Baker (Pauline Collins), aflutter with aspirational cooing, while a colorful cast, including Brendan Gleeson and Brenda Fricker, portrays the other residents.

NEWYORKER: Material Girls

In the supporting stakes, Oscar loves salt-of-the-earth types such as Katina Paxinou, Lila Kedrova or Brenda Fricker, almost as much as fresh faces.

ECONOMIST: Spotting the winners

The new characters include Brenda Fricker as a homeless woman who devotes herself to pigeons, and Tim Curry, Dana Ivey, and Rob Schneider as nincompoop hotel workers.

NEWYORKER: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York