Higher Learning

Rating:
Summary: It's a great movie that depicts college issues.
Review: Higher Learning is a great movie that portrays issues on a typical college campus. The story shows the events a college freshmen is faced with when they first enter the college life. Three specific students, Malik, Kristen, and Remy, struggling to find their places. Malik is an athlete, who faces the pressure of his team and the classroom. Kristen has to confront her sexual preferences. Remy is a hometown guy who hasn't had much experiences in life. He ends up in a Nazi organization. Although the movie is based on three characters, all nationalities are represented in the movie. I recommend all students to view this movie.

Rating:
Summary: H. L. is mediocre because it lacks what it intends-diversity
Review: Higher Learning's best feature is that it serves to make the public aware of the worst manifestations of racism, homophobia and sexism. One of the films flaws is that it fails to show the diversity which the plot and characterization of the storyline seems to promise; by stating 'lack of true diversity' one expands in saying that the film only shows extreme versions of the various ideologies. The film is a collection of high strung psychos and lunatics ranging from the man-hating lesbian feminist to the militant, weed-smoking, black panther to the ultra-violent, third reich, "the apocalypse is upon us" believing, neo-nazi. The only truly realistic character is the Jewish roommate of Reme. In saying that the characters are unrealistic, one is not saying that their bigotry is not realistic, but rather that the rest of their character is not developed in areas besides their quest for the vindication of their respective extremist group. In one's opinion, for a character to be fully developed, and thus realistic, he/she must having no overriding principle in his/her life, he/she must have various channels of expression, he/she must be diverse in his/her collection of social aquaintances, and he/she must actively express various opinions on various subjects not related to his/her predominant role in the movie. In light of this understanding, one concludes that not all characters in the movie will be fully developed because of their time on screen, but those with significant time on screen should be developed. While one feels that this movie served to accomplish the basic social goal of public realization of diversity problems on college campuses, due to the fact that the various groups were limited to extremist groups and the characters were not developed, but rather spoke only on the diversity bigotry which they had, one concludes that this film is mediocre - accomplishing its basic goal of public awareness, and failing as believable because of its lack of depth in its characters (rather caricatures), and lack of diversity in its various groups, both which are important points in such a movie.

Rating:
Summary: The reason for the over-exageration of problems on a campus.
Review: This was a good movie because it shows the many problems that a new college student has. The college as a whole seemed to be shown as a microcosm of society as a whole and tried to represent many different cultures in society. It touches on racism from both sides and also touches on individual's struggles to combat racism. The exageration of each social conflict helps to depict a message to the public of what could happen to society as a whole if changes and strides to lessen racism are not made. It also shows that things will not change over night, but it will be a gradual struggle to re-educate the public into the idea of the necessity of having a nation without racism and that all men and women should be treated the same. Another point in the movie is to show how students both white and black are put into an environent in which they are uncomfortable can easily be swayed into believing many different things. They become so influintial that they start to do things they know are wrong , but because they are excepted in that group they do not realize the wrongs they are comitting. Which shows that you should except somebody even though they are different because you never know what difference you could make in being nice to one person. So overall I think this movie, though hard to bare and a little on the hateful side, gives a good message for the good of society as a whole and entertains you throughout the intirity of the movie.

Rating:
Summary: College 101
Review: I believe that Higher Learning is a video that should be viewed by all college students. John Singleton does an exceptional job of describing college life in today's society. In today's colleges and universities the situations are not as blatent as in the movie, but the mental struggle that students encounter are very true. Higher Learning touches down on many aspects of the problems that all Americans endure on an everyday basis. I believe without a doubt that this movie should be a prerequisite for all entering college students!

Rating:
Summary: The problems of human nature: "fear as a control"
Review: Higher Learning is an excellent video that depicts racial and ethical problems in society. It dramatically displayed an unwritten f(law) of human nature: the use of stereotype as a means prejudgement. Prejudgements molded through ignorances and propetuated through fear. The college background also showed how the fear of personal segregation in the wake of a new environment can lead to a feeling of not belonging which inversely can lead to a bias by that person to find a group that is "like " he or she and will seemingly "except" he or she more easily. This fear of personal segregation lends itself to producing groups that are either racially, ethicatly, or financaily exclusive, thus making assimilation and understanding even harder to achieve.

Rating:
Summary: Reveals the tension between groups of various race and sex
Review: The film by John Singleton realistically reflects the social and academic pressures that college students are forced to confront in America. The racial and sexual tensions are highlighted; this intention is merited since these defining characteristics will shape the way each individual sees both himself/herself and the world around him/her. The conflicts encountered between different polarized groups such as racism and date-rape are important to address since the deterioration of our human relationships is mainly owing to the fear and ignorance experienced by people like Meleek and Remi in the movie. The homicidal actions taken by Remi at the conclusion of the film were overdramatized, though Singleton does so to emphasize the detrimental effects of racism. The movie has a hopeful ending which perpetuates Singleton's promise that we can change the ways we see and relate to each other as human beings. His movie provides some realistic solutions for ways we can build a more integrated and open-minded society.

Rating:
Summary: I really enjoyed the film.
Review: I personally enjoyed the movie Higher Learning. It dealt with a lot of problems that exist on campus colleges today. Many people don't know what it is like to be in college now a days. This movie, I think, shows the blind to see, and it brings things from the darkness to light. My favorite character in the movie was Omar Epps. He portrayed a lot of problems and worries that a black-male athlete goes through. Not to mention a black-male athlete, at a predominately white school. I could really relate with a lot of things that happen to "Malik". I am a black-male athlete myself and all of the things that went on with him, has in some shape form or fashion, happen to me or I have witnessed it. "Malik" had a real hard time coping with the predominately white society that he was in. He felt like everyone was out to get him. It feels like that sometimes, and when I watch a movie like this, it lets me know that I am not the only one going through those type of problems. In all, the movie was great. I give it two thumbs up!!!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting plot that included every possible college genre
Review: Whoever argues that Blacks are still drawers of water and hewers of wood, did not see this particular movie. This film not only depicts African-Americans in the main stream of college life, but making great strides in professions and carrers that are not just positions of servitude. The film by Singleton depicts every aspect one could think of concerning academia. From the meledious tones of the professor to the cannon ringing shots fired into innocent flesh. The much extreme notions Singleton depicted through out the film were all warranted due to man's comprehension. The average person doesn't understand mixed signals and covert symbolism. Which in my opinion the argued scenes that one could say were overdone and over dramatized were warranted and necessary. In short, even though things may seem to be unreal this particular picture seemed not just real but needed. To open the eyes of consciousness of all who view such a work.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent job was done depicting the typical university.
Review: Higher Learning is a realistic representation of college life. It depicts actual events that occur at a typical college or university in the 20th and approaching 21st centuries. Higher Learning allows individuals to see the hatred and racism incorported in our schools that most people deny exists. This film can be used to justify that our society is full of stereotypes and racism, and the only way to rid ourselves of this mess is to evaluate self and find the problem within.

Rating:
Summary: A story of a Universities effect on a students life.
Review: Higher Learning is a great movie that deals with the issues faced by all students in the institutes of higher education. Being a college student I recognize all the problems explored by the movie. The racial situations are blatant, and the situations force the audience to think about the problems faced by college students.