Portrayals of gay men in top Oscar contenders might have provoked controversy in years gone by. That it has gone unremarked is itself remarkable

Rami Malik’s Oscar-winning performance was so realistic he seemed to be physically channelling Freddie Mercury

And so the Oscars have come and gone. The long winter of thespian self-congratulation is over. Each year it begins with the amuse bouche of the Baftas, followed by a too-big starter of the Golden Globes before the main course of Oscar night. Sunday in Los Angeles becomes RTÉ 2’s Monday night three-hour special. The stars of the screen shine without a plot or storyline, one big glittering extravaganza.

This year, there was ...