"Babel" just might have that "Crash" vibe going

As we recover from the jolt that was Tuesday morning's Oscar-nominations announcement (one lingering question: Who told the beautiful Salma Hayek that a tent dress was a good idea?), let's kick off our weekly Oscar Watch examination of best-picture nominees with Alejandro González Iñárritu's "Babel."

An elegantly filmed tangle of stories, spreading across several countries and time periods and revealing intricate connections between its characters, "Babel" just might have the appeal to Oscar audiences that "Crash" did last year. A multiple prizewinner upon its Cannes International Film Festival world premiere last spring, it has yet to find a wide audience, though it's been booked into additional theaters since its Golden Globe win (for best picture — drama) last week. At just under $24 million since its late October opening, its box-office total is the second-lowest of the best-picture nominees. ("Letters from Iwo Jima," playing in a far smaller number of theaters, is the lowest.)

While its cast includes bona fide movie stars — Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett play an American couple traveling in Morocco — its acting nominations went to two virtual unknowns. Adriana Barraza movingly played a Mexican nanny who, torn between her job and her family, made a decision with devastating consequences. Rinko Kikuchi, as a troubled teen acting out in the wake of her mother's death, stole the film. Both are nominated for supporting actress.

The film's seven nominations also honor its editing, original score, directing and writing. That last may bring some tension on Oscar night: Screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga (who worked with Iñárritu on "Amores Perros" and "21 Grams") and Iñárritu may have some friction between them. The Los Angeles Times reported that Iñárritu banned Arriaga from the Cannes premiere, annoyed that the writer claimed much of the credit for the success of "21 Grams." A big win for "Babel" seems unlikely on Oscar night — but then again, "Crash" seemed unlikely too.

And finally, our weekly Oscar trivia begins with this puzzler: While accepting her Golden Globe award last week, Meryl Streep (now the proud recipient of her 14th Oscar nomination) smilingly noted, "I think I've worked with everyone in this room." With how many of this year's fellow Oscar nominees has Streep shared a movie screen? Answer: See next week's Oscar Watch.

Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com