IN THE TUBE
It’s been a while since the last In the Tube, and to be honest there has been very little to watch the past few weeks, which is why I was excited when three new videos from three interesting artists (RJD2, Animal Collective, and Islands) showed up on the Internetz this week, ready to be viewed and judged by people like me. Unfortunately, the videos from RJD2 and Animal Collective were pretty forgettable, even though one had a Minotaur and the other had kids doing some wacky egg-painting (which is a shame, because I think the Minotaur is an important symbol of American culture and I have always believed wacky egg-painting to be the wackiest and most egg-like way to paint things). But the new video for Islands’ song “No You Don’t” managed to keep my attention the whole way through, and that was mainly because of Michael Cera.

Yes, Michael Cera is in the new Islands video, and yes, he is tripping balls. I don’t know whose idea it was, but it’s an interesting one—and it’s nice to see Cera taking on a new role, even if he’s taking it on in the exact same way he takes on all his other roles. We even see him doing an awkward run toward the camera, sweating and looking awkwardly at his hand with a “Michael Cera face,” and climbing through some bushes in a rather awkward manner. We don’t know what he is supposed to be on exactly, but it’s powerful, and it doesn’t look like he’s having a great time. He looks uncomfortable and concerned, like he might even start crying. The video makes us feel bad for Michael Cera; he always looks so painfully awkward and enduringly adolescent, even when he’s doing psychoactive drugs and trying to be a “youth in revolt.” You wish you could give him a hug and tell him that everything is going to be okay; that one day he’ll grow up and be a truly versatile actor.

And that’s when a man in a sequined wing suit appears and gives him that hug – a hug to bring him down from this scary and awkward high. But unfortunately, the sequined man is just a hallucination, and Michael is left standing with his arms around empty air. It’s actually a pretty awkward way to stand. But that’s okay. Islands is a good band and “No You Don’t” is a pretty good song, and Michael Cera is a good actor. If I were to grade this video, I was would give it an A. A for awkward. Either that or a B minus.

by Tom Mooseker

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compiled by Max Sebela