Monday, July 20, 1998 Getting to the point FILM: Suave serenading and swift swordfighting keep Antonio Banderas on his toes in ‘The Mask of Zorro’ By Lonnie Harris Daily Bruin Staff As Antonio Banderas nervously lights up a cigarette, he glances around the room, making sure that no avid non-smokers are offended by this decidedly controversial action. Read more...

Monday, July 20, 1998 Soundbites Def Squad, "El Nino" (Def Jam) Out of nowhere comes "El Nino," Def Squad’s debut album. Consisting of Redman, Eric Sermon and the "lyrical wordsmith," Keith Murray, Def Squad attracted mainstream attention when their rendition of the classic "Rapper’s Delight" enjoyed heavy rotation on MTV. Read more...

Monday, July 13, 1998 Alexander breezes through from ‘Chicago’ to New York THEATER: Actress covets chance to act with friend, work with dance legend By Stephanie Sheh Daily Bruin Contributor Theater lets numerous actresses perform the same great roles. Read more...

Monday, July 13, 1998 Mixture of shows falls short of goal THEATER: While entertaining, most performances cannot maintain quality throughout "The Bad Smile" and "Fear Of …" Lee Strasberg Theater Through Aug. Read more...

Monday, July 13, 1998 ‘Small Soldiers’ goes AWOL on quality FILM: Computer effects can’t save action figures from cliched dialogue By Lonnie Harris Daily Bruin Staff One of the bland computer-generated characters in "Small Soldiers," after losing his legs in a freak accident with a kitchen garbage disposal, manages to pull himself, through pained, clenched teeth, back to the front lawn to join the rest of his comrades. Read more...

Monday, July 13, 1998 Soundbites Cowboy Junkies, "Miles From Our Home" (Geffen) Lulled into a melancholic state, sedated into sadness, listeners slip away from the new Cowboy Junkies album in a blissful despondency. Read more...

Monday, July 13, 1998 Swept up in the beat ON-CAMPUS: The innovative theater experience of Stomp storms into Los Angeles, bringing makeshift drums and infectious dance rhythms to entertain audiences at UCLA’s Royce Hall By Laura Noguera Daily Bruin Staff very year, a few thousand trash cans are imported into the United States from Great Britain. Read more...