My Oscar picks are in, and I’ve gone very long on George Miller and Mad Max: Fury Road.

With all the chatter about Spotlight vs The Big Short and the love-hate people have for The Revenant, I thought I would go with Miller’s action packed, edge of your seat, crowd pleasing splendour. The only film I saw twice in 2015. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it won?

Who am I kidding? I never win the Oscar pool. I can never quite bring my self to select those most likely to win. Somehow in employing that winning strategy I fear I might be endorsing the politics that seem to cloud the Academy’s better judgements. Every year I hope really great films will receive the recognition they deserve and every year I am a little bit disappointed, even more so when some of my favourites do not even receive a nomination.

This year I think the films nominated for best picture are the right ones. Could there have been 11 or even 15, maybe?  But we haven’t got all night now, have we?

Regardless of the politics and disappointments, I have never missed watching the Academy Awards. For many it still represents the hallmark of film achievement. The carrot that drives the effort. More and more we are seeing filmmakers take risks that are recognized, pushing creative boundaries, inspiring innovation and bringing important stories to the forefront of audiences in cinemas around the world.

With high hopes that the Academy make immediate changes to eliminate bias next year,  I will sit and enjoy the evening with friends. I will enjoy the gowns, the tuxes, the speeches and the tributes. I will enjoy the tweets and texts with my movie nerd compadres. Here is  hoping for some surprises (Room and Lenny for the win?), that no one trips on the stairs and the winners remember who helped them win the wee man.

Jules