John Wight

Writer

Modern literature suffers from the lack of an epic novel which encompasses and defines the times in which we live, containing as a result that elusive but necessary quality of timelessness necessary to accord it the status of the classic. Having just read Victor Hugo's magnificent Les Miserables, this lack of serious literature in and of our time is even more evident.

Ben Falk

Entertainment journalist and author

You remake Girl With The Dragon Tattoo because millions of people can't be arsed to read subtitles. You do a hundred versions of Macbeth because the writing is so complex and universal that each one can yield myriad subtext or reflections on our own modern-day existence. Point Break is Point Break. There's nothing to interpret.

Sarah M. Jones

PR & film obsessor

Given we are in an age where traditional media, entertainment and communications are all being bulldozed by a digital, non-location specific cloud approach, standing there with arms crossed refusing to let this international celebration of film spread its glory globally, looking much like an incorrigibly stubborn little Oscars statue, is surely quite backwards.

Megan Sutton

Journalism student and Fashion editor

The Oscars; the one night of the year when under-dressed is definitely not an option. The 85th Academy Awards saw a parade of perfectly preened A-Listers gliding down the red carpet in their Sunday best, and we- mere earthlings- watched on in awe. This year's event certainly lived up to expectations in the 'Best Dressed' category, and -of course- there was a little drama too.

Peter Frankopan

Historian at Oxford University; Director of the Oxford Center for Byzantine Research

We should, I think, cut Hollywood some slack. It is easy to forget that history is all about dramatic license. Who wants to read a boring account of the past? Which historian does not want to spice things up? And even as far as flaws, errors and distortions go - well, bring them on.

Sarah Woolley

Freelance writer

This week Tina Fey said "No Way" to hosting the Oscars and taking the torch from Seth Macfarlane - a man committed to failing upwards in life. It's an announcement that disappointed many who had asked, "Why can't Tina Fey and Amy Poehler just host everything?"

James Christie

Author of Dear Miss Landau

Sometimes I ask myself whether there really is a fate or destiny to things, and it's hard to be sceptical when, three years later, I find myself (along with James Doherty of the National Autistic Society Scotland), not in Hollywood, but on a Scottish street late one Sunday night meeting Joss Whedon.

Claire-Louise Meadows

Freelance Journalist, Editor & Equal Rights Advocate

Ok... I was waiting for the funny to happen... and it never showed. We're used to it, I suppose... we suffered the unbearable Ricky Gervais as host for far longer than we should have had to. But... wow... wasn't Seth MacFarlane awful?

Sri Sritharan

Citius, Altius, Fortius. And such

MacFarlane will never be everyone's cup of tea, but the show's organisers would have known this.

Michael P. Clarkson

Comedy writer and director

As a "writer" and self-professed film lover I had never actually watched an Academy Awards ceremony - or that many Academy Award nominated films. The horrible truth of it all is that I'm very much at home with crap films - I ENJOY them.

Clive Botting

Academic, art collector and lover of world cinema

It's a film that all can enjoy and be surprised and amazed by.

Tim Manton

A budding journalist who thinks too much and then writes it all down

The best thing about the Oscars is, in my opinion, the aftermath of the Oscars. I say this, because I don't have a lot of time for the actual ceremony unless it's in small chunks online. That's where it makes sense.

Preetam Kaushik

Freelance journalist

This year's Oscars ceremony was unique in many respects. Ang Lee's Namaste only highlighted this uniqueness. Although the function itself was very much American in its outer trappings, the spirit reflected the effect of globalising on one of the most prestigious film awards.

Dr Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham

Consultant Psychiatrist and Emeritus Visiting Gresham Professor for Public Understanding of Psychiatry

Great acting by women has little bearing on the overall assessment of a film, while great acting by men is much more closely linked to appreciation of a great movie.

Caragh Little

English teacher, book-lover, @TweeterofWit, blogger, lifelong learner

So it's Oscar time again. I used to love the Oscars. I used to look forward to seeing the stars' red carpet appearances, examining the details of the...

Philip Keightley

Philip Keightley is an Account Director at PR, Search & Social Media Agency Punch Communications

February is the most notable month for award ceremonies in film and music on both sides of the Atlantic. The Grammys, BAFTAs and Brit Awards have alre...