Hosts Reid Sperisen, Adam Kakuk and Aisosa Onaghise cover new student film projects, standout TV premieres, Coachella highlights and fresh additions to the Los Angeles restaurant scene. They also reflect on landmark album anniversaries from ABBA, Toni Braxton and Mariah Carey. Tune in for an episode packed with film, music, theater and lifestyle updates from around campus and the wider entertainment world.

Reid Sperisen: It is April, and you’re listening to Daily Bruin Spotlight by Daily Bruin Arts. This is the Daily Bruin’s Arts podcast. Thank you for joining us for another episode. I’m Reid Sperisen, and I’m the music | fine arts editor and the host for today.

Adam Kakuk: My name is Adam Kakuk. I’m an Arts contributor and the Theater, Film, and Television correspondent for today.

Aisosa Onaghise: My name is Aisosa Onaghise. I’m an Arts contributor and the music correspondent for today.

RS: And once again, I’m Reid Sperisen, and I’ll be covering the lifestyle beat today. To get us started for the day, what is everyone’s guilty pleasure movie, maybe that you haven’t seen for a while or that you can’t resist watching?

AO: I wouldn’t say I feel guilty about it. I actually get really excited, but I would say “The Outsiders.” I’ve been obsessed with it since eighth grade, in geometry, when lowkey, we started watching more movies than doing geometry. Anytime it’s on television, I’m turning out the world and tuning into that.

AK: I would say “Cars.” I watched that movie so many times as a kid, and when I was in first grade, I got these Lightning McQueen Crocs that lit up when you stepped, and they were the coolest thing I ever had. And like Aisosa, I am not ashamed of this movie. If those Crocs still fit, I would probably be wearing them nowadays.

RS: Those are both awesome picks. I would probably have to say “Ocean’s Eight.” It’s a movie that I love to watch with my sister, and we can quote most of it. Now, let’s get into the top stories of the week. Adam, what is happening in the world of cinema at UCLA?

AK: A third-year student, Caroline Sierk, recently released her debut short film “To Be.” It’s a film about friendship set in 1965 Los Angeles. My colleague Gavin Meichelbock wrote a feature on Sierk’s film, where he learned that the film’s idealized portrayal of Hollywood reflects Sierk’s own perspective on Los Angeles as someone who grew up in the Midwest. She views this film as the realization of a long dream of making films.

RS: Thank you for that insight. What else is happening in the UCLA film community?

AK: Another UCLA student, Daniela Huerta, is making her mark on cinema, not by directing films, but by talking about them. On her podcast, “Letterboxd Unboxed” for the UCLA Radio, Huerta and her guests discuss their “Four Favorites,” which are their top four movies displayed on their Letterboxd profile. Letterboxd is an app where people can log the movies they watch. The Daily Bruin covered Huerta in a piece that was actually written by Aisosa, so be sure to check that out to learn more about Huerta’s series.

RS: Letterboxd definitely has a pervasive impact on how we digest film. Adam, what is happening in the broader television sphere?

AK: There are a ton of new shows that will be airing soon, several of which were covered in the Daily Bruin’s “Spring TV Preview” column. I’m particularly excited for season two of “Andor,” which is a Star Wars spin-off show about Cassian Andor. He’s a character played by Diego Luna, who first appeared in the movie “Rogue One,” and the show will focus on the development of the Rebel Alliance. There’s other shows airing soon, like a new season of Black Mirror and the premiere of a comedy on Netflix called The Four Seasons, which stars Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and Colman Domingo.

RS: And last but not least, Adam, what are the updates in Broadway theatre?

AK: Leslie Odom Jr., who originated the role of Aaron Burr in the musical “Hamilton,” recently announced that he will be returning to the role for a limited time on Broadway from September 9 through November 23rd this year.

RS: Thank you so much for such a variety of updates, Adam. Let’s shift over to Aisosa. What is one of the top stories in music from UCLA?

AO: In the UCLA music scene, Daily Bruin spoke with aspiring hip-hop artist Ali’ikai Kala about his recent EP “The Building Down The Block Is On Fire.” The UCLA Extension student said his latest project is inspired by his experience living alone for the first time in LA after spending much of his life moving from different cities with his family. He added that his sound is influenced by the hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest and that the EP integrates musical samples with maximalist production.

