Hindsight’s a bitch.

What better way to ease into awards season than the shortlist for the 37th Golden Raspberry (Razzie) Awards – a celebration of the best of the worst Hollywood has to offer.

Surprising no one, widely-recognized duds Zoolander 2 and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice lead the nominations, joined by fellow turkeys Gods of Egypt, Collateral Beauty, and Assassin’s Creed, among others.

It’s worth mentioning at this point that taking the Razzies too seriously runs counter to their irreverent spirit. Both Bruce the Shark of Jaws infamy and ex-president George W. Bush are past Razzie recipients. “Blowing a raspberry,” is in itself a derisive and amusing gesture, and if you’ll excuse the mixed fruit metaphor, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

That being said, this year’s shortlist has a couple eyebrow raisers. Both Aubrey Plaza and Octavia Spencer’s nominations for best supporting actress seem unnecessary. The problems with these films had little to do with either’s performance. I assume the joke is that they’re respectable actresses tangentially related to awful movies, and that this is funny.

The most surprising, and arguably objectionable, nomination on the shortlist is that of Margot Robbie, who’s up for Worst Actress for Suicide Squad and Legend of Tarzan. Unlike Plaza and Spencer, Robbie is, by most accounts, a stand out in both of her cited films. Regarding her performance in Suicide Squad, The New Yorker, praised her as the film’s saving grace; according to The Guardian she was “the most memorable, by no small margin”; and The Atlantic went so far as to hail her as “genuinely terrific.” Likewise, her turn as Jane was deemed utterly charming, and even progressive. All to say, in light of this positive reception, her inclusion on the Razzie shortlist is confusing; if there’s a joke, it hasn’t landed.

This wouldn’t be the first time the Razzies have goofed (as much as something like the Razzies can *cough*). Truly, like any awards body, the Razzies’ history is peppered with nominees and winners that don’t feel quite right in retrospect. Here are some of the more embarrassing examples, in chronological order:

The Shining — Worst Director (nominated)

Pictured: nope nope nope nope

When: The First Golden Raspberry Awards (1981)

Why?!: You read that right: Stanley Kubrick for worst director. Stephen King fans might have been pissed that the film deviated substantially from the source material – King certainly was.

Heaven’s Gate – Worst Picture, Actor, Screenplay, Musical Score (nominated); Worst Director (won)

Analog for what it feels like to watch Heaven’s Gate

When: 2nd Golden Raspberry Awards (1982)

Why!?: Heaven’s Gate is up there with Hollywood’s most notorious flops; the film bankrupted United Artists, went super over budget, and has an astounding 219 minute runtime (!!!). The director’s cut has since received a renaissance, and a release and restoration with the Criterion Collection. The film remains divisive, but is now considered a cinematic achievement.

The Thing – Worst Musical Score (nominated)

Kurt Russell’s beard for Best Supporting Actor, amiright?

When: The Third Golden Raspberry Awards (1983)

Why!?: I think about Ennio Morricone’s Thing score at least three times a week (is that creepy? shut up). This nomination makes sense insofar as The Thing did poorly at the box office and was initially eviscerated (ironically enough) by critics. However, I have NO FLIPPIN’ IDEA why Morricone’s phenomenal score was nominated for a Razzie, for comedy’s sake, or otherwise. Listen for yourselves: it’s creeping dread, crawling flesh, and paranoia all at once and I love it. Also while we’re here, Dave Tompkins’ piece is related (and highly recommended) reading.

Newsies – Worst Picture, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Director (nominated); Worst Original Song (won)

Oh hi baby Christian Bale

When: The 13th Golden Raspberry Awards (1993)

Why!?: Originally considered one of Disney’s biggest flops, and as such a worthy Razzies pick, Newsies has since been adapted as a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. Which is funny in retrospect considering the film’s Razzie win was for its music.

