Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1995)
CINEMA ‘Higher Learning1 fails to make the grade Greg Hamilton for rve rV'ffgrv'T 0i*.'> f Ai (he age of 23, John S ^gieton startled the world with his tyuta’ urban vs on (toys n the Hood F hod wrtn vivd characters and a powerful message Singleton six>vmd m n-s directorial dobut. lor whch he received an Oscar nomination, that youth >s a force to in reckoned with Unfortunately, youth is a so subject to de aiistic behavior and questionable decisions On the surface th>s may appear altruistic but m the end it*s sometimes plagued with structural problems and basic oversights To make a tong story short Singleton's lat est effort, Higher Learning, reflects this youthful problem by trying to dig deep into issues of socal conscience but tamng to get past the surface for lack of a good shove The spmt is w iling, but h r; toots are weak (inter Columbus University, a thriving col lege campus that reeks of diversity (sound familiar7) and harbors the usual pack of social and ethical struggles It >s the hub of knowledge and ignorance a point that Sm gieton brings down on the aude'u o wth tt<o subtlety of a hydrogen bomb This jackhammer mentality carries over to the cast, a mishmash of 20-nothmgs who bear social crosses of every shape and size, who have no problem letting everyone know about them There's Malik (Omar Fpps, Juice) .in African-American athlete who thinks h<s ath letic prowess and his race should allow him to gi.de through college with ease There's Kristen (Kristy Swanson. Butty the Vampire Slayer), who is raped at her firs: trat party and subsequently flirts with lesbianism And men there s Homy (Mark Rapoport true Romance), an Idaho hayseed who's so SOC'.i’ty inept (and Obv’Ou'Siy angry) that you Know he'd w-n<j up on top o> a t». <1 ‘ -j with a rrtie. which he does over .< he didn't Hook up a !h a band o' ski- • *>ad w*- to sup'oryi c>sts. wr»ch he also does M • !-ese three a" ,i • ••• o' »*.i'e a’ ,! gone supporting characters, stir m a tangle of d©otog<es a-ong with a pi rich ol por a correctness and you have the txow that fuels Higher Learning Higher Learning Omar I pjn, he Cube, lawrtm Fishbume, Kristy Swanson Di rti tor:Jehu Si ngledm fUttil R ★ ★ 1.1 i! a b'ew >! is StnQfe ion's vision blows pasi r®*» ly and seeks IN* wtxsl l U3tf SUB nano tor virtuu!!y everything Instead o* dealing with the insidious and silent racism that students expenenco on a daily basis. Singleton injects extreme swastika-toting SK.nheads -nto the pit ‘are thereby nvt ng the (antijclffnatic (mate ot violence and over the-too melodrama Singleton's characters also suffer from th>s oxtreme perspective Kristen and Hetny experience violent personality changes that occur before we even know w’xn they am Swanson and FTapoport don't help things much with the>r acting sk •» as both ;»•••■ •» re wholly f The only memorable roles in this picture are turned m by two of the periphery , •mm, ters Fudge White, played by the g;.e u*!y cool ice Cube, is the six year supe' senior sago who's got the white man an figured out v ,i‘, .i ••«■■■ vx I '■ M.i - ijiv y !*>,» jr«M. V i - -,Mf the uwdow*' on m\i ng h>s bsc * tify m a wh-te man's world ’* SO m-'v fo help ed jcafe M.i '* pr ..>'**•• ■"'r M.t ,• «• Ph 1 ■•;•-*, P ,ly»Ml i ‘V'.v'i rgly py .lucence f *shbume Phipps >s a hard-ass who doesn't take excuses and thinks even ess of favoritism based on color Hts acad ,■ ,r.' •••. a " M.I t f." ua'iy selves to make him a better student as we» as teach him some soft-re! anco Unfortunately. trie audair'ce doesn t ijot much further than fo surface in these reta onshtps be* ause they are just an example >t the many subpiots that are ott hanging and undoves >ped by Singleton Instead ot aking these sma« gems and polishing them, hey art* bur:(Hi wi|htn an overbearing pile of s>m»!ar unpolished items Tin* -iimpie lac t is. Higher Looming b>tes off <va/ more than it a- Chevy attempting to address every last not issue it c if' pawn ott on the audience :'V do- -.} •* . M i * I 1 p-e rest >’ tf'e •• porting cast end up as social billboards ■other than engaging characters 8 writing i <d awkward if ! *■ ■■ • re . . iiches and stereotypes to explain tnat actions .mc1 motivations of a character Sup posedty serious moments become tough able, creating great gaps of credibility that ■ ghi eavo the viewer thi - g •• are things gong to get reap* rhe fVf.f ■ **o f y is. trvey won ! Its unfodn ■site bee a ..so this could have been- a power lui film, much nko Boyz m the Hood was If Singleton had focused more on the people bong affected by social issues rather than !'ymg to luggto everything at once Might*/ Learning might have made the grade As it is. Smg eton needs to hit the books **************** WUNPERLANP ' ’T“S*“* 5lh STREET 5C PUBLIC MARKET VIDEO .... 683-8464 WHO ADVENTUtt' 15% I Student Discount 355 E Broadway only 345-9976 Must present student I.O No! valid with other discounts Valid lor I D holder only - if. ■ Hy. TRANSLATION JAMMU* 11. H :o. 21 V 2* *<R l*M UMvfltVit 11MI ATMF KM OfMCfc V4I> «i«# f/j D ° U BLE TEE & CELLAR DOOR P RESENT * frOfV fr .► ► WITH SPECIAL GUEST sonic youth FRIDAY MAY 19 MEMORIAL COLISEUM 8PM • ALL SEATS RESERVED TICKETS AT All FRED METER FASTIXX LOCATIONS • CHARCE A TICKET INFO 224 FASTIXX •SUBJECT TO SERVICE CHARGE* •. Friday, i/20 $© NERVOUS CHRISTIANS SANCHEZ BROTHERS THE JIMMIES PROFESSOR DUMB Saturday, i/21 $© IDIOT FLESH THE TREE FROGS Sunday, i/22 7 30 COSY SHERIDAN (iinger/sofigwuter) Monday, i/23 $© Jazz Night Free Pool Tuesday, i/24 $© DAWN BABY'S DISCO Wednesday, i/25 tba Thursday, i/26 $© BETMARS AMERICAN GIRLS AVERAGE JOE Friday, i/27 $© FLOATER THRESCHER DOG IS DEAD MOLLY MAGUIRE Saturday, i/28 $o VILLAGE IDIOT ROGER NUSIG BIG BUBBA DANTE'S CLOSET FREE POOL everyday until 9 p.m. Sunday & Monday ALL DAY Must be ©O or over 342-3358 136 E. 11th