RS: And Aisosa, what is happening in the broader music scene?

AO: Most music fans seem to agree that Coachella delivered on the hype in weekend one, with many musical stars and public figures brought out in addition to the festival’s set performers. In his Coachella debut, Benson Boone brought out legendary guitarist Brian May from the band Queen to perform “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Clairo was introduced to her set by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and Charli xcx was joined by her collaborators, Troye Sivan, Lorde and Billie Eilish.

RS: Thank you so much for that information, Aisosa.

Now, I’ll launch this into the lifestyle beat and the exciting developments of the food scene in Los Angeles recently. The Daily Bruin published a restaurant preview column to highlight several eateries and dining establishments opening across LA in the coming months. Maydan Market is a Middle Eastern restaurant, while Jade Rabbit is a Chinese-American eatery that is set to open in Santa Monica, and serves dishes such as orange mango chicken and honey walnut shrimp. Award-winning chef Nancy Silverton is involved in the launch of Max and Helen’s in Larchmont Village, which will serve “elevated comfort food.” And for $275 per person, guests can experience a seafood tasting menu, merging Japanese and Korean cuisine at Corridor 109 in Melrose Hill, which will feature dishes such as abalone risotto and spot prawn and caviar tartlets.

In addition to all of these restaurant openings on the horizon, a couple of my colleagues have actually written restaurant reviews in the past couple of weeks. My colleague Martin Sevcik wrote a review of Bruin Bowl Malatang, which opened in March and is situated on Weyburn Avenue. Martin gave the restaurant a score of 2.5 out of 5.Although his opinions about the restaurant praised its location in Westwood, and late hours being open until 11 p.m., he was more critical of the AI-generated logo, bland beef broth, and a price point of $14.99 per pound of food. My colleague Izzy De Leon wrote a more positive review of Boondocks Coffee Roasters on Broxton Avenue, giving it a 4 out of 5. Izzy’s opinions praised the aesthetics of the coffee shop, but criticized the early time that it closes at 3 p.m., since it is less conductive than other coffee shops for students to study. However, she wrote positively about a variety of drinks offered there, including the Salted Latik latte, which brings flavors of Filipino culture to customers.

And for our group segment today, I think it’s pertinent for us to reflect on some of the albums marking landmark anniversaries this April since their release. Adam, what’s a landmark album that sticks out to you that is celebrating a major milestone?

AK: Yeah, this April will mark 50 years since ABBA released their third studio album titled “ABBA.” It featured hit singles like “SOS,” “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do” and “Mamma Mia,” which is one of my personal favorite songs. This album came out after they had just won the Eurovision Contest a year earlier for their song “Waterloo,” so it was a highly anticipated follow up and has proven to be an incredibly successful album.

RS: Definitely one worth remembering, especially considering all of the hits that ABBA would continue to give us after that. Aisosa, what’s an album that sticks out for you?

AO: An album that sticks out to me that was released this month is Toni Braxton’s “The Heat,” which was released April 2000, so it’s celebrating 25 years this year. It features the hit lead single “He Wasn’t Man Enough,” which won Braxton a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and is a personal favorite R&B song of mine.

RS: Another R&B project celebrating a major anniversary this month is Mariah Carey’s “The Emancipation of Mimi,” released April 2005 celebrating 20 years. This album won three Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album, although it lost Album of the Year to U2’s “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.” I love that album for some of its singles. The second single, “We Belong Together,” spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and completely revitalized Carey’s career after five years without a number one hit. But some of the deep cuts on the album, like “Stay the Night” and “Circles” just really represent mid-2000s R&B perfection to me, that I think everyone can jam to and enjoy regardless of if they’re experiencing heartbreak or getting ready to go out to a party.

AO: Reid, I have to agree with that assessment. “Emancipation” was such a beautiful representation of Carey’s independence, and I do have to say, my personal favorites on the album are “Shake It Off” and “Circles.”

RS: Well, evidently, there is great reason to revisit these albums from ABBA, Toni Braxton and especially Mariah Carey, and what is arguably her magnum opus.

Thank you again for joining us for this episode of Daily Bruin Spotlight. Tune in soon for the next edition of this Arts podcast.