ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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The Jazz Band performs at last semester’s concert. The spring concert will take place on Monday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center. (photo by Hannah Adamson) Jazz band to host concert with wide musical variety

BY AMY JACKSON

Staff Writer

The Ouachita Jazz Band is preparing to take the Jones Performing Arts Center stage once again for their spring concert on Monday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

The pieces the band will play range from New Orleans Street beat, swing, funk and Latin.

“We have programmed something for everyone,” said Dr. Craig Hamilton, conductor of the group.

Many of the arrangements are by Gordon Goodwin, leader of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. Goodwin is a Grammy and Emmy award-winning composer and arranger based in Los Angeles, known for combining the big band swing of the 1930s and 40s with funk, rock and other genres. Inspired by artists from Duke Ellington to Earth, Wind and Fire, Goodwin developed his own witty and intricate style.

Goodwin has composed for films such as “The Incredibles,” “National Treasure,” and “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” and performed with artists such as John Williams, Ray Charles and Christina Aguilera. Goodwin is known in the industry for his larger-thanlife musical talents. The Big Phat Band began strictly as a way for Goodwin to record his arrangements for his work composing for Warner Brothers cartoons when it was founded in 1999. Donning nine studio albums, the group has grown into one of the largest and most prominent jazz ensembles in the world.

Other composers and arrangers included are Alan Baylock, Jeff Jarvis, Mike Carubia, Craig Skeffington, David Springfield and Erik Morales. “Updraft” by Jarvis and “The Art of the Matter” by Springfield are medium-tempo swing pieces interwoven into Goodwin’s driving rhythmic pieces such as “Hit the Bricks” and “Don’t Steal My Stuff.”

“As a band, we are able to have fun with our instruments in a way typical marching or concert band doesn’t allow. Playing in the smaller ensemble allows players to showcase individual talent alongside growing with the group,” said freshman trumpet player Camryn Manning. “Jazz has helped teach me how to use my trumpet in a more personal, creative way and develop my own style to express myself.”

Students can receive Arts Engagement credit at the concert and tickets are not required for entry.

*The following review contains major spoilers for “Spider-Man No Way Home”*

Three is the magic number for the end of the home trilogy for Spider-Man in a film that will change the character’s future forever.

Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) changed Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) life when Mysterio revealed Parker’s secret identity to the world while framing Parker for Mysterio’s death in “Spider-Man Far From Home” (2019).

“Spider-Man No Way Home” (2021) picks up where the previous film left off, seeing Parker deal with the consequences of living two different lives. In a last effort to set things right, he goes to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) who casts a spell to make the world forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man.

However, Parker messes up the spell and causes people who know Peter Parker is Spider-Man to come to this universe bringing other multiversal threats including Doctor Octavious (Alfred Molina), Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and Electro (Jamie Foxx)

This film is a cinematic spectacle from beginning to end. The VFX (visual effects) and CGI (computer generated imagery) in this film is some of Marvel’s best work. From the web-swinging to the mirror dimension to the epic fight scenes, it all looked so realistic.

The acting in “Spider-Man No Way Home” is a tier above the acting from Holland in “Spider-Man Homecoming” (2017), “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018), “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) and “Spider-Man Far From Home.” Holland adds a new layer to his performance that makes the audience cry with him. During Aunt May’s (Marisa Tomei) final scene, the pain Holland portrays feels real, as if he was truly in pain. Holland’s chemistry with Zendaya (MJ) is another highlight of his performance.

Holland’s performance was not the only one that stood out. Alfred Molina (Doc Ock), Jamie Fox (Electro) and J.K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson) were all amazing, but one actor definitely stood out

among the villains. Willem Dafoe’s performance as Green Goblin is one of the best villain portrayals in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Dafoe, who first played the role in “Spider-Man” (2002), was a fan favorite from the beginning. Coming into the MCU, he proved to everyone that he deserved to be there with his stellar acting skills.

The other two performances that stood out were Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The way Garfield and Maguire return as Spider-Man made it seem as if they had never left. The chemistry between Holland, Garfield and Maguire sold having all three Spider-Men in one movie.

The story did an excellent job at balancing the line of fan service and having a good plot by making the fan service plot-oriented. Bringing back fan favorites like Doc Ock and Green Goblin could have easily been too focused on the fan service, but it stayed centered on Holland’s Spider-Man and his

‘No Way Home’ creates buzz

BY WYATT ASHLOCK

Arts/Entertainment & Opinions Editor

“I rate this film a five out of five tiger paws.” -Wyatt Ashlock

story. Even when Garfield and Maguire made their return, the writers did an excellent job at not taking away from Holland’s mourning of Aunt May.

Michael Giacchino has composed the score for the entire Spider-Man trilogy, but his work in “No Way Home” is unparalleled to his other scores. Fans and critics agree that this score is one of the reasons that the newest Spider-Man movie has performed and been received so well.

Overall, “Spider-Man No Way Home” is one of the best Marvel movies of all time. It is a roller coaster that fans never want to end. This has also been one of Marvel’s most ambitious projects, making five movies canon to the MCU that were not originally canon, bringing back beloved characters. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” shows that director Jon Watts understands that “with great power, there must also come great responsibility.” I rate this film a five out of five tiger paws.

Rumors are swirling about what the next step for “Spider-Man No Way Home” is. Some say that this movie will come to digital on demand in March, but a new rumor has surfaced talking about a re-release.

This would be an extended cut of the film exclusively in theaters with the goal of hitting the number 1 spot for domestic box office records after taking the third spot away from “Avatar” (2009) making over $771 million. Spider-Man will try to overcome both “Avengers: Endgame” and “Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens (2015) for the top spot in the domestic box office. However, internationally Spider-Man is only number eight, and the hope of hitting the top five is slowly fading unless the re-release can get audiences back into the theater.