Written by Neha Patchipala

Will Jennifer Lawrence trip again? Is the most retweeted selfie going to get a run for its money? Am I just going to be watching The Revenant sweep all the categories?

These questions were what was running through my mind as I got into my car and drove to my friend’s house to watch the 88th Academy Awards. Last Sunday was the first (and probably last) time that I watched the Oscars from the opening monologue to the final award for Best Picture.

The pre-Oscars buzz was relatively strong this year. The minute the Oscar nominations came out was the minute that #OscarsSoWhite was born.

Video by Aanchal Garg and Devika Watave

It isn’t acceptable that there were no black nominees, especially during the year of Straight Outta Compton and Concussion. But I didn’t think much of it until Chris Rock’s monologue, which took many shots at how African-American people are treated, both in the industry and the world.

Watching the audience question themselves on whether it is appropriate to laugh was also a bit amusing.

I’m usually indifferent when it comes to which movie or actor wins a coveted Oscar. But I do admit to screaming and flapping my arms when Leonardo DiCaprio walked onstage to accept an Oscar after being nominated six times and never winning once. The fact that he also used his speech to bring awareness to climate change made me love him a little more.

What was a bit disappointing was Lady Gaga not winning an award for her song, “Till it Happens to You.” I thought she was shoo-in after her jaw-dropping and emotional performance of the track, in which she was accompanied by real life sexual assault survivors. But, the award went to Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes for their song “Writings on the Wall”.

Other than the awards aspect of the awards ceremony, the show itself had a powerful orchestral accompaniment and cute throwbacks to Toy Story and Star Wars. It was these small moments that kept my interest throughout the three-hour long show.

So, Jennifer Lawrence did not trip again. People won’t remember this Oscars for a selfie, but for Chris Rock’s brutally honest monologue. And surprisingly enough, Mad Max: Fury Road ended up winning six of the awards including Best Costume Design and Best Film Editing. The Revenant only won three. The show was pleasantly surprising, with an almost perfect balance between an awards ceremony and an entertaining night.