Oscar season is a busy time at our house. Ever since my husband Nate and I met in 1999, we’ve done our best to watch every major award nominee. This is a task we have not managed to complete since 2011 (when, not coincidentally, our eldest son William was born). However, we do watch a lot of the nominees, and whether we adore a film or find ourselves bewildered by its nomination, this practice is one of my most cherished rituals. My favorites rarely win, but I don’t see that as a reflection of their quality. Selecting winners can be such a subjective and labyrinthine process that getting the trophy isn’t always a sign of superiority, but rather of luck and fitting the judges’ tastes. Still, it’s fun to win, and whenever I’m in charge of selecting winners, I try my best to be fair and systematic in my decision making.