The Blair Witch Project – Worst Picture (nominated); Actress (won)

Pictured: more nope nope nope nope

When: The 20th Golden Raspberry Awards (2000)

Why?!: I honestly have no idea. The film was a box office success, defining the found footage genre (for better or for worse) and producing some of the most recognizable visuals of 1999. Hell, one of the most memorable moments is Heather Donahue’s unnervingly frenetic direct-to-camera speech, up-the-nose shot and all. Why she was nominated let alone won is a mystery to me.

Honourable mention: Yentl, for Worst Actor, Supporting Actress (for which it was nominated for an Oscar), and Musical Score (for which it won an Oscar).

For your reading pleasure, the shortlist for the 37th Razzie Awards:

WORST PICTURE

Assassin’s Creed

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Collateral Beauty

The Darkness

Dirty Grandpa

The Divergent Series: Allegiant

Fifty Shades of Black

Gods of Egypt

Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party

Independence Day: Resurgence

London Has Fallen

Mother’s Day

Suicide Squad

Zoolander 2

WORST DIRECTOR

Dinesh D’Souza – Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party

Roland Emmerich – Independence Day: Resurgence

Justin Kurzel – Assassin’s Creed

Dan Mazer – Dirty Grandpa

Greg McLean – The Darkness

Babak Najafi – London Has Fallen

Tyler Perry – Boo! A Madea Halloween

Alex Proyas – Gods of Egypt

Zack Snyder – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Ben Stiller – Zoolander 2

Michael Tiddes – Fifty Shades of Black

WORST ACTRESS

Jennifer Aniston – Mother’s Day / Office Christmas Party

Marion Cotillard – Allied / Assassin’s Creed

Megan Fox – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Radha Mitchell – The Darkness

Tyler Perry (as Madea) – Boo! A Madea Halloween

Margot Robbie – The Legend of Tarzan / Suicide Squad

Julia Roberts – Mother’s Day

Becky Turner (as Hillary Clinton) – Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party

Naomi Watts – The Divergent Series: Allegiant / Shut In

Shailene Woodley – The Divergent Series: Allegiant

WORST ACTOR

Ben Affleck – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Kevin Bacon – The Darkness

Gerard Butler – Gods of Egypt / London Has Fallen

Henry Cavill – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Dinesh D’Souza (as himself) – Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party

Robert De Niro – Dirty Grandpa

Zac Efron – Dirty Grandpa / Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

Liam Hemsworth – Independence Day: Resurgence

Brad Pitt – Allied

Will Smith – Collateral Beauty / Suicide Squad

Ben Stiller – Zoolander 2

Marlon Wayans – Fifty Shades of Black

WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Cassi Davis – Boo! A Madea Halloween

Julianne Hough – Dirty Grandpa

Kate Hudson – Mother’s Day

Keira Knightley – Collateral Beauty

Helen Mirren – Collateral Beauty

Aubrey Plaza – Dirty Grandpa

Jane Seymour – Fifty Shades of Black

Octavia Spencer – The Divergent Series: Allegiant

Sela Ward – Independence Day: Resurgence

Kristen Wiig – Masterminds / Zoolander 2

Kate Winslet – Collateral Beauty

WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Nicolas Cage – Snowden

Benedict Cumberbatch – Zoolander 2

Johnny Depp – Alice Through the Looking Glass

Jesse Eisenberg – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Will Ferrell – Zoolander 2

Jeff Goldblum – Independence Day: Resurgence

Jeremy Irons – Assassin’s Creed / Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Jared Leto – Suicide Squad

T.J. Miller – Office Christmas Party

Geoffrey Rush – Gods of Egypt

Brenton Thwaites – Gods of Egypt

Owen Wilson – Masterminds / Zoolander 2

WORST SCREENPLAY

Assassin’s Creed

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Dirty Grandpa

The Divergent Series: Allegiant

Fifty Shades of Black

Ghostbusters

Gods of Egypt

Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party

Independence Day: Resurgence

Mother’s Day

Suicide Squad

Zoolander 2

WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIPOFF OR SEQUEL

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Blair Witch

The Divergent Series: Allegiant

Fifty Shades of Black (rip-off of Fifty Shades of Grey)

Independence Day: Resurgence

The Legend of Tarzan

London Has Fallen

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

Ride Along 2

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Zoolander 2