Further Oscar odd’n’ends

By now the Oscar nominations should have sunk in and the educated Ticketreader will have decided upon the biggest surprises. It is certainly worth repeating that two of the five nominees for best live-action short were directed by Irish film-makers. Congratulations are extended to Terry George and Peter McDonald, directors of, respectively, The Shoreand Pentecost.

The biggest turn-up may have been Damián Bechir (co-star of recent Irish film The Runway) beating Michael Fassbender to a best actor nomination. Bechir was very good in A Better Life, but the film was drippier than last week's cabbage. The unexpectedly strong showing for Stephen Daldry's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Closehas also been much discussed.

Note also a significant exclusion in the race for best animated feature. For the first time since its inception, the relevant year's Pixar film is nowhere to be seen. What was John Lassetter up to with Cars 2?