When most airlines start their safety videos on the overhead monitors, most us use it as a time to get some sleep, become ever-more engrossed in that column about Brad and Jen, or hope that a suitcase falls out of the overhead compartment and knocks us unconscious in order to miss the ensuing presentation. The problem, of course, while most people think they already know the material, is that said material is presented by a bunch of uptight people dressed as airline representatives in cheap suits, spouting condescending legalese and overly-technical crap with regards to how to open the exit door and how to fasten our safety belts, which is garnished with a layer of complete bullshit about how “it’s [their] pleasure to have you aboard.” Uh huh. Flight attendants would just as soon fly with empty airplanes if they could still get paid, but, I digress.

Virgin America has the antidote. I find their safety video an absolutely wonderful work of art, based on the combination of the sarcastic, and at times exasperated narrator, and the grotesque, surrealist pencil drawing animation. The video takes a lighthearted approach to explaining the safety features, while never undermining the importance of safety, and always managing to clearly explain the safety features of the airplane. As the crash of US Airways 1549 illustrated, watching the safety video, is, in fact, extremely important, even for a frequent flyer, to find out something as trivial seeming as your nearest exit. In all my flights since US 1549, I always force myself to pay attention to the safety video, and yes, I actually mentally count the rows of seats to my forward and aft exit, in case the plane is too dark to see the exit path lighting, and I am in a situation where I must exit. Unfortunately, I do so reluctantly, not because I’m some self-destructive weirdo, but because the video content is so terrible. I would gladly watch that safety video with full attention on each Virgin America flight, over United’s cinematographic junk with overly serious, balding flight attendants lecturing me for four minutes. Don’t crack a smile, guys, you may hurt yourselves.

Check out the video below, and for once, enjoy learning about safety.