THR’s Scott Feinberg knows full well that by posting the following paragraph in his latest (1.17.25) Oscar predictions piece…

…that this statement will activate a monkey-brain impulse among Academy members to show support for The Brutalist and Emilia Perez (not only right now but over the next few weeks) and thereby instill a feeling of…I don’t know, a feeling of belonging or vague job security or something.

Feinberg knows he’s aiding and abetting the Oscar fortunes of two big-swing movies that either aren’t loved (Perez ‘s RT Joe Popcorn score is 37%) or are determined to make viewers feel morose and under the weather.

Scott knows he’s contributing to an awful feeling within industry circles…a notion that the Hollywood community is contributing to its own sense of isolation from Average Joes and self-destruction by celebrating mediocre wokeism and/or pretentious show-off films that nobody really likes (except for the phonies).

Here’s how Scott rationalizes what he’s doing:

HE to Academy: Wake up, don’t do this and offer hugs to the genuinely well-liked, obviously well-crafted Conclave, Anora and A Complete Unknown.