Luther Archer – Google

Thank you to the producers and those others responsible for this project. Out of this new phase of the bourgeoning, Black-centric, film market, comes a very smart and stylish Western. It is extremely captivating and entertaining, carrying that most important quality of suspension of disbelief. Shamefully, growing up, I never thought there were African American cowboys, and so-called “outlaws”. I now know that there were, but that facet of black-history has been purposely changed or erased just like so many other cultural phenomenon. I remain thirsty for even more well-made films that not only rival their Eurocentric counterparts but surpass in entertainment value.

After the Trump Administration and the George Floyd/BLM movement of Summer 2020 as well as the ongoing “Me Too” movement, this movie deserves a revisit. Given the current climate, one could say Higher Learning was slightly before it’s time. Any critic who labels it about racism is not worth listening to because Higher Learning adroitly addresses marginalized groups as a microcosm of a typical American college campus. It manages to include the entire spectrum of “privilege” within multicultural theory and presents a balanced depiction of very topical 2021 issues. This movie came out not too long after I had finished undergrad, but it resonates maybe even louder than it did upon its original release. I imagine the audience will love it or hate it based upon the current cultural divide in this country. However, if the audience is honest they will not be able to be able to deny the movie’s truth.

The series is within the greatest documentary chronicles ever made. Watching the film was enlightening, illuminating, as well as disappointing. Having grown up in the generation just after the Vietnam conflict, I know veterans of the war, but they do not talk about their experience. Being a fan of the culture of that period, you can admire the artistic expressions, but not appreciate the underlying soul of it. The film more than fills those gaps, and gives an honest portrayal of the US government’s hubris. As I watched, there were many times that I just felt betrayed—I was only born in ‘67. Burns and Novak weave a story with both sides told. This is not propaganda. By the end of the documentary, my worldview on politics, governments, colonialism, and armed conflict had completely matured. A MUST SEE!