Razzies grab last chance to diss Twilight series

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Stewart, Pattinson: worst screen couple nod. (CP)

LOS ANGELES -- The Twilight finale had better reviews than the franchise's previous four movies, but you'd never know it from the Razzie nominations singling out Hollywood's worst of the year.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 2 led the Razzies lineup late Tuesday with 11 nominations, including worst picture, lead-acting slots for Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, and supporting-acting nominations for Taylor Lautner and Ashley Greene.

Other worst-picture nominees are the naval action tale Battleship, the family flick The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure, Adam Sandler's raunchy dud That's My Boy and Eddie Murphy's comedy flop A Thousand Words.

A spoof of the Academy Awards, the Razzies announcement came a little more than a day before Thursday's Oscar nominations. Winners for the 33rd annual Razzies will be announced Feb. 23, the night before the Oscar show.

The final instalment in the supernatural romance involving vampires, werewolves and a moody schoolgirl, Breaking Dawn -- Part 2 also had nominations for worst director for Bill Condon, plus worst sequel, screenplay and screen ensemble. It picked up two nominations for worst screen couple -- for Stewart and Pattinson and for Lautner and child co-star Mackenzie Foy.

Stewart's worst-actress nomination came for two performances in 2012, her Bella Swan of Twilight and the title role in Snow White and the Huntsman.

Earlier Twilight movies have been regular nominees for the Razzies but have not come away with any key worst-of awards. But the finale seems to be the one Razzies voters have been waiting for, the way Oscar voters were waiting for the last Lord of the Rings film, the one that finally won the big prize.

"That's the analogy we're making, that this is the Razzies' flipside," said Razzies founder John Wilson. "This is our equivalent to The Lord of the Rings. It's our members' last chance to razz Twilight."

Here's how Razzies organizers describe the Twilight finale in the nominations announcement: "The ultimate instalment of the inexplicably successful series focuses on Shirtless Werewolf Jacob and his creepy relationship with the daughter of Sparkly Vampire Edward and Gloomy Goth Gal Bella. Together, the four face a final showdown that will determine the fate of Romantic-But-Boring Monsters everywhere."

Sandler -- whose Jack and Jill made Razzies history last season by winning a record 10 awards, sweeping every category -- remains a Razzies favourite this time. That's My Boy ran second with eight Razzie nominations, among them worst actor for Sandler and supporting actor for both Nick Swardson and Vanilla Ice.

Tyler Perry was nominated for both worst actor (Alex Cross and Good Deeds) and actress (Madea's Witness Protection, in which he reprised his cross-dressing title character).

Along with Sandler, Pattinson and Perry, worst-actor contenders are Nicolas Cage for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and Seeking Justice; and Murphy for A Thousand Words.

Joining Stewart and Perry in the worst-actress lineup are Katherine Heigl for One for the Money; Milla Jovovich for Resident Evil: Retribution; and Barbra Streisand for The Guilt Trip.

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 11, 2013 D3