Herbie Mann was the first significant jazz artist to use the flute as his primary instrument. He also played reeds (clarinets and saxophones) as well. In this set, Herbie plays the bass clarinet, displaying the potential of this unique instrument in a magnificent way, with memorable performances on unforgettable standards.

Grade: A-.

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In this beautiful date, Buddy DeFranco joins the John Pizzarelli Trio in a set of standards and a pair of DeFranco compositions. Pizzarelli lends his vocal talent to two of the early tracks. The group is tight and, no matter how fast the tempo is, everyone sounds relaxed and confident.

Grade: A.

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A watershed moment in the history of music happened when Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker got together to perform this new musical style they’d invented, called “bebop.” This astonishing recording from 1945, lost for 60 years and only recently remastered, is a spectacular outing that warrants lots of repeated plays.

Grade: A++.

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Two modern day teenagers magically find themselves in a sitcom set in the 50s in this unexpectedly beautiful fantasy. The use of color as a metaphor for changing times is endemic throughout and the quaint world is richly imagined and competently created. Great acting performances make this an unforgettable pleasure.

Grade: A-.

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Korean director, Kim Ki-duk, crafts a beautiful story about a guy who squats in the homes of random strangers and meets the abused wife of one of these strangers. A spectacularly envisioned film, this masterpiece features two unforgettable central characters who never speak a single word to each other.

Grade: A.

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In terms of sheer vocal technique, it is hard to imagine how anybody could top Bobby McFerrin. This outing is no exception. His dizzying talent for vocal improvisation is on display here. Joining him in this quirky set are names like Manhattan Transfer, Wayne Shorter, and Robin Williams.

Grade: B.

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This Oscar-winning police drama features an extraordinarily talented cast, a keep-you-guessing story, and a gritty set of characters. Martin Scorsese directs, winning his first Best Director Oscar, a satisfying and complex thriller, full of exciting twists and turns. The middle act lags, but brings us to an unpredictable conclusion.

Grade: A-.

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Michael Crichton imagines an interesting story, where a group of anthropologists travel back in time to rescue a professor trapped in the 14th century. The exposition takes a while, the action is fast and hard, and the conclusion seems rushed. The characters are realistic and the story is cleverly imagined.

Grade: B-.

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This over-the-top war fantasy leaves historical accuracy behind in favor of sensational aerial combat sequences stagger the imagination. A group of American youngsters learns to fly in the French Air Service in World War I. This was a decent action-adventure, despite falling short on the historical fact.

Grade: B.

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The best-selling exposé of the fast food industry has been fictionalized and turned into a dramatic feature. Despite an impressive cast, the screenplay for this picture is a trudging, unbelievable mess of intersecting stories meant to illustrate the points in the book. This should have been a documentary instead.

Grade: C-.

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