Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Barbara Beaurevel is an attractive woman and, thanks to an inheritance, also very wealthy. However, her grandmother's scandalous past is something she must keep secret to avoid being an outcast in 1890s New Orleans. As a result of this, and blackmail from her cousin, Paul, Barbara chooses not to travel with her lover, Dr. Mark Lukas, and when he returns to New Orleans, is devastated to learn Mark is now married to Corinne. Determined to get Mark back, Barbara offers Paul $50,000 to seduce Corinne and break up the married couple. Her plan has an unexpected twist however, Corinne's sudden and suspicious death. Who's in it? The movie stars Ava Gardner , Robert Mitchum , Melvyn Douglas , Janis Carter and Lucile Watson. Review: I came across My Forbidden Past on one of my movie channels last night and while I wasn't completely sure about the plot as it was described, I am a big enough of an Ava Gardner fan to give it a try. I was pleased to discover it was a g...

Synopsis: Seeking to earn a partnership in her father’s company, Sam agrees to oversee the demolition of a remote apartment building with a notorious past; the architect that designed it also murdered people and entombed his victims within its walls. Shortly after learning more about the hotel’s history, the engineer also learns her life is in danger. Who's in it?  The movie stars Mischa Barton , Deborah Kara Unger, Cameron Bright, Eugene Clark and Pascal Greggory. You can read my review here:  Movie Review: Walled In (2009) __________________________________________________________ Here are some reviews of other movies from 2009: Movie Review: Bride Wars (2009) Movie Review: Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet (2009) Movie Review: Mystery Team (2009) Movie Review: Survival of the Dead (2009)

Synopsis: Howard F. Howard grew up loving the Three Stooges and now, as an adult, his obsession has grown into something unhealthy, with him envisioning clips from their films everywhere he looks, costing him his job and putting his relationship with Beverly on the rocks. As he seeks help, he learns he isn't alone with his obsession and it is becoming an epidemic. Who's in it? The movies stars Josh Mostel , Melanie Chartoff, Sid Caesar, Victoria Jackson and the Three Stooges. Review: When I came across Stoogemania last night, my oldest daughter and I thought the same thing, it would just be a Three Stooges clip show. However, after not finding anything that was a must-watch film for this morning, I decided to give this movie a try. As it turns out, it wasn't quite the clip show I was expecting it to be, but I'm not convinced that was a good thing. I'll give the movie some props, it is certainly unique. Howard's (Mostel) obsession puts him in some interesting...

Synopsis: Nancy and Jimmy, a young couple working as medical assistants, witness a group of men murdering Judge Roger Shaw. When another man, recently released convict and musician John Ellman, is falsely accused of the murder, Nancy convinces Jimmy it is too dangerous for them to come forward and by the time she changes her mind, Ellman has already been convicted and executed. Seeking to right the wrong, their employer, Dr. Beaumont, brings Ellman back to life with a mechanical heart he has been developing. Ellman is alive but in an almost zombie-like state with no memory of what happened. However, a supernatural instinct lets him know who framed him and he begins to seek revenge. Who's in it? The movie stars Boris Karloff , Edmund Gwenn ,  Marguerite Churchill , Warren Hull and Ricardo Cortez . Review: As a general rule, I've found you can rarely go wrong with a Boris Karloff movie so, when I went in search of a film to watch this morning and saw The Walking Dead was ava...

Synopsis: In 1964, an Erie, Pennsylvania garage band becomes an overnight local success with their song "That Thing You Do" and the group, The Wonders, soon find themselves on tour with a top-selling record. However, as their success grows, cracks begin to form in their friendship, threatening their ability to stay together. Who's in it? The movie stars Tom Hanks , Liv Tyler, Tom Everett Scott , Steve Zahn ,  Johnathon Schaech and Ethan Embry . Review: My wife was taking adult dance (tap) lessons, my youngest daughter was at theater rehearsal, and my oldest daughter was working on her homework so, since I had some free time last night, I wound up looking for a movie to watch. I've seen That Thing You Do multiple times in the past, but it had been a while. So, when I came across it, I ended up watching it again. I did not regret that decision. There are a couple things I really like about this movie, which came out just a couple years after I graduated high school...

Synopsis: The crew of a World War II American submarine are given orders to transport an underwater demolition team to Bikini Atoll so they can destroy a sunken American sub before the Japanese are able to salvage its advanced radar system. The already dangerous mission becomes even more complicated when they discover a Japanese fleet has already located the sub and started salvage operations. Who's in it? The movie stars Tab Hunter, Frankie Avalon, Jim Backus , Scott Brady and Eva Six. Review: I came across Operation Bikini a few days ago and wasn't completely sure I wanted to give the war movie a try until I saw it starred Jim Backus. I figured I hadn't seen him in too many pre- Gilligan's Island films, so I gave it a try. Overall, it proved to be a good choice. I think one thing I found I really liked about this movie was the way it focused on the psychological effects of war as much as the patriotism and action. The trip to Bikini Atoll was as intriguing as the ...