Oscars 2014 Nominations: 10 Things We Learned About This Year's Picks

6. ...And Neither is Pixar

It was once unthinkable that a year might go by without the Pixar team showing up to the Oscars to swipe an award or two, before heading back to HQ to create another masterpiece. But that year has come €“ Pixar's Monsters University, though hardly the worst animated feature of 2013, didn't even make the cut in the 2014 Best Animated Film category. It's not surprising €“ having creatively hit the 'difficult second album' phase, Pixar has been dependable of late, but not much more. The studio that once gambled on gastronomic rats and geriatric explorers - and won - suddenly seemed interested primarily in the financial impact of creating lacklustre sequels (Toy Story 3 aside) to its most famous properties. Monsters University was another good but not great follow-up, a further disappointing move from the one Hollywood studio that once seemed untouched by the lure of money. The studio's 2014 Oscar snub may be the kick up the rump that it needs to lift itself out of complacency.