Monday Movie Miscellany: Mr. T's Be Somebody...Or Be Somebody's Fool!

I've briefly mentioned the ginormous VHS collection that my roommates have accumulated, and from now on we'll be starting the week off with a glimpse into some of the flicks that I find particularly entertaining.

There will be films, like this week's selection, that are a bit off the wall, but there will be others that you know and love. Hopefully all of them will make the transition into the work week a little more enjoyable. Up this week - Mr. T's Be Somebody...Or Be Somebody's Fool!

Generally speaking, musicals and motivational films are not my cup of tea, but in this case I will absolutely make an exception. Geared towards those approaching puberty and the angst of adolescence, this is an excellent life tutorial sure to be appreciated by anyone raised on Sesame Street.

Mr. T is in his mentoring finest, using montage-alicious 80's mixes of jams and beats in vignettes discussing issues that everyone tends to struggle with. Here are the highlights of the problems and what's said about them:

• Shyness - Everyone deserves to be heard.
• Roots - Mr. T tells us why he sports his trademark hairstyle and gold chains.
• Frustration - Keep working at something you want to accomplish, even if it's hard. Eventually you'll get it!
• Anger - Use it, don't lose it!
• Stylin' - You don't need to wear designer labels to be trendy and have your own style.*
• Peer Pressure
• Recouping
• Creating
• Treat your mother right!**
• Working Out - Gotta take care of your body.
• I AM Somebody - Rapping!
• Friendship
• Daydreaming - Can help you make goals.

I gotta say, this is a great video for anyone growing up who's started to run into the more complicated troubles of life. Though obviously dated, it's got great advice that's still applicable today. If I ever happen to have kids, this will definitely be a must-have for their (our) viewing pleasure. But don't take my word on it, check out a clip to see for yourself. Enjoy!

*I love and wholeheartedly agree with this message, but good lord, it would've been awesome for them to cast ladies with body types other than beanpole.

**This is hands-down my favorite part of the movie. The starting skit features two kids bickering, and we soon see the argument's escalation towards a 'yo-mama' slingfest. At this point Mr. T steps in to explain that you don't bring someone's mother into a verbal altercation. This transitions to the song, detailing the acronym MOTHER, which is simply fantastic. It's simple and sincere, and I like to imagine Mr. T wrote it himself.