AwardsWatch

BASIC INSTINCT 2 

Wednesday, February 28----Coming on the eve of the Academy Awards, which honors the BEST in film of the past year, the Golden Raspberry Awards go to the other extreme.....singling out the worst films and performances of 2006. Affectionately known as the Razzies, the ceremonies, now in their 27th year, were held on Oscar eve at Hollywood's Ivar Theater.

The night's big winner was the unintentionally hilarious who-dunnit  BASIC INSTINCT 2, acknowledged as the year's Worst Fim, Worst Screenplay, Worst Sequel, with the film's star Sharon Stone singled out as the year's Worst Actress.  But  BASIC INSTINCT 2  didn't find itself alone in the "winners" circle at Tinsel Town's tackiest trophy derby: Fellow Worst Picture nominees LITTLE MAN and LADY IN THE WATER each took multiple dis-honors as well.

The Wayans Brothers midget-thief-pretending-to-be-a-baby "comedy" LITTLE MAN was singled out for three awards: Worst Remake or Rip-Off, with brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans singled out as Worst Actor and Worst Screen Couple.  Director M. Night Shymalan (THE SIXTH SENSE), who blew off a multi-million-dollar, multi-picture deal with Disney to get his thrill-free-thriller LADY IN THE WATER made, was rewarded with two Razzies: as Worst Director and, for casting himself in a pivotal role in his own film, as Worst Supporting Actor.

Carmen ElectraWorst Supporting Actress turned out to be a neck-and-neck race between two talent-free blondes, but in the end Carmen Electra  beat out last year's Worst Actress "winner" Jenny McCarthy for her cameo appearances in a pair of putrid parodies, DATE MOVIE and SCARY MOVIE 4. Rounding out the field was the "winner" in the newest Razzie category, Worst Excuse for Family Entertainment: Robin Williams' rotten apple of of a road movie, RV.

The Razzies were created in 1980 by lifelong cinemaniac and cynic John Wilson, author of both The Offical Razzies® Movie Guide and Everything I Know I Learned at the Movies. "Winners" were determined by mailing ballots to 757 Golden Raspberry Foundation members throughout 42 US states and more than a dozen foreign countries. Those few brave souls who choose to accept their awards in person receive a gold-spray-painted, golf-ball-sized raspberry atop a mangled super 8 film reel, with an estimated street value of $4.97. For more information on the Razzie Awards, and their ill-lustrious history, please visit: www.razzies.com.

Sandy Mandelberger, Awards Watch Editor