

And that’s what the Razzies are all about: laughing at yourself and accepting that nobody’s perfect, even celebrities. We may place them on pedestals and worship them with the fervor of religious zealots, but at the end of the day, they’re just like you and me.

Only with a lot more money and fame.