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Steven Seagal needed a new approach to his standard head-busting heroics, so he teamed up with Keenen Ivory Wayans for this routine 1996 action flick. This time stone-faced Steve plays Los Angeles homicide detective Jack Cole, newly transplanted from New York and teamed up with Jim Campbell (Wayans). They're assigned to track down "The Family Man," a serial killer who earned his nickname by crucifying entire families and leaving religious graffiti as his calling card. The case heats up when the latest victim turns out to be Cole's ex-wife, and Cole is considered a primary suspect. That makes Seagal get really mad--you don't wanna get Seagal too upset, y'know--but he still has time to quote Buddhist wisdom and crack wise with Wayans, who plays it relatively straight as the practical half of this partnership. It's typical Seagal stuff all the way, with obligatory fight scenes every 10 minutes or so, but Seagal fans will enjoy it, and Brian Cox makes a suitably hissable villain. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Buddha Worship
"The Glimmer Man" is about a Buddhist police officer played by Steven Seagal. That's the whole movie. He teams up with Keenen Ivory Wayans and they try to look for 'The Family Man,' a serial killer who uses religion to make his mark. Steven Seagal was about to be killed by a Russian gang, but he told them, "I gotta lot of cash OR you can take plastic." He used his credit card as a weapon, how nifty is that? Another encounter involved Seagal walking into a restaurant and he caused lots of damage. All of that wine gone to waste and Seagal managed to try some of the food! He sure does enjoy food! Then Seagal fought a bald martial artist at the end of the movie and asked, "Is that the best you got!?" Yes, Steven Seagal can bring it and eat it in this movie. The duo found the killer and uncovered a deep plot involving smuggling. This movie is comedy, especially when Seagal gave Wayans a taste of powdered deer privates. It was disgusting, yet satisfyingly original! Good movie.

Typical Seagal
O.K.-- Steven Seagal was not considered for a Best Actor award for this movie (nor for any of this other flicks). This is, however, an enjoyable little movie -- you just have to get past Seagal's wooden acting, his love beads, and the huge holes in the plot. Keenen Ivory Wayans' character worked well -- he gets credit for all of the intentional humor, including one particularly funny line.

DEFINITELY NOT ORIGINAL
SEAGAL AND KEENEN IVORY WAYANS PLAY TWO COPS THAT'RE GOING AFTER A SERIAL KILLER KNOWN AS THE FAMILY MAN. SEAGAL AND WAYANS ARE DEFINITELY NOT GIBSON AND GLOVER. BUT THIS MOVIE ISN'T AND COULD NEVER BE ''LETHAL WEAPON''. SOME OF THE ACTION IS GOOD, BUT THE MOVIE'S JUST HARD TO SIT THROUGH. AT LEAST KEENEN IVORY WAYANS DOES DELIVER SOME FUNNY MOMENTS. WELL, SEAGAL HAS DONE WORSE MOVIES THAN THIS. BUT THEN AGAIN, SEAGAL HAS ALSO DONE BETTER MOVIES THAN THIS.

Steven Seagal: the name says it all!
This movie is one of my personal favorites. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. You had comedy, drama, suspense and action all rolled into one fantastic movie. Before this movie, I hadn't been a big fan of Keenan Ivory Wayans but he was actually very good in this film. Steven Seagal's performance was excellent and his martial art moves was over the top! I own this video and I never get tired of seeing it. It's all that and a bag of chips!!

One of my favorite Segal movies
This is one of Segal's better movies. I would rate it with Under Siege in quality. Good plot, great supporting cast. He does not inject the PC [stuff] that many of his later movies seem to have. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Solid performances are the high point of this 2004 adaptation of L.A. prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi's book about Charles Manson's Family, the Tate-La Bianca murders, and the subsequent trial that caught the world's attention in 1969. While the 1976 TV movie focused mainly on Bugliosi (here played by Bruno Kirby), writer-director John Gray turns his film's attention to cult member Linda Kasabian (a typically fine Clea DuVall), who eventually testified against Manson (a mannered Jeremy Davies) and his followers after they were arrested for several brutal murders, including actress Sharon Tate. Gray gets chilling turns from Allison Smith, Marguerite Moreau, and Mary Lynn Rajskub as "Manson Girls" Patricia Krenwinkle, Susan Atkins, and Squeaky Fromme, respectively, and the production is atmospherically photographed, but the dialogue is often ham-fisted, and rushes to an all-too-early conclusion (midway through the trial). The DVD offers the 180-minute film in a 1:78:1 anamorphic transfer, and includes a brace of deleted scenes (including some violent moments cut for TV broadcast), commentary by Gray and executive producer Mark L. Wolper, and footage of Davies in rehearsal. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful movie in spirit and value
This movie is based upon high ideals and values. It demonstrates the struggle between light and dark forces. It shows true spirit, wisedom, strength and beauty for what they are. I reccomend this movie highly. I am surprised it was made in this day in age.

Great Irish Legend
This is a great story based on the Irish legend of the selties and their human counter-parts. It tells the story of two people from two different world find a unque bond in each other. The actors carry the story beatifuly right to the end. This is a great movie for anyone who loves a good romantic story. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

BRIAN"S SONG SHOULD BE HEARD...
This is a Disney remake of the 1971 popular film of the same name, which starred James Caan and Billy Dee Williams. It is based upon the true story of professional football players, Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo, who played for the Chicago Bears. They became fast friends and were rookie roommates on the road.

When Brian begins losing weight inexplicably and coughing up a storm, it doesn't look good. He finally goes to the doctor, where he discovers that he has cancer. Yet, Brian never gives up. He wills himself to live, inspiring Gale to be all that he can be.

The film takes the viewer through the beginning of Gale's and Brian's friendship, all the way through to the end. Along the way, it touches on many themes. When Gale reaches the pinnacle of success and stardom in the world of professional football and wins an award, he gives a speech that includes Brian. It is a speech that is guaranteed to bring tears to the viewer.

Mekhi Phifer is terrific in the role of Gale Sayers and Sean Maher gives a compelling performance as Brian Piccolo. This is a well directed, well acted film. It is also very sad.

a beautiful song to hear
Hard to believe I didn't recognize this movie until just the other day. What a beautiful movie with emotional depth and a great message about friendship. For anyone who might not know the storyline, it focuses on the true story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, two former football players for the Chicago Bears with every difference you could possibly imagine keeping them apart, including racial differences and completely opposite personalities. Only by rooming together are they finally forced to truly enter each other's lives and help each other in many future endeavors, including a standout challenge in Brian's young life that the two must handle together, as only true friends could.

I have not yet seen the original of this film (which I hope to do soon), so I can't comment on any differences between the 1971 and 2001 versions. I will, however, say that judging from a trailer I recently saw of the 1971 movie, it seems like many similar and sometimes exact lines were used in both films, so I am sure that they both contain much flavor and depth. This 2001 round is an emotionally heartwrenching and altogether remarkable rendition of a true story that will never be forgotten by anyone who has ever followed the Chicago Bears over the years. Mekhi Phifer (Sayers) and Sean Maher (Piccolo) have realism in their acting and knowledge of their roles, thus enabling them to become these powerful and complex characters. I especially enjoyed the performance of Sean Maher. His smile, charisma, and endearing personality made the character all the more real and convincing. This is certainly a beautiful film that touches base with many deep topics (friendship, strength through trial, etc...) and will put many varying emotions to use. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be touched. I personally don't typically cry at movies, but this one always hits me hard. If you don't choke up or at least feel touched when Brian finally truly verbalizes his love for his wife or when Gale breaks down at the end of the movie, there's something wrong. Honestly, though, this is an outstanding movie--an excellent message. Seeing as this 2001 movie was my first introduction to the story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, I was impressed. Don't let the "trashy remake" title scare you off, because this new version has plenty of emotion and strength that has helped transform the story itself into what it remains today in the hearts of many.

matt b's book review
Brian's Song is about two amazing football players named Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers. One is black one is white. they are very different but very much alike. Both men are striving for the same job. Their personalities are very different, but their love for the game is the same. These men sooon become lasting friends on and off the football field, they help each other through some of the worst of times. I personally loved this book and it is one of my all time favorites. This book shows the lasting friendship between two very different people as they struggle through horrbile times. I reccomend this book to any teenage boys who loves sports and a friendship that can't be broken.

i loved both versions
I will always have a special place for this 2001 version in my heart because I saw it before the original, and it introduced me to two remarkable men whom I'd never heard of before. Of COURSE people are going to trash the remake; the 1971 film is excellent, and remakes don't typically go down well with viewers. I will comment that these versions are very different from one another. The 1971 film is more historical and passionately acted, whereas the one from 2001 strives to put somewhat of a twist on the original story without completely defacing it. This new movie shows more of a challenge that Sayers and Piccolo faced in the process of becoming friends; in the original, they pretty much always liked each other and didn't really have to develop it quite as much. Sean Maher and Mekhi Phifer certainly deliver, giving their characters a good degree of depth and passion. I will say that if you truly want to get the feel for every aspect of this remarkable true story, then go for the original. The new one is kind of a simpler recap to acquaint you with the story, although don't judge it too harshly because no matter which one you watch, you're gonna cry.

The horror, the horror
Brian's song, round one, was a perfect film. I am not even going to comment on it. I am simply re-submitting comments, the first sent hours before the premiere of this disaster, that have been thrice rejected by IMDB. (they have only my old e-mail address, so I don't know why)

In seven hours, I will hear familiar music in an unfamiliar arrangement and a voice other than Jack Warden's will tell us the beginnings and the end of the tragic and moving story of Brian Piccolo, lightly regarded blocking back to the incomparable legend that is Gale Sayers.

Well, Brian Piccolo ws an outstanding football player and, by all accounts, a good and admirable man. His death was surely a tragedy and the original still makes me, ME!, cry at the scene when B.D. Williams entreats the the team to play its best in honor of Piccolo.

After the foregoing voice, it will all go down from there, your teeth will chatter, your eyes melt and your ears will bleed. Good God, didn't you learn anything from the Black Odd Couple. Don't mess with perfection. You are not artisans restoring the Sistine chapel, you work in television, television!

Don't watch this and you will be spared the wooden performance of the dude who plays Sayers and the... one playing Piccolo.

This has been a LawDog "I have not and never will see this movie" review.
Not reviewed for typos. ... Read more

Description

What do you do when your best friend is a 400-pound gorilla? Anything she likes.Year: 1995Director: John GrayStarring: Will Horneff, Jean Marie Barnwell, Helen Shaver ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Greatest Family Movie ever Made
I thought this movie was made really well. This has been the greatest family movie I have ever seen. It had me laughing and crying at the same time. This is a film that the whole family can enjoy from 0 to 99 years old. And I believe that your whole family will love this movie and watch it everyday like I do.

One of the best family flicks ever.
This movie was made for everybody likes comedy. There are no boring parts at all. It is a bit sad at the end but not very sad. It is half sad half happy at the end. Every minute of this is entertaining. Buy this and enjoy.

Great movie
It is the best movie for kids. My kids watch it over and over again. So if you have kids aged 5 to 10 you should buy this vidio.

Sad,boring I hate it
It is very sad not as bad at the begining but very very sad at the end. It also went by to slow

Excellent for adults and children
Very entertaining for all ages, the gorilla was very well done, good for teaching children about commitment and responsibility. Makes you laugh and cry. ... Read more