I also think Traffic should have won best picture.
Its always funny to me when it happens that a Pic is named Best Directed, Best Written, Best (Supporting) Acted -- but its not the best picture?
Traffic, IMHO, is a more important film in its message than Gladiator. Its more representative of the year and the era. But again, its just my opinion, I did not care for Gladiator--thought it was basically an action movie with no script. It took three people to write that? Come on. It was largely visual. Again, JUST my OPINION. Not looking to start a fight.
My fav movie last year was Almost Famous, so that will tell you where my tastes run.
A