Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Run by the penny-pinching headmaster Edward Crumwallis, Burleigh was a boys' preparatory school in name only, providing a below average education with an outdated curriculum, second-hand books and a staff of teachers that have lost their passion. To make matters worse, Crumwallis is a poor judge of character and chooses teenager Hilary Frome to be the new head boy despite everyone else at the school knowing Frome is evil.  After a series of mishaps ranging from ten students accidentally getting drunk to one being cut up by a razor hidden in a towel, the school is put on edge. Then the unthinkable happens, Hilary Frome is poisoned and died. Was it an accident or was it murder? Review: I have attempted to read some of Robert Barnard's books in the past and, while I didn't necessarily hate them, I also didn't find myself impressed. However, I am always willing to give authors another chance and requested School for Murder through our library last week. My opin...

Look, I'm not going to pretend it is even remotely likely to happen. However, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers still considering another season of football at the age of 42 there are reasons why a return to the Green Bay Packers would make sense for the former MVP passer. Timing is everything and, when the Packers decided to part ways with Rodgers following the 2022 season, the time was right. Rodgers was still playing at a high level, but Jordan Love was ready to take the reins and there was clear disconnect between the quarterback and the front office. Now, the timing is again right, with Love firmly entrenched as the starter but the team in need of a reliable backup quarterback after losing Malik Willis to free agency. It would be an arrangement that would benefit both sides. For the Packers, they would be getting a quarterback who, while no longer in his prime, has shown he can still play at a high enough level to win games. He is also familiar with Coach Matt LaFleur's offen...

Synopsis : A team of documentary filmmakers, led by aspiring director Terri Flores, embarks on a boat trip down the Amazon River in search of a long-lost tribe. When they come across a stranded snake hunter, Paul Serone, they offer him a lift and accept his offer to help them find the tribe. However, when one of their own gets injured and needs medical attention, Serone uses it as an opportunity to take control of the boat and force the crew to help him capture a giant, man-eating anaconda.  Who's in it? The movie stars Jennifer Lopez , Jon Voight, Ice Cube, Eric Stoltz and Owen Wilson . Review: Despite Anaconda coming out when I was still in college and the movie having a remake come out nearly 30 years later, I realized I had never seen the film in its entirety. So, when I came across it on one of my movie channels last night, I decided to finally correct that. As it turns out, this movie was considerably better than I thought it was going to be. One of the reasons I never made ...

Synopsis: Needing a break after one of her sources was murdered in front of her, investigative reporter Laura Blacklock accepts an invitation to join a cancer-stricken billionaire onboard a superyacht sailing to Norway as part of a one-of-a-kind cancer research fundraiser. Laura believes the trip, which includes many other wealthy elites, will allow her to restore her faith in humanity by writing a soft feel-good story. However, on the first night of the cruise, she witnesses the woman in the cabin next to hers go overboard, only to be told she was mistaken and there was nobody in Cabin 10. Then, when Laura digs further and finds evidence she didn't imagine the event, she finds her own life in danger. Who's in it? The movie stars Keira Knightley , Guy Pearce, David Ajala, Lisa Loven Kongsli and Gitte Witt. Review: I've had The Woman in Cabin 10 saved to my movie library for several months because, from the description, it sounded like it would be an intriguing mystery a...

Synopsis: High school senior Cal has a deceased dad, a mom he rarely sees and is constantly bullied at school by members of the football team, especially the star quarterback, Vic. The only things he has going for him as he waits until graduation and the opportunity to escape via college are his new girlfriend, Cecily, and the stray dog he adopted, Runt. When his confrontations with Vic lead to both Cecily and Runt becoming victims, it triggers a downward and violent spiral Cal may not be able to recover from. Who's in it? The movie stars Cameron Boyce, Jason Patric , Aramis Knight, Gabrielle Haugh , Cyrus Arnold , Charlie Gillespie and Brianna Hildebrand . Review: My wife decided to pick out last night's movie and ultimately settled on Runt , which was a film she saw a clip from some time ago and added to our library. I don't think the movie turned out to be what she was expecting it to be. It turned out to be, however, an intriguing albeit depressing drama. What helpe...

  My wife and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary this weekend and decided to change things up a bit by having an overnight trip out of town. As luck would have it, there was a Michael Jackson tribute concert at Ho-Chunk Gaming and Resort in Baraboo, WI so we decided to go there. We've been here before, but the last time was when they were still going through a major remodel. Unfortunately, our most recent stay wasn't as enjoyable as we were hoping. To start, for the record, yes, we did gamble at the casino and did not do very well on the slot machines. However, we also went to the casino fully expecting that as a possibility and because of that, kept to a very strict limit on what we were willing to lose. So, as far as that is concerned, it wasn't a positive nor a negative as far as my overall opinion is concerned. I'll start out with the good. The concert, which featured tribute artist Barry Dean, was better than expected. The sound quality probably could have b...