Major cities around the world have their own parties that make them stand out: New Year’s Eve in New York, Carnivale in Rio, Love Parade in Berlin, Mardi Gras in New Orleans–every city’s got its own flavor. Los Angeles, when it’s not wrapped up in a riot, is celebrating its movie culture. Unlike most other down-and-dirty parties in world metropolises, the Academy Awards are more a spectator event that people watch from their televisions.

Anyway, the event of the 73rd Academy Awards this year was the traditional hooplaof Hollywood icons patting themselves on the back for what they’ve done. At the same time, you wonder, is this the best they could do?

The usual parade of famous stars came out for the festivities. Steve Martin was the main presenter, and Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn, Jennifer Lopez, and Tom Cruise all presented. The awards was a time for celebrities to show off the latest fashions.

Gladiator lucked out as best movie of the year, and won a total of five Oscars. It has all the charm of a blockbuster: action, romance, betrayal, and historical inaccuracy. Of all the nominated movies, it was the one that most filled the bill for its judges.

Russell Crowe, its star, also won Best Actor, vividly portraying, with his Australian accent, a Spaniard from Roman times.

Bob Dylan’s song, "Things Have Changed," from the movie Wonder Boys bridged the generation gaps between middle-aged ex-hippies and younger yuppie audiences, making it a shoo-in for best song.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, while somewhat pushed under the rug for the bigger awards, won for Best Foreign Film, Art Direction, Cinematography, and Music Score.

Best Supporting Actor and Actress were given to Benicio del Toro for Traffic and Marcia Gay Harden for Pollock.

One of the interesting things about this year’s awards was how foreign and more independent films received widespread attention. A Puerto Rican won Best Supporting Actor, a Taiwanese film was nominated for Best Movie, and won a considerable amount of other Oscars.

Attention is turning away from the big blockbuster style films, and more notice is being given to less mainstream elements.

While Gladiator still represented the success and attention for Hollywood hits, movies in general are absorbing new styles.