'Cats' Is the Worst Film of 2019 According to the Razzie Awards
The singing moggy-filled musical picked up six awards at this year's Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture of the past 12 months, Worst Director and Worst Screenplay
When the cinema powers-that-be finally decided to turn long-running and immensely popular stage musical Cats into a movie, they probably felt like the cat who got the cream. But once the film actually came into existence — once its first trailer hit, really — they likely felt more like they'd made a huge mess in the litter box.
Thanks to awful CGI, terrible performances and a completely silly concept that was never going to work going to work on the big screen, Cats doesn't equate to movie magic. It certainly doesn't ascend to cinema's Heaviside Layer, either. And now the Tom Hooper-directed flick has the industry's least-wanted gong to show for it, plus a few extra not-so-shiny trophies.
From its nine nominations at this year's Golden Raspberry Awards — the event's 40th ceremony — the musical picked up six prizes, including Worst Picture of the past 12 months. The Razzies also coughed awards Cats' way for Rebel Wilson for Worst Supporting Actress, James Corden for Worst Supporting Actor, Tom Hooper for Worst Director, and both Hooper his co-writer Lee Hall for Worst Screenplay. As for the singing moggy-focused movie's sixth gong, it was given for Worst Screen Combo for "any two half-feline/half-human hairballs/cats".
Also recognised were John Travolta for Worst Actor for both Trading Paint and the Fred Durst (yes, that one)-directed The Fanatic; plus Hilary Duff for Worst Actress for The Haunting of Sharon Tate — none of which hit cinemas Down Under. Rambo: Last Blood picked up the award for Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel, as well as another in the new category for 2019: Worst Regard Disregard for Human Life and Public Property.
The Razzies doesn't just point out everything terrible in cinema from the past year — it also gives a Redeemer Award, too. Someone who once won a Golden Raspberry gets a prize for turning things around, and this year that that someone is Eddie Murphy. He's a Razzie favourite, winning Worst Screenplay in 1990 for Harlem Nights; Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actress and Worst Supporting Actor for Norbit; and Worst Actor of the Decade in 2010 for The Adventures of Pluto Nash, I Spy, Imagine That, Meet Dave, Norbit and Showtime. Now, he has the Redeemer Award for his excellent performance in Dolemite Is My Name as well.
Check out the full list of nominees and winners below:
GOLDEN RASPBERRY NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2019:
WORST PICTURE
Cats
The Fanatic
The Haunting of Sharon Tate
A Madea Family Funeral
Rambo: Last Blood
WORST ACTOR
James Franco, Zeroville
David Harbour, Hellboy (2019)
Matthew McConaughey, Serenity
Sylvester Stallone, Rambo: Last Blood
John Travolta, The Fanatic and Trading Paint
WORST ACTRESS
Hilary Duff, The Haunting of Sharon Tate
Anne Hathaway, The Hustle and Serenity
Francesca Hayward, Cats
Tyler Perry (as Medea), A Madea Family Funeral
Rebel Wilson, The Hustle
WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR
James Corden, Cats
Tyler Perry (as Joe), A Madea Family Funeral
Tyler Perry (as Uncle Heathrow), A Madea Family Funeral
Seth Rogan, Zeroville
Bruce Willis, Glass
Jessica Chastain, X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Cassi Davis, A Madea Family Funeral
Judi Dench, Cats
Fenessa Pineda, Rambo: First Blood
Rebel Wilson, Cats
WORST SCREEN COMBO
Any two half-feline/half-human hairballs in Cats
Jason Derulo and his CGI-neutered "bulge" in Cats
Tyler Perry and Tyler Perry (or Tyler Perry) in A Madea Family Funeral
Sylvester Stallone and his impotent rage in Rambo: First Blood
John Travolta and any screenplay he accepts
WORST DIRECTOR
Fred Durst, The Fanatic
James Franco, Zeroville
Adrian Grunberg, Rambo: First Blood
Tom Hooper, Cats
Neil Marshall, Hellboy (2019)
WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF or SEQUEL
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Hellboy (2019)
A Madea Family Funeral
Rambo: First Blood
WORST SCREENPLAY
Cats, screenplay by Lee Hall and Tom Hooper
The Haunting of Sharon Tate, written by Daniel Farrands
Hellboy (2019), screenplay by Andrew Cosby
A Madea Family Funeral, written by Tyler Perry
Rambo: First Blood, screenplay by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone
WORST RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY
Dragged Across Concrete
The Haunting of Sharon Tate
Hellboy (2019)
Joker
Rambo: First Blood
RAZZIE REDEEMER AWARD
Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name
Keanu Reeves, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum and Toy Story 4
Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Will Smith, Aladdin
